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“Jade!”
She doesn’t turn around at all, but instead speeds up, which I didn’t think was possible. The lights flash on the back of her car and she quickly pulls the door open and shoves everything inside.
“Jade, wait!”
Her hand reaches for the driver’s side and pulls the door open. She turns to look at me and the second she does, my heart drops. Her cheeks are red, and her eyes swollen with tears still streaming down her face.
After watching her for a matter of seconds, I’m sure of two things. One, Magdalene must have said something about our previous relationship. Two, my relationship with Jade is over.
After shaking her head, she ducks inside the car. I try to chase after her, but she speeds out of the parking garage and out of sight. I’m left standing there, my chest heaving, as I watch the love of my life drive away.
Seeing the pain and anguish on her face, and knowing I’m the reason, is unbearable.
I did this to her. It’s all my fault. I really messed up this time.
I could kick myself for letting things get this far without telling her the truth. My hands can’t get to my phone fast enough, but my fingers dial Jade’s number in vain. After repeated calls to her phone are sent directly to voicemail, I’m certain she’s ignoring me.
What should I do now? This isn’t how I pictured things going at all.
After accepting there’s no way to talk to her, I walk back to my penthouse in defeat, unsure of my next move. My heart aches and I feel terrible for putting Jade in the middle of such an unfair situation. I dial Jade’s number one last time, ready to finally leave a message.
Instead of her sweet honeyed voice picking up, the robotic voice of the voicemail answers instead.
Damn it.
“Jade, I don’t know what Magdalene said to you, but please give me a chance to explain everything. I only want to talk. I don’t care if you yell and scream at me. I just want to hear from you. Give me a chance to make things right. I’m so sorry about all of this. Please, just give me a call back as soon as possible.”
I end the call knowing Jade’s not going to return it. My next call is to Nathan, hoping to resolve the unfinished business we have. I need to have all the cards on the table out in the open.
“Hey, boss,” says Nathan. “What’s up?”
“Nathan, I have the hair from Jacob, and I need the paternity test results immediately. If you have time, I need you to swing by my penthouse.”
“Give me fifteen minutes and I’ll be there,” he says.
After hanging up the phone, I head to the bar and blindly grab the closest bottle.
I need a drink, or three, to help dull the pain in my heart.
Jade has been the one bright spot in my life, and now she’s gone. A woman like her comes around once in a lifetime, and I just blew my shot.
Instead of looking forward to closing the next business deal, I’ve spent my day-to-day moments looking forward to my stolen time with Jade. Now I have nothing to look forward to. No more dates to plan, no more dinners by the ocean and no more late-night phone calls just to hear her voice.
I already know that no number of apologies will make this right, but I must do something.
Chapter 29
JADE
Leave it to Rachel to be out of the country when I need her the most. I really hate hotels and now here I am stuck in one, spending money I should be saving, especially with my recent unemployment. After rolling onto my back, staring at the ceiling, I contemplate my next move. Mentally I wasn’t at all prepared for what has happened over these last few days, but maybe this was the push I needed to set me on the path to my heart’s desires. My phone rings for what seems like the hundredth time and I instantly regret turning it back on.
If it’s not Asher on the end, it’s Magdalene, and right now neither one of them deserves my attention. They can save their apologies for someone who cares.
What they should do is call each other if they want to talk to someone so badly.
I grab my phone without looking at it and hit the ignore button. It’s high time I start thinking of myself and putting my needs ahead of everyone else’s. My hands tremble as I scroll to the name I’m looking for and hit the call button.
“Hello?”
“Hi Bradley, it’s me, Jade,” I say. “I’m not sure if you remember me, but—”
“Of course I remember you. You’re the amateur chef who’s going to give me a run for my money. How are you?”
“I’m okay, but my job situation has suddenly changed, and I think I’m ready for a fresh start,” I say. “So, if you have any advice or suggestions, I’m all ears.”
