Jessy had barely made it back from the farm when a wave of uncertainty hit her. The strange encounter with Dave kept replaying in her mind—the way he had looked at her, the way his presence seemed to linger in the air long after he had left. She couldn't shake the feeling that something about him was different, something that pulled at her in a way she couldn't explain. It was as if the universe had thrown her into the path of something far bigger than she could control. The baby in her belly seemed to settle at that moment, as if it too understood the importance of this conversation.
Rocky, her golden retriever, padded over to her as she stood frozen at the door. He nudged her hand with his nose, and she scratched behind his ears absently, finding comfort in the dog's steady presence. But even his calm couldn't quiet the storm brewing inside her. Jessy had never felt this unsettled, never been drawn to someone like this before, and certainly not someone like Dave Sebastiano. The magnetic pull she had felt in his presence was unlike anything she had ever experienced.
She needed someone to talk to.
"Maura," Jessy called softly as she entered the living room. The older woman, who had helped raise her, sat in her usual chair by the window, knitting. Jessy took a deep breath before sitting across from her. Maura's knowing gaze met hers, and the younger woman could tell the nanny had already noticed the tension in her posture.
"Something's not right," Jessy said, the words heavy in the room. "There's something about the Sebastiano brothers… especially Dave. I don't know what it is, but he's different."
Maura didn't seem surprised. She didn't rush to speak, instead folding her hands in her lap as she listened. Jessy's heart pounded, and she looked down at her hands, unsure how to continue.
"Trust your instincts, Jessy," Maura finally said, her voice low and steady. "They've never steered you wrong before. But remember, the world around you isn't always as it seems. Not everything is as it appears on the surface."
Jessy looked up at her, frustration creeping in. "I don't understand. It's like… I don't know how to describe it. When I'm near him, it's like a magnetic pull. And I don't know whether it's something I should be scared of or something I should embrace."
Maura's expression softened, as if she were searching for the right words. "Everyone has secrets, Jessy. Some are small, others are dangerous. But you'll know when it's time to uncover them. Don't rush in, though. Sometimes the danger isn't in the unknown—it's in how you choose to face it. If you feel drawn to him, be cautious. Not all attractions are as innocent as they seem."
Jessy nodded, but she still felt the lingering unease. The connection with Dave was undeniable, and Maura's words didn't seem to ease the storm brewing inside her. In fact, they only intensified her need to understand it all.
After a while, Jessy and Maura's conversation ended, but the questions in Jessy's mind only grew. She stood by the window, staring out at the Sebastiano house across the street. The sight of it brought her right back to the farm, to the intensity of that encounter with Dave. The way his eyes had locked with hers, the way his presence had felt like something much bigger than either of them. It was as if he had been waiting for her to notice him.
Meanwhile, Dave, in the privacy of his own home, couldn't stop thinking about Jessy. The image of her face, her hesitance, lingered in his mind like a shadow he couldn't shake. He sat in front of the fireplace, his thoughts consumed by her. There was something about her—a depth, an intrigue—that set her apart from any woman he had met before. He smiled to himself, the corners of his lips twitching with quiet amusement.
"I have to see her again," he muttered softly, his voice barely above a whisper. There was something undeniable pulling him toward her, and he didn't know when or how, but he couldn't ignore the pull. He wanted to know more about her, to see how far this strange connection would go.
Back at Jessy's house, the night dragged on, but sleep didn't come easily. Her mind was too busy, too full of questions she didn't have answers to. Every time she tried to push Dave from her thoughts, he came rushing back, his eyes, his smile, the intensity of their brief exchange. It was as if the universe had decided their paths would cross and nothing could stop it.
The next morning, Jessy stood by the window again, absentmindedly sipping her coffee, when a movement across the street caught her eye. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him. Dave was standing in the yard, looking directly at her house. His smirk was gone, replaced with a look of quiet intensity. It was as if he had known she would be watching, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
Jessy froze, unable to look away. There was no denying the pull she felt toward him. He didn't speak, didn't wave, but there was something powerful in his presence. The tension between them hung in the air like a charge, an electric current neither of them could ignore.
As if sensing her eyes on him, Dave stepped forward, his gaze never leaving hers. "Good morning, Jessy," he called out, his voice smooth, low, and familiar, as though they had known each other for years. "I was hoping you'd be around."
Jessy's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't expected him to speak. She hadn't expected to be seen, to feel this way. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks as she fumbled for words. "Hi," she managed, though it sounded almost hollow in her own ears. "What are you doing here?"
Dave's lips curled slightly, but there was no humor in it. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay after the farm. Didn't want you to be thinking too much about everything that happened." His voice was calm, but there was an underlying intensity in his words.
Jessy's heart beat faster, and she tried to gather her thoughts, but the words wouldn't come. It was all too much, too sudden. She wasn't ready for this—whatever this was. "I'm fine," she said, her voice tight, unsure. "Just... surprised, I guess."
Dave didn't seem offended or upset. In fact, he looked almost amused, but there was something guarded about his expression. "I'll leave you to it," he said quietly. "But I'll be around, Jessy. Don't worry."
With that, he turned and walked back toward his house, leaving Jessy standing in her window, her chest tight, her mind racing. What had just happened? What did he want? Why did he make her feel this way?
As he disappeared inside his house, Jessy sank back onto the couch, feeling a strange sense of both relief and yearning. Rocky hopped up beside her, pressing his warm body against hers, but it did little to ease the confusion swirling inside. She wasn't sure what she felt, but one thing was certain—her life was about to change.
"I don't know, boy," she whispered to her dog, scratching behind his ears. "I really don't know." The unknown stretched out before her, as tantalizing as it was terrifying, and she had no idea what would come next. But she knew one thing: there was no turning back.