Not sad at all. Reed made me happy once. He taught me how that feels. I can’t hate him for moving on. It was my fault.
But I can feel the way he showed me is possible. I can live my life the way I want.
From the day he talked to me about going to college and doing what I wanted, until the day he told me I could walk away from him if I wanted to see what I felt about Rod or anyone else for that matter, he has taught me a lot.
It’s not the job; it’s not the way you do things that matter. It’s how you feel about it. If you like it, do it. If you don’t, don’t!
I like wearing this ring. I like feeling the way I felt when I was with him. And I can if I want to.
Now to see how long this euphoria lasts!
Chapter 38
REED
I can’t stop staring at my phone. The last text from Jenna isn’t making sense to me.
I know that girl has not found another man who makes her feel the way I do. So I make a quick decision and look online and have flowers and candy sent to her address today.
Then I make damn sure Lana knows we have nothing going on, as she texted me a few times yesterday and I can’t have her thinking she and I are a thing.
So with a swipe of my finger I call her. “Reed! Miss me?”
“Lana, sorry. This isn’t one of those calls where I tell you I miss you and want you to join my family for Easter, sorry.”
“Oh, I see. What is this kind of call then?”
“This is the call where I tell you that you and I are not working out.”
She sighs. “Reed, that dumb girl isn’t coming back.”
“She might not be. But Lana, that girl taught me what true love felt like, and I’m done settling for Mrs. Right Now and not Mrs. Right. She may not take me back, but I’m sure as fuck going to try.”
“And what if she shoots you down?” she asks. “Do you think I’m the kind of woman who will take this from you, then, when you come crawling back after she tells you it’s over, welcome you with open arms?”
“I’m not going to be doing that. If she shoots me down, then I’m going to be thankful for what she’s shown me: how to love and be loved unequivocally. Sorry for wasting your time, Lana. I’m sure we’ll see each other around, and I don’t want things to be weird,” I tell her, then hear something breaking in the background.
“Damn it, Reed. Look, I get what I want!” she shrieks.
“So do I,” I say, with a very calm voice. “And I want Jenna Foster or no one right now. I’ll never be settling again. Not now that I know what real love feels like. Bye, Lana.”
There’s some cursing on her end, but I hang up without listening to anymore.
There was no love there. I was a thing Lana set her sights on. A nice bank account, a handsome face. But she had no real feelings for me. And I sure didn’t for her.
So that’s done, and now on to Operation Get Jenna Back.
A text comes in and I cross my fingers that it’s Jenna. But I see it’s from Lana. Reed Manning, we are through!!!
I laugh out loud. “Duh!”
Jenna or no Jenna, I’m through with faking it just to have a warm body around once in a while.
And I’m through with waiting around for Jenna to realize she’s hurting us both by taking this high road where she doesn’t cause any waves in the Manning family.
Pulling on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and my running shoes, I leave my bedroom and find my mother in the kitchen. “Hey, Mom. You feel like making some lasagna for dinner tonight?”
“It’s ten in the morning, Reed. I haven’t thought about dinner, son,” she says, then drinks her coffee.
I can see she’s slowly realizing what I’m about to do. Her eyebrows go up. “Reed!”
I kiss her forehead as she sits at the kitchen table. “Bye, Mom.”
“But Rod and his girlfriend are here. It’ll be Armageddon!” I hear her shout out.
But I keep on going. I know Rod won’t do a thing. Now Mom needs to see that too, and things will be fine and dandy.
As I slip behind the wheel of the rental car, I put my shades on and turn up the radio. I’m going to jam all the way to Tempe and pick up my girl!
JENNA
The doorbell rings and I get up off the sofa and peek through the peephole. I have no wish to see Steven.
It’s been about two hours since I ended things with him and he’s called several times and texted several messages, but I deleted them all without reading any of them.
All I see are flowers and then the face of a delivery man. “Miss Jenna Foster?”
I open the door. “Those are for me, huh?”
He nods and hands a huge bouquet of red roses to me and a big box of chocolates. Then he seems to be searching for something. He hisses, “Shit!”
“What?” I ask as I put the flowers and candy down on the table by the door.
“The card! Man, I lost it on the way up. I didn’t read who they were from. Sorry, ma’am.”
I laugh and shake my head. “I have a strong idea I know who sent them. I just broke up with this guy. They have to be from him, although, he’s never done a romantic thing before. Thanks.” I hand him a five-dollar bill for his trouble and shut the door.
And it hits me as I look at the flowers and the candy on the table.
Reed is in Jerome!
The text he sent last night was from his mother’s phone and he was at their pool. He’s there. A mere two hours away.
But that woman might be there too!
Oh, that would really start some shit if I showed up. And Sue is doing so well now.
Fuck it!
I spin around, go get my purse and car keys, and take off. I need to go to Reed and tell him how I feel and that I want to get married like we planned.
If I have to beat the hell out of some rich woman to get him back, then that’s what I have to do.
I’ll prove to him I do think he’s worth fighting for. It might have taken me a little while to realize it. But now that I do, anyone who is standing between us is in my way.
And heaven help anyone who does. Because I’m through being the quiet girl who gets out of everyone’s way and does only what makes everyone else happy.
Because the way Reed seemed on those texts told me he isn’t happy. And I’m not happy, so I need to fix things with him.
That man is mine. He knows it and I know. And I belong to him. Heart, body, and soul.
As I slide into the driver’s seat, I put on the shades Reed bought me that match his and I crank up the radio. I’m going to rock all the way back to Jerome and get my man back!
And I hope Sue can forgive me!
Chapter 39
REED
I take the stairs two at a time to get up to her apartment on the second floor. It’s number 212 and as I get to the top step, I see some man pounding on the door.
“Jenna, open up. I’m not going to let you do this to me!” he shouts.
“Hey, buddy!” I say as I come up behind him.
He turns around and looks at me. “Can I help you?”
I shake my head. “Nope. You seem to be looking for my fiancée, Jenna. What can I do for you?”
This guy is about three inches shorter than I am and he’s wearing a black J.C. Penny’s suit for some reason and smells like cheap cologne. He stammers as he looks at me, “Fiancée? I’m talking about Jenna Foster. She’s no one’s fiancée. She’s my girlfriend! Now who might you be?”
“I might be Santa Claus. Jenna Foster is my fiancée. So, why are you here?” I fold my arms across my chest, which is broader than his, and wait for his answer. But I’m pretty damn sure this is the grade school principal she was dating.
No way she’s in love with this douche!
“She and I had a misunderstanding earlier and I’m trying to get it straightened out before we go to a party this evening.” He turns and bangs on the door again. “And I have no idea who you are. Jenna has been here about five months or so and I’ve never ev
en heard her talk about any man. Much less a fiancé.”
“Well, I am her fiancé, and I’m about to take her back to our Bel-Air mansion, so you may want to go ahead and cut on out of here, buddy,” I tell him as I take hold of his shoulder to stop his incessant pounding.
“Bel-Air mansion?” He shakes his head. “There’s no way we’re talking about the same woman. My Jenna is not that refined. There’s no way she ever lived in Bel-Air in a mansion. Not my Jenna.”
I shift my weight to the other foot. “Okay, let’s get this straight. I have a Jenna. This Jenna is mine. You, well, I don’t know what you think you had, but you never had her. Her heart has belonged to me for some time now. So, like I said, you should go. She’s most likely hiding in there until you leave, anyway.”
His brown eyes go big and he walks to the top of the steps and looks down them to the parking lot. “Hey, did you see a white Mercedes when you parked?”
I shake my head, then recall that I had one just like that sent to her.
She’s not here!
My cell phone rings and I pull it from my pocket and see Rod’s name on it. “Hey, what’s up?”
“I got your girl, Reed. Guess who came looking for you? It’s just like you wished for. She showed up at our front door,” he tells me.
“Fuck! Tell her to wait for me there. Don’t let her go anywhere. I’m at her apartment in Tempe. It’s going to take me a couple of hours to get back. Don’t let her leave, Rod! Promise me, please!” I haul ass past the guy who thinks he knows my girl and get into my car.
The guy comes at me, waving his arms and shouting, “Hey, did you find her?”
I nod and shout as I drive away. “She’s at my house. It’s over, dude. Whatever you had is done. Bye!” I spin out as I leave the parking lot and floor it to get back to Jerome.
She came for me!
JENNA
I tap my foot as Sue stands in the doorway. “Well, he’s not here, sweetheart. I’m sorry,” she tells me.
This is so not like Sue to leave me on the porch. “Look, I know Rod’s here. I see his bike right there. Ask him if he knows where Reed went. I came all the way from Tempe to see him, and Sue, I am going to see him. If that woman is here with him, I don’t care. I have to talk to him.”
“Well, it’s just that I don’t want any trouble, Jenna. Rod is here.” She looks back over her shoulder, then looks back at me then whispers, “Reed’s happy with that woman, Jenna. Just go on back to Tempe and have a great life, sweetheart.”
I tap my foot and watch Rod coming up behind his mother. “Hey, Mom. This isn’t like you, keeping Jenna on the porch instead of inviting her in.” He gently takes her by the shoulders and pulls her back inside. “Come in, Jenna. Please.”
I give him a nod. “Thank you, Rod. Do you have any idea where Reed might be? I’d like to find him before he goes back to California.”
“At this moment in time, I am not positive of my brother’s whereabouts. But what brings you by, Miss Foster?” He reaches out, takes my hand, pulls me inside, and takes me to the sofa. “Have a seat. Would you like a beer? You look a little tense.”
I nod. “One wouldn’t hurt. I am keyed up. But I can get it.”
He presses my shoulder so I have to sit down. “Nonsense. After all the beers you brought me, I can bring you a few. We can relax and talk until Reed makes it back here. He will be coming back. It may be a little while, but we can entertain you until then.”
He walks out of the living room and Sue just stares at me. “Jenna, what does bring you here? What do you want with Reed?”
“Sue, I love you. I really do. And your health means so much to me. But what I want to say to Reed is just between him and me. Okay?” I watch her eyes go big.
I’ve never talked to her this way before. I think she’s kind of freaking out. Then someone comes out of the hallway just as Rod comes back with four beers in his hands.
A woman with long blonde hair, wearing black leather pants and a white halter-top, wipes her mouth with the back of her hand as Rod stops next to her. He smiles at her. “You okay, baby?”
She nods and runs her hand over his cheek. “Are you?”
He nods and my head goes a little wiggly inside. Then he looks at me. “Jenna this is the woman you told me to look for. I found her on a website. And you were right. Finding someone who thinks like I do is working very nicely.”
The pretty blonde, who has the classic good girl looks with a very deep hint of badass, smiles at me and comes toward me with her hand extended. “I’m very happy to meet you, Jenna. Rod has told me all about you.”
I stand up and shake her hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I can see you two get along pretty well so far. Your name is?”
“Oh! I’m Ashley. And thank you for what you told him about being himself and not trying to be anything less than the badass he is. I love this bad ass motherfucker.”
I laugh and look at him. “You did tell her everything, didn’t you, Rod?”
He nods and hands us each a beer. Then I sit down and Ashley sits next to me as Sue’s mouth hangs open.
Rod hands her a beer too and helps her sit in a chair. “Mom, you okay there?” he asks.
“Well, I didn’t think this is how things would go.” She takes a long drink as she looks at Rod as he comes back and sits next to his new girl.
Ashley looks at me and smiles. “So you pulled a switcheroo with brothers. I’d say you’re somewhat of a bad ass yourself!”
I blush and look away as Rod says, “She is. She’s just starting to figure it out, is all.”
Sue takes another drink then says, “Well, I may as well go ahead and say it. I’m sorry, Jenna. I thought this would be a fiasco. A total brawl. But it seems like it was you who told Rod to look for someone more fitting for him and you were right. These two balance each other out very nicely.”
Rod runs his arm around Ashely and she lays her head on his shoulder. “We do, don’t we?” he asks her.
Ashley nods. “We do, baby. We really do.”
She kisses him with a little peck on his lips and I see it in his eyes when she moves back.
He loves her!
And she looks like she loves him. My heart is pumping hard with how damn happy I am.
A tear falls down my cheek and Sue sees it. “Oh no! This is upsetting you. See! I knew it wouldn’t go as easy …”
I stop her. “Sue, no. That’s not it at all.” I wipe the tear away and look at Ashley. “I love this man. Not in the way that I want him. I want him to be happy. I always have. You make him happy. I love that.”
Ashley takes my hand and taps the top. “I know you love him. Thanks for your honesty, Jenna. I love him so much more than I knew was possible. And he loves you. We can all be one big happy family. Well, as soon as Reed gets here and fixes you guys up.”
“Thanks for understanding this craziness, Ashley. If Reed will have me back, then we will be one big happy family,” I say, and then the front door opens and there he stands.
“Jenna.”
I get up and walk to him as I hold up my hand with his ring on it. “Can I still be Mrs. Reed Manning?”
He nods, and then I’m wrapped in his arms. His lips touch my ear. “Angel, I’ve missed you!”
“I’ve missed you too. I don’t want to ever miss you again,” I whisper, because I’m crying like crazy.
His tall, muscular body feels so right as he holds me tight. Then he picks me up and carries me down the hallway to his bedroom.
Rod calls out, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”
I hear Ashely add, “Which means go hog wild, ’cause this man will do anything!”
They laugh, and I hear Sue join in. “You crazy kids!”
I bury my face in Reed’s chest and take in a deep breath, taking him all in. He kicks his childhood bedroom door open and takes me inside.
My heart is pounding as he sits me down on the bed and says, “Strip!”
Has Rod taught Ree
d about punishments?
I trail soft circles with my finger over her naked stomach as Jenna lies back on my small childhood bed and gazes up at me as I lie next to her.
“You had me afraid you were about to teach me a lesson, Reed,” she says with a smile on her beautiful face. A face I have longed to see for months, too many months.
“I am about to,” I whisper in her ear.
A shiver runs through her. “Really?”
I nod and nuzzle her neck, then leave one kiss on it. I had her get undressed, and I did the same, then climbed into bed with her, our skin touching the others.
I craved this for what seems like so long. This simple thing of our skins touching. It makes me feel different. Whole.
Her scent has my mind filled with only thoughts of pleasing her in ways that will assure her this is where she belongs, in my arms, forever.
“I’m going to teach you that you and I belong together.” I move my hand down until I get to her sweet spot and she moans as I run my fingertip lightly over her clit.
“Reed.” She moans out my name, and her body shivers again. “I missed your touch so damn much. I’m so sorry I ever let you go. It was the stupidest thing I have ever done and as long as you want me, I will never make that mistake again.”
“Good.” I kiss her neck, then give it a little nip as her hand travels up my arm and halts on my bicep, where she gives it a squeeze. “Did you miss the guns?” I chuckle.
“I did.” She turns and looks at me as I lay by her side.
She puts one leg over me and I roll onto my back and pull her on top of me. She sits up, straddling me. Her moist heat is on my stomach, and her breasts rise and fall with every breath.
I take her left hand and kiss the ring I gave her. “So you really want to marry me, huh?”
She nods and runs her hands over my pecs. I run my hands up to take her pert breasts into them. She sighs as I do and licks her lips.
“I don’t know what came over me this morning. Something in my brain clicked into place and I knew I had to get to you. I was ready to fight everyone to do it too.”
“How un-Jenna-like,” I say as I move my hands around and cup her ass in them as I push her to me.
Her lips fall on mine for only a second, then she sits back up. “I hope you like this new Jenna. I’m done being the silent little thing who lets everyone else’s happiness get in the way of hers.”
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