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“Ooh! Can I have a piece of cake now?” Lola’s excitement brings a smile to my face. Jones has lost his important status for the moment, her focus now solely on a piece of birthday cake.
“I think you need to start talking,” Jones says, standing to his full height again. His eyes tell me a story I don’t want to hear.
Closingmy bedroom door behind me, Jones takes a seat on the edge of the bed and I slide up next to him. My hands are shaking and just as I’m about to pull them under my legs, Jones reaches out and takes hold of one, comforting me.
“It’s not what you think,” I start.
“I’m trying not to assume anything. Start from the beginning and we’ll go from there.” His voice is calm, lacking the judgmental tone I was expecting.
“First, tell me what’s going on with you. There was something you needed to tell me.”
“Wyatt got your note.”
“And?” I ask when he doesn’t offer more. The anticipation is causing my heart to beat wildly in my chest.
“He’s not ready to talk to you yet. At least, he wasn’t earlier. This may change things.”
This changes everything. I always knew it would.
Nodding in understanding, I start from the beginning and tell Jones every detail I think he needs to know. There are some things I want only Wyatt to know, things that should stay between us. If he ever lets me share our story with him.
Finding out I was pregnant.
My parents freaking out and taking me away.
The elaborate story I’ve been forced to tell people.
Why I couldn’t call at first.
“So, what now?” he asks. His rigid posture contradicts the concern I hear in his voice and the sympathetic smile on his face. Jones is angry, but his anger isn’t directed at me.
“That’s up to Wyatt.”
“Do you still love him?”
That’s a question I never thought Jones would ask. Not because he doesn’t have a right to know, but because I never thought anyone would question my love for Wyatt.
“I’ve never stopped,” I say, my voice so soft I barely hear myself say the words.
“Good. Things will be just fine, then,” he says reassuringly. “Once he pulls his head out of his ass, that is.”
“I leave in a few days, Jones. I don’t think there’s enough time. I wasn’t planning on dropping this on him this weekend. My plan was to come back, avoid everyone, be here for the party and then go home. No one was supposed to know I was even here.”
“Then why’d you show up at the bar the other night? You had to know someone would see you. That Wyatt would see you.”
“He saw me?”
“Of course he did, Chloe. He owns the bar now. Didn’t you know that?” Shaking my head, Jones lets out a sigh. “What do you know about Wyatt? Anything?”
“My parents refused to talk about him. They know he’s Lola’s father, but beyond that, I’m not sure they’ve even met Wyatt.”
Laughing softly, Jones replies “Oh, they’ve met. On more than one occasion. That’s not my story to tell, though, so here’s what we’re going to do. You go back down to the party and let me get in touch with him. I promise, by the end of the night, you’ll be able to talk to him.”
“But—”
“Chloe!” Marta hollers my name from the other side of the door.
“Come in,” I call out. “Yes, Marta?”
