“Yeah, for awhile. Until I release the news about the engagement being off and things cool down.”
“I think you should talk to Chris before you release that information.” I could hear the warning in her voice.
“What? Why?” I sat up, bracing myself for the news that she was about to tell me.
“He’s going crazy, he’s threatened me. He says if I don’t find you and tell him where you are I will regret it. I don’t know what to do, Lennox. I don’t know where you are and wouldn’t tell him if I did, but I’m scared. Who knows what that psycho is capable of.”
I ran my hand through my hair, pushing it back out of my face. I should have known he would pull something like that.
“Don’t worry, I will take care of it.” I hung up and called a number I never wanted to call again. I called Chris.
“Lennox, it’s about time you called,” Chris answered. His voice was cheerful, like he was happy he was getting his way.
“What do you want from me?” I whispered into the phone. There I was, thousands of miles away and he still had control over me.
“I want you back here, now. That’s all.”
“Why, so you can beat me some more?”
He laughed. “Come on Lennox, you know what happens when you piss me off. It’s not that hard, just don’t piss me off.”
“I’m not coming back. I’m not marrying you and I am going to release the news of the breakup.”
“Lennox, I swear. You better think twice before you release anything. I will find you. I will give you two days to get back here before I go for Alissa. You don’t want anything to happen to her, do you?”
“Leave Alissa out of this.” I stood and started to pace the floor.
“You’re the one that brought her in on this. If something happens to her, it’s on you.”
I couldn’t leave Alissa there to be hurt by Chris, but I couldn’t go back home either.
I called her back as soon as I hung up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Listen, I need you to pack a bag and go to the airport. I will tell you where you’re going when you get there. Understand?”
“Lennox, slow down. What are you talking about? It’s not a good time to take a vacation, I have work to do.”
“I talked to him. He said he would go after you if I wasn’t home in two days. I’m not going back, I can’t. You have to come here. It’s the only way I can keep you safe.” My heart was pounding in my chest. I knew what Chris had done to me would be nothing compared to what he would do to Alissa.
“Do you really think he’s going to hurt me?”
“I don’t know what he will do, Alissa. But I can’t take that chance. Now please, pack a bag and go to the airport. You can work from here. Please,” I pleaded.
She let out a long breath. “Okay. I will call you soon.”
“Please hurry,”
I was too wired to sleep after that. I was worried about Alissa getting caught by Chris while she was trying to leave.
I couldn’t bear to think about it. Alissa and I had become close over the years. She was the first friend I had when I moved to Tennessee.
I had only been in Tennessee for a month. If I wasn’t doing school work or recording, I was alone. I was upset and hurting over not being able to see Mason. I wanted to drink the pain away. I stumbled into a run-down bar that was just around the corner of my apartment and found Alissa.
She was bartending and when I asked for a shot of Jack, she eyed my I.D. She looked into my eyes, seeing how much I really needed that shot, and slid the I.D. back to me before handing over the liquor.
We clicked automatically. By the end of the night, I was trashed and offered her a job as my assistant. She didn’t think I was serious at first. She thought I was just some drunk girl who was making up stories to make her life sound more interesting than it actually was. She accepted, with no real intention of quitting her job.
When I sobered up the next day, I went back to the bar and begged and pleaded until she took me up on my offer. We had been best friends ever since. I saved her from a life of working in a run-down bar and she saved me by being a friend.
After my career took off and I moved to California, Alissa came with me and was by my side through it all. I couldn’t leave her for Chris to find.
I tried everything to get my mind off her and Chris. I tried watching TV and reading a book, but nothing worked. I began to go through my closet, cleaning out stuff I didn’t need anymore and going through pictures from my past when my phone finally rang.
“Okay, I’m here. Now, what?” she asked around the noise of the airport.
“I’ve already bought your ticket, you just have to pick it up.” I stayed on the phone to make sure she didn’t have any problems.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
“What?” I asked afraid that Chris had found her.
“Georgia? Lennox, I can’t come there.”
“What? Why?” I sat up and tossed the pictures down.
“I just can’t,” she whispered with sadness in her voice.
“Alissa, you have to. It’s where I am and the only way I can make sure you’re safe. Please do this, for me?”
“I can’t fucking believe I’m doing this. I haven’t been back to Georgia in years. You fucking owe me for this one, Lennox.” She didn’t sound happy when she hung up on me, but I smiled to myself knowing she was getting on that plane and would be with me soon.
I woke up Monday morning feeling anxious, ready to have Alissa with me so I would know she was safe. I was planning on having her send out a statement announcing our breakup when I knew Chris couldn’t get to her.
I dressed quickly and grabbed my things before heading downstairs for a quick breakfast before picking up Alissa.
“Good morning, Kathryn.” I moved past her to pour myself a cup of coffee.
“Good morning, have any plans for today?”
“Yeah, I’m going to pick up a friend from the airport and then I’m going to look at apartments here in town. I really appreciate you guys letting me stay here, but I’m thinking of sticking around for a while and I will need my own place.”
“You are welcome here anytime, dear.”
I poured my coffee into a to go cup and headed for the door.
I pulled up to the airport a little while later and made my way inside to meet Alissa. I weaved through people, stood on my tiptoes, and did everything to find her. I finally sat down at the airport bar and sent her a text telling her where to meet me. I waited a few minutes before she came walking up.
“I can’t fucking believe you got me here.” She set down her bag and placed her hand on her hip.
I squealed and wrapped my arms around her. “I’m so happy you’re here. Come on, we have apartments to look at.” I picked up her bag and led her through the airport by her hand that I hadn’t let go of.
“Tell me what’s going on, why did you come here of all places?” Alissa asked once we were in the car and heading toward my first appointment.
“This is where I’m from, my dad lives here.”
“How did I not know that? I thought you were from New York or something.”
“Well, I was born in New York and I lived there until I was eighteen when Dad and I moved to Georgia after his and my mom’s divorce.” I pulled into the first location.
We walked into the building and made our way into the apartment.
“What do you think?” I asked her as we walked around the empty apartment.
“It’s kind of small.” She walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge to find decaying food inside.
She gagged and closed it quickly.
“That’s a no.” I opened the front door while she sprinted out, gagging.
We spent the day going from apartment to apartment. I had three appointments set up and there was something wrong with all of them. Leaky ceiling, too small, dirty or crazy looking people standing around in the hallway. I
was pretty sure the last one was a crack house sectioned off into studio apartments.
Finally, when we were about to give up and go home, I drove by a place with a vacancy sign in the window. I parked the car quickly and we made our way inside the large brick building.
We found the super and he unlocked the apartment to let us look inside.
It had a big living room with an open kitchen, only separated by a bar. There were hardwood floors throughout the apartment and there were two bedrooms with a bathroom in between.
“I think this will work for us. What do you think?” I asked Alissa.
“How long am I going to be staying here?”
“Until we know it’s safe.” She wasn’t happy with my response but didn’t argue.
I signed the contract and paid the first month’s rent along with a deposit and we headed back out to the car after getting the keys.
“Let’s celebrate!” I cheered heading toward my favorite bar and grill. Just having Alissa with me raised my spirits. Not to mention, Mason and I were finally on the right track.
“Now you’re talking.”
Within minutes, we were pulling up to the bar.
“Two beers and two shots of Jack,” I told Wendy.
“What’s the matter with you?” I asked, noticing Alissa looked freaked out.
“I used to live here.”
“Really? When?” I questioned.
“When I was born, I was put in a home. My mom didn’t want me and I bounced around from place to place until I ended up with foster parents here in this town when I was sixteen. I was hard to handle, to say the least. I started dating this guy. His dad owned the boat shop and this place.” She looked around the bar like she couldn’t believe she was back there.
“What was the guy’s name?” I questioned, hoping it wasn’t Mason.
“Dane Reynolds.”
“So how did things end with this, Dane?” I smiled to myself and took a long drink.
“Not so good. Do you know him? Is he still around here?” She took the shot and slammed it down on the bar, asking for another.
“Kind of. This is his place.” I did the same thing.
Alissa dropped her head to the bar. “I knew I shouldn’t have come back here.”
“What’s the big deal? So what, you guys dated. It was a long time ago.”
Her head popped up. “Yeah, it was a long time ago. Maybe he doesn’t even remember me.”
I couldn’t have timed it any better myself. Just then, Dane came out of his office. He walked to the cooler and grabbed himself a beer. He popped the top and took a long drink before his eyes landed on me, then on Alissa. It looked like he had seen a ghost, his skin became pale and he blinked his eyes like he couldn’t believe who was in his bar.
I glanced between Alissa and Dane, their eyes were locked, each afraid to move in fear the other would disappear.
“Lennox?”
“Yeah?” I turned to look at her.
“I think he remembers me.” Alissa didn’t break her stare from Dane.
“Yeah, it looks like it,” I kept glancing back and forth between them. “Go talk to him.”
“I can’t. I have to go.” She pushed away from the bar, heading toward the door.
Dane was just as quick. As soon as he saw her move, he ran to catch her. I stayed where I was, I didn’t want to interrupt them. They looked like they had a lot to talk about.
“Lennox, I can’t believe you’re here.” I turned to see Nicole sitting in Alissa’s open seat.
“I stopped in with a friend but she just went outside for some air. How are you?” I asked, noticing Mason walk up from behind her. He stopped short when he saw Nicole talking to me.
I glanced back and forth between them, they didn’t break up.
“I’m great,” she looked back at Mason. “Why are you standing back there? Come up here and talk to her.”
I automatically knew Mason hadn’t told her what had happened between us over weekend. For all she knew, Mason and I hadn’t even seen each other yet. I played along to keep him from getting in trouble, but the whole time, my heart was breaking.
“Hey, stranger. It’s been a long time.” I stood and moved in for a hug hoping he didn’t notice how badly I was shaking.
“We need to talk,” Mason whispered in my ear.
I pulled away but couldn’t look in his eyes. “Well, actually I was just getting ready to head out. Wish I could stay and have a drink with you two, but my friend is waiting on me outside.” I quickly grabbed my bag and started to walk away.
“Lennox,” Mason called after me.
I turned but didn’t say anything.
Nicole looked from me to Mason, wondering what he was going to say.
“I hope we can meet up again.” He looked into my eyes, pleading with me to understand the meaning behind that message.
“I don’t know. I don’t know how long I’m going to be here,” I nodded and plastered on that fake smile I had perfected over the years. “Maybe.” I turned around and made my way through the door before he could see the tears that were threatening to fall.
9
Mason
After dropping Lennox off Sunday morning, I stopped by the shop to make sure the weekend crew didn’t need anything before heading back home to think about how I was going to break the news to Nicole. I never should have gotten into a relationship with her, I knew that, but I did it anyway.
Since all that happened with Lennox, I knew I had to do it as soon as possible. I cheated on her. I’d never been a cheater before, but one day with Lennox was all it took. I couldn’t help myself. I had it in my head that I was going to break up with Nicole and that was all that mattered. Lennox was there and wanting me after I had wanted her for all those years.
I hung around the house waiting for Nicole, I knew she would be by. I practiced what I was going to tell her over and over. I was in my bathroom, looking in the mirror when I heard the front door open. It was time.
“Mase?”
“Yeah, I’m up here,” I said walking out of the bathroom and starting for the stairs. In my head, I just kept telling myself I could do this, it’s for Lennox.
“Can you come down here please?” she asked when I reached the top of the stairs.
I looked down and saw Nicole standing at the front door with an older man and woman. I was confused.
“Mason, this is my mom and dad, Jerry and Shelly. Mom, Dad, this is Mason.” She wrapped her arm around my waist.
“It’s nice to meet you.” I reached out my hand to her dad.
What is going on? This isn’t supposed to happen tonight.
“It’s so nice to meet the man our daughter has been seeing,” her mom said, shaking my hand.
“What’s going on?” I asked Nicole, shoving my hands into my pockets.
“The dinner, remember?”
“The dinner,” I repeated while nodding my head. “I didn’t think we had finished talking about that.” I remembered her asking me to have dinner with them but we never agreed on anything.
“I know we didn’t, but with me working all weekend we never got the chance to and Dad called this morning and he already had the reservations.”
“If you’re busy we completely understand. We can reschedule,” her dad offered.
“Oh, umm,” I looked down at Nicole who gave me that, ‘please don’t do this in front of my parents’ look. “No, it’s fine. I just wished I could have cleaned up a little, that’s all.”
I excused myself to go change and made my way back to my room with Nicole and her parents downstairs.
How am I supposed to break up with her tonight? Do I wait until we get back from dinner and do it? Do I wait until tomorrow so I don’t ruin her evening? However I do it, it has to be done and soon. I’ve already slept with Lennox and she believes we’re getting back together. I want to get back together with her more than anything, but I need to let Nicole down as easy as possible. I will endure dinner to
night and see how it goes.
“So, Mason, what is it that you do for a living?” Nicole’s father asked over dinner.
“I own a boat rental,” I answered, grabbing my glass of wine.
“That’s nice,” Shelly, Nicole’s mother, responded.
“The business was actually Mason’s late father’s. He took it over when he passed away.” Nicole rubbed my shoulder while offering up a sad smile.
“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Shelly gave me a sincere look.
“Thank you.” I politely smiled and nodded.
Nicole and her parents passed the time by having polite chitchat while I sat back thinking about Lennox and how I had screwed everything up. Not only did I cheat on Nicole, I had to sit and endure a dinner with her parents.
“Isn’t that right, babe?” Nicole asked, snapping me out of my daze.
“Oh, I’m sorry. What?”
She laughed it off. “I said that we have been talking about moving in together.”
All eyes went to me. “Oh. Well, it’s not something that has been decided, but we have talked about it a few times.”
Her parents smiled and their conversation started back up.
I don’t think I paid attention the rest of the dinner. I just kept thinking about how I had to break up with Nicole.
She still thought we were going to move in together. How am I going to tell her that I cheated on her and I am leaving her for Lennox? The girl I told her she didn’t need to worry about.
Nicole and her parents dropped me off at home. I still hadn’t talked to Nicole alone. For all she knew, we were still together and happy.
This isn’t something I can tell her on the phone. I will have to talk to her tomorrow, I can’t call and talk to Lennox either. I know she will ask about Nicole and I can’t tell her that I haven’t done it yet.
I woke the next morning determined to talk to Nicole. I couldn’t see Lennox until I had broken things off with Nicole and I wanted to see Lennox badly. Seeing her and having her in my bed was better than I remembered. I had forgotten how addicting she was. I hadn’t seen her since the day before, but already I was yearning for more of her.
A Second Chance at Forever (Chance #2) Page 9
