Uncontrollable Bachelor (Bachelor Tower Series), стр. 34
Through my sobs, I chuckled. “My cooking is almost as bad as your singing.”
“Almost? I’d say we’re pretty even,” he teased. Wiping my tears, he said, “Should I guess that we’re having peanut butter and jelly again tonight?”
With a sigh, I said, “Unless you feel like packing up and heading back to Boston.”
He leaned back and stared at me. “Are you serious?”
I wasn’t until the words came out of my mouth. Now I knew it was time to go home. This time together was nice, but it wasn’t reality. Besides, work could be calling me and I’d never know. Of course, I wouldn’t know if Babboo was harassing me either. I hadn’t let him control my life this far, and I wasn’t about to start now.
Looking up at Jace I said softly, “Yes, I think I am.”
Jace didn’t say anything right away, and I thought he was going to try to talk me into staying the entire two weeks. He should be impressed I made it through one. But after a moment he said, “It’s going to get dark soon. Do you mind if we head out first thing in the morning? It’ll give me time to pack everything back into the truck.”
“You don’t want to leave it here until next time?” I asked.
“So I can give it a cleaning more than once every ten years?” he joked.
“Actually, I was thinking there were some nice trails and we could come do some snowmobiling. That is, if you feel like taking another vacation in a few months.”
What am I doing? I could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn’t thinking that far ahead. Jace and I never spoke about tomorrow, or the future. All we really had was here. For all I knew, when we got back to Boston, he’d dive back into his routine and so would I. It wasn’t a bad thing, but I hadn’t realized how empty my life was until he was back in it.
“There are more comfortable places to travel, you know.”
At least it wasn’t a no. “Who knows where in the world I’ll be at that time, anyway?”
He tipped my head up so I couldn’t avoid his eyes. “Shannon, no matter where you are, I’ll always be able to find you.”
Babboo had held my face and said those same words, and they had terrified me. From Jace, I found them comforting, and for the first time in three years, I felt…safe. Damn it, Jace. I’m falling in love with you all over again. Thankfully his lips claimed mine before the words left my mouth. Once they were spoken aloud, I wouldn’t be able to take them back.
When he broke the embrace, I thought he’d carry me into the cabin and make love to me as he had done each night. Instead he said, “I’m going to take a quick walk. Then we can start packing.”
Packing. Sure. Leaving was my idea after all.
He kissed my forehead and headed down the path. I had no idea why Jace needed so much time alone. I know it had nothing to do with ‘marking his territory’, but he really wouldn’t give me a straight answer. I knew I shouldn’t follow him, but my feet had a mind of their own. One step turned into a few yards, and soon I was close enough to hear him talking to someone.
“No, she’s at the cabin,” he said.
I froze, knowing he was talking about me. What doesn’t he want me to know?
“Who are you talking to?” I demanded. When he spun around, I saw him holding his cell phone. “Wait. I thought we didn’t have any service up here?” The guilt was written all over his face.
“Shannon, I can explain.”
Those weren’t words I wanted to hear. He had cell service all along and never told me. That was bad enough, but why was he discussing me? The warm, loving feelings I’d had just moments ago were quickly replaced with anger. “Jace, who were you talking to?”
“A friend,” he said.
Bullshit. “One last chance, Jace. Tell me what’s going on.” I held my breath and waited. Does he have a girlfriend and I’m just a fling on the side? Whoever it was on the phone, it was obvious that they meant more to him than me, because he didn’t answer immediately. Raising my hand, I said, “Never mind. I don’t want to know. I have packing to do. You can go back to talking to your friend.” I stomped away, wishing he would follow and pull me into his arms and explain what the hell was going on. But he didn’t.
Once inside the cabin, I didn’t cry. I started packing, shoving everything into boxes and bags. I wanted out of this place. This was…over. Just like last time, my heart was in it, but his wasn’t. And just like last time, he had no explanation for me.
When will I learn? Second chances are for fools.
Jace came back into the cabin, looked around, and saw that just about everything was done. It was a statement and he knew it. There was a look in his eyes that I couldn’t read. He had put up a wall between us. How can he do that after what we’ve been through?
I finally understood what people mean when they say someone died of a broken heart. It ached like nothing else. There wasn’t any medicine or treatment to fix this. It was going to get a lot worse before it started to get better, and this time it was even worse than the first. It’s a fine line between love and hate right now, and I don’t know which side I’m on.
I turned away from Jace, unable to look at him. There was no emotion coming from him, so I wasn’t going to let him see mine, either.
I guess saying goodbye is as easy as