Definitely Not

Jordan shot a pleading look at Elena, eyes wide and glassy, silently begging for rescue as Sarah’s palm pressed gently against the small of his back and began guiding him forward.

Elena met his gaze, mischief glittering bright in her green eyes. She lifted her demitasse cup in a tiny, mocking toast.

“Go on, Joanne,” she said, voice honeyed and merciless. “Be a good girl and help Sarah with the kids.”

James’s low chuckle rumbled beside her. He reached for a bottle of red on the sideboard, the muscles in his forearm flexing as he twisted the corkscrew with casual strength. The cork came free with a soft pop.

“Since you two started early on dessert, Elena and I will get a head start on the wine.”

Jordan’s heart sank. Sarah’s fingers tightened just enough to steer him out the kitchen toward the stairs, her smile soft and victorious. The hallway swallowed them both. Jordan’s flats whispered over the hardwood.

As they reached the foot of the stairs, Jordan shot one final, frantic glance over his shoulder. Elena was walking out the kitchen doorway, wine glass dangling from her fingers, her emerald silk dress catching the low light. James’s large hand rested at her spine in a near-perfect mirror image of Sarah’s on his back. Elena’s eyes were gleaming, lips parted mid-laugh at something James said. She met Jordan’s eyes briefly and gave the smallest shake of her head.

The message landed like a slap and a kiss at once. Jordan’s knees almost buckled. Sarah’s arm slipped around his waist, steadying him, pulling him closer as they climbed. Each step nudged the plug deeper; the soaked pad clung cold and slick between his thighs.

Upstairs smelled like bubble-gum toothpaste and warm night-lights. The bathroom door stood open; Mia was already brandishing a glittery toothbrush like a trophy while Max hip-bumped her out of the way to spit neon-blue foam.

Sarah leaned in the doorway, arms folded, amused. “Two minutes, or I’m coming in with the cold-water trick.”

Max yelped and scrubbed faster. Jordan hovered beside Sarah, thighs pressed tight together, every heartbeat throbbing. While they waited, Sarah's hand drifted upward, settling between his shoulder blades, thumb stroking the bare skin revealed by the dress’s neckline. The touch was feather-light, almost maternal, and it made his knees want to fold.

Mia finished first, spat a dramatic blue glob, and flung herself at Jordan for a sticky hug. She buried her face in the front of Jordan’s dress for a second, then pulled back with a delighted grin.

“You smell exactly like Mom!” she announced loudly. “Like her fancy lotion!”

Heat exploded across Jordan’s face, as Sarah gave a hearty smile. After being next Sarah all evening and the close hugs, her warm magnolia-and-sandalwood scent now clung to him like a brand.

Max bolted past them to his room. Sarah steered Jordan down the short hallway with the same gentle, inevitable pressure.

They went to Mia’s room first: periwinkle walls, fairy lights, stuffed narwhal on the pillow. She dove under the covers and popped back up for one more hug, arms tight around Jordan’s hips. “Night, Joanne! Come tomorrow too!”

Max’s room across the hall was chaos—posters, LED strips, Spider-Man comforter. He was already buried, only a tuft of brown hair visible. Sarah sat on the edge of his bed, smoothed the hair back, and dropped a kiss to his forehead. “Lights out in two, buddy.”

Max’s muffled voice floated up. “Love you, Mom. Love you, Joanne.”

Jordan’s throat closed. Sarah rose, turned, and cupped Jordan’s cheek for a second—thumb brushing the flushed skin just under his eye. “They’re smitten,” she whispered. As they walked into the corridor, Sarah closed the door behind them.

“You were so sweet with them,” she murmured, holding Jordan's hand, voice barely louder than the hum of the night-lights. “They’ll dream about you tonight.”

Sarah didn’t release his hand as they came down the stairs. Their palms rubbed together, fingers interlaced, her thumb stroking his skin in a deliberate rhythm. Jordan could feel the warmth radiating from her palm into his body.

Downstairs the living room was quieter, lights turned lower. James and Elena sat on the sectional, wine glasses nearly empty, knees angled toward each other. James’s arm lay along the back of the couch a hair's breadth away from Elena’s bare shoulder. Their voices were low, laughter softer than it had been with the children present.

“…so I told the contractor if he was that **** about those string lights he’d have to install them himself,” Elena was saying, head tilted toward him.

James chuckled, the sound rumbling. “I like a woman who knows what she wants.”

Elena blushed with a smile, her eyes lowering momentarily.

Sarah and Jordan reached the bottom step still holding hands. "Joanne, go ahead and take a seat honey," she said as she let go of his hand. Jordan walked nervously towards the living room, and settled slowly on the shorter return of the L-shape sectional.

James and Elena continued their conversation, Jordan ignored for the moment. James leaned forward to refill Elena’s glass. “Speaking of ****,” he said, eyes on Elena, “I’m one of the volunteers on the town's community-events team. We’re planning the end-of-summer fundraiser. Branding, social, the whole package. We could use some who knows what's needed.”

Elena’s laugh was low, pleased. “I’m listening.”

Sarah returned with a fresh bottle of red and two clean glasses.

James glanced up, “bringing reinforcements?”

Sarah smiled, “The kids are down. Grown-up time.”

Sarah uncorked the bottle with a soft pop, poured two generous glasses, and handed one to Jordan.

“Joanne... darling, I know you’re not old enough to drink yet,” she said, voice low and conspiratorial, “but you’ve earned this tonight.” Her fingers brushed Jordan’s as the glass changed hands, lingering just long enough to feel the tremor in his grip. She settled next to Jordan. The position left Jordan half-facing the room, half-trapped by Sarah’s body, her bare arm draped casually along the back of the couch behind his shoulders.

She laughed softly and glanced across at Elena. “You know, with our schedule it’s a miracle we ever get a night like this. I’m the instructor at a boutique fitness studio, so my days are pretty packed with back-to-back classes, especially during summers. James runs his own home remodeling crew—small but busy. He technically works from home, but with the construction boom around Westchester, he’s out on job sites more often than not.”

James gave a low chuckle, reaching for the wine bottle again. “Guilty. Keeps me in shape, though.” His eyes flicked to Elena with an easy smile. “At least it means I’m around enough to make a decent lasagna when we have new neighbors over.”

Sarah lifted her glass. “To new neighbors.”

Elena smiled, her gaze drifting briefly to Jordan still tucked against Sarah’s side. “Sounds like you two have the perfect setup.”

Sarah leaned back, stretching one leg along the sectional so her bare foot nudged Jordan’s calf. “You know, Elena” she said, swirling her glass, “James and I were high-school sweethearts. Started dating junior year, never looked back. I had the twins a month after I turned twenty.”

James gave a soft snort. “She always leaves out the part where we were still sophomores in college and living on ramen and pure stubbornness.”

Sarah’s toes traced a lazy circle on Jordan’s ankle. “Exactly. So, Joanne,” she murmured, voice warm with teasing affection, “you be careful running around cafés with cute boys giving you their numbers. I was nineteen when I got pregnant. Practically your age.” Her smile, slow and knowing. “Things happen fast when you’re that pretty and that young.”

Jordan’s glass trembled; wine sloshed dangerously close to the rim. The plug throbbed; the soaked pad clung; the tape pulled with every frantic heartbeat.

Elena’s laugh floated across the low table, light and wicked. “Don’t worry, Sarah. Joanne’s under very strict supervision.”

Sarah’s arm tightened along the back of the couch, fingertips brushing the bare skin of Jordan’s upper arm. “Good,” she said softly. “Someone needs to keep our girl safe.”

Jordan wished for the ground to swallow him.

Sarah set her glass down and curled her legs beneath her, the movement bringing her thigh flush against Jordan’s hip.

Sarah’s hand slid to Jordan’s shoulder, thumb stroking his hairs. “Joanne... I need a favor. My regular sitter canceled for tomorrow. I'm usually at the studio until seven, and James will be out tomorrow afternoon. If you're free, could you watch the twins tomorrow? I’ll pay you, of course, and feed you dinner after.”

Before Jordan could form the word no, Elena cut in, bright and decisive. “She’d love to. Wouldn’t you, Joanne?”

Sarah’s smile widened. Jordan’s answer was a breathy, mortified squeak that everyone took as yes.

Time blurred after that—more wine, softer laughter.

Eventually Elena glanced at the clock. “Oh god, look at the time! we’ve kept you long enough.” Everyone rose and walked to the door. The porch light flicked on, bathing everything in warm gold.

Goodbyes were slow.

Sarah hugged Elena first, polite and quick, then pulled Jordan once again into her arms, cheek to cheek, magnolia scent overwhelming. Sarah’s thumbs brushed his cheeks once more, then released him. “Text me when you’re on your way. I’ll leave the key under the frog.”

James pulled Elena in. The hug started friendly, then lingered; his hand settled low on her back, thumb tracing the edge of her dress’s zipper for three full seconds while Sarah’s arms were still around Jordan. Elena’s breath caught; she didn’t step away until Sarah finally released him.

Jordan’s legs barely carried him down the path. Elena’s fingers laced through his the moment they hit the sidewalk, squeezing once, twice.

Behind them the porch light clicked off, but the glow through the sidelights stayed on long after. They walked the short distance home, Jordan’s flats soft over the concrete, the plug shifting with every careful step, Elena’s pulse still racing from the weight of James’s hand on her spine and the picture of Jordan framed in Sarah’s arms.