“I made you feel good once. I can do it again.”
“I was a different man back then, and I don’t like that man.”
She lifts her chin. “Yes? What made you change?”
“A letter.” A woman.
She snorts. “Men don’t change. Do you think I don’t know you? Knowing people is my business. You’ll grow tired of your small town. You need more. You love a challenge. You’ll get bored with your white picket fence life. When that day comes, you’ll grab the first carrot someone dangles in front of your nose. You’ll leave her, just like before.”
Chapter 22
Kristi
When the test results become available online the next day, Jake and I sit on the bed in our room, our hands clasped together as we wait for his laptop to boot up. Too nervous for conversation, I stare at the screen with a hollowness spreading in my stomach. I meant it when I said we’d deal with whatever comes our way, but it will be a bumpy road. Jake used the opportunity of taking the paternity test to also run tests for STDs. Thankfully, both his and Jasmine’s came back clean.
It takes forever for the document to load. Black letters blur on the white background. My eyes skim over figures, words, and numbers, but the only thing I can focus on is the word that reads negative.
I glance at Jake, my breath trapped in my lungs. “Is it…?”
“Negative.” He closes his eyes and presses a kiss to my hand. “He’s not mine.”
I let out the breath I was holding on a long exhale. The multiple complications I envisioned are no longer a factor.
His voice is thick. “I’m sorry I put you through this.”
“She lied.”
Dragging a hand over the stubble on his jaw, he puts the laptop aside. “I’m going to speak to her.”
“Would you like a moment?”
He holds a hand out at me. “I’d like you to come with me.”
We find Jasmine in the kitchen, breastfeeding Ulis. Her face pales when we sit down at the table. Something tells me she already knows the answer.
“It’s not me,” Jake says, his face grim. “You made up the story about the condom, didn’t you?”
She stares at him levelly but says nothing.
“Why did you lie, Jasmine?”
“I love you.”
I cringe inwardly at the declaration.
“Do you know who the father is?” Jake asks.
She shakes her head.
“Where is home?”
Her voice is small. “Turkey.”
“Do you have family there?”
A nod.
“I’m buying you a ticket to Turkey then. You’re leaving on the next flight.”
“Jake,” she exclaims. “Please.”
“I’ll give you enough money to set you up and take care of your son. The rest is up to you.”
“Just like that? You pay me as you used to, and I become nothing but a part of your past?”
“You are a part of my past,” he says regretfully. “I hope one day you’ll find your own love.”
“Mark my words,” she says through thin lips, turning to me, “one day, you’ll be the one who’s nothing but a part of his past. That’s how men like him work.”
Fists clenched, Jake pushes to his feet. “Pack your bag. We’re leaving as soon as I have a booking confirmed.”
Jake
The atmosphere in the house is considerably lighter when I get back from dropping Jasmine and Ulis at the airport. The change in ambience isn’t due to their departure, but to the certainty of knowing Kristi is there even before I walk through the door, knowing she’d always be there. She proved her commitment when a tough hurdle was dumped in our path. There’s no doubt in my heart she’d stay by my side through thick and thin. She’s the kind of woman any man can only dream of wearing his ring. I’m glad Noah happened. I love that kid more than life. It’s more than that, though. When Kristi told me she wanted an abortion, a part of me was disappointed, but I understood the implications of having a baby so young. I respected her wishes and the future she had in front of her. I would’ve never denied her that decision, but I’m thankful my father did. I can’t, don’t want to, imagine a life without Noah, but even without him, as sure as I’m breathing, I would’ve always found a way back to Kristi. She was mine from the start. She’ll always be.
Following the smell of chocolate, I find her and Noah baking brownies in the kitchen. She smiles up at me brightly. Relieved. I take her in my arms and kiss her until my head swims and there’s a pluck at the leg of my pants.
I look down. Noah’s little hand is fisted in the fabric, his eyes hopeful as he glances toward the backdoor.
“Want to play a game before dinner?” He loves when I let him score a try. “Just let me make a quick phone call.”
I walk out on the front porch and dial Ahmed to give him an update, telling him about the deal I made with Izak, the test results, and that Jasmine is on her way to her family.
He listens in silence until I’ve finished before he says, “My father has been asking about you.”
That comes as a surprise. Yousef never asks about anyone or anything without good reason. “Why?”
“He wanted to know how you’re doing.”
“I’m sure my welfare isn’t on the top of his list of concerns.”
“You know he’s always liked you.”
I pace to the rail, looking out over the front lawn that needs mowing. “Can’t fathom why.”
“I told him you took over your father’s business and turned your life around. He’s impressed.”
“Hardly an accomplishment.”
“Here’s the thing.” There’s a short pause. “He wants to give you another chance.”
I still. Sinking down in the chair beside me, I ponder the statement and all the ways the answer could change our lives. “How?”
“He’s willing to let you come back and make the money you lost.”
“Come back to the company or to Dubai?”
“He can’t be your mentor if you’re in … what’s that place called again?”
“Rensburg.”
“I know this is a tough decision, but I owed it to you to run it past you.”
A chance at redemption, to clear not only my conscience but also my reputation and name. “How long?”
“However long it will take to finish your degree and get the franchise business off the ground. It could be a good few years. I’d say six, at least.”
“Can’t say he’s not being fair.”
“More than generous.”
I’m quiet for a moment, trying to process the information.
“I would’ve said you could bring your family,” Ahmed continues, “but you know how it is.”
Long hours. Constant traveling. I’d never be home.
“She’ll probably be happier there with her family,” he says, “than here all alone.”
A mountain of strain shifts onto my shoulders. “By when does he want an answer?”
“Next month.”
I rub a hand over my jaw. “I’ll get back to him.”
“Get back to who?” a soft voice asks behind me as I cut the call.
I turn in my seat. Kristi stands in the door, a glass of iced tea in her hand.
I pat my leg. “Come here.”
Her slow steps and the way her brows pinch together tell me she heard more of the conversation than she should’ve. When she stops in front of me, I take the tea and leave it on the table before pulling her into my lap.
“That was Ahmed,” I say, nuzzling her neck.
“I gathered.”
“His father wants to give me another chance.”
Her body stiffens. “What does that mean?”
“However many years are necessary to complete my studies and give the franchise project another go. I can’t see it be less than six years. Seven maybe.”
“It’s a chance to make amends,” she concludes accurately.
“Yes.”
&n
bsp; “Will you have to go back to Dubai?”
“Yes.”
“You say it like there’s a but.”
“Dubai will just be a base. The project requires traveling to many countries.”
“How much traveling?”
I rub her back. “A lot.”
“Define a lot.”
“I won’t be home for more than a couple of days a month.”
“That’s…” She catches her lip between her teeth. “Quite a lot.”
“I’m not leaving you and Noah.” I kiss her shoulder. “Not for months on end.”
Despite the declaration, the tension doesn’t leave her body. She climbs from my lap, strain evident in every clenched muscle as she walks back to the door and pauses in the frame. “You say it like your decision is made.”
“It is.”
“You said we’d make the decisions together.”
“I’m not leaving you. End of discussion.”
She turns back to face me. “Running the factory isn’t what you want.”
I don’t like where this is going. “It pays the bills.”
“Do you think I don’t know how unhappy you are?”
“I love you, Kristi. You and Noah are my life.”
“A life consists of more than just family.”
“Nothing is more important than family.”
“Working is part of your life, a very big part of it.”
“You don’t work, and I don’t see it getting in the way of your happiness.”
“We’re not the same, Jake. We’ve never been. I’m happy to be at home. The factory will slowly but surely kill you. It’s already taking its toll.”
“We’re doing fine,” I grit out.
“Do you wake up ecstatic every morning when you think about going to your late father’s office?”
“I wake up ecstatic thinking about you.”
“Exactly my point.”
“I’m staying for you. For us. Isn’t that enough?”
She hugs herself. “I’m afraid it won’t be. Not in the long run.”
“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.” It’s too much like a flashback into the past. This same issue once tore us apart. I’m not allowing that again. “What’s the problem with wanting to stay?”
“The problem is you can have more, and I’m holding you back. Don’t you see? We’re back to square one, right where we started when you first left.”
“What do you want me to do?” I exclaim, rubbing my breastbone to relieve the knot that ties painfully in my chest.
“Tell me honestly. Does manufacturing bricks make you happy?”
I grit my teeth because I can’t lie to her.
“There,” she says, tears glistening in her eyes. “There’s your answer.”
I’m on my feet and in her face. The thought of letting her go again makes me lose my grip on sanity. “Is this what you call making decisions together?”
“I’m calling your bluff, Jake, because your decision isn’t made, not really. I want you to think about it carefully. I want you to be brave enough to face the truth, and then tell me again.”
Kristi
My heart is breaking. I can’t eat or sleep. I can’t think about anything but the decision Jake faces. I don’t want him to go, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s the truth has a way of catching up with lies. Jake can lie to himself and me for only so long. He’s bought us a house and given us a home, one with walls and a roof and a proper bathroom. No more trailer. No more showering in the ablution building. He’s working hard at building us a new life, but the price is killing him a little every day. Every morning, more of the spark in his eyes is lost, his lust for life burning out right in front of me. What happened in Dubai left a terrible mark on him, terrible enough for him to have gone onto a self-destructive path of drugs, alcohol, and women. Terrible enough for giving up on his child and me. How can he not want a chance at redemption? How can I deny him such an opportunity?
My thoughts heavy, I leave Noah with Jake after he comes home from the office and drive to town to meet Nancy at the bakery. She sits at a table in the coffee corner when I arrive.
“Am I glad you’re here.” She pushes a catalogue over the table. “There are so many to choose from.”
Draping my jacket over the chair back, I sit down and pull the catalogue closer. There are photos of cakes in themes varying from flowers to fruit.
“The berry one is beautiful,” I offer. “Stylish. It’ll go with your lilac color scheme.”
She scrunches up her nose. “Mm. Too much cream, I think.”
“Do you want something simpler?”
She makes a face. “I just don’t know.” She scoots closer and flips the pages. “The one with the gold and black is quite dramatic. Maybe a little too over the top? The square one with the sunflowers has a simple beauty to it. Very classy. It’s what my mom would’ve told me to choose.”
“But?”
“The flowers won’t go with our theme.”
She pauses on the page with the most traditional of all the cakes, a three-tier creation with white marzipan icing and sugar roses weaving around the layers. It comes complete with the happy groom and bride on the top. The plastic couple stands proudly on the summit as if they’ve earned their place by climbing their way from the bottom. Will Jake and I ever reach such a happy place, a place of certainty and belonging? The way forward was never going to be easy. If I’m honest, I knew it would one day come back to a choice.
“Hey.” Nancy touches my arm. “Are you all right?”
“Yes.” I smile for her benefit. “Of course.”
“Don’t lie. I know that look on your face.”
“What look?”
“What did Jake do? If he hurt you, I swear I’ll—”
“He didn’t do anything. Not directly, at least.”
She leans back and crosses her arms. “It’s that woman. Jasmine, right? Is she still giving you trouble? You don’t have to put up with it. You don’t owe her anything. Neither does Jake. He’s done more than enough for her.”
“It’s not that.”
“What then?”
“We’re here to choose your wedding cake. It’s not the moment.”
“Like hell.” She kicks my foot. “I’m not looking at another cake until you tell me why you look like your life is falling apart.”
I sigh. “Nothing is falling apart. Jake has a difficult decision to make, that’s all.”
“What decision?”
I stare at my hands. “He had a job proposition.”
“What proposition?”
“To finish what he started in Dubai.”
I’m not looking away from my hands, but I can feel her stare on me.
“You mean going back there?”
“Yes.”
“God, Kristi. For how long?”
“However long it takes to finish his degree and get the business off the ground. Six years minimum.”
“Wait.” She grabs my hand. “You’re not saying you’re moving to Dubai, are you?”
“Not a feasible option.” I finally dare to meet her gaze. “Jake will be traveling for most of the time.”
Her perceptive gaze narrows. “How much time?”
“He won’t be home for more than a couple of days a month.”
“Shit.” She drops my hand and falls back in her chair. “Shit, shit. This is terrible.”
“It depends on how you look at it.”
“You’ll be separated. There’s no other way of looking at it.”
“It will be great for Jake’s career, not to mention his self-image.”
“How can you even think of his self-image when your heart is at stake?”
“He still hates himself for failing and disappointing his mentor. It’s a golden opportunity to fix his mistakes, a chance not many people get in life.”
She places a hand on her forehead. “Is he going?”
“He says he do
esn’t want to leave us, but I think it will be a mistake. I told him to think about his career and what this opportunity means to him, and to give me an answer after he’s been honest with himself.”
“No, no, no.” She grips my hand again. “No, Kristi. You’re not going to make the same mistake as the first time. You’re not going to give him your blessing to go.”
“I don’t have a choice.”
“How can you not have a choice?” she exclaims. “After everything he put you through? He fucking owes you.”
“He hates working at the factory. You’ve seen how he’s changed during the last few weeks. He’s tense all the time. He’s living more in his head than with us, and he barely sleeps at night.”
“It sounds as if you already know what his decision is going to be.”
“I have no doubt he’d stay if I ask, but I love him too much to make such a selfish demand.”
“Selfish? What’s selfish about wanting to keep your family together?”
“I love him, Nancy. The thing about love is that the other person’s happiness becomes more important than your own. Jake’s happiness means everything to me. I’m not going to take this chance away from him.” Softly, I add, “Wouldn’t you have done the same for Steve?”
Her lips part, no doubt on a protest, but then she clamps them shut. She stares at her lap for a moment before asking, “Are you going to wait for him?”
I swallow twice before I can speak. “Not this time. This time, I’m going to live my life.”
“So, you’re setting him free.”
“I suppose you can put it like that.”
“Oh, Kristi.” She drapes an arm around my shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”
If we don’t stop talking about this, I’m going to cry. I inhale deeply and give her my brightest smile. “I’ll deal with it when the day comes, but today is not that day. Today, you’re choosing your wedding cake.” I push the catalogue toward her. “Indecisive time is over. Pick one.”
“It seems cruel now, after what you told me. We should do this another day.”
“Nonsense. The wedding is in a month. You’re not putting off your decision any longer.”
She bites her lip, scanning over the pages again.
Catch Me Twice Page 32
