“Well why not?” Melissa asked disbelievingly. “That man was hot!”
“He wasn’t honest with me about a lot of things,” Amy said with a shrug. “He wasn’t who I thought he was.”
Beth was the only one she’d told about Jason. She of course had asked who Amy was bringing to dinner, and the whole sad story came out. Amy made her promise not to tell the others because she just didn’t feel like reliving it all over again. Yet now, here she was, having to explain away something she was hoping to keep buried.
“Well what happened that he wasn’t honest about?” Melissa persisted.
“He’s married.”
“Married?” Melissa asked, aghast.
“Divorced,” Beth clarified.
“He’s divorced, he has a son—he has an entire life that he never even mentioned to me. Not that I know him that well, but he came over during the snowstorm to look at my paintings, and one thing led to another....”
“You slept with him?” Melissa shrieked.
“Shhh!” Amy chastised as one of Kara’s babies began to wail.
“You slept with him?” Melissa whispered.
“One time.”
“One time or one night?” Melissa asked, jokingly waggling her eyebrows.
“I’m not answering that. The next morning, he said he was really happy that I was there. Beth happened to text me and that’s when I brought up inviting him.” She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. He already had plans, so I didn’t invite him. You know what? I’d rather just forget about it. Let’s talk about Kara’s girls or what time we’re having dessert, or the weather, or anything else. How’s that?”
Beth smiled sympathetically from across the table, while Kara was distracted by the wailing from one of her twins. Melissa looked a little hurt and disappointed that she’d been left out of learning the whole story, but Amy just didn’t feel like discussing any of it right then.
And while Melissa had always been happy to share what happened in the bedroom with her ex, there was no way Amy was sharing anything about her night with Jason.
Not even with her best friends.
She’d put the whole thing behind her and would try to forget the feeling of Jason’s muscular arms holding her close or his hot lips all over her body.
Or his hard length buried deep inside her while she cried out his name.
She’d try to think of something, anything, but that.
Chapter 15
Amy knew he was back when his car disappeared from the driveway one morning. The long holiday weekend was over, and life had returned to normal. Or not exactly normal, since she hadn’t spoken to Jason in over a week, ever since she’d stormed out of his house Sunday morning.
Or maybe life was back to the “Pre-Jason” normal. It’s not like she’d spoken to him much at all when he’d first moved here. A wave hello here, a ‘good morning’ there. She could go back to that someday.
Maybe.
The snow had long since melted, and the kids had been bouncing off the walls on their first day back at school. So was she, truth be told. She felt anxious and antsy now that she knew Jason was back in town, and she was certain that she was bound to run into him at some point.
What was she supposed to say?
The hurt and regret she was feeling made just the idea of seeing him unbearable right now.
Amy turned her attention back to the classroom, saying goodbye to the students as the last parents and caregivers trickled in to pick them up. She had a lot to catch up on after the Thanksgiving holiday but was hoping she’d be able to get in a late afternoon run before heading home.
Her mind drifted, thinking ahead to the next few weeks. Before she knew it, Christmas would be here. Although the girls had gone out the morning after Thanksgiving, the malls had been so crowded, they’d shopped for only an hour or so before retreating to the safe haven of a restaurant for lunch.
Kara was excited for her twins first Christmas, and Beth was on cloud nine for the first Christmas she and Nick would have together in her condo. Amy and Melissa were the only ones not bursting with excitement. It would be nice to have someone to spend Christmas with, but for the first time in years, Amy would be alone.
Of course she’d go home to her parents’ house in Maryland, so it’s not like she’d truly be alone. Hopefully her sister would be there as well, but Amy never knew what her sister’s schedule would be like while she was completing her residency.
Amy changed into her running gear before heading out from school, slipping on a warm fleece over her tee shirt and pulling on a fleece headband and gloves. Carrying everything out to her SUV, she climbed in and drove over to the parking lot she preferred to use for running on the trails.
It was amazing how much the landscape had changed in just a few short weeks. The leaves had all fallen off the trees, the cold air had the smoky scent of winter to it, and even the sky was gloomy and gray as if announcing that winter was indeed here.
Although she didn’t particularly care for cold weather, she didn’t mind running in it. Running was a distraction and a way to clear her head of everything else. Nothing else mattered as she pounded on the trail through the forest.
Nothing and no one.
She smirked, realizing the last time she’d come here she was upset about Ben. How silly that seemed now. If Jason had done one thing for her, it was to help her finally get over her ex.
Now if only she could find a way to get over Jason as well.
***
Jason pulled his son’s suitcase from the trunk of the car the following weekend. The little boy stood beside him, glancing around and looking both excited and nervous at the same time. Although Jason’s enjoyment of Thanksgiving weekend had not been without a dark cloud hanging over him due to the way things had ended with Amy, his actual visit to California had gone off without a hitch.
He’d gotten to see his parents and brother, he and Kristin had finally reached a custody agreement without needing a court hearing, and perhaps best of all, she’d agreed to let Brian spend the two weeks before Christmas with him. He’d had to make arrangements at work to rearrange his shift, but it was all well worth it to spend quality time with his son. Now here they were, a week later, standing in his driveway together.
They’d always bonded when he’d gone out to visit, partly because he’d travelled to be with Brian so much. He’d also been lucky in that his and Kristin’s wasn’t a bitter divorce. She’d always allowed him access to Brian, even when she maintained full custody, and Brian had grown up knowing as much as he could of his father, even though Jason had been stationed on the other side of the world.
He still hadn’t seen Amy since he’d returned, and he hadn’t figured out the right way to smooth things over. Now that his son was visiting it would be even more awkward to go over there. He would’ve loved for Amy to meet Brian, but now certainly wasn’t the right time.
Not when she was still upset with him.
And hell, he still hadn’t even gotten to take her out on a proper date. No wonder she thought he was a first-class jerk. He hadn’t told her about Brian. He’d slept with her and then made her feel like he wasn’t interested in anything more by leaving town almost immediately after. By offhandedly saying she was a distraction.
He still felt crushed every time he pictured her face before she’d run out the door—the hurt and sadness had been unmistakable.
“Are you sure this is Virginia?” Brian asked, glancing up at him questioningly.
Jason laughed as he looked down at him. “Of course I’m sure. What makes you ask that?”
“Well, it doesn’t look any different from California.”
“Maybe not,” Jason agreed. “What were you expecting?”
“I don’t know. Maybe some different trees and grass.”
“Different trees and grass,” Jason chuckled. “These do look pretty much the same,” he said, glancing around. He noticed Amy’s car was gone from the driveway and wondered if she w
as out running errands this morning. The last Saturday he’d been in town, Amy had come over to see the painting and spent the night in his bed.
In a single moment, he’d managed to screw things up so badly she wanted nothing to do with him. Now there was a definite possibility that he’d run into her since he’d likely be in and out all day with Brian. He was nervous to see her again, not knowing how she’d react.
Jason had gotten up early this morning to drive to Reagan National Airport to pick up Brian. Jason’s brother had been home on leave over Thanksgiving and was able to accompany Brian on the cross-country flight. It had been good to both pick up Brian and give his brother one last goodbye before he returned to duty. R&R was never long enough, but it had been nice that his brother had been able to make it all the way home this year.
“What do you say we head inside? I’ll show you the tent I set up for us to camp out in the living room.”
“With sleeping bags?” Brian asked excitedly.
“Yes, two sleeping bags. One for me, and one for you, buddy. Next time I’ll have a bed set up for you—promise.”
“No, sleeping bags are better!”
“High five?” Jason asked.
“High five!” Brian shouted, jumping up in the air.
At that exact moment, Amy’s SUV came driving down the street. Jason cringed slightly at the bad timing. She’d obviously seen him standing in the driveway with Brian, and now here he was just staring at her.
He felt a slight twisting in his gut as he caught a glimpse of her behind the wheel. This wasn’t the right time for him to rush over there and convince her they needed to talk. It would be rude of him to not at least wave hello though. As her car approached, he raised a hand and waved. It was a friendly, neighborly gesture, if not exactly the way you’d want to greet the woman you’d just slept with.
The woman who’d stormed off in tears.
Hell, maybe he should’ve sent her flowers and written a note of apology. Tried harder to get her to talk to him.
But now?
He was standing here with his son, left to do nothing but watch her return home.
Her car pulled into her driveway and she stepped out, wearing those running tights again and a fleece jacket.
“Who’s that?” Brian asked. “Do you know her?”
Jason realized he was still staring, and Amy glanced over in their direction, her brown ponytail bobbing with the turn of her head. She had dark sunglasses on, so Jason couldn’t see her eyes, and her mouth was set in a tight line. She nodded ever so slightly at him as she went to the back of her SUV to retrieve her grocery bags from the trunk. If she hadn’t needed to walk in that direction, Jason had a feeling she wouldn’t have even acknowledged him at all. Not that he deserved any different.
“Why didn’t she say anything? I saw her looking at us.”
“Doesn’t matter,” he said, putting a hand on Brian’s back to guide him inside.
“Why?”
“It’s just grown-up stuff.”
“Like what?”
“She’s mad at me right now. Now come on.”
“Are you mad at my Dad?” Brian shouted across the street.
“Brian,” he said firmly, giving him a stern look.
Amy looked back at them, startled, her rosy lips forming a perfect “o.” Jason felt his chest clench as he looked at her. Hell, he wanted nothing more to go over and take her into his arms. Beg her to forgive him. Apologize for making her feel the way he had.
Now wasn’t the time for any of that though.
“Sorry,” Jason called over, his voice gruff. He was still holding Brian’s suitcase, and Amy had two bags of groceries in her arms. He knew Amy wouldn’t yell or get mad at him in front of his child, but this wasn’t exactly the way he planned to smooth things over.
He needed to look into her eyes and apologize, not call out from across the street.
“I have to put my groceries away,” she said, her voice halting. She bit her lip and turned, walking quickly toward her front door.
Jason felt his heart breaking all over again. “Let’s go inside, buddy,” he said, looking down at Brian.
“I don’t think she likes you,” he said in his little four-year-old voice.
“You know what? I think you’re right. I made a mistake and need to apologize. But right now, we’ve got to get you settled in.”
He led Brian toward his front door, grumbling under his breath. Amazing how he could be elated to finally have his son here and so damn sad at the same time.
Chapter 16
Amy felt the tears welling in her eyes as she hastily shoved her keys in the front lock. She jiggled them around while balancing the groceries in her arms, and then nudged the door open with her knee when the doorknob finally turned.
She’d been expecting to run into Jason at some point but hadn’t considered she’d be forced to get out of the car and unload her things while he and his son stood there and watched. It was humiliating, really. He had a life already, filled with plenty of people and plans for the future, and there was certainly no room for her in it.
Not when he’d never mentioned his child to her in the first place.
Carrying her groceries into the kitchen, Amy thought back to the summer, when she and Ben had just begun dating. God, she had noticed Ben for years, always wanting to be around him with his charisma, good looks, and charm. After just watching from the sidelines as he dated girl after girl, he’d taken notice in her when he returned to town last spring. When they’d finally gotten together it had been like a dream come true.
Then out of nowhere, she’d discovered she was pregnant. She and Ben both had been nervously excited. She was on birth control pills but there’d been that one time she’d forgotten to bring them on a weekend away, and they hadn’t been able to stop themselves. That was all it had taken, and in an instant she’d been planning a life revolving around her child.
When she’d lost the baby a month later and found out she could never have children, it had been devastating. They hadn’t told anyone that she was pregnant, and just like that they’d kept the loss a secret as well. She’d broken up with Ben shortly after that, unable to deal with the heartache. Ben moved on with his new girlfriend, now fiancée, perhaps trying to heal in his own way.
That Jason had a son didn’t bother her as much as that he’d kept it a secret. And then when he’d said she wouldn’t understand until she had a child of her own was like a dagger straight through her heart.
She sighed, tossing some of the pre-packaged cookies she’d bought onto the counter. She hadn’t meant to blurt out that particular piece of knowledge to Jason. Hell, even her best friends didn’t know. But there had been such a raw anger rushing through her at the moment, she’d wanted to say something, anything, to make him understand the hurt.
And now it looked like Jason had won whatever custody battle he’d been fighting with his ex-wife since his son was visiting. It’s not like she was about to move away, so she’d just have to get used to it.
Suck it up and watch the man she’d slept with having fun with his son.
It was a one-night-stand. A mistake. Not the start of a relationship. It didn’t mean anything.
In the meantime, she only had a couple of hours to get ready for her friends to arrive. She was throwing a tree-trimming party this afternoon, and she still hadn’t even gotten her tree up yet. Although picking out a fresh tree sounded appealing, she had an artificial one in the basement that would just have to do for this year.
On second thought, maybe she could turn her tree-trimming party into a tree-assembling party as well. Since the guys would be here with her friends, she figured Nick and Aaron could help her lug it upstairs to the living room. She still needed to shower and change and then get snacks and drinks ready for her friends. Maybe putting on a little Christmas music would get her more in the mood.
She walked over to her mp3 player and turned it on, hearing the strains of a Christmas tune just
ending. She’d had her playlist set to holiday music all week, attempting to cheer herself up. It wasn’t the same though without Christmas decorations filling her home.
This afternoon with friends was just what she needed. A few decorations, some music, drinks, and the scent of spiced cider filling her home might be just what she needed to get back in the holiday spirit.
***
“Hey!” Jason called out as Amy’s friend got out of her car later that afternoon. The wind whipped through the air, and she wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to stay warm. “Hey, Red!” he shouted more loudly.
She turned in the direction of his voice, a puzzled expression on her face. Her eyes narrowed and she put both hands on her hips as he jogged across the street toward her.
“Red?” she asked accusingly as he got closer.
“Yeah, sorry,” he said as he came to a stop in front of her. “I don’t know your name; that’s just how I think of you.”
“So you think about me and not...say...Amy? And it’s Melissa, by the way.”
Jason smiled, shaking his head. Obviously, Amy had told her friends what had happened, and they weren’t going to make it easy for him. “Not in the way you’re thinking of, honey.”
She laughed and then seemed to remember that she was angry with him. “So why are you running across the street to see me? Amy lives right there.”
“I need your help,” he admitted.
“And I would help you because...?”
“Because I hurt Amy. I didn’t mean to, and I just need to talk to her to apologize and explain myself. Even if she doesn’t want to see me again, don’t I at least owe her that?”
Melissa tilted her head to the side as she appraised him, “Look, I don’t know if it would make any difference. As far as I know, she thinks you’re a total jackass.”
Jason winced at that, knowing that Amy had every right to be angry with him. Melissa seemed to take pleasure in passing on that particular bit of news to him, but he realized she was upset for her friend’s sake.
“Look, just put in a good word for me if you can. Please tell her that I would love a chance to explain myself. Yes, my son Brian is here for two weeks, as you can see,” he said, gesturing toward his house, where Brian was watching from behind the glass storm door. “But if you could at least ask her to answer the phone when I call.... I don’t want to keep bothering her, but I can’t stand knowing I’ve upset her this much.”
One Night with a Marine Page 10