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Her parents had raised her to be a rational, responsible person who could distinguish right from wrong. They’d instilled into her sound principles Jess had all but remembered to follow. Respect, faithfulness, trust, love, their boundaries had all faded since Reece Hilton had stepped into her life.
At the beginning of their relationship everything had been wonderful. Although they used to spend the best part of their time together in bed, they had not only made love, but also chatted about inconsequential things. Jess had talked about her work at the hair salon and Reece had laughed with mirth at the antics of some of her customers, though he’d shared little to nothing about his job. Since it involved personal aspects of his clients’ lives, he couldn’t divulge many facts without breaching their confidentiality, which would’ve been professionally unethical. But, when he wasn’t busy kissing her neck making her toes curl, or teasing his way down her body making her blood boil, Reece had made her laugh with old stories about him and Johnny during their police academy years. Two weeks of knowing each other was such a short time that thoughts about a future together never entered their conversations, until one day Jess had made the monumental mistake of telling LeeHanne she’d fallen in love with him, without realizing Reece was within earshot listening to her confession, and troubles had begun.
Telling him in layman’s terms what she thought of his “spontaneous initiative” had been a big, unfortunate mistake, and maybe she’d slightly overreacted when he’d confronted her with what he’d done. But what other option did she have? He seemed so determined to direct the course of her life, he’d all but ignored her when she’d tried to explain why she wanted to divorce him, firing up her temper. As a result, his true, stubborn, self-assured, arrogant nature had come out, and with that their already feeble relationship had deteriorated into the farce it was today.
At times Jess wished she’d never met him, because probably right now she’d be working on building a solid relationship with a nice man like Rob, instead of despising herself for the amoral woman she’d become. Maybe Reece could physically betray Tracy and still look at himself in the mirror, but not Jess. She liked and respected Rob too much to put up with quick, all-consuming encounters behind his back.
Supporting herself against the kitchen wall, Jess rose from the floor. Holding her panties she straightened her clothes as best as she could, retrieved her coat, and fled the apartment, fighting back tears of humiliation. After he’d satisfied his needs the unfeeling jerk had left her alone, discarded like an unwanted bag of garbage.
Despising Reece for what he’d made her become, she started to walk slowly back towards her apartment, intending to cover the five or so miles separating their dwellings on foot. After a while – so lost in thoughts she couldn’t tell how long she’d been walking for, a cab pulled up next to Jess, asking if she needed a lift somewhere. Getting in, she resolved that it was past time she set her life back on track. By any means necessary, even going as far as moving to another country.
ChapterEight
The following day at lunch LeeHanne breezed inside The Edge, the hair salon and beauty parlor in which Jess worked, resolved to treating her friend and herself to a refreshing salad. The epitome of liveliness, LeeHanne refused to listen to any of Jess’s excuses to beg out of her invitation. Strong in her good mood, LeeHanne brushed off further arguments and literally dragged Jess out of the salon, and walked her inside a small salad bar on a nearby street.
“So what gives?” LeeHanne inquired, after having selected a Caesar salad for herself and an avocado and salmon sandwich for Jess. Their lunch was served along with two steamy cups of aromatic coffee. They drank, sat at a small table near the main window, facing the busy street.
“I meant to ask you the same. You’re a tornado full of exuberance today. Got yourself a promotion?” Jess quipped. LeeHanne was a junior associate at a law firm. Their offices were three blocks down the road from The Edge, and Jess knew she aspired to become senior associate before the end of the year.
“That serious, huh?” LeeHanne returned, determined not to allow Jess to distract her away from her growing concern over her broody mood. She suspected the reason behind Jess’s distress was probably Reece, yet she wanted to make sure.
“No. Not that serious.”
“But you’re not denying something is the matter.”
“No. What would be the use?”
“Care to tell me what it is?”
“I’m afraid you won’t understand.”
LeeHanne arched an elegant black brow, challenging Jess to test her.
“Actually, I‘m having a hard time understanding this myself.”
“Try me.”
“It’s too depressing. Besides, I don’t think that talking about it will help. Let’s talk about something more cheerful, like what bug bit you today.”
LeeHanne, bubbling with happiness, was only too willing to share the reason for the huge smile curving her lips, and let Jess switch the focus to her. For the time being.
“Yesterday, I spent the most amazing, romantic, gorgeous evening with my Johnny,” LeeHanne sighed. Leaning closer to Jess, she went on with her recount, a wide, conspiratorial grin reshaping the lines of her face and her sensual, full-lips. “He wined and dined me, then he gave me this.” She thrust a slender arm forward, showing off an elegant bracelet for Jess’s appraisal. The thin, single chain was made of white gold. Its shining center held two diamonds and a sapphire, emphasizing the grace of her slender wrist.
“It’s breathtaking,” Jess whispered in awe, admiring the perfection of the bracelet. “Did I forget your anniversary?”
“No. My Johnny gave it to me simply to show how much I mean to him.”
Jess had no words for that. LeeHanne was a very lucky woman to have found a man like Johnny, who never failed to shower his wife with love or to admit to anyone who asked that LeeHanne was the most important person in his life. Secure in their love for each other, Johnny was proud to let the world know how strong his wife made him feel, and how good life was with her at his side. Unfortunately, Jess could not but compare the way Johnny openly adored his wife, to the way Reece treated her, and felt her eyes sting and her heart sink. It was only by an act of sheer stubbornness that she avoided disgracing herself in front of her friend by flooding her half-eaten sandwich with scalding tears.
“And I bet you showed him how grateful you are once you got back home.” The joke sounded forced and insincere like her smile, but LeeHanne, still rapt in her euphoria, didn’t seem to notice.
“Indeed I did,” she said, an enigmatic smile curving her full lips. “But enough talking about me. Let’s hear what you have to say about Reece.”
“Reece?”
“Yes, Reece. You know, that gorgeous, broad-shouldered man that’s always first in your thoughts? The one you can’t take your eyes off of when he’s around? The one you love. The one who’s got a brand-new flame?”
“Okay, okay. I’ve got it.” Jess interrupted LeeHanne’s raving, annoyed to feel jealousy and guilt spear her conscience when she was reminded of Tracy.
