Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
I watch her get into her Jeep. Then I let her drive away.
Chapter Forty-Seven
JAYMES
Six months later . . .
Love is a jagged knife. If it’s not lethal, it leaves, at the very least, a deep scar, an unshakable feeling, a recurring memory . . . a cheap tattoo.
“Are you nervous?” Melissa asks.
I adjust my AirPods to hear her better. “It’s fire season. I’m not going to run into him.” The rideshare pulls into the parking lot in downtown Missoula. “Thank you,” I say while climbing out and fixing my dress.
“You’re braver than I am.”
“I never thought I’d see Betty O’Neil get married. I’m not missing this for anything.”
Melissa laughs. “You’re a good friend, Jaymes Andrews.”
I grin. “Thank you.” I stop before the entrance to the church. “I’m here. I’ll call you later.”
“Have fun.”
I slip my earbuds into my clutch and silence my phone. It’s a beautiful church, with lovely frescos and stained glass windows. There’s an organ on the balcony and a much larger gathering than I anticipated.
Her groom is much older, a kind and patient soul to welcome Betty and her three dozen kids into his life. When he wipes away tears as she walks down the aisle, I leak some of my emotion. It’s a beautiful ceremony.
As I exit the church, a calloused hand slides around my arm, and I turn. “Oh my god.” I hug Will.
“I wondered if you’d be here.” He releases me and grins.
“There was no way I was going to miss this wedding.” I nod toward him. “You look so dapper in a suit.”
He tugs at his tie. “It’s too damn hot for this.”
“I know, right?” I use the program to fan myself.
He eyes my airy, light-blue strapless dress and scoffs at my comparison. “Not even close.”
“Are you going to the reception?” I ask.
“Her parents own a vineyard. I’m not a wine guy, but an open bar is an open bar.”
I giggle, and we turn as the happy couple emerges from the church. When they’re tucked into the old Rolls-Royce, I smile at Will. “I’ll see you there, then.”
“Where are you parked?” he asks.
“I’m not.” I hold up my phone with my rideshare app.
“No. You’re not riding with a stranger when I’m headed to the same place.”
With a sheepish smile, I shrug. “Are you sure?”
“I’m offended you even have to ask.” He offers his arm, and I take it. “Where are you staying?”
“A hotel.”
“Dammit, woman. No. That’s not okay.” He opens the passenger door and helps me up into his Bronco.
“It’s a nice hotel.”
“No.” He shakes his head, shuts my door, and removes his tie on his way to the driver’s side door. “Fitz is on a fire. I don’t know when we’ll see him. Maren’s gone too. We can have that torrid affair we always planned on having.”
I snort. “So it wasn’t just me?”
He smirks, backing out of the parking spot. “I’ve missed you. And I’m a shitty friend for not staying in touch after what went down. But Fitz is—”
“He’s your friend too. Please don’t feel the need to explain. I think I would have been disappointed had you and Maren not stood by your guy. Fitz needed you, but he never would have admitted it.”
Will gives me a quick sidelong glance with a melancholy smile and a tiny nod. “It hasn’t been easy. He distanced himself from everyone. I think I saw him on less than five different occasions all winter. He spent most of his time down south. And he hasn’t let me rent out the shed, so the dumb motherfucker’s paying double rent.”
My heart jolts, but I try to hide my physical reaction. Instead, I clear my throat, and with a weak attempt, I try to laugh it off. “That makes no sense.”
“Maren thinks what happened with you is Fitz’s new trauma, his new excuse to be an asshole and reject all opportunities to have a normal life. He’s stopped going to Gary and Evette’s parties. No dating. Just nonstop work. Well, he still visits his grandma over the holidays.”
I manage a slow nod. Everything inside my chest aches. I did this.
“Where are you working now?”
My gaze remains affixed to the view out the window.
“Jamie?”
“Huh? Yeah?”
Will chuckles. “Where’d you go? I asked where you’re working now?”
“Oh, I’m between jobs. After San Bernardino, I took a position in Denver for a maternity leave, then I had a short stint in Bismarck. But for the past month, I’ve been hiking. Spending some much-needed time in nature.”
“Really? Where?”
With a nervous laugh, I slowly shake my head. “I’m afraid to say.”
“Why?” He stops at the light and glances at me.
“I’m hiking the area where my mother—my biological mother—died. Where Fitz’s family died,” I whisper.
Will’s eyebrows shoot up his forehead.
My nose wrinkles. “I know. It sounds weird. My father’s been diagnosed with colon cancer. Most days, I don’t think he understands or acknowledges his diagnosis, even with his parents visiting when they can and trying to explain things to him. He’s just not comprehending it. And maybe that’s a blessing for him. Anyway, he asked me to find my mother and tell her how sorry he is.”