by Amber Crewes
“I don’t know how much longer I can do this,” she murmured as she lay back on her bed. “I never wanted to be the kind of girl who waited by the phone for her boyfriend to call. What’s gotten into me?”
Fiesta licked her face, and she scooped the tiny dog into her arms and nuzzled her. “I love you,” she whispered. “And I love you, Siesta. You two never let me down.”
She settled into her bed, pulling the comforter tight around her, wishing things were better between her and Jack. How had things fallen apart so quickly? It felt like just yesterday that the couple was happy and in love, but now, she felt as though she didn’t even know Jack anymore.
Her phone rang, and she lunged for it. “Oh,” she grumbled when she saw it was Trudy calling. “Trudy can wait; the bakery is closed, and her day off is tomorrow.”
She tucked her phone into her bedside table. “I need to clear my head,” she decided as she stood up. “I think I will go for a run.”
Meghan dressed in a pair of purple leggings. She wore a matching plum sweatshirt, and her favorite running shoes. She did not love running (or exercise, for that matter), but she knew a healthy dose of endorphins might help her out of the slump she had been in for the last few days.
“I’ll be back later, babies,” she called to her dogs as she locked the apartment. “It’s only eight, and I won’t run for a long time.”
Meghan jogged down the stairs and burst outside into the evening air. It was chilly, but she liked the cool air on her cheeks as she took off toward the beach. She loved running on the sand, and was looking forward to a good sweat.
As she ran, she thought about the events of the last few days. She thought of Jacob Chambers and his unfortunate fall. She thought of Jack and his miserable attitude. She thought of Lee and cringed as she recalled the blood spurting from his nose after Jack had hit him. Poor Lee. His handsome face was likely scarred from the blow.
“Handsome,” Meghan thought to herself. “Why did I just think to myself that Lee was handsome?”
He was objectively handsome, but Meghan knew he wasn’t her type; he was charming and sly, and she preferred a straight-forward type, someone stable and reliable. Then again, Jack didn’t seem so stable these days. Jack. Why had Jack reacted so strongly to Lee? He had never been violent before, and she was concerned that whatever was going on with him was more serious than she could imagine.
Meghan was so focused on her thoughts that she didn’t notice the black-haired woman guiding a baby carriage in front of her. She ran straight into the young mother, knocking her to her feet.
“I am so sorry!” Meghan cried as the woman tumbled to the ground. “Let me help you up.”
The woman smiled. “Its fine,” she said as she grabbed Meghan’s hand and stood up. “It happens. You looked like you were in deep thought when I tried to yell at you to get your attention.”
“I was,” Meghan admitted. “I’m so sorry. Is the baby okay?”
“He’s fine,” she told her. “He’s a big lug, just like his daddy.”
Meghan peered into the baby carriage. The baby was chubby, with big eyes and round cheeks. “What a doll,” Meghan cooed. “You two are out late to be on the beach!”
“We love it here,” the woman told Meghan. “We’re from out of town, so we’re trying to soak up as much time on the beach as we can, even if it’s late at night.”
“What brings you into town?”
“A funeral,” the woman said sadly. “It’s not a leisure trip up here, that’s for sure.”
Meghan put her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “I am so sorry to hear that. May I ask whose funeral?”
“My husband’s,” she told her. “I’m Lauren Chambers. My husband was Jacob Chambers?”
Meghan’s stomach sank. “Your husband?”
Lauren nodded. “We were high school sweethearts,” she explained. “We grew up five doors down from each other. Our mamas always knew we’d be married someday. We got married when we were out of high school, and his work took us to Alaska. Later, we ended up in Durango, Colorado, but most recently, we’ve been living in Reno.”
Meghan could hardly catch her breath. Jacob was married? What about Isla?
“He had to move up here for work,” Lauren explained as though reading Meghan’s mind. “His mama is sick, so we agreed I would stay in Reno to take care of her while he came up here and made some money. It’s been hard living apart, but he’s sent some big checks, so while it isn’t fun, it’s been working out well for all of us.”
“I’m...so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Chambers.”
“Please,” she insisted. “Call me Lauren.”
“I’m Meghan Truman,” she introduced. “I own a bakery in town.”
“Your name sounds familiar. Didn’t your husband get into a brawl with a fellow at a dog pound? That’s what the ladies at the coffee shop were gossiping about when we were in there earlier.”
Meghan shook her head. “Ugh,” she moaned. “No, not quite. My boyfriend, Jack, had a...situation with another guy at the dog groomer. People in town have been spreading rumors about it, and it’s been frustrating.”
“It can be embarrassing when your man gets violent in public,” Lauren said, casting her eyes down. “Is he violent a lot?”
“It was only a single punch,” Meghan insisted. “Jack isn’t a violent guy.”
“Okay,” Lauren said. “I don’t know him, so I can’t say anything…all I know is that a violent man is impossible to change. Every woman deserves better than a guy who prefers his fists to his words.”
Meghan shifted topics. “How are you doing?” she asked in concern. “What a hardship to lose your husband at such a young age. I didn’t know Jacob well, but I’m sure you miss him.”
“I don’t,” Lauren said matter-of-factly. “Jacob had a mean streak about him, and if he hadn’t died, I’m sure he would have killed me eventually. It was a godsend that he moved up here for work; I haven’t been hit in months, and it’s a nice change.”
Meghan’s jaw dropped. “He was violent?”
“Toward me, his mama, everyone,” Lauren shrugged. “Jacob was a brutish man. I’m sad that my son will grow up without a father, and I’m scared to be a single mother, but in the end, Jacob’s death is a blessing in disguise.”
“What will you do now?” Meghan asked curiously. “Is there insurance to help you? Do you work?”
“We didn’t have insurance, but a friend of Jacob’s advised me to sue the company he worked for. Have you met Declan? We were only recently introduced, but he’s been so sweet during this terrible time. He didn’t even know Jacob was married! Can you believe that?”
“I can,” Meghan said evenly as she thought of Isla. “I’ve met Declan. He seems...nice.”
“Oh, he is,” Lauren agreed. “And handsome, too. Who knows, Meghan, maybe this mess is the beginning of a new story for my son and I. My son is the best thing to ever happen to me, and I think his daddy dying so unexpectedly is the best thing to ever happen to us.”
Meghan stared at Jacob’s widow, her heart sinking. Did Lauren have something to do with Jacob’s death? It sounded like her deceased husband wasn’t the kindest, but would she really kill the father of her child?”
Lauren caught on to Meghan’s horror. “Oh, please,” she laughed. “I can see it in your face; you think I killed my husband!”
Meghan shook her head. “No,” she lied. “I don’t think you had anything to do with it.
“Part of me wishes I had,” Lauren admitted. “He was not a good husband, and he was not a good father. He’s pushed me around in front of our baby, and no child should have to see that. I wish I had left years ago, or even left the day he put hands on me.”
“Why didn’t you leave him?”
Lauren raised an eyebrow. “That’s a pretty personal question, don’t you think?”
“I’m sorry,” Meghan apologized. “That was too forward.”
“It’s fine,” Lauren shivered. �
�Honestly, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I don’t have a lot of money of my own, and my parents would have disowned me if I came home to them as a single mother. They are very traditional, and they would not have accepted a divorced daughter.”
Meghan thought of her wealthy, conservative parents in Texas. She had yet to call them to tell them about her issues with Jack, and she knew they would be disappointed if they broke up. In a way, she empathized with Lauren; she knew what it was like to walk on eggshells as to not disappoint her parents.
“Just for the record,” Lauren said as she stared into Meghan’s eyes. “I didn’t kill my husband. I wished he was dead a time or two, or three, or four....but I didn’t kill him. Do you believe me?”
“Sure,” Meghan said, lying as she nodded. “I believe you.”
They exchanged goodbyes and parted ways, Meghan still feeling uncomfortable with the encounter as she walked away. Had Lauren played a part in Jacob’s death? Meghan needed to talk to someone about her meeting with Lauren. Her first instinct was to call Jack. She pulled out her phone, but then hesitated.
“I want to call him,” she thought to herself as she looked at his contact information. “My first reaction to anything is to call Jack. I just wish things were right with us.”
She took a deep breath. “I want to make things right with him,” she decided. “I’m not going to call him. I’m going to go to his house!”
Meghan marched over to Jack’s, her body hot with nervousness as she rounded the corner. The lights in his upstairs bedroom were on, and she knocked on his door. She could hear Dash, his dog barking, but she did not hear the familiar sound of Jack’s footsteps coming down the stairs to answer the door. “Jack?”
She peered through the little window in the door and could see Dash wagging his tail. “Dash is here and the light in his bedroom is on,” she murmured. “What’s going on?”
She knocked on the door again. “Jack!” she called out. “It’s me! It’s Meghan!”
Jack still did not come to the door. “I’ll call him,” she decided. She dialed his number, but after ringing once, it went to his voicemail. “That’s weird,” she said to herself. “Is he ignoring my calls?”
She called again, and the call rang once and went to voicemail again. “What is going on here?”
Meghan kept calling. She stepped away from the house and saw the bedroom light turn off. “Okay, he is intentionally ignoring my calls!”
She turned on her heel and stormed away, her face drawn. “How can he ignore me like this?”
A few moments later, her phone rang. It was Jack. “Hey,” she answered coldly. “It’s about time you answered my calls.”
“Excuse me?”
“I was at your house,” she explained. “I called you. Your lights were on, but you didn’t come to the door.”
“I….” Jack began.
“You what?”
“I didn’t realize you were there.”
“You were ignoring my calls, Jack! I know you were!”
“Meghan, come on…”
“Did you have someone in your house?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“I saw your bedroom light on,” she spat in exasperation. “Was someone in there?”
“Meghan, do you realize what you are accusing me of?”
“Well? So what if I am? You’ve been acting so strangely, Jack! Are you seeing someone else? Was she there at the house while I was calling you?”
“This is insane,” Jack muttered. “I can’t believe it’s come to this.”
“Come to what?” she demanded to know. “Come to you seeing someone else? Come to you giving up on us? Come to you treating me like this?”
“Come to you being insane! You are acting like a crazy woman, Meghan!”
“You are making me feel like a crazy woman, Jack! I don’t want to feel like this anymore.”
“Then don’t.”
“What are you saying?” she asked.
“I think we both know,” he said evenly.
“We should break up,” she declared. “I think we both know that things have been bad for a while. I don’t deserve to have to feel like this, and you shouldn’t have to deal with a crazy woman.”
“You know that isn’t what I meant,” he protested. “I don’t want to break up. I want to fix things.”
“No,” she began to cry. “We need to break up. I am done dealing with all of this. We are over, Jack, and that’s the last word.”
16
The next morning, Meghan was still processing the breakup, as well as her strange encounter with Jacob’s widow as she walked into the kitchen to open the bakery. She was confused by their chance meeting; did Lauren know about Isla? Did Lauren have something to do with Jacob’s death? The young widow had seemed a bit too enthusiastic about suing the company and starting over, and Meghan sensed there was more to her story.
“Good morning,” Pamela greeted her as she skipped into the kitchen. “How are you, Meghan?”
“Tired,” she admitted, rubbing her swollen eyes. “It’s been a stressful week.”
“I have good news for you, then,” Trudy declared as she walked into the kitchen. “The bakery received an email last night from the governor’s assistant, Mya. Did you see it?”
“I haven’t checked the email for a few days,” Meghan said.
“I figured; it’s been so busy around here,” Trudy replied. “That’s why I went ahead and checked it. Anyway, we got an email from Mya about an event at the Governor’s Mansion tomorrow. She invited us to bring a few peach desserts, and she said we could bring our significant others as well! What do you think? I had such a good time when we went there last time….can we do it?”
“Please?” Pamela begged. “I loved dressing up!”
Meghan looked at her two employees. She had no desire to dress up for an event, or to make desserts for a fancy gathering, but she knew Pamela and Trudy desperately wanted to go. “I think we could make it work. Trudy, could you work on the mousse, and Pamela, could you do the tarts?”
“YES!” they exclaimed in unison.
“Then we’ll do it,” Meghan smiled softly. “Who will you bring for your dates?”
“Probably my dad,” Pamela grinned. “He will look like James Bond in a tux!”
“Trudy?”
“Maybe my brother? My nephew? I’m not sure yet.”
“And you?” Pamela inquired.
Meghan frowned. “I think I’ll just manage the desserts and go,” she admitted. “Jack and I broke up last night.”
“WHAT?” Pamela shrieked. “When?”
“He finally called me back,” she explained. “I’ve felt like it’s been over for a few days, but when we talked last night, it felt so forced. It’s over, and we are officially done.”
“I am so sorry,” Trudy consoled, coming over to rub Meghan’s back. “What did he say? How are you doing?”
“I’m not doing well,” Meghan told her. “I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut, and I barely slept last night. He seemed so...disinterested about the entire conversation. I just don’t think we’re on the same page anymore, or even in the same book, and I don’t think we’re going to get back on track.”
“Oh, Meghan,” Pamela pouted. “This is so sad. I’m sorry this happened.”
“It’s just life,” Meghan shrugged. “People breakup, and get back together. I guess it was just my turn…”
“Are you sure this is what you want?” Trudy asked. “I’m sure if you talk with him, you could fix it. Men don’t want to be alone, and I’m sure Jack still loves you.”
“It’s for the best right now,” Meghan said, the tears welling in her dark eyes. “This is what needed to be done, and I have to take care of myself.”
“That’s right!” Pamela agreed, pumping her first. “You have to take care of yourself, Meghan!”
“That’s enough enthusiasm,” Trudy hissed at Pamela. “She just had her heart b
roken. Tone it down.”
“I’m just trying to be supportive,” Pamela countered. “I want Meghan to know I’m on her side.”
“I know you’re both on my side,” Meghan sniffled. “Thank you for caring.”
“We love you!” Pamela assured her. “I’m so angry at Jack.”
Trudy scowled. “Men can be such pigs.”
“Not all men…”
The three ladies turned to see Lee standing in the kitchen door. “Meghan? Can I talk to you?”
“Lee,” Meghan said. “What are you doing here?”
“I just needed to get some things off of my chest,” he told her. “Can we talk privately? Outside, perhaps?”
She nodded, and he turned to walk out of the kitchen and into the cool morning air. “What’s up?”
Lee’s face was drawn. “I wanted to apologize,” he murmured. “I feel as though I’ve somehow put you through a lot lately, and I’m sorry for making things difficult between you and your boyfriend.”
“Ex-boyfriend,” she corrected. “We ended things last night.”
Lee’s face showed genuine concern. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he told her. “I know you really cared for Jack.”
She nodded. “I still do,” she declared. “And if you are really sorry, I think you should show me by dropping the charges against Jack. He had a slip, and what he did was out of character. Drop the charges, and he’ll be able to have his job back.”
Lee raised an eyebrow. “He hit me, Meghan,” he stated. “A grown man socked another grown man. He earned his consequence, Meghan. I didn’t make him punch me. He chose to do what he did, and he deserves punishment. That’s how life works, Meghan. We all make our choices…”
“But you have antagonized him,” she argued. “You’ve been in his face, you’ve teased him, and you’ve made him feel like a loser. I think you know that you aren’t completely innocent here.”
Lee crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll make a deal with you,” he began.