“How did he know I was here?”
I shrugged, not telling her I’d already wondered as much myself.
Julian didn’t seem like the type of guy to follow her, and I’m sure if he did, he would’ve interrupted our little reunion earlier.
“Do you think he tracks me?” Jain asked anxiously, and I shook my head.
“No. Your car is parked out front...maybe he saw it,” I mused, stroking her hair as she rested on me.
“I’m sorry, Evan, this whole mess is my fault.”
“Not entirely. I blame your mother,” I muttered, fury boiling in my veins when I thought of her. “I went to see her. To tell her you weren’t happy.”
Jain sat up, and I pulled my robe around her before it fell off completely.
“Really? What did she say?!”
“Nothing of interest. I swear, I’m beyond caring about Julian and your mother. I just want to be with you, just us. As much as I understand everything that is going on, I don’t think it would do any harm to return to bed with copious amounts of tea and maybe...” I cocked my eyebrow up jovially as she smiled sadly, making me feel a total idiot for attempting to joke inappropriately.
“Is there anything I can do?” I asked, watching her as she stood, picking her clothes from the floor gingerly. I hated to see her like this, but all I could hope was that this shit storm would be temporary. The aftermath was what I was looking forward to. I remembered Julian’s eyes when she said she was leaving him, and I felt his pain.
She’d left me once, and I would carry the scars forever.
I sat quietly, gazing at the floor, when I saw her engagement ring peeking out from under the sofa. I picked it up, examining it sadly. I knew that Julian loved her, and as far as I was aware, had never done anything wrong by her. Iwalked over to my writing dresser, pulling out an envelope and slipped it in.
Jain joined me less than twenty minutes later, her hair swept back into a high ponytail and her face scrubbed of any makeup. Her lips looked swollen, and I guessed that was partly my fault. Her eyes were ringed with redness, but she smiled at me.
“I’ve sent Julian an email...trying to explain. Not that I think he will even read it, but you never know. I want to talk to him properly,” Jain sighed as I gazed at her in surprise.
“I think that’s great. He will be destroyed right now. Maybe it’s best if you let him lick his wounds. They will be pretty deep.” I grimaced as Jain walked over to me, placing her hands on my shoulders. She tilted her head and leaned forward, almost hesitantly. I kissed her, wrapping my arms around her waist as she relaxed against me.
“I feel horrific. I lied to Julian about you, and then he finds me here with you...”
“Jain. In five years, will it matter?” I asked briskly, her eyes clouding over as her mouth turned up at the corners.
“I hope not!”
“See, now I think in five years you will be too busy with our many children to care too much about the day you broke another heart,” I teased, and she stilled in my arms.
“Another?”
“Yes, Jain, you’ve left quite a trail behind you.” I chuckled. “Mine included,” I added as she groaned.
“I’m the worst person in the world.”
“Well, no, you’re not. If you’d have married Julian, then maybe, yes. But you had every intention of going to see him, alone, this morning. It was only the fact that he turned up here that it went down the way it did.”
“He won’t leave it here, Evan.”
Her lip trembled slightly, and I turned her to face me.
“I’m going nowhere, Jain.”
She seemed to relax again before nodding.
“Me neither.”
Jain
