My Darling Jane (The Darlings)

The next day, I step into my apartment after training, and the place is too quiet. “Lacy, Macy!” I call out, but there’s nothing. Not even the sound of their favorite pop band blasting from their room.

I make a beeline for their bedroom, pushing open the doors, only to find their phones abandoned, the screens lit up with missed calls and messages.

A note is on the fridge: “Gone to Jane’s bookstore. Back soon.”

I get a bad feeling. They never leave without their phones unless they don’t want me to know where they are.

I leave and go back to the street in front of Wickham and walk through the evening crowd. When I reach the bookstore, Jane is already locking up. My gaze takes her in, noting the shadows under her eyes. She looks like she slept as well as I did.

She smiles. “Hey. What’s wrong?”

“It’s the twins,” I say. “They left a note saying they were here.”

She shakes her head. “They weren’t here today. I’m sure they would have said hi.”

I nod, my hands clenching as I look around. The city is so big. “If they aren’t hurt somewhere, I’m going to be pissed for real.”

She comes closer. “I can help you check around. Maybe they’re nearby.”

I scan the street as I start walking. “Okay, thanks. They might be at Carson’s playing pinball.”

She follows me, her pace quickening to keep up.

I glance at her, surprised she’s helping. Honestly, I thought she’d want to keep her distance from me for a while.

“Are they usually like this, just going off on their own?”

“They’ve always been a handful,” I say, recounting the escapades they’ve pulled since I took them in. “Their mom needed a break, but I didn’t expect it to be this hard.”

She smiles a little. “Single parenting is tough. I’m shocked they’re causing so much trouble. They seemed so sweet.”

She checks her phone.

I wince. “This isn’t your problem. I’m sure you have to get Londyn.”

“It’s better not to be alone when you’re worried. Besides, Andrew’s got Londyn. He just sent me a text.”

“Rayna, their mom, she’s been doing it all alone since their dad passed away a few years ago. I thought I understood what it meant to be a single parent, but this . . . ,” I trail off, my gaze fixed on the bar’s entrance as we approach.

She nods, her expression softening. “Being a single parent is like juggling. It’s never just one thing. It’s everything all at once.”

We enter Carson’s and split up. After a thorough search turns up nothing, we regroup outside. “They’re not here,” I mutter, frustration evident.

She scans the street. “They’re smart girls, Jasper. They’ll be okay.”

My phone buzzes. It’s Herman, the doorman at Wickham. He watched me leave in a rush earlier and is calling to tell me that he saw the twins leaving around five, chattering about a place called Scandal. I thank him and end the call, urgency and frustration rising. A club? Dammit.

As I look up the address on my phone, I fill Jane in on the details. “It’s a club for eighteen and up, and it’s four blocks from here.”

She nods. “Lead the way. I’m going with you.”

“Seriously, I can’t believe them,” I mutter under my breath as I dodge pedestrians, with Jane in tow. “A club? At their age? I’m going to skin them alive.”

Jane smirks. “Did you think it would be easy watching them?”

I exhale. “Maybe. My own sisters were tricksters, too, so I should have known better.”

She nods. “They probably have fake ID’s. They aren’t hard to get.”

Ugh. Another worry. What if something happens to them? The city’s a jungle at night, and they’re about as prepared as a pair of kittens. The mental image of them, wide eyed while trying to blend in with the club scene, makes me anxious.

Jane’s strides become shorter, and I notice her wincing with each step. “Hey, you okay?”

She grimaces, stopping to remove her heels. “Just a blister.”

I shake my head, crouching down in front of her. “Hop on. I’ll carry you.”

She hesitates. “Jasper, I can walk. Really.”

I grin, trying to lighten the mood. “Come on. Let’s not waste time. I promise I won’t drop you.”

With a reluctant chuckle, she gives in, wrapping her arms around my neck as I lift her onto my back.

We continue, me carrying Jane piggyback; the absurdity of the situation isn’t lost on me. I laugh, and she does too.

“I didn’t realize you offered a taxi service.”

I adjust my hold on her, making sure she’s secure. “Only for special clients. And you are definitely special.”

We approach the club’s entrance, the thumping sound of music reaching the sidewalk.

I put my hands on my hips. “I’m going to ground them until they’re thirty. I’m giving their inheritance away. I’m going to tattle on them to their mom, and boy, let me tell you, she will yank them hard.”

“It doesn’t seem to be open yet,” Jane says as we scan the faces waiting in line at the entrance. She hops off and immediately goes up to a girl and starts talking. She comes back with a smile as she holds up two Band-Aids. She puts them on her heels, then slips into her shoes.

We decide to split up, with her taking the back of the line and me taking the front, and then we’ll meet in the middle.

I go toward the entrance, where a bouncer is guarding a red-roped-off area. “Hey, any chance you’ve seen two blond teenage girls here? Twins?”

The bouncer, muscles bulging, frowns. “We check ID’s. Strictly eighteen and over. But we haven’t even opened the doors yet.”

Jane’s urgent voice catches my ear. “Jasper!” She’s pointing toward a section of the line.

There are Macy and Lacy, deep in conversation with two guys who look like they walked out of a midlife crisis. One’s sporting an unconvincing comb-over, while the other is decked out in gold chains. They’re both far too close for comfort, and my blood boils.

I storm over, inserting myself between Macy and one of them. “If you’re fond of that hand, move it now,” I snap.

The two men recoil. One says, “Hey. Aren’t you the quarterback—”

“No time,” I cut him off, herding the twins out of the line with a hand on each of their wrists. “Let’s go, now.”

The twins pout, but I keep a firm grip on them, leading them away from the club and to a quieter part of the street. I stop and face them with my hands on my hips.

“You’re no fun,” Macy grumbles.

I did want to be the fun uncle, and I gave them plenty of leeway. But now I’m tired.

“You want to see no fun? Wait till you get home. You are in so much trouble. How could you think this was okay? Didn’t you know that I’d be worried sick?”

Macy exhales. “We just wanted to get in line and pretend for a little while.”

Her sister nods in agreement.

“You don’t have fake ID’s?” I ask sharply.

They drop their shoulders.

Caught.

Macy pleads with me, “Okay, okay, we do, but I promise we just wanted to get a peek inside, then come back. We’re going to be college freshmen this fall, Uncle J. We’ve never been to a real club back home, and we just thought we’d see what it was like. I promise.”

Lacy nods. “Plus, we’ll be eighteen in a couple of weeks.”

I shake my head. “Don’t care. You lied to me about where you were going. I’m the one responsible for you, and if something happens, it’s my fault.” I sigh. “You’ll have plenty of time for clubs when you’re older. Another thrill is seeing if you can escape your bedroom when I lock you two in,” I add.

“You really worried him,” Jane tells them.

They keep their heads down, sheepishly mumbling apologies about how they didn’t mean to make me worry and how they thought they’d be back in an hour or so and how they planned to admit where they’d been once they got back. They toss in several “pleases” and “you are the best uncle in the world.” It goes on for a few minutes, and I let them.

Jane and I exchange glances. She nods as if to say, “They look sorry to me.”

Their remorse does seem genuine. I know they’re just kids, testing boundaries.

“Let’s go home,” I say.

We head to Wickham, and Macy says, “I’m super hungry. You’re not going to starve us now, are you?”

I shoot her a stern look. “Considering the stunt you just pulled, maybe a little starvation is what you need.”

Lacy’s eyes well up with tears. “I’m hungry too.”

“Okay, okay, no one’s starving tonight,” I say at the sight of a nearby food truck cooking up what smells like Mexican. “Who wants tacos?”

They squeal in unison.

Jane hesitates, probably about to make her exit.

Her first instinct is always to run away. I grab her bag from her arm. “Hang out with us a little longer.”

She shakes her head. “I have to go—”

“Please.” I don’t hide my disappointment. Because shit. If she leaves, I’m . . . shit. Alone. “Eat with us?”

“Come on, Jane. Stay for a bit,” Macy pleads, tugging at her sleeve. “We hardly know you.”

Jane laughs. “You just met me.”

Lacy joins in. “Tell us about your little girl. Oh, we’re following you on TikTok, by the way. You have a nice platform.”

I decide to step in. “It’s just a quick bite. Besides, the twins may not be back for another summer visit once they go off to college.”

She smiles. “It’s Andrew’s night to cook at my place, so Londyn is taken care of. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to stay a little longer.”

We find a nearby table and sit to eat tacos and cheesy rice.

I watch Jane as she listens to the twins recount their day at dance camp. She’s got this way of making them feel heard, laughing at their stories, and asking questions. She fits right in.

“Please, Jane, can we meet Londyn?” Lacy pleads, her eyes wide with anticipation as we leave the taco truck behind and head to Jane’s apartment.

Jane hesitates for a moment, then smiles. “Okay, but just for a little while. It’s close to her bedtime.”

As the twins skip ahead of us, Jane and I fall into step beside each other. Our hands brush, sending tiny jolts of electricity through me each time.

I try to ignore it. Jane and I . . . she wants no part of me.

Andrew opens the door. “Looks like you brought the party home,” he tells Jane.

“His nieces wanted to meet Londyn,” she explains as she does the introductions of the twins.

“Hey, Jasper. Didn’t expect to see you here,” Andrew says, extending a hand.

I shake it.

“How’s the new season shaping up for you?”

Before I can reply, a small figure in polka-dot pajamas dashes out, wispy blond hair bouncing with each step. She’s a mini Jane.

Londyn’s eyes widen with excitement as she takes in our presence.

“Mama!” she exclaims, running toward Jane and hugging her legs tightly. Her curious gaze then shifts to us. “Who are they?”

Jane smiles down at her. “This is Jasper. He’s a friend of mine. You’ve met him before, but it’s been a while.”

Londyn looks up at me with big blue eyes. “Jaspie,” she says.

The sound of my name in her sweet voice sends a twinge through my chest. I crouch down to her level. “Hi. It’s really nice to meet you.”

“Do you have my car?” Londyn asks, her head tilted to one side, a serious look on her face.

“I forgot to bring it because I didn’t know we’d be coming over here. Can I bring it next time?” I ask, recalling the car Jane handed over the night before.

She nods. “Okay. It’s my favorite.”

“I promise,” I assure her, struck by how trusting her world is.

Lacy and Macy come bounding over. “Hey, Londyn, wanna see a cool dance?” Macy asks, grinning.

Londyn’s eyes light up with excitement. “Yes!”

“Come on, we’ll show you in your room,” Lacy says, taking Londyn’s hand.

As the three of them dash off toward Londyn’s room, I stand up, watching them go. A warm feeling spreads through me, mingled with envy. I think about Tomas, about how he walked away from this. Just like my mom did.

“Jasper? You okay?” Jane’s voice brings me back to the present.

I turn to her. “Yeah, I’m good. Just thinking.”

She studies me for a moment, her eyes seeming to read my thoughts. “Kids have a way of making you think, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“We’ll come again, right?” Lacy asks when we get ready to leave a few minutes later. “We can even babysit.”

I scoff. “Like Jane would ever trust you!”

“You can,” the twins say in unison.

Jane laughs. “We’ll see,” she says, her gaze meeting mine.

As we say our goodbyes, I linger at the door. “Thanks for helping me find them,” I tell her.

Our eyes lock for a moment longer than necessary, the air charged.

She nods, her eyes avoiding mine. “It was really the doorman. Maybe give him a bonus at Christmas. Besides, that’s what friends are for, right?”

“Right. Friends.” I start again. “About last night . . .”

“I’ve got an idea for a match for you.”

What the hell?

Another match?

After everything?

I frown. “Why? I’ve had three. It’s enough.”

Her expression is unreadable. “It’s my job, Jasper.”

I glance at the twins, who are pretending to be engrossed in a conversation.

“Yeah, but—” I start, but she cuts me off.

“Freida,” she blurts out, as if the name is an escape hatch.

“Who?”

She forges ahead, her voice gaining an artificial cheerfulness. “You like travel, right? You mentioned Vermont. And you’d probably love running a B and B?”

The idea of running a B and B is as foreign to me as knitting a sweater. But she doesn’t give me the chance to respond.

“I actually thought of her last night, after, um, I came home . . .” She clears her throat. “Anyway, the database says you two have a sixty-eight percent chance of matching as far as interests go, but of course, you’d have to meet her to know for sure. She might be the one,” she says.

“And why’s that?” I ask, already knowing I won’t like the answer.

“She’s been on dates before but never clicked with anyone. She runs an online fashion magazine. She knows everyone in town and likes sports. She likes nature, running, and spending time with family, like you. She just went through a bad experience with a date and gave up. I’ll send you her profile.” She taps away on her phone, a mechanical motion that feels like a barrier going up between us.

The text arrives, and I glance at the profile of Freida. She’s attractive, with long dark hair, but everything feels wrong. Fine, she likes sports and nature and exercising. That’s the same for tons of people, but a bed-and-breakfast enthusiast? Sure, I have a dream of living out of the city, but why the hell would I want a stranger staying in my house using my towels and eating my breakfast?

“I can watch the twins for you.”

She thinks my reluctance to go out with Freida is because of the two terrors.

But if that’s the way Jane wants to play this, fine.

I’m tired of chasing her. It’s time to give up.

“All right,” I say, my voice flat. “I’ll give it a shot.”

Jane gives me a tight smile, but her eyes are sad. “I think it’ll be great.”

I take a step back. “I should get going.”

She nods, her gaze lingering on me for a moment too long. “Good night, Jasper. Night, girls.”

I turn and walk away, my hands clenching.

Then I hear Londyn call out, “Night, Jaspie. Night, Lacy and Macy.”

It makes my heart do a funny flip. I turn around and throw her a big kiss.