Chapter 11

“There’s my baby! Bout time!”

“Hey, Mama.” Jalen said as he hugs his mother and enters the house.

“What’s wrong baby? You sound exhausted. You know you can’t be running yourself into the ground building all these houses and stuff.”

“It’s not that Mama.” Jalen says. “Comon, let’s sit.”

Deborah watches her son carefully as they sit down on the couch. She can see it all over his face. Something is weighing on him heavily. Jalen has always been independent, always handling things on his own. For him to come here like this, something serious must be going on.

“Jalen, baby, talk to me,” she says gently, placing a hand on his knee. “What’s got you lookin’ so worn out?”

Jalen exhales deeply, rubbing his hands together before finally looking at his mother.

“Mama ... I got somethin’ to tell you, and I don’t even know how to start,” he admits.

Deborah tilts her head. “Well, start from the beginning.”

Jalen nods, gathering himself before saying, “Mama, I—” He hesitates, then finally pushes the words out. “I got four women pregnant.”

The room falls dead silent.

Deborah blinks. Once. Twice. Then leans back against the couch, exhaling sharply. She looks at Jalen as if trying to process whether or not she heard him correctly.

“Four?” she finally says, her tone unreadable.

“Yes, ma’am,” Jalen answers, unable to look her in the eye now.

Deborah shakes her head slightly, then lets out a dry chuckle. “Boy ... What?”

Jalen sighs, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “Mama, it ain’t what you think. I ain’t out here just bein’ reckless. I care about all of them. It’s ... it’s complicated.”

Deborah stares at him, her motherly instincts warring with her disbelief. She knows her son. He’s not the kind of man to be careless, to be a deadbeat, to be trifling. But four?

She finally speaks, her voice firm yet full of concern. “Tell me everything, Jalen. From the start. Every detail. Right now.”

Jalen nods.

And then, he tells her everything.

One hour later, Deborah sits in stunned silence, processing everything Jalen just told her. She has barely moved in the last hour, aside from occasionally shaking her head, rubbing her temples, or letting out deep sighs.

Jalen sits across from her, hands clasped together, waiting for the inevitable lecture or explosion. But instead, his mother just stares at him.

Finally, she speaks.

“Son ... you mean to tell me that you got four different women pregnant in a matter of months ... and you ain’t running? You ain’t dodging responsibility? You ain’t denying none of it?”

“No, ma’am,” Jalen says quietly.

Deborah exhales. “And you care about all of ‘em? You ain’t just some fool out here playin’ games?”

“I care about them deeply, Mama. I swear I do. And I love these kids already, even though they ain’t even here yet.”

Deborah watches him carefully. His voice doesn’t waver. There’s no doubt in his eyes. He’s serious.

She leans forward, elbows on her knees, shaking her head slowly. “Jalen Thaddeus Moss ... this is some crazy, crazy shit.”

Jalen chuckles despite himself. “I know, Mama. Believe me, I know.”

Deborah sighs, shaking her head again, but this time there’s a small, reluctant smile on her lips. “Lord have mercy ... you really are your daddy’s son.”

Jalen looks at her, confused. “What?”

Deborah leans back, folding her arms. “Jalen, your daddy, Thaddeus? That man was a lot of things, but if there was one thing he was good at, it was loving hard. He loved me hard. And even though he had his faults, when he committed to something, he never ran from it. And that’s what I’m seeing in you right now.”

Jalen swallows. He doesn’t talk about his father often. It’s too painful. But hearing his mother compare him to the man he lost so young makes his chest feel tight.

“So you ain’t mad?” he asks hesitantly.

Deborah gives him a look. “Oh, I’m mad. Not ‘cause you got four women pregnant, but because this is about to turn your life upside down. You think you’re exhausted now? Baby, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. You’re about to be pulled in four different directions. You got four different women with four different lives, four different pregnancies, and eventually? Four babies. That’s a whole lot to juggle, Jalen.”

“I know,” Jalen says softly. “I know it’s gonna be hard.”

Deborah exhales and studies her son for a long moment. Then, finally, she speaks again.

“You know what, baby?”

“What?”

“You got a good heart. And a whole lotta love to give.”

Jalen’s throat tightens.

Deborah nods firmly. “So I’ma be here for you. Every step of the way. Whatever you need, I got you. Because if anybody can handle this ... it’s my son.”

Jalen finally exhales the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “Thank you, Mama.”

Deborah sighs dramatically. “Boy, don’t thank me yet. You still got four baby showers to plan, four hospital visits to prepare for, and Lord knows what else. You bet’ not be expectin’ me to babysit every day either, I raised my babies already.”

Jalen laughs. “I hear you, Mama. I hear you.”

Deborah watches her son and shakes her head one last time, a small smirk on her lips.

“This is some crazy shit, Jalen. But damn it ... if you ain’t your father’s son.”

Jalen lets out a long, slow breath, feeling the weight on his chest lighten just a little. Hearing his mother’s support, genuine, unwavering support, was exactly what he needed. For weeks, he had been drowning in this reality, feeling like there was no way he could juggle everything coming his way. But now? Now he felt like he had hope.

“Thank you, Mama,” Jalen says again, this time softer, more genuine.

Deborah gives him a knowing look. “Ain’t no need to thank me, baby. Just make sure you step up like I know you can. And don’t be afraid to lean on me when you need to. You hear me?”

Jalen nods, his voice thick. “I hear you.”

Deborah pats his leg, standing up. “Good. Now, go on and get you some rest. You gon’ need all the energy you can get.”

Jalen chuckles. “I know that’s right.”

Deborah shakes her head, smirking. “Lord have mercy, my son out here building houses and babies at the same time.”

Jalen laughs, feeling lighter than he has in weeks. Maybe, just maybe, he can handle this.

It’s 7 am at Rachel’s apartment. Someone bangs on the door. After several knocks, she gets up out of bed annoyed. She looks through the peephole and sees that it’s Jalen. She then opens it.

“Jalen, what are you doing here?” Rachel asks bewildered and still not all the way awake.

“I came to give you this,” He said handing a large bag to her, “There is medicine to help with any nausea and morning sickness, as well as any cramping or headaches. There’s a heating pad to help with any soreness you feel. There’s a breakfast sandwich and coffee in there too. There are also a couple of hoodies in there for you.”

“Jalen, wha-”

“Rachel, you’re one of the most amazing women that I have ever met, and I don’t deserve you. I know you don’t want me around right now, and I understand why. But I’m still going to be here for you. I’m not gonna go away because you deserve everything. Especially from me.”

Jalen then turns to leave. Rachel stands frozen in the doorway, staring at the bag in her hands, her mind spinning. She had spent the past few days trying to push him away, trying to make sense of everything, trying to hate him for the situation she was in.

But then he shows up at 7 in the damn morning, with medicine, food, comfort, and words that make her chest tighten. Jalen was still here. Even when she told him to go. Even when she tried to shut him out. Her throat tightens, her emotions threatening to spill over.

“Jalen...” she finally says, her voice barely above a whisper.

He stops, turning back, his expression unreadable.

Rachel swallows hard, then steps forward. Before she can think, before she can talk herself out of it, she reaches for him. Her arms wrap around his waist, her face presses against his chest, and she holds on. Jalen doesn’t hesitate. He wraps his arms around her, holding her just as tightly. Rachel doesn’t say thank you. She doesn’t say I’m sorry. She just holds him, because right now, she doesn’t know what else to do.

Rachel hates this. She hates that her heart betrays her, that her body melts into Jalen’s embrace despite everything. She hates that she’s crying against his chest, that her fingers are gripping onto his hoodie like she’s afraid to let go. She hates that she should hate him, but she can’t. Because the truth is ... She’s fallen for him. Completely. Even knowing about Sydney, Kristen, and Megan. Her tears intensify, and she clenches her jaw, trying to swallow down the emotions threatening to consume her.

“This isn’t fair,” she whispers.

Jalen’s hand rubs slow, soothing circles against her back. “I know,” he murmurs.

Rachel’s eyes squeeze shut. Damn him. Because the worst part? The part that makes this all so much harder? She knows he’s telling the truth when he says he’ll be there. And that’s exactly why she can’t let him go. Rachel searches his face, her vision blurred by fresh tears. She wants to believe him. Everything in her heart is screaming at her to believe him. And maybe that’s what scares her the most. Because no matter how much she tries to deny it, no matter how complicated and messy this all is, she knows she already belongs to him. She bites her lip, still trembling, still trying to fight it. But Jalen is patient. He waits, holding her gaze steady, letting her see that he means every word.

Finally, with a shaky breath, Rachel nods. “Okay,” she whispers.

Jalen exhales, as if he had been holding it in this whole time. He cups her cheek, his thumb gently swiping away the last of her tears. “I’ll prove it to you,” he says softly.

And for the first time in days, maybe even weeks, Rachel feels the smallest hint of peace. Rachel melts into Jalen as their lips meet, a slow, deep kiss that carries everything. The pain, the longing, the fear, the undeniable love that neither of them can deny anymore.

It’s not just passion. It’s release. A release of all the tension that had been building between them since that night at the gym. A release of the confusion, the guilt, the fear of what this means. Jalen’s hands move up, framing her face, holding her like she’s something precious. Like she’s his. Rachel’s fingers tangle in his shirt, clutching him closer, needing to feel all of him. She deepens the kiss, pouring herself into it, letting her body make the decision that her mind is too scared to face. Because the truth is ... She doesn’t want to fight this anymore. Jalen is hers. Even if she has to share him. And she? She is his.

“I love you,” Jalen whispers.

Rachel pulls back just slightly, her breath catching in her throat. Her eyes search Jalen’s face, looking for hesitation, doubt, anything that would make her believe this isn’t real. But there’s nothing but sincerity in his gaze. Her heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might burst. The words are right there, sitting on the tip of her tongue, but fear grips her. How can she say it? How can she let herself love him when everything about this is so complicated? And yet ... she already knows the truth. Rachel swallows hard, her fingers still clutching his shirt. She takes a shaky breath and finally lets go of the fight within herself.

“I love you too,” she whispers.

The words feel terrifying and exhilarating all at once. But the moment they leave her lips, it’s like something inside her clicks into place. She loves him. And she’s not going to pretend she doesn’t anymore.

“You’re an asshole, you know that?” Rachel said as they held each other.

“I know.” Jalen responded.

Rachel sighs against his chest, her fingers gripping the fabric of his hoodie. “And yet, here I am.”

Jalen smirks, brushing his hand through her hair. “Yeah, here you are.”

She exhales slowly, her emotions still a tangled mess, but there’s a strange comfort in his embrace. She knows this isn’t easy. None of this is. But despite everything, the chaos, the complications, the heartbreak, she still wants him.

Rachel finally pulls back just enough to look at him. “So ... what now?”

Jalen’s expression softens. “Now? We take this one day at a time. No pressure, no expectations. Just us figuring things out.”

She bites her lip, nodding. “Okay.”

For the first time in weeks, Rachel feels like she can finally breathe.

Later that day, an Email from Karla to Jalen:

Subject: Lunch Meeting Hey Jalen, I hope you’re okay. Can you meet me for lunch sometime next week? I’m hoping to get some more information from you about Megan’s case. Let me know what works for you. Thanks! Karla Silva Karla Silva, LLC

Jalen’s reply:

Subject: Re: Lunch Meeting Hey Ms. Silva, I appreciate you reaching out. I’m available Tuesday or Thursday next week—just let me know what works best for you. Happy to provide whatever information I can to help Megan’s case. Looking forward to it. Best, Jalen Moss Moss Elite Contracting & Renovations

The next day, Tuesday, Karla sits at an outdoor table at The Southern Bistro, a nice but casual spot in Midtown. She checks her watch, 11:57 AM. Jalen should be arriving any minute now. She had already ordered a sweet tea and was scanning through emails on her phone when she heard a familiar deep voice.

“Hey, Ms. Silva.”

She looks up, and her breath hitches for a brief second. Jalen is walking toward her, dressed in a fitted button-down shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up to his forearms, dark tailored jeans, and a clean pair of loafers. He looks good. Too good. Karla hadn’t realized how much she had already built up an image of him in her head. Megan’s savior, the man caught up in an impossible situation, a complicated but undeniably good-hearted person.

And now here he was, standing right in front of her, somehow looking even better than she remembered. Confident. Grounded. Strong.

“Hey,” she responds, flashing a small smile to mask her thoughts. “Also, you can call me Karla.”

Jalen pulls out a chair and sits across from her. “Well, hello then, ... Karla. You said you needed more details on Megan’s case?”

Right. Megan’s case. Karla straightens in her seat and tries to push past the little flutter in her stomach. This is work. Focus.

“Yes,” she nods, opening the folder she brought with her. “I need to clarify a few things about Megan’s escape, what Chris might know, and any information you have about his contacts. The more we can anticipate his moves, the better we can protect her.”

She waits for Jalen’s response, but he’s watching her. There’s something about his gaze, not intrusive, not cocky, just ... observing. As if he can sense something unspoken in the air between them.

Karla clears her throat and looks back at her notes. She needed to get a grip. “First off, how exactly did you come to be in business with Chris Westward?”

Jalen leans back slightly in his chair, exhaling as he considers the question. “Through Jim Harbor,” he says. “He’s a member of the same country club as Chris. Jim had been happy with the work I did for Georgia Wellness, so he recommended me when Chris mentioned wanting to build a wine cellar.”

Karla nods, jotting down notes. “And you had no idea who Chris was before that?”

“None.” Jalen shakes his head. “I’d never heard of him before Jim mentioned him. All I knew was that it was a high-paying job in Buckhead. I didn’t even meet Megan until the day I first went to the house to look at the space.”

Karla watches him closely, searching for any hesitation, any sign that he’s withholding something, but he’s solid. His story checks out.

“What was your first impression of Megan?” she asks, then immediately wonders if she should have phrased that differently.

Jalen smirks slightly, not in a cocky way, but like he knows exactly why she asked. “That she was out of his league.”

Karla raises an eyebrow. “You got that from one meeting?”

“I got that from one minute.” Jalen says it plainly. “I could tell she wasn’t happy. I didn’t know why at first, but it was obvious.”

Karla taps her pen against the edge of her notebook. “And when did things between you two ... change?”

Jalen takes a sip of his water, glancing at her before answering. “Not right away. But the more I saw how Chris treated her, the more I understood.” He pauses. “It wasn’t just that he was cold or distant. It was like he didn’t even see her. And Megan ... she needed to feel seen. She would come to bring me refreshments while I was working and we would talk. The more we talked, the more we learned about each other.”

Karla watches him carefully. His voice is steady, but there’s something deeper in his words, not just an explanation, but a conviction.

“So, you made her feel seen,” Karla says, more as an observation than a question.

“Yeah. I did,” Jalen says, holding her gaze, “At least, that’s what she told me.”

A beat of silence passes between them. It’s not awkward, but it’s heavy. Karla clears her throat and looks back at her notes. “Okay,” she says, shifting gears. “What about Chris’s patterns? What do you know about his associates, his movements? Do you think he has any idea where Megan is?”

Jalen leans forward. “That’s what we need to figure out.” Jalen exhales sharply, resting his forearms on the table. “Chris is the kind of guy who walks into a room and expects everyone to cater to him. He’s entitled, arrogant, and completely disconnected from reality, at least when it comes to other people’s feelings. The way he treated Megan was like a trophy. Like she was something to be displayed, not a person to be loved.”

Karla nods, listening intently as Jalen continues.

“The first time I met him, I could tell he was thrown off by me being Black.” Jalen chuckles humorlessly. “Not in a blatant way, but he wasn’t expecting it. He got over it quick when he realized I knew what I was doing. But the whole time I worked there, he talked to me like I was his damn servant. Not just a contractor, his servant.”

Karla’s brows knit together. “Did he ever say anything overtly racist?”

Jalen shakes his head. “Not directly. But the microaggressions were there. The dismissive tone, the way he made a point to remind me he was ‘paying me well’ like I should be extra grateful.”

Karla makes a note but doesn’t interrupt as Jalen continues.

“As for Megan ... I’d see her walk in a room, and Chris wouldn’t even acknowledge her half the time. If he did, it was usually just to make some passive-aggressive comment about her spending or her not being ‘on top of things.’ Like she was his employee, not his wife. And she took it, Karla. She smiled through it, but I could see it eating at her.”

Jalen’s jaw tightens as he recalls it. “Then there were the ‘business trips.’”

Karla looks up. “Plural?”

Jalen nods. “Megan suspected he was cheating, and so did I. He’d be gone all weekend, come back acting like nothing happened. He didn’t even try to hide it. One time, I overheard him on the phone in the next room, talking to someone about ‘how much fun last night was’ and how he ‘couldn’t wait for the next trip.’ Megan was upstairs at the time. He didn’t give a damn.”

Karla exhales, shaking her head. “Unbelievable.”

“Believe it,” Jalen mutters. “And financially? He had her completely trapped. She wasn’t allowed to work. Every dollar she spent was monitored. He’d tell her she was ‘lucky’ to be with him. That if she ever left, she’d have nothing. And the prenup ... well, you’ve seen it now. You know what that says.”

Karla frowns, flipping through her notes. “It’s designed to leave her with absolutely nothing. He planned this from the beginning.”

Jalen nods. “That’s exactly what I thought. He made sure she was fully dependent on him, so he could do whatever the hell he wanted without consequences.”

Karla takes a deep breath. “This is more than just a divorce case. This is control, manipulation, and abuse.”

Jalen’s expression darkens. “Exactly.” He looks Karla dead in the eye. “That’s why we need to make sure Megan never has to go back.”

Karla meets his gaze, her resolve strengthening. “We won’t let that happen.”

“How are you holding up?” Karla then asks.

Jalen exhales, leaning back in his chair. “Honestly? I don’t even know.” He rubs a hand over his face before looking back at Karla. “Every day, I wake up feeling like I’m trying to juggle a thousand things at once. Business, Sydney, Kristen, Rachel, Megan ... and now you.”

Karla arches a brow, caught off guard. “Me?”

Jalen shakes his head with a small smirk. “Not like that. But let’s be real, Karla. There’s a reason you’re sitting here asking me about Megan, and it’s not just because you’re her lawyer. You’re trying to understand me. And I get it, I barely understand myself right now.”

Karla watches him carefully, noticing the exhaustion in his expression. “You’re carrying a lot, Jalen. More than most people could handle.”

“I know,” he says with a humorless chuckle. “And yet, I can’t bring myself to walk away from any of it. I made my bed, Karla. And I’m gonna lie in it.”

Karla studies him for a moment before speaking. “You’re not obligated to carry the weight of all of this alone.”

Jalen shrugs. “Feels like I am.”

Karla hesitates before leaning forward slightly. “Then let me ask you something, and I want you to be honest.”

Jalen nods. “Go for it.”

“Do you ever wish you could just run?”

Jalen looks at her, surprised by the question. He considers it for a long moment before shaking his head. “No. Not once. I might not have expected any of this, but I’m not a coward. These women, they deserve better than that.”

Karla nods slowly, as if confirming something she already suspected. “You really are different.”

Jalen scoffs. “Not sure if that’s a good thing or not.”

Karla gives him a small smile. “It is.”

Jalen looks down smiling. It meant a lot to him to hear an amazing woman like Karla say that.

He then looks back up at her. “The fact that you’re doing this case pro-bono, I really have a lot of respect for you. I can tell that you really are trying to make a difference in women’s lives, and you deserve more recognition than you’re getting for doing that.” Jalen says.

Karla blinks, caught off guard by the sincerity in Jalen’s voice. She had heard plenty of compliments before, usually from people who either wanted something or were trying to placate her, but this felt different. It felt real.

She exhales, tilting her head slightly. “Most people don’t notice, or if they do, they don’t really care.”

Jalen shakes his head. “Well, they should. You’re fighting for people who don’t have anyone else to fight for them. That’s rare. And it’s worth recognizing.”

Karla studies him for a moment before giving a small, genuine smile. “Thank you, Jalen. That ... that actually means a lot.”

Jalen nods. “Just calling it like I see it.”

For a moment, there’s a brief pause between them, a comfortable silence. Karla feels something shift inside her, something she’s not entirely sure she’s ready to acknowledge.

She clears her throat. “Well, enough about me. Back to you. How’s Megan holding up?”

Jalen exhales. “She’s strong. Stronger than I think even she realizes. But she’s still adjusting, and I know it’s going to take time.”

Karla nods. “That’s understandable. I’ll keep pushing forward with the legal side of things, but she’s going to need all the support she can get outside of that.”

Jalen meets her gaze, his expression firm. “She’s got it. No matter what happens, she’s not alone in this.”

Karla watches him carefully, something unreadable in her eyes. “You really don’t run from responsibility, do you?”

Jalen smirks slightly. “Guess I’m just built different.”

Karla chuckles, shaking her head. “Yeah ... I think you are.”

About thirty minutes later, Karla gets in her car and her mind is racing, or rather ... her heart is. As Karla grips the steering wheel, she exhales sharply, trying to steady herself. What the hell is wrong with me?

She’s had countless meetings with clients, advocates, and even people caught in the messiest, most complicated situations imaginable. And yet, she’s never left one of those meetings feeling like this. Her heart is racing, her chest tight, her mind replaying every word, every look, every moment between her and Jalen. The way he listened. The way he saw her.

The way he respected her work, really respected it, not just as some checkbox of decency, but as something meaningful. And, of course, the way he looked. Damn it.

She leans her head back against the headrest, groaning. She shouldn’t feel like this. This wasn’t her. Karla Silva did not get flustered by men. She didn’t let herself. But Jalen Moss was unlike any man she had ever met. And that’s exactly the problem. She sighs, gripping the wheel tighter. She has a case to focus on. A client to help. She can’t let herself get caught up in whatever this was. But as she pulls out of the parking lot, her pulse still quickens at the thought of his voice, his presence, the way he looks at her. She shakes her head. It’s fine. This is nothing. Just a moment. Just a ... distraction. At least, that’s what she keeps telling herself.

Two days later, the worst (or best) thing happened to Karla. At 7 pm, well after office hours, she’s still at the office when she gets a knock at the office door. Karla looks through the glass windows next to the door and can see that It’s Jalen. She walks over and lets him in. Her mouth falls open. In his hands, Jalen has flowers, a bag of food from Chipotle, and bottled water for her.

“What’s all this?” Karla asks.

“Dinner.” Jalen says smiling. “I just want you to know how much I really appreciate everything you’re doing for Megan. I know it means a lot to her and it definitely means a lot to me.”

Karla stares at Jalen, momentarily speechless, as she takes in the flowers, the food, the water, the thoughtfulness behind it all. Damn it, Jalen. She wasn’t supposed to feel like this. She wasn’t supposed to let herself fall into whatever this was. And yet, here he was, standing in her doorway, looking at her with that sincere expression, completely unaware of the war raging inside her.

Jalen shifts the bag of food slightly. “I figured you probably didn’t eat yet.”

He wasn’t wrong. Karla takes the bag, her fingers brushing his for a split second longer than necessary. “You didn’t have to do this.”

“I wanted to,” Jalen says simply.

And that’s what gets her. Not obligation. Not some calculated move. He wanted to.

She exhales, stepping aside. “Come in.”

Jalen follows her inside, and she gestures toward the kitchen table. He sets everything down, and Karla moves to grab plates, trying to compose herself. They sit across from each other, the smell of fresh food filling the room as they dig in.

“You didn’t have to do this,” she says again, softer this time.

Jalen smiles. “And yet, here we are.”

Karla shakes her head, smirking slightly. “You’re impossible.”

Jalen chuckles but doesn’t push. Instead, he lets the moment settle, lets her process. And Karla? She doesn’t know what scares her more. That she’s letting her guard down with him ... Or that she doesn’t want to put it back up.

“You didn’t get anything for yourself?” Karla asks.

“I was only thinking about you.” Jalen responds.

Karla pauses, her fork hovering over her plate as she looks at Jalen. His words settle over her, heavier than they should be. He says it so simply, so casually, like it’s just a fact. But no one had ever really said something like that to her before. She had spent years advocating for others, pouring herself into cases, fighting for women who had nowhere else to turn. And yet, when had anyone truly thought about her?

Karla swallows, setting her fork down. “You can’t keep doing that, Jalen.”

“Doing what?” he asks, his tone genuinely curious.

“Giving so much of yourself,” she says, studying him. “Putting everyone else first.”

Jalen leans back slightly, a small smirk playing at his lips. “That’s just who I am, Karla.”

And that’s what terrifies her. Because she can feel it. That same pull she had been trying to ignore since the moment she met him. The same warmth, the same gravitational force that Megan must have felt, that Sydney, Kristen, and Rachel must have felt too. She was not supposed to be part of this. She couldn’t be. And yet, sitting across from him, seeing the way he looked at her, not like she was just another woman, but like she was someone, Karla suddenly wasn’t so sure.

She exhales, shaking her head, as she picks up her fork again. “You’re something else, Jalen.”

Jalen grins. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Karla doesn’t respond right away, instead focusing on her food. Because deep down, she knows that he should take it as a compliment. She just isn’t sure if she’s ready to admit why.