Free Jordan's Return by Samantha Chase Page B

mirror and, feeling even more pitiful, pulled her hair up into a ponytail. Hell, there was no point in trying to look nice now. Jordan even considered going into the bathroom and washing off all traces of makeup, too. Might as well go back to looking like that troll she envisioned earlier. Clearly even with the effort, she couldn’t attract a man. Even one who used to be attracted to her. How pathetic was that? With a deep sigh, she padded back out to the living room and found they had left the couch empty for her.
    â€œWow, you look ready for bed already,” Jake said as he briefly took his attention away from the giant bowl of popcorn in front of him.
    â€œWe know how you like to lie down on the couch and watch TV,” Joseph said as he started up the movie. Rob was sitting in the large chair next to the sofa while the boys sat on the floor. Jordan didn’t even spare Rob a glance but she could feel his eyes on her.
    â€œHey, Mom? Want some popcorn?”
    â€œNo thanks,” she replied flatly while trying to get herself comfortable on the sofa and avoid Rob’s watchful eyes. Damn him for making her think all kinds of silly, romantic thoughts of him when all the while he had a girlfriend! When would she ever learn?
    Leave it to Rob to omit that little tidbit of information. Who would have thought that at the age of thirty-two, the old hurts of eighteen could come back with such a vengeance?
    Dammit!
    If it hadn’t been for that woman showing up tonight, she’d be sharing the couch with Rob, comfortably leaning into him the way she’d longed to this afternoon in the movie theater. But now, if it weren’t for the fact that it would upset the boys, she’d actually be asking him to leave. With any luck, the movie would be short and he’d leave immediately after it was over.
    But then when had luck been with her today?
    It was sometime later, maybe halfway through the movie, when Jordan felt she could no longer hold her eyes open. The day had been emotionally draining and had finally caught up with her, and the boys were wrapped up in the slapstick comedy. She couldn’t even see Rob because she had slouched down as far as she could into the sofa so she wouldn’t have to see him.
    Finding it too hard to stay awake, she decided to give in and just rest her eyes for a little while. No one would notice and the couch was oh-so-comfy. Her last thought was that wherever they ended up moving to, she had to purchase a couch just like this one because it was pure heaven to relax on.
    When the movie was over, the boys turned expectantly toward Rob. “What did you think?” Jake asked.
    â€œIt was a good movie.” He stood and stretched. He glanced at his watch and saw it was almost eleven o’clock, then he looked down at Jordan, fast asleep on the couch. Rob looked from her to the boys.
    â€œShe does that a lot,” Jake supplied. “Sometimes we can’t even get her to wake up so we have to leave her on the couch all night. That makes her real cranky the next morning.”
    Rob almost grinned. “Why don’t you guys go on and get into pj’s and get in bed? I’ll straighten up in here so you won’t have to do it in the morning.” The eyes that stared back at him were full of gratitude. “I’ll take care of your mom, too.”
    â€œThanks, Rob,” Joe said around a yawn. Clearly the events of the day had worn him out.
    â€œWill you come over tomorrow?” Jake asked, himself stifling a large yawn.
    â€œI can’t, guys. Sorry. I’ll be away over the weekend but I promise to come by and see you when I get back, okay?” At their sad faces, he repeated himself. “I promise.” That was all they needed to hear before they headed off to bed.
    Rob went about cleaning up the popcorn mess and straightening up the room. When there was nothing left to do, he stopped and watched Jordan sleeping on the couch.