Room 568

30 minutes away

The house felt strangely empty after Aston left.

Not silent.

Just missing something.

Jessica stood at the kitchen sink rinsing out Carson’s lunch container when she caught the scent again.

Versace.

Aston had sprayed some on himself right before leaving, grinning like an i***t while Jessica rolled her eyes at him.

“You do realize you’re just putting more reasons in my house for me to think about you?”

“That’s the goal,” he replied smugly.

Now the scent lingered faintly in the hallway and living room like proof he’d actually been there.

Jessica hated how much she liked it.

At 4:14 PM the school bus finally stopped outside.

Carson came through the front door a minute later tossing his backpack down dramatically.

“I hate science class.”

Jessica laughed from the kitchen. “Rough day?”

“Very.”

Then Carson paused suddenly and sniffed the air.

“…Why does it smell fancy in here?”

Jessica nearly smiled instantly.

“Aston’s cologne.”

Carson walked farther inside still wearing his jacket.

“It smells expensive.”

“It probably is.”

“What was it called again?”

Jessica leaned against the counter thoughtfully. “Versace.”

Carson nodded seriously. “Sounds rich.”

Jessica laughed quietly to herself.

Honestly?

Everything about Aston felt a little rich compared to what she was used to.

Not money-wise.

Emotionally.

Attentive. Patient. Present.

Those things felt luxurious to Jessica now.

She glanced toward the clock absentmindedly.

Thursday.

Only Thursday.

Which meant if Aston came back this weekend, she still had two whole days to wait.

And annoyingly enough?

She already missed him.

Her phone buzzed suddenly against the counter.

Aston.

Jessica smiled before answering immediately.

“What?” she teased instantly. “You miss me don’t you?”

On the other end, Aston laughed softly.

“Yeah,” he admitted without hesitation. “You’re unforgettable.”

Jessica leaned back against the counter grinning now.

“It’s been like thirty minutes.”

“Longest thirty minutes of my life.”

“Oh my God you’re dramatic.”

Aston laughed again, nervous this time.

“Yeah I agree. Forever away right?”

Jessica burst out laughing.

“You literally live thirty minutes away.”

“Still tragic.”

His nervous laugh afterward made her smile softer than before.

Because she could hear it now.

Aston really, really liked her.

Not just physically.

Not just flirting for fun.

Actual feelings were creeping in.

Jessica knew it already.

She was just waiting for him to say it first.

Carson wandered into the kitchen grabbing juice from the fridge while Jessica stayed on the phone smiling like an i***t.

“Who’s that?” Carson asked casually.

Jessica covered the phone slightly. “Aston.”

“Oh.”

Carson said it like it explained everything.

Jessica shook her head laughing quietly.

The phone call stretched almost an hour somehow.

Talking about nothing. Talking about everything.

Aston described his drive home in unnecessary detail just to keep her talking longer. Jessica folded laundry while sitting on the counter listening to him complain dramatically about how boring his apartment felt now.

“See?” he muttered. “Now I’m just alone eating chips.”

“That sounds hard.”

“It is hard.”

“You’re surviving bravely.”

“Thank you.”

Jessica laughed again.

God she liked talking to him.

Eventually she hung up to start dinner.

Steak and mashed potatoes.

Carson’s favorite.

The kitchen filled with warmth again while music played softly from Jessica’s phone speaker. Carson sat at the counter doing homework badly while complaining every few minutes.

“I hate fractions.”

“You said that already.”

“Because they still exist.”

Jessica smirked while flipping steaks carefully in the frying pan.

The entire time though, part of her mind kept drifting.

Back to Aston.

His laugh. His hoodie. The way he looked at her.

The way he froze when she caught him going through her underwear drawer.

Jessica shook her head smiling to herself.

Unbelievable man.

After dinner, her and Carson curled up in the living room to watch Jaws. Carson insisted it was “a classic,” despite hiding under a blanket during half the movie.

“You know the shark looks fake right?” Jessica teased.

“No it doesn’t.”

“It absolutely does.”

“Shhhh.”

Jessica laughed quietly while Carson focused intensely on the screen.

For a little while, things felt normal.

Simple.

Safe.

By 8:00 PM Carson was already tired from school and basketball practice earlier that week. He headed upstairs to brush his teeth while Jessica cleaned up popcorn bowls from the coffee table.

Her phone buzzed again.

Aston.

Jessica smiled automatically before answering.

“Not now,” she said immediately. “It’s late.”

“Late?!” Aston sounded offended. “How??”

Jessica laughed quietly while heading toward the kitchen.

“I have a kid to wake up early with tomorrow.”

“It’s eight.”

“We go to bed early around here.”

“Grandma hours.”

“Responsible hours.”

Aston groaned dramatically through the phone. “You’re killing me.”

“You’ll survive.”

“Barely.”

Jessica leaned against the counter smiling again despite herself.

Honestly, she liked that he kept calling.

Liked being wanted that openly.

Most people played games.

Aston just… called.

Simple as that.

They stayed on the phone another twenty minutes mostly saying goodnight five separate times without actually hanging up.

Then Carson came downstairs halfway through pulling his hoodie sleeves over his hands.

“Was that your boyfriend?”

Jessica looked over immediately.

“No,” she answered calmly. “We’re not together. Just friends.”

Carson narrowed his eyes slightly like he didn’t fully believe that.

“Friends don’t call twice in one night.”

Jessica laughed awkwardly. “Go brush your teeth again.”

“I already did.”

“Go do it better.”

Carson grinned and disappeared upstairs again.

At exactly 9:00 PM Jessica tucked him into bed like she always did.

The LED galaxy nightlight painted soft blue stars across Carson’s ceiling while he curled deeper into his blankets.

“Night mom.”

“Night buddy.”

“Love you.”

Jessica smiled softly. “Love you too.”

She shut his bedroom door quietly afterward and headed downstairs alone.

The house finally settled into silence again.

Jessica changed into pajamas slowly before climbing into bed.

The second she pulled the blankets up, she smelled it again.

Versace.

Masculine. Warm. Still lingering faintly in the sheets from where Aston had slept beside her.

Jessica stared at the dark ceiling quietly.

“He went through my underwear…” she thought incredulously.

Then despite herself, she smiled into the darkness.

And surrounded by the fading scent of expensive cologne and thoughts she probably shouldn’t have been having already…

Jessica finally drifted to sleep.