“And you.” His words were kind, but there was no warmth in them.
She plastered on a smile and did her best to come up with something polite to say. “What brings you to town in the middle of the week?”
It was a lame attempt at small talk, but she had nothing else to say to him. It was hard to imagine she’d considered marrying the man standing before her. He was cold and nothing at all like Adam, which was most likely why she’d latched onto him in the first place.
“I had a meeting at the college earlier. I’ll be heading out soon.” He strode in a half circle around her and stopped to stare out over the square at the fountain. “So, are you with him now?”
Jenny cleared her throat. She didn’t want to discuss her current love life with James. It not only wasn’t his business, it also seemed cruel to rub her happiness in his face. “James, let’s not get into it. Let’s just say it was nice running into each other and go our separate ways.”
His head snapped back around and his eyes bore into hers. “Why, because it would make things easier for you? You can’t imagine how much I don’t care about your discomfort. In fact, I’m a little surprised your boy Hamilton is still around.” A sneer played at the edges of James’ mouth, one which made him look a little like a snake.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She hated herself for taking the bait, but where Adam was concerned, she couldn’t help herself.
“Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”
His enjoyment at needling her fueled the flames of her temper. “Why don’t you go ahead and tell me anyway. We both know you want to or you wouldn’t have said it.”
“You know what? You’re right.” He took a step toward her, invading her personal space. “I hear he’s been offered a chance to play baseball again.”
Chin raised, she stood her ground. “What are you talking about?”
“I made a call on his behalf. The truth is I felt bad for the guy.” James smiled, revealing his unnaturally white teeth. “I mean, can you imagine a worse fate than ending up chained to you in small-town-nowhere?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. She wanted to shout for him to leave her alone, but a part of her needed to know if what he was saying was true. “Who made this alleged offer?”
“I called in a favor. You know, one of my buddies from up north. It’s truly a great opportunity for a mostly washed-up player. Even Hamilton is smart enough to realize this might be his only chance to play again.” He leaned in beside her ear, until his hot breath brushed over her skin. “The best part for me will be knowing he left you—again.” James backed away and then started to whistle as he strode away.
Alone on the sidewalk, Jenny stood frozen as people drove around the square going on with their daily routines, oblivious to the fact that her worst fear was coming true. A horn sounded at the red light snapping both the distracted driver and Jenny out of their individual stupors.
Jerking her keys out of her bag, she tossed her suit carelessly into the passenger seat and drove back to her office.
She thought about calling Adam and confronting him, but she couldn’t make herself do it. What if he said it was all true? She didn’t want to hear it. Not today. Or ever. She didn’t want to hear that he was leaving her again. Not when she’d only just begun to hope what they had was real. That it was enough.
She marched across the lobby and into her office, half expecting tears to come, but they didn’t. She’d already cried over Adam Hamilton enough for two lifetimes. And, this was her night. She’d worked hard for it and she intended to enjoy it. No man, not Adam or James or anyone else was going to take it away from her. Just for the night, she was going to hold it together and enjoy the moment. She’d deal with her future, or lack thereof, another time.
“Hey, Jenny,” Daryl said as he stopped at her doorway. “Getting excited for tonight?”
Determination froze her smile. “Yes. I have my speech all ready to go.”
Daryl rapped lightly against the wood and winked. “You earned it, girl. I’ll see you there.”
Jenny turned to her computer and opened her email. Damn right she’d earned it. No matter what happened with her radioactive personal life, she had her career. A career she’d spent years working, obsessing, and striving for.
Two hours later, she slipped into the restroom and changed into her navy suit and fixed her hair. On the outside, the girl in the mirror looked every bit the professional, but on the inside, Jenny’s heart ached. It was the same ache which had inhabited her heart since Adam left her the first time.
She blew out a breath. “No. Tonight is about you,” she said aloud in the empty room. Clinging to that sentiment, she stepped back out into the hallway and saw Adam waiting in her office. She paused long enough to steel her resolve and then joined him.
“There she is.” He leaned in to kiss her, but she turned her head slightly to the side forcing his lips an inch shy of her mouth.
“Lip gloss,” she said simply.
“Okay, well are you ready to go?”
“Yes, definitely. Let me grab my note cards.” The simple task gave her the chance to get a little space. If she was going to stay strong, she’d need all the help she could get. It was much harder to stay indifferent when he was standing before her, and in a suit no less.
Jenny slid her cards into her purse and led the way out of her office. Adam kept pace with her long strides and didn’t comment when she didn’t take his arm.
“So, tonight after the banquet,” he began as they stepped outside into the evening air, “there’s something I want to discuss with you. It’s about our future and I—”
She turned toward him and stopped. “I don’t want to talk about the future. I just want to enjoy the night. Okay?”
He pulled his hand out of his pocket and reached for her. “Sure, but I really think you’re going to want to hear what I—”
She stepped back. “Tomorrow.”
He stared at her a moment, clearly confused by her attitude, but nodded. “It’s your night.”
Chapter 24
Jenny awoke before dawn. The energy of the applause and self-confidence from the night before faded until the only thing left to occupy her mind was Adam’s imminent departure. And, he hadn’t bothered to tell her. Even when they’d been together the night before, he hadn’t so much as mentioned it. Of course, it was possible James had lied to her to mess with her head.
Standing by the window, Jenny turned her face toward Adam’s sleeping form. It was hard to imagine the handsome man sleeping softly in the bed had the power to destroy her. She’d never meant to give him that power, but somehow he’d taken it.
Ducks quacked and pulled her attention back to the window. They circled and then landed gracefully on the lake. Caught up in the sight of the ripples floating along the water’s surface, she didn’t hear Adam approach.
His arms slipped around her waist and he nuzzled into the side of her neck. “I could do this with you every day.”
“You could,” she said, “but it isn’t likely.” The idea that this could be their last lazy morning together made her miserable. And, judging by the way Adam’s body jerked against hers, the sadness in her tone wasn’t lost on him.
“Hey, what does that mean?”
She stepped out of his grasp and made her way to where her clothes lay discarded in a crumpled pile on the floor. Like a fool, she’d allowed herself one last night with him, knowing it would break her heart a little more. But, she’d wanted him. Wanted to feel the weight of him and to feel his skin against hers. At least that way when he was gone, she’d have the memory, though she feared she wouldn’t recover from losing him a second time.
“Jenny, talk to me. Why are you getting dressed? Where are you going?”
The confusion on his face threatened her resolve so, she dropped he
r gaze to her fingers and concentrated on buttoning her shirt. “Listen, Adam, I’ve always known that giving us a second chance was a risk, but like an idiot, I thought things would be different this time. I thought we’d grown up, changed.”
“Jenny, you’re scaring me here. What’s going on?” he asked, his voice no longer playful.
She took a steadying breath and stood to face him, she in her suit, him in nothing but boxer briefs. Now more than ever, she prayed for strength. “Adam, I can’t do this again. I can’t wake up and find out that you’ve left town. Left me.”
“Jenny I wouldn’t—”
“I know about the offer from Cincinnati.”
He stared, his mouth partially open, but no sound came out. A crease formed between his eyes and then he finally asked, “But how?”
“James told me.”
Adam’s face fell, confirming what she’d still hoped was a lie.
She moved past him as he struggled to find something to say and stepped into her shoes near the door.
“Jenny, I was going to tell you. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about last night.”
“If you’d wanted to tell me, you would’ve.”
He followed her out of the room and down the hallway. “You’re making this a bigger deal than it is.”
“And, you’re acting like it’s not, when it is a big deal. It’s your life.” Jenny slung her purse over her shoulder. “And, it’s mine. Go to Cincinnati, Adam.”
“I don’t want Cincinnati. I want you.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her against his bare chest.
“And, I want you.” Unshed tears burned in the back of her throat as she pulled free of him. “But, I have to do what’s right for me, and I don’t know if I can live a life waiting for you to leave again.”
“I wouldn’t do that to you.”
She turned her eyes up to his and shook her head. “How can I trust you when that’s the only version of you I know?”
He fell back a step as though he’d been slapped.
Jenny fled down the porch stairs and climbed into her car. As she reversed out of the driveway, a tear rolled down her cheek. She heard Adam’s voice call her name. Without so much as a glance back, she pulled out onto the road and took off.
“Here’s some hot apple cider.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Jenny took the steaming mug from her mother and blew across the top. “Is this the part where you tell me what an idiot I was for taking him back?”
“Oh, baby, no. I don’t think that at all.”
Evenly torn between anger and sadness, Jenny stared into her drink. “I should’ve known this would happen though, right? It’s not like it hasn’t happened before. I don’t know why I was so surprised. You know what really ticks me off? I don’t even blame him. Granted, he should’ve told me, but I don’t blame him for wanting to play.”
She paused her rant long enough to take a sip of her mother’s famous cider. It usually brought her comfort, but she could barely taste it. Where all her emotions had been sharpened with Adam, they seemed to have died out at the possibility of losing him.
“How am I supposed to enjoy watching golf with all the yapping going on in here?” Her dad crossed over to where she was sitting at the bar and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Did I forget to mention how proud we were of you last night? How proud we always are of you?”
Her heart softened and she leaned into her dad. “Thanks, Daddy. I’m glad y’all were there.”
“I, too, baby.” He kissed the top of her head. “So, what’s got my baby girl so bent out of shape this morning? Shouldn’t you be on top of the world?”
Her mother leveled her eyes at him. “It looks like Adam is going to be offered a chance to play ball again.”
“That’s great,” her father said. “A man like Adam, with his level of talent deserves to—”
“In Ohio,” her mother said.
“Oh.”
“You can say that again,” Jenny took another sip of her drink. “Yep, it looks like he can go back to his world and the lifestyle he’s become accustomed to. Dating hand models and driving sports cars and whatever else he’s into.”
Her father’s arm fell away from her shoulders.
The starch in her spine wilted, as did her resolve. “But hey, this is what he does, right? He’s a ball player. And, he’s good.” Her voice started to rise. “I should just be happy for him. Maybe he’ll invite me to go along this time. Although, based on past experience I’d say that’s not very likely.” She sounded like a lunatic, but she couldn’t stop herself.
“Jenny, I think it’s time we talked about something.”
“Oh, I don’t know, Dad. I don’t know if I can take a life lesson right now.”
“Jennifer,” he said, “I’m serious.”
She pulled herself together long enough to really look at her dad. The lines around his eyes suddenly seemed deeper and his shoulders sagged under the weight of whatever burden it was that he carried. It was enough to pull her out of her manic state.
“Sure, Daddy, what is it?”
“Why don’t we go sit outside on the porch?”
Alarm bells sounded in Jenny’s head. He never wanted to talk outside unless it was bad news. Like the fresh air might help soften the blow of whatever it was he needed to say. When her childhood dog died, they’d sat on the porch while he’d broken the news and she’d cried for what seemed like hours. Then, when her grandmother had become ill, they were back on the porch. She so wasn’t in the mood for more doom and gloom. She was doing fine wallowing without added surprises.
She eyed her mother as she slid off of the stool. Usually her mother shrugged or smiled, but today was different. This time, her mother’s eyes cut to her father’s back and she bit her lip. Jenny’s unease escalated.
The air outside was crisp and it stung her eyes. She hadn’t realized how cold the weather had turned. Her father patted the two-seated glider which looked out over the backyard and waited for her to take her place beside him.
For a little while, they rocked in silence. The only sound the familiar squeak of the iron bench. The constant motion and fresh air did calm her scattered emotions, but she couldn’t help but feel like the ax was about to fall.
“When you and Adam first got together in high school, I didn’t think much of it. He was a nice boy and unfortunately, you were old enough to date.”
She looked over at her dad and smiled.
“But then, when you stayed together in college, I began to realize how much you loved each other. Your mother and I knew that you loved him with your whole heart, and it scared me because I recognized Adam’s talent.”
“Everyone did. He was the town star.” She shook her head and blew out a breath. For once, selfishly, she wished Adam was just a normal guy. Maybe an insurance salesman or a factory worker and not the type of man whose talent would take him away.
“That he was, which was why when he got the offer to play professionally, I wasn’t surprised.” Her dad inhaled sharply. “You asked me once why I always took Adam’s side whenever you were angry.”
“It’s okay, Daddy, you already told me why, and you were right. Adam is a good man.”
Her father nodded. “He is, but it’s more than that. When Adam got the offer, he came to see me.”
Surprised by her dad’s revelation, Jenny tilted her head to the side. “Why?”
Her father turned his face toward hers and met her eyes. “He wanted my permission to ask you to marry him.”
The earth fell away as Jenny’s stomach dropped through the porch. For a moment, she feared she would pass out. What in the world was he talking about? Adam hadn’t asked her anything. He’d just left. He’d packed up and taken off on his own. He’d never said he wanted her with him. He
’d . . .
She grabbed her dad’s arm, her fingers digging into his jacket. “You told him no, didn’t you?”
“Jenny, you have to understand.” Her father put a hand on each side of her face. “You were too young, and you were in school. I didn’t want you to quit and end up some wife without dreams and goals of her own. Adam was going to be on the road all the time and I didn’t want you to be sitting at home, alone. Please, understand. I was trying to protect you.”
Jenny tore her face out of her father’s hands and stood up so fast the glider jerked. “How could you keep this from me? I was an adult. I was heartbroken.” She stomped toward the door and turned.
Her father stood and stared at her with sad eyes. “I should’ve told you sooner, but by the time I wanted to, you’d moved on with your life. You were finally happy.”
“Is it really happiness or is it just survival when you aren’t the one who chooses?” She yanked the screen door open and marched back through the house toward the kitchen. Of all the scenarios she’d pictured, her own father’s betrayal wasn’t one of them.
As she rounded the corner, she saw her mother’s teary eyes staring back her. “Tell me, did you know too? That summer when I was distraught, did you know Adam wanted to marry me?”
“No, baby, not at first. Your father told me, but not for a long time.” With her hands clasped in front of her, she stepped out from behind the bar. “Don’t be too hard on him, Jenny. He only did what he thought was best for you—at the time. He loves you more than anyone or anything else in the world.”
“I know what you’re saying is true, but I can’t be here right now.” She grabbed her purse and headed for the hall. “I’ll call you.”
Running Home (Warm Springs Trilogy Book 2) Page 22
