by Emma Nichols
“Oh, wow. Congratulations.” I was so happy for her. Megan and I had hung around with Brandon and his friends, Justin and Blake. We were not in the popular groups and mainly kept ourselves to ourselves. But due to Megan’s long, ginger hair, she got the brunt of the teasing and bullying. I’m glad that she didn’t decide to hide her hair colour. It looked gorgeous against her pale skin.
“Let’s get you inside and off your feet.” Her husband wrapped his arm around her shoulders and began steering her away. He was being so loving and considerate, that’s what I wanted. I wanted Brandon to love me and take care of me and our soon to be family.
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” she called out. I nodded. “Promise?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there.”
Once she had disappeared inside, I quickly made my way over to my black rental car, jumped in, and headed back to my hotel for the evening.
2
Jessica
I decided to be brave and arrived at the country club just before two in the afternoon. I wanted to be one of the first to arrive so I couldn’t chicken out if I saw Brandon.
I swished over to the bar and ordered a sparkling water. I was wearing a floral summer dress that hit my knees. Luckily, no one would be able to tell that I was pregnant as I was a lot curvier now than I had been in high school.
“Jessica.” I looked up from my glass to see Brandon’s best friend, Blake, standing in front of me.
“Hi, Blake.” I smiled. I tried to discreetly look around the room, to see if he was nearby. I tucked my hair behind my ear to try and hide what I was doing.
“He’s not here, yet,” he mentioned.
“Oh, what?” I tried to ask innocently, but he had caught me out.
“Brandon. You’re looking for Brandon,” he stated. He leaned over me and ordered a beer from the bar. “You want another…” he paused as he glanced at my glass, “gin? Or is it vodka?”
“Oh, I’m ok for the minute. Thank you.”
“So, what happened between you two?” He leaned against the bar. He looked good. He was wearing a pair of brightly coloured shorts and a white short-sleeved shirt with the front buttons half undone.
“We’ve just separated. Didn’t he tell you?”
“Yeah, that’s what he told me. But I feel like there is something more to it than that.”
“Nope. That’s it. Oh, will you excuse me, I see Megan over there.” She caught my eye and I waved my hand at her.
“We’ll catch up later.” He shot me a chin lift and I smiled at him before I hurried over to Megan.
“I’m glad you came.” She smiled.
“Whooo, jacuzzi party,” Kyle, one of the jocks, shouted as he picked up his date and threw her in.
“I can’t go in.” Megan sighed as she waved her hand over her bump. “But you two go ahead,” she said to me and her husband.
“Oh, no. I’d rather sit and talk to you.” We set up camp on two loungers that were in the shade. “I didn’t know you couldn’t use a jacuzzi if you’re pregnant.” I absentmindedly ran my hand over my little bump that only I knew was there.
“Hold on.” She swung her legs over the side of her lounger to face me. “You’re pregnant!” she blurted out.
“What?” I looked around nervously, hoping no one had heard her. “No. No, I’m not.” She picked my glass up and smelled it.
“No? Then why are you drinking sparkling water?”
“Because I like it.” She kept staring at me. “Fine, ok, you’re right. But you can’t tell anyone.” I whispered, looking around to make sure no one was listening in on our conversation. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders to finally confide in someone. I was happy about being pregnant and had no one to enjoy the news with.
“Does Brandon know?” I shook my head. “Oh, my god, is it not his baby?”
“We’ve been separated for three months. I found out the day after he left. I haven’t had a chance to tell him.”
“Well, here’s your chance.” She smiled as she swung her legs back round and got comfy on the lounger.
I turned around and began searching for those gorgeous dark brown eyes. Once our eyes connected, my heartbeat picked up a notch. He was walking straight towards me. Shit, what was I going to do?
“Jess.” He smiled at me. Shit, that voice sent shivers all over my body, and a zing of arousal shot to my core. He looked gorgeous in his denim cut-off shorts that ended just below his knees, and a black sleeveless t-shirt. A couple of years ago he had started getting a sleeve tattoo done on his right arm. The black bold lines in a trible style wrapped around his wrist and flowed up to his elbow, where it stopped. He had planned to get it finished soon, and I wondered what caused him not to.
“Hi, Brandon.” I smiled shyly at him. He reached for my hand and pulled me to my feet before enveloping me in a hug, and I melted into him.
“I’ve missed you,” he whispered.
“I’ve missed you too,” I admitted. His hand cupped the back of my head and his fingers threaded through my long brown hair. I glanced up at him. Was he about to kiss me?
“Can we talk?” I nodded. From the moment we met I had been unable to resist him, and even our separation seemed to have done little to change that.
He started to lead me away, and I took a quick look over my shoulder at Megan. She rubbed her swollen tummy and nodded her head at me in support. How was I going to tell him? Should I just blurt it out? Then the picture popped in my head of him with that woman last night. I pulled my hand out of his and crossed my arms over my chest as we stopped by a tall table, where I moved so it stood between us.
“How have you been?” he asked. He ran his hand over his brown hair and down to squeeze the back of his neck. That was a nervous habit of his. Why was he nervous?
“Ok, I guess.” I shrugged my shoulders and laid my hands on the table in front of me.
“I’ve not been ok,” he declared.
“You looked ok last night,” I scoffed. I looked to my left to see my classmates swimming and having fun in the pool. It was a large kidney shaped pool with clear water, the sun was shining today and it made the waster glisten. It was as if no time had passed at all, the jocks were throwing the cheerleaders around in the water. A few couples were kissing, and the bar that was on the far side of the pool area was lined with people wanting drinks.
“Last night?” He frowned, looking confused. “I didn’t see you at The Leaning Pine last night.”
“Well, you wouldn’t have. You were all over some woman,” I snapped. Did I have any right to be feeling and acting this way? Hell yes, I did. He was still my husband and I was still in love with him. It hurt me to see him flirting with someone else.
I swallowed down the golf-sized ball in my throat. I wouldn’t let the tears fall, not today and not in front of him. All I had done for the last three months was cry over him and our failed marriage.
“What are you talking about?” He leaned forward and attempted to hold my hand. I snatched it away and refolded my arms over my chest. “I was waiting for you last night. Mrs. Williams said that you would be attending.”
“Well, you looked awfully busy when I arrived.”
“Jess—”
I cut him off, “No. You know what? I can’t do this right now.” His eyes pleaded with mine not to leave, but I couldn’t stay here if he was going to lie to me.
As I went to walk away, his arms circled my waist from behind. Shit, will he be able to tell that I’m pregnant?
“Please, don’t go.” His lips were very close to my ear, and arousal covered my body, causing my nipples to pebble. “There’s no one but you. I need you, Jess—my beauty, my wife. Just you.”
Just me? Does that mean he wouldn’t want our baby? We had never spoken about having a family. We were always too busy with the business and concentrating on making it grow.
“You had a funny way of showing it. Who was she, Brandon?” I didn’t turn around. I couldn’t bear to see if he w
as lying to me. I couldn’t stop the jealousy that flowed through my body when I watched some of my classmates with their partners. They looked happy. Sophie and Dale were sitting on the edge of the pool with their legs dangling in the water. Claire and Lee were cuddled up together on a lounger. There were lots of empty table and chairs scattered around, I was surprised. I thought it would be a lot busier here by now.
“She’s Camilla’s wife.”
“Camilla?” I spun around in his arms, and he held my hips to steady me as I wobbled. “I didn’t know she was gay.” Camilla was another classmate from our school. She always had a large group of friends and was very popular. I didn’t really know her too well. She always had guys chasing around after her.
“Yeah, apparently so. Camilla went to the bathroom and left me and Rachel together. I was just being friendly. I was waiting for you.”
I stared into his eyes. I was looking for deception. He seemed genuine and I believed what he was telling me.
“Okay.” I pursed my lips together and stepped out of his hold. “Ummm, I’m not feeling too good. I’m going to head out. I’ll see you tonight?”
“What’s wrong?” He stepped closer and cupped the side of my face in his hand. I loved having his hands on me. I had missed him so much. My heart ached to be close to him, to have him in the same bed as me. To drink our morning coffee together, and head into work together.
People had always said we shouldn’t work together as it would ruin our relationship. We had gone ahead and done it anyway, and it had only made us stronger. I had loved spending every minute of every day together. Of course, it had only made it that much harder when he left.
“Do you want me to come with you? Look after you?” God, I wanted to say yes so much. But I just needed to sleep.
I shook my head and took another step away from him.
“I’ll see you tonight.” He leaned forward and kissed my cheek. I smiled up at him before turning around and walking away. I weaved in and out of the white plastic table and chairs, heading for the door. Just before I got to it, I could see Megan waving her arms at me. I placed my hand on my stomach and shook my head at her. How was I going to tell him? I didn’t want the reason for him to stick around to be just because of a baby. I wanted him to want to be with me. Forever.
3
Brandon
I had found out what hotel Jessica was staying in, and I managed to pry her room number out of Megan.
She was staying in The Hilton, where our reunion dinner was taking place. I wanted to be the one to escort her to our reunion. I took a deep breath as I stood outside room 220. I was dressed in a black suit with a deep red tie. I hated dressing up formally. I was much more comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt. I yanked at the collar of the shirt; I felt like I was being strangled.
I knocked on her door and waited for her to answer. I could hear her inside, moving about.
“Brandon?” she asked on gasp. She looked shocked to see me standing in front of her.
“Jessica, will you please be my date for tonight?” I held my hand out to her and she looked at it, then back up to me. Her light blue eyes shone and I remembered how they looked when she was in the heat of passion, they would turn to a dark navy colour. Her skin was still pale, she had never found it easy to tan, unlike me. I only had to sit in it for an hour and I would be a bronze color. “You look gorgeous.” I took a step closer, but made sure to stop before the threshold. She hadn’t accepted my invitation yet.
She was wearing a red dress. It came to just above her knees, and the top was covered in lace, creating an off the shoulder look. She looked stunning and I knew that every guy tonight would be looking her way. Her long dark hair was tied up with a couple of tendrils hanging around her face. She had little make-up on; some mascara and eyeliner, and her lips were decorated in a deep red color. Her feet were currently bare, and her toenails were painted red too. I was glad I’d opted for a red tie—at least we would match. Tonight, I’d show every guy in this place that Jessica Hayes was still my wife, and she would be going home with me.
“Ummm, do you think that is a good idea?” Her head fell forward as she looked at the floor, and her toes wriggled on the carpet. She was nervous.
“Yes. I think it’s a great idea. Are you nearly ready?” She nodded her head. “Can I come in, or would you rather I wait out here?”
“You need to come in, so I can fix your tie.” She laughed as she pointed at my crooked knot that was doing nothing to help the suffocating feeling around my neck.
“You know I hate wearing these things,” I grumbled as I stepped into her room. I glanced around and saw that Jess was living out of her suitcase, she always hated to unpack whenever we stayed away.
“You wore one at our wedding and didn’t complain.” Her gentle, smooth hands undid my top button as she straightened my tie out. “Leave your top button undone, then you won’t feel like you’re constricted.” Once my tie was done she laid her hands on my chest and smoothed it out. My cock jumped to attention. I missed having her hands on me.
“Thank you.” She looked up at me and I swear I saw a moment of weakness, a look of desire.
“You’re welcome.”
She hurried around the room, grabbing her little clutch bag and slipping her feet into some sexy black heels. Images of fucking her with just those on had my cock twitching. Shit, I couldn’t go to my ten-year reunion dinner with a fucking hard on. I needed a distraction.
“As I remember it, I tore that tie off as soon as the registrar announced us husband and wife.”
“I remember,” she agreed.
“Then I remember a certain Mrs. Hayes popping open a few extra buttons on my shirt.”
“I remember that too.” She smiled as a little blush covered her cheeks. She looked away from me as her smile dropped. “I won’t need a jacket tonight, will I?”
I was disappointed that the moment passed so quickly and I hated to see the smile drop from her gorgeous face. But I wouldn’t give up on what I came here for.
“No, sweetheart. If you get cold you can have mine.”
“Brandon, what’s going on here?” She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth as she frowned.
“I’m taking my wife to our ten-year reunion dinner.” I offered her my arm but she didn’t move. She smoothed her skirt down and tightened her grasp on her clutch bag.
“Ex-wife.” She whispered.
“We’re not divorced. We seperated. I want that to change.” I told her honestly as I moved closer to her.
“You want a divorce?” She squealed.
“No, god no. Jessica, I love you. I want us back together. I’d like to come home with you.” I held her free hand in mine and brought it up to my lips. I kissed her knuckles and she sucked in a breath as I did.
“We need to talk first,” she mumbled. Hope soared through my body. Did she want the same thing that I did? I prayed to god that she did.
“I agree. After dinner?”
“Okay.” My body eased of tension. I wanted to get this dinner out of the way so we could get back to how we were. Happy and in love.
“Come on then, Mrs. Hayes. Let’s go and have some fun.” I offered her my arm again, and this time she slipped her hand into the crook of it. This is how we were meant to be: side by side and facing the world together.
4
Jessica
We were sitting at a large table. There were ten of us: me; Brandon; Megan and her husband, Kent; Justin and his date; Blake and his wife, Ashley; and Joey and Mitchell, who were both still single.
Ashley and Blake had been together for as long as I’d known them. Blake was on the football team with Brandon and Ashley was a cheerleader. Joey and Mitchell were always the school clowns, playing practical jokes and getting into trouble often.
The room was filled with various-sized tables. Some had only eight people on, and others had twelve.
On arrival we’d had to sign in with Mrs. Williams. She was the head of the alum
ni committee. We had all been given name tags with our school colours on them—navy and grey. We were then redirected to another room, as somehow the hotel had made the mistake of booking our school, St. Martin’s Academy, and the local public school, Linwood High, at the same time and in the same place. We were given a slightly smaller room as our graduating class wasn’t as big. The hall was still really nice, with a large bar covering one wall. A stage sat at the far end of the hall, with a small but polished floor before it, and the large wooden tables were scattered throughout the room.
The hall was loud with chatter as everyone reconnected again.
“It’s nice to see you two still together,” Mitchell announced as he held his glass of scotch in his hand and tipped it towards me and Brandon.
I fiddled with my napkin, feeling awkward. Should I correct him, or leave it be?
“They’re separated, you idiot,” Justin butted in.
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t know that. Has it been long?” he questioned. I reached for my glass of water to take a sip.
“Ninety-three days, twelve hours, and…” Brandon paused to look at his watch, “four minutes.”
I almost spat my water across the table. How did he know the exact time?
“And it was the worst decision I ever made,” he confessed. When I looked up from placing my water back on the table, everyone was staring at me. I decided to ignore them. Though inside I was jumping for joy—it was the worst decision he had ever made. He had said he wanted to come home with me, but I wasn’t sure how serious he was being.
“Joey, what’s been going on in your life?” I gave him all of my attention.
“Well, I got married at nineteen. Divorced by the time I was twenty. I had my own business, but that fell to pieces, and I’m now living back at home with my mom, with no money, no girlfriend, and no future to look forward to.”
“Shit,” I heard Brandon mumble under his breath.
