and we’ll talk.” She closed the bathroom door and remembered to breathe before she hastily put on sweats and a T-shirt.
***
Jared
Speechless and grudgingly impressed at Jen’s feistiness, Jared waited as she requested. Guilt made his stomach knot uncomfortably. He shouldn’t want Jen, but he did, even more so when she was angry. Darleen added further tension to an already explosive situation. Jared realized too late that Darleen had played him when she’d arrived uninvited in his bedroom. Still half-asleep, he didn’t see the significance of her messy hair and disheveled clothes until afterwards. They were a deliberate ploy to make Jen think they were lovers. Jared hadn’t touched Darleen, but Jen obviously thought he had, so she wouldn’t believe his version of events. He knew what her temper was like.
The en suite door slammed open, interrupting his musings.
“What’s going on, Jared?” Jen appeared in front of him fully clothed and mad as hell. Her accusatory tone decided his course of action. Jared didn’t need complications in his life, and Jen didn’t need any more heartache in hers. “I apologize for kissing you. It was wrong of me when I’m involved with Darleen.” The lie slid off his tongue with practiced ease.
Jen’s face betrayed her devastation as each of his false revelations caused her pain, mirrored in her tear-filled chocolate-velvet eyes. He forced his hands to remain against his thighs. He mustn’t comfort her or the point of his deception would be lost. “I’m sorry, Jen.” He wanted to hold her and retract the lies, but he didn’t.
“Don’t…I understood four years ago. I don’t know why I thought time and distance would change your mind.” Her eyes shone with unshed tears.
She let him pass, pressed her body against the wall. She didn’t want his touch, and he couldn’t blame her. She believed his lies. Why didn’t that please him? She slammed the door behind him.
Coward. No way back now. Jen wouldn’t trust him again. She would go back to England now. From this moment on, he would be merely existing, not living.
The television blared. Jared flung himself onto the den’s couch. He channel-hopped and hoped he could survive without revealing his true feelings until Jen left Texas, the ranch, and him. When she was gone, just like when she’d left before, the sweetest part his life would leave with her.
The phone’s persistent ring disturbed Jared’s depressed mood. He answered it as Jen’s footsteps echoed above him. “Hello.”
“Mr. Stewart?”
“Yes, this is Jared Stewart.”
“I’m a nurse looking after Mr. Harry Barnes.”
“Is he okay?” Jared drew in a calming breath.
“Yes, I’m pleased to say he has regained consciousness, although he is still very weak.”
“Is he well enough for visitors?”
“Providing you keep it one at a time and don’t stay too long.”
“Thank you, nurse. I’ll visit tonight. Have you told the sheriff?”
“Yes, he’s been informed. Good-bye, Mr. Stewart.”
“Thanks, bye.” Jared hung up and turned at the sound of the door opening behind him.
“Is that about Harry?” Jen stood in the den’s doorway, her swollen eyelids damning evidence of all the tears he’d caused her.
“Yes, he’s conscious.” Jared smiled, relieved his friend had survived.
“Does he remember anything?” Jen smiled through her tears.
“I didn’t ask. The sheriff will question him.” Jared stood up and looked for his truck keys, which he found in his pocket.
“Can we visit him?” Jen’s animated voice resonated. He was relieved to hear her genuine happiness after he’d stolen it from her.
“Yes, tonight. Only one visitor, though.” Jared was about to suggest they could both go and take turns, but Jen saved him the trouble.
“You should go. Let me know how he is.” She went upstairs without further comment. Left alone, Jared took his frustration out on the remote, which he threw across the room,
***
Jared
Speechless and grudgingly impressed at Jen’s feistiness, Jared waited as she requested. Guilt made his stomach knot uncomfortably. He shouldn’t want Jen, but he did, even more so when she was angry. Darleen added further tension to an already explosive situation. Jared realized too late that Darleen had played him when she’d arrived uninvited in his bedroom. Still half-asleep, he didn’t see the significance of her messy hair and disheveled clothes until afterwards. They were a deliberate ploy to make Jen think they were lovers. Jared hadn’t touched Darleen, but Jen obviously thought he had, so she wouldn’t believe his version of events. He knew what her temper was like.
The en suite door slammed open, interrupting his musings.
“What’s going on, Jared?” Jen appeared in front of him fully clothed and mad as hell. Her accusatory tone decided his course of action. Jared didn’t need complications in his life, and Jen didn’t need any more heartache in hers. “I apologize for kissing you. It was wrong of me when I’m involved with Darleen.” The lie slid off his tongue with practiced ease.
Jen’s face betrayed her devastation as each of his false revelations caused her pain, mirrored in her tear-filled chocolate-velvet eyes. He forced his hands to remain against his thighs. He mustn’t comfort her or the point of his deception would be lost. “I’m sorry, Jen.” He wanted to hold her and retract the lies, but he didn’t.
“Don’t…I understood four years ago. I don’t know why I thought time and distance would change your mind.” Her eyes shone with unshed tears.
She let him pass, pressed her body against the wall. She didn’t want his touch, and he couldn’t blame her. She believed his lies. Why didn’t that please him? She slammed the door behind him.
Coward. No way back now. Jen wouldn’t trust him again. She would go back to England now. From this moment on, he would be merely existing, not living.
The television blared. Jared flung himself onto the den’s couch. He channel-hopped and hoped he could survive without revealing his true feelings until Jen left Texas, the ranch, and him. When she was gone, just like when she’d left before, the sweetest part his life would leave with her.
The phone’s persistent ring disturbed Jared’s depressed mood. He answered it as Jen’s footsteps echoed above him. “Hello.”
“Mr. Stewart?”
“Yes, this is Jared Stewart.”
“I’m a nurse looking after Mr. Harry Barnes.”
“Is he okay?” Jared drew in a calming breath.
“Yes, I’m pleased to say he has regained consciousness, although he is still very weak.”
“Is he well enough for visitors?”
“Providing you keep it one at a time and don’t stay too long.”
“Thank you, nurse. I’ll visit tonight. Have you told the sheriff?”
“Yes, he’s been informed. Good-bye, Mr. Stewart.”
“Thanks, bye.” Jared hung up and turned at the sound of the door opening behind him.
“Is that about Harry?” Jen stood in the den’s doorway, her swollen eyelids damning evidence of all the tears he’d caused her.
“Yes, he’s conscious.” Jared smiled, relieved his friend had survived.
“Does he remember anything?” Jen smiled through her tears.
“I didn’t ask. The sheriff will question him.” Jared stood up and looked for his truck keys, which he found in his pocket.
“Can we visit him?” Jen’s animated voice resonated. He was relieved to hear her genuine happiness after he’d stolen it from her.
“Yes, tonight. Only one visitor, though.” Jared was about to suggest they could both go and take turns, but Jen saved him the trouble.
“You should go. Let me know how he is.” She went upstairs without further comment. Left alone, Jared took his frustration out on the remote, which he threw across the room,
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