“Can you conference in with June?” Sydney said in a trembling voice.
“Of course, honey, what’s wrong?” Maria said.
“Just do it,” Sydney whispered, closing her eyes and leaning back on the couch.
Jake had gone into the kitchen, and somehow her mind registered that he was making coffee.
When June answered, Sydney started crying. “Sorry, girls, I’m... Rian’s gone... I mean, he’s left me, and he’s left the country too. It’s a crazy story, and I don’t even know the half of it.”
“Whoa,” Maria said.
“Oh no,” June added.
Sydney continued to tell them about Jake and what he’d revealed about Rian, the text messages and the final voicemail she’d listened to. While her friends offered their shocked condolences, both of them agreed they were on their way to Santa Rosa.
“We’ll get to the bottom of it all,” June said in a firm voice.
“And we’re suing him too,” Maria said. “Right after we catch him and break his kneecaps.”
For some reason, Sydney found herself laughing through her tears. Talking to them had taken away some of the numbness, but with the fading numbness, her emotions sharpened, and anger was at the forefront.
She hung up with her friends. They’d all be together tonight, and that thought brought her comfort. But first, she had a long day ahead of her as she determined to get every bit of information out of Jake about his brother.
When Sydney hung up with her friends, she decided to wait to talk to her parents. At least after she caught her breath, found out more information about Rian’s deceptions, and got out of his condo.
“Coffee?” Jake asked, coming into the front room.
Sydney had no doubt he’d heard every bit of her conversation.
“Thanks,” she said, taking the steaming mug from him. That it was a mug she recognized as Rian’s gave her another little jolt. She took a sip and relished the hot, strong liquid moving down her throat. Surprisingly, it was good coffee, and she was more surprised she could even taste or appreciate such a thing. Already she felt emotionally exhausted.
“It sounds like you have really good friends,” Jake said, sitting on the other end of the couch.
Sydney didn’t mind. In fact, she was grateful for his company right now. If he’d left her alone, she’d probably just start crying again. As of now, she felt more steady. June and Maria were on their way, and she’d see them tonight.
“Yeah,” she managed. “They’re coming to Santa Rosa, to help me, to be with me.”
“Well, I’m happy to answer any questions you might have,” Jake said, his eyes scanning her face. “Again, I’m really sorry. I thought... I mean, I hoped Rian had started to change.”
Sydney shook her head. “I don’t understand how he couldn’t have told me in person. I mean, I can understand why he thought I’d be upset—of course I would be. I mean, I am upset. But don’t I deserve to be told in person? We were engaged, in love...”
Jake was still gazing at her, and when she spoke of being in love with Rian, Sydney wondered if it had been love after all. Not on Rian’s part, at least. But what about her part? She’d always prided herself in dumping guys who weren’t good for her, who saw her as a trophy, but Rian had seemed different. He fit into her master plan—a plan that her friends had teased her about. In high school, she’d even written down a list of what her future husband should be like: good looking, athletic, good job, likes the same movies, likes horses, could spend a lot of time with her... It was juvenile, she knew, but over the years, no man had possessed all of those qualities, until she met Rian. She should have added things like: not a fraud, not a womanizer....
Jake said nothing, just kept watching her as if waiting for her to crumble again.
“I—I don’t even know how to process this.”
“Did you guys combine finances yet?” Jake asked.
“No,” Sydney said. At least that was good news. “We were both paying for different parts of the wedding costs. I... I even tried on my wedding dress this morning.” The tears started again, hot and fast.
Jake rose from the couch, grabbed a tissue box from across the room and handed it to her.
Then his phone rang, and Jake said, “It’s Rian. I’ll put it on speaker, but don’t let him know you’re here yet.”
“All right,” Sydney said, wiping her eyes with a tissue and taking a steadying breath.
Jake answered the phone, and Rian’s voice came through loud and clear.
“Are you at my condo?” Rian asked.
“Yeah,” Jake said. “Got here a few hours ago. What are you doing, Rian? You can’t keep running like this. You’ve got to face those charges.”
“I can’t, man,” Rian said. “They’re going to lynch me. The charges are all bogus, and what’s worse is that they’ve contacted Lila because they somehow got access to my records.”
Sydney assumed Lila was one of his former wives, the one who’d pressed charges that he’d apparently dodged.
“Where are you?” Jake pressed. “Let’s meet and talk about this.”
“Just landed in Mexico,” Rian said, triumph in his voice. “Before I disappear, there are some things you’ll need to be aware of. I’ve got a lock box under my bed that has some jewelry in it. You can pawn it if you want, but do it in another state.”
“Rian—”
“And shred anything that has my name on it in the condo,” Rian continued, cutting off his brother. “My file cabinet is in the guest bedroom closet.”
“I don’t think—”
“And the mountain bike is yours,” Rian continued. “Sell it, keep it, whatever. It’s free and clear. Paid off completely.”
“I can come to Mexico,” Jake cut in. “We really need to talk in person.”
“No can do,” Rian said. “I crossed the border for the last time. I’ll find a real estate job here and a nice Mexican chick to translate for me.” He started to laugh.
“What about Sydney, your fiancée?” Jake asked when Rian’s laughter died down.
“What about her?”
Sydney couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. What would Rian do if he knew she was listening to every word?
“Doesn’t she deserve an explanation?” Jake said. “I mean, you were engaged. I thought this one was different.”
There was a long pause, and Rian said, “She was different, like twenty years younger different. I thought maybe I could be a better man for her, but you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Anyway, once you see her, you’ll know that she’ll have no problem nursing her broken heart with some new guy. She’s a little hottie.” He laughed, and the sound made Sydney’s skin crawl. “I’ll definitely miss her, if you know what I mean, but she’s nothing that can’t be replaced.”
Sydney covered her mouth to stop herself from yelling at Rian. Horror washed through her at Rian’s callousness. How could she have ever agreed to marry such a man? She didn’t know if she was more angry at herself or at Rian.
One glance at Jake told her he was angry too.
Jake picked up the phone, switched it off speaker, and growled into it, “You’re a bastard, Rian!” He stood and started pacing the room. “And believe me, I’m not touching any of the paperwork you’re hiding in your files. If your place is searched, that’s your problem, and I hope the Feds track you down. You deserve to be in prison.”
Sydney watched Jake in shock as he hung up on his brother. Then he tossed the phone onto the couch and slammed his fist into the doorframe of the front door, causing the walls to rattle. He didn’t speak or move for a moment, and then he turned to Sydney. “Where did Rian work?”
It took Sydney a moment to process the calm-Jake from the angry-Jake she’d seen. “Across town at Smiths Realty.”
“I’m going down there to find out what the charges were, and if I need to, I’ll be a witness on the case for the prosecution.”
Sydney rose to her feet. “Are you sure about
that?” She had no idea why she was playing the devil’s advocate. She’d just listened to her ex-fiancé completely diss on her. She should be crying her eyes out, but all she could focus on was the pain of the man in front of her. “He’s your brother. Maybe you should let them sift their own evidence.”
Jake looked away from her for a moment, his jaw clenched. When his gaze met hers again, there was a steely determination in them. “Look, I never met any of the women Rian swindled. But seeing you, here in the flesh, a real breathing person, makes me realize that I’ve screwed up for a long time. I should have turned my brother in after his first divorce. If I had, I could have prevented a lot of heartache, including yours.”
Sydney was stunned that he was taking Rian’s despicable acts upon himself. “You did nothing to me, or to those women. In fact, it sounds like you’ve only been trying to help him, stop him from making more mistakes.”
He scrubbed a hand through his hair that was now dry in a messy contortion. If Sydney wasn’t in the middle of a crisis, she might find the way Jake looked kind of adorable.
“I appreciate what you’re saying,” Jake said. “But I’ve been an enabler. I see that clearly now, and I can’t put this off any longer.” He stepped around her and grabbed his phone from the couch. “Are you coming with me?”
It was a question, but it was also more of a request.
Sydney was sure her makeup was trashed and her nose red from crying. But she said, “I’m coming.”
Jake went to finish dressing, and moments later he came out of the back bedroom wearing a ball cap and shoes. Being away from him for a few minutes only re-emphasized his physical presence when he returned, making Sydney curious as to why Rian was shorter and thinner than Jake.
“We’ll take my truck,” he said. “I need to be doing something with my hands, or I’ll punch another door.”
Sydney looked down at his scraped knuckles. They weren’t quite bleeding, but they had to be painful. “Do you want some ointment on your knuckles?”
“No, I’m good.”
She followed him down the stairs to the parking lot, and he opened the passenger door and waited for her to climb in. Sydney felt an odd sense of self-consciousness. Not that men didn’t open doors for her, but that Jake would think to do so when he was under so much duress.
“Thanks,” she told him as she settled into the seat. While Jake drove and she gave him directions, she texted an update to June and Maria. She told them she and Jake were driving to the realty office to talk to Rian’s boss.
After she sent the group text, her cell rang. “Oh, no,” she said, looking at the screen. “It’s my mom.”
Jake looked over at her, and for a second, they shared the silent communication of Sydney needing to tell her parents but being reluctant to do so.
“I’d better answer,” she said.
“I’ll pull over and give you some privacy,” he said, slowing the truck. While Sydney answered, Jake parked beneath a row of trees next to a local park. He climbed out of the truck and shut the door.
“Hi, Mom,” Sydney said, the trembling in her voice already starting on the first two words.
Her mother must be distracted, because she jumped right in with, “So, how did the alterations on your dress go?”
“Do you want the good news or the bad news first?” Sydney asked, trying to keep her breathing steady.
Jake had walked into the park and was sitting on a bench, scrolling through his phone. For a moment, Sydney wished she could be out there with him instead of inside the truck telling her mom the bad news.
“What’s going on?” her mother said, her tone immediately filling with concern.
“Is Dad there?” Sydney said. “That way I only have to say this all once.”
Her mother called to her dad, and when his voice came on the line, Sydney started to tear up. She could really use a hug from her parents right then. In a shaky voice, she told them everything she knew, then finished by telling them she was with Jake and they were headed to Rian’s former workplace.
“Do you need us to come down, honey?” her dad asked.
“Maria and June are both on their way,” Sydney told her parents. “Thank you, though. I’ll let you know if I need anything.”
After hanging up with her parents, she stayed in the truck for a few more minutes before climbing out and waving Jake back over.
Half-way through the meeting with Jake and Rian’s boss, Paul Smith, Sydney knew she needed a break. Jake and Paul had been comparing notes, and Jake had handed over files he’d brought from Rian’s condo. Sydney could see the pain this caused Jake, but he was one-hundred-percent determined, which brought her a strange sort of comfort. Jake might have known about Rian’s deception longer, but they were both in this together now. Sydney wasn’t the only one who’d been duped. Rian’s fraud ran deep into the realty company. Ironically, with Sydney’s position as VP of operations, she was over financial security as well, so this whole process was eye-opening.
“I’ll be outside,” Sydney told Jake in a quiet voice when Paul had to take a quick phone call.
Jake looked over at her. “Are you all right?”
She exhaled. “Yeah. I just need a break. No rush on your part though.”
“All right, if you’re sure,” Jake said. His gaze seemed to pierce right through Sydney, not missing a thing. “Text me if you need to go.”
“I will,” she said, then paused. “What’s your number?” They exchanged numbers, then Sydney left the room and went outside to wait in Jake’s truck.
For several moments she closed her eyes, letting all the information she’d learned soak in and fall into place like pieces of a puzzle. She still had so many questions, but mostly, she knew the answers didn’t matter all that much now. Bottom line, she’d been made a fool of, then dumped. She could cut her losses right then and there and walk away from the whole thing, let Jake do whatever vigilante work he felt the need to, and she could move on with her life.
First, though, she needed to start making phone calls and cancel her wedding plans. Hopefully some of the deposits would be refundable. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath, then dialed the florist shop. After a short explanation, she called the catering company, followed by the rehearsal hall. With each phone call, she grew more resigned, but not more sad, which was a good thing.
She’d completed her final call, leaving a message with the minister, when the driver’s door of the truck opened.
“You’re still here,” Jake said, surprise in his voice.
“Yeah,” Sydney said with a shrug.
Jake was studying her as if trying to gauge where she was in her grief cycle. “Hungry?” he asked. “We can grab something if you want and go back to the condo. I can update you.”
Sydney knew she should say no, that she needed to regroup and start the process of contacting everyone she had sent invitations to. But she told herself that her friends could help her when they got into town.
“Sure, let’s get something to eat,” she said.
One side of Jake’s mouth lifted into a half smile. He really was good looking, but now wasn’t the time to let her thoughts go, and besides, the brother of Rian could never be a consideration, no matter how different they were.
“What sounds good?” Jake asked, starting the truck.
“Nothing,” Sydney replied. “I don’t think I could even taste food right now.”
“Well, then I guess I’ll have to surprise you,” Jake said as he pulled out onto the street. “I noticed a Thai place as I drove into town early this morning. Do you like Thai?”
“Sure,” Sydney said, although she knew she sounded far from enthusiastic. Maybe some curry would help her think more clearly.
They spoke little on the drive to the Thai place, and Jake went inside to order, leaving Sydney on the phone with the minister, who’d called her back.
When Jake returned, carrying a couple of bags of boxed food, Sydney’s stomach responded with
a grumble.
As they drove back to Rian’s condo, Sydney said, “Where are you from, Jake? I mean, where do your parents live?”
“They own a ranch about an hour north of here,” Jake said. “My dad’s retired, so I manage the daily operations. My mom still does the accounting. Rian worked there for a couple of years after high school, then went to college. We thought everything was going well, until my mom got a notification of suspension in the mail from the college. Apparently, Rian had dropped out and had already married an older woman—all without telling anyone. I guess he saw an easier way to make money.”
The disgust in his voice was evident, and Sydney was grateful for that. “Did you go to college?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jake said, glancing over at her. “But I love the ranch, always have. I don’t think my parents expected both of their sons to take over the family business, but believe me, they never expected Rian to take the detour he did.”
Sydney nodded. “The ironic thing is that I’ve dated some real jerks. I guess I didn’t dig deep enough with Rian. He turned out to be the worst of them all.”
Jake was quiet for a moment. “There are worse men out there, of course, but I’m tired of Rian hurting other people by his choices.” He slowed the truck and turned into the condo parking lot. When he pulled to a stop, he looked over at her and said, “Something inside me snapped when he talked about you like you were a means to an end—like you weren’t a person whose life just shattered.”
She held his gray-eyed gaze. The storm clouds were gathering inside of them again. “Thank you for telling me all you know,” she said. “I would have always wondered if you hadn’t shown up, and that would have been much worse than knowing the truth, despite how hard this all is.”
Jake’s hand rested on hers, and the warmth of his touch somehow made Sydney feel both stronger and calmer. “I’ll put it all to rights, Sydney.”
It was the first time she remembered he’d said her name, and something inside of her clicked, like déjà vu. Like they were supposed to connect. Of course, if Sydney was practical, she’d have met Jake eventually, being married to Rian. Or would she have? If Rian’s company hadn’t gone after him, how long would he have kept up the charade? Sydney would have married him, and then what?
Falling for Sydney Page 2
