She wrapped her arms around me, and I sobbed uncontrollably. Annie rocked me back and forth, running her hands through my hair. Annie’s kind gesture did little to actually calm me down. I wanted her to convince me that it was okay, that Jake would come back, and we’d be a big happy family again.
She remained silent, though.
Annie also knew that men did this far too often. In good conscience, she couldn’t tell me that it would be okay because she knew that it wouldn’t. My sister was aware the upcoming months would be full of moments like this with her holding me as I cried about Jake breaking my heart.
She helped me stand up and then brushed the hair out of my face.
“You’re one of the strongest women I know,” she said. “And you will not go through this alone.”
I nodded but continued to cry. Everything in my world had fallen apart, and it was all my fault.
“Can you help me to bed?” Annie nodded and walked me inside and up the stairs. We tiptoed passed Caley’s room and entered my bedroom. “Did you make my bed?”
“Yes,” she said. “I knew something was off when you asked me to keep Caley for the night.”
Annie hung up my jacket before she towel dried my hair. Then I kicked off my shoes, and slid into bed. The sheets were fresh, and I just let my body sink into them, wishing they still smelled like Jake but also thankful they didn’t.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” I said.
Annie sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed my back until I fell asleep.
That night I dreamed about Jake. We were a family with one on the way. I was walking down the aisle in a white wedding gown with a small baby bump. Annie and Richard were there, and Caley was the flower girl.
I woke up the moment I got to the altar and saw Jake’s face. Then I realized he wasn’t in bed next to me, and cried myself back to sleep.
24
Jake
Istood in Richard’s driveway, waiting for him to take me to the airport. As usual, he was running late, for what reason I didn’t know. All of my bags were packed, and I was ready to go. But the longer I waited for him, the more I thought about Julianna.
“There you are,” I said as Richard walked out of his mansion.
“In a rush to leave?”
I shrugged and threw another bag into the car. If I was honest with myself, I did feel as though I had to get out of River Valley and head back to San Diego. The more I hung around, the more I wanted to drive to Julianna’s house and beg her to take me back. I couldn’t tell my brother that, though. “No, just don’t want to miss my plane.”
Richard looked at me and tilted his head. He knew me too well. “It’s not too late to change your mind, you know.”
I looked at him and cocked my head right back at him. “And why would I want to do that? Don’t you get lonely living here alone?”
He shook his head and got into the car.
“You know what I’m talking about,” he said. “Julianna. I’ve never seen you so happy as when you’re with her.”
Richard had never actually seen me with a serious girlfriend because I had never had one. All he had to go on was what I told him about the women in San Diego, plus any articles that circulated of me online or in the supermarket tabloids. Based on what he read, he definitely knew that I wasn’t into relationships.
Until I reconnected with Julianna.
“We had a good few months,” I said. “But we both knew that it wouldn’t last. Besides, I’m sure I’ll find someone else just like her.”
“I know that I’m this proud bachelor and all, but I’ve never felt about a woman the way you obviously feel about her.” He smirked at me as he started the car. “Yeah, we men tend to view women like desserts. You can enjoy apple pie, pumpkin pie, cookies, you know. But imagine finding that one dessert that makes you forget about all of the other ones.”
I thought about what he’d said. Aside from making me slightly hungry, he did have a point. When I was with other women back in San Diego, I was always on the hunt for the next one. Although, over those few months in River Valley, not once did I want to hook up with someone else. “Yeah, I see what you’re saying. But I have a business to run.”
“You know damn well that you don’t have to be in San Diego to do that,” he said. “We have this thing called the internet now. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. And besides, that’s the way you’ve been doing business for the last few months anyway.” He turned and winked at me.
“It was just a fling,” I said.
