Second Chances (sequel to Over You)

by Christine Kersey

  “Jessica,” he said as he stood, then he pulled her against him for a warm embrace. He held her for a moment, and when he let go, he held her chair out for her, then sat across from her. “I’m sorry about lunch. I called you as soon as I could.”

  “It’s okay.” Then she thought that if they’d been able to have lunch, the unpleasantness would already be over. “This is a nice place.”

  “Do you like it?”

  She laughed softly as she glanced at her slacks, then at his suit and tie. “I just feel a little underdressed.”

  He waved his hand. “Don’t worry about it.”

  She picked up the menu and noticed there were no prices listed.

  “What sounds good to you?” he asked, smiling.

  She looked at his earnest face and felt guilt slice through her. He had no idea what was about to happen. “Uh, I think I’ll just have a bowl of soup.”

  He frowned. “Aren’t you hungry?”

  “I guess I ate too much at lunch,” she lied.

  “Well, I suppose that’s my fault for missing our date.”

  Our date. She set the menu on the table, then reached into her pocket for the engagement ring.

  “Jessica.”

  She looked up and met his gaze, and saw something in his eyes that made her think her news would blindside him. He put his hands on the table with his palms up, obviously requesting that she place her hands in his. She left the ring in her pocket and played along, setting her hands in his larger ones.

  “Jessica, I think I’ve made it clear how much I love you,” he began.

  Here we go.

  “And you know that I want to marry you.”

  She nodded, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

  “But I want to start our family as soon as possible. As soon as we’re married.”

  Whoa. Though she wanted to have a family one day, she wasn’t quite ready to start one just yet. But it didn’t matter. They weren’t going to get married. She stared at him, a smile plastered on her face. “I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

  He looked at her expectantly.

  “Alex, I came home to talk to you about your marriage proposal.” She paused, gathering her thoughts.

  A look of concern fell over his face, but mercifully, he stayed silent.

  “Alex, after a lot of thought, I’ve decided that I can’t marry you.”

  His grip tightened on her hands and he shook his head. “What? What are you saying?”

  She tried to pull her hands out of his, but would have to yank them to get loose, and didn’t want to do that just yet. “I’m saying that I realized that I can’t accept your marriage proposal.”

  “You came all the way home just to tell me that?” His voice showed obvious distress. “Why?”

  “I didn’t want to do it over the phone.” She thought about Kyle’s phone call five years before. “It just didn’t seem right.”

  “But why won’t you marry me? I don’t understand.” The lines on his forehead deepened. “Is there someone else?”

  She could tell the question pained him, and though two days ago the answer would have been a resounding Yes, after her conversation with Kyle the day before, she wasn’t sure it was still true. Because of her doubts, and to spare Alex’s feelings, she shook her head. “No. It just doesn’t feel right to me.” Guilt at breaking his heart began to swell within her, and her voice dropped. “I’m sorry.”

  “I brought you here to celebrate,” he said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

  His grip slackened and she took advantage of it by pulling her hands free and placing them firmly in her lap.

  “What can I do to change your mind?” The look of desperation on his face was heart wrenching, and Jessica wanted nothing more than to get out of there and flee the guilt that was beginning to consume her.

  She picked her purse up from the floor and hugged it to her stomach, ready to dash out of the restaurant as soon as possible. “Truly, Alex. I’m sorry.” She sighed. “I tried to tell you the other day when you came to my aunt’s house.”

  He was silent for a moment, then his eyes narrowed, pinning her with his gaze. “Does that construction worker have anything to do with this?”

  Kyle. Her eyes wanted to widen in shock at his accurate guess, but she held them steady on his face. She wasn’t sure why, but she didn’t want to bring Kyle into this—though she wondered whether she would be accepting Alex’s proposal if Kyle hadn’t shown up at her aunt’s house.

  “No,” she managed to say, though her mouth had gone dry. “It has nothing to do with him.” Which was mostly true. Right then she didn’t know if she and Kyle would actually work out their issues, but regardless, she was ending it with Alex. That logic buoyed her confidence in her answer. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

  His eyes narrowed fractionally more. “Me thinks thou doth protest too much.”

  He’s quoting Shakespeare, she thought absently as she scrambled for a response. “He’s just a friend,” she said, but immediately realized that was a mistake.

  Alex’s eyes widened and his head tilted to one side. “A friend? I thought he was just a hired worker.” He frowned. “A worker who saved your life.” His hands rested forlornly on the table, and he studied them as if they held a particularly challenging contract. Then he looked at her under hooded eyes. “What kind of hired help would risk his life for a client?” He raised his head and smirked. “I know I wouldn’t.”

  She didn’t say anything, afraid she would say something that would give herself away. Why not just admit it? she thought. Tell him you and Kyle were once engaged, and that you’re back together. She wasn’t sure why, but she felt it was important to keep that to herself.

  “This all seems very suspicious,” he said, pulling his hands back and resting them on the edge of the table.

  “May I take your order?” the waiter asked, materializing next to the table.

  “Give us a few more minutes,” Alex snapped at him.

  Jessica felt bad for the man as she watched him scurry away.

  “Where was I?” Alex said. “Oh yes. You were going to explain to me how you and the worker are friends. How could you possibly know some random construction worker who lives three hours away?”

  She shook her head. She’d had enough. “Look, I’m sorry about how this turned out, but I don’t owe you any more explanations.” Standing, she slung her purse over her shoulder. “Good bye, Alex.” She took the ring out of her pocket, then set it on the table. She turned, and hurried out of the restaurant, dejavu washing over her as she recalled the similar exercise she’d gone through with him four weeks before.

  She just hoped that this time he would move on.

  Chapter Seven

  As Jessica headed back to Ellen’s house the next morning, she wondered how long her stay would be this time. If Kyle chose Melanie—just thinking about it made her chest ache—she wouldn’t stick around. Especially if Kyle was going to work on Ellen’s kitchen. Talk about torture.

  When she arrived at Ellen’s house, she brought Hudson inside, then found Ellen in the kitchen emptying her cupboards onto the counter.

  “Where are you going to put all that stuff?” Jessica asked as she gave her aunt a hug.

  “I’m glad you’re back. It was too quiet with you gone.” She smiled. “But to answer your question, I’m going to box it up and put it in the attic.”

  “You don’t actually mean you’re going to carry it up there, right?”

  She laughed. “No, of course not. I’ve hired my neighbor’s teenage boys to carry the boxes up to the attic.”

  “Good. For a minute there I thought you were going to ask me to do it.”

  “Oh, Jessica, I wouldn’t ask you to do that. Especially with your back still recovering from your fall.”

  Jessica smiled. “It’s feeling a lot better now.” She became thoughtful. “It was a week ago yesterday that it happened, but it feels like ages ago.”

  “I�
�m just so grateful that you’re okay.” Ellen set a stack of plates on the counter. “How did it go with Alex?”

  Grimacing, Jessica shook her head. “Not great.”

  “I’ll fix us a cool drink and you can tell me all about it.”

  A few minutes later the two of them sat in adjoining chairs in the sunroom, and Jessica replayed the scene at the restaurant.

  “That sounds unpleasant. But I’m sure he’ll get over you eventually, dear.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Well, with that behind you, you can concentrate on Kyle, right?”

  Jessica bit her lip. “There may be a wrinkle there.”

  “Tell me.”

  “I talked to him when I was driving home two days ago, and I told him that I stopped by the night before I left, but that he had company.” She sighed. “I told him he has to choose between me and Melanie.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He just said ‘I understand’. That’s it. No hint of how he felt.”

  “Oh, dear.”

  Jessica nodded. “Maybe giving him an ultimatum this early in our relationship wasn’t the best strategy.” She paused. “But I can’t back down now. That would just show him that I’ll stick around even if he wants to be with Melanie too.” The idea repelled her, and she shook her head. “I can’t do that.”

  “No, I don’t suppose any woman could.”

  She bit her lip as she looked at Ellen. “What do you think I should do?”

  “I don’t see that you have a lot of choices. I suppose you’ll need to give him the chance to make a decision.”

  “That’s what scares me. What if he chooses her?” Jessica’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I don’t want to go through that again.”

  “I suppose you need to keep moving on with your life, and let things work themselves out.”

  “Of course you’re right, but I still don’t like it.”

  “You know, Jessica, Kyle’s going to be spending a lot of time here. In fact, he’s coming over tomorrow to finalize the kitchen design so that he can order the new cabinets.”

  “Oh.” She hadn’t expected to face him so soon—she’d thought she had until Monday.

  “You can always find somewhere else to be,” Ellen said, then she sipped her drink.

  “No. I need to face him. I need him to see me. Otherwise I’ll feel like I’m just giving up and handing him over to Melanie.”

  “That’s the spirit.” Ellen smiled. “You have to fight for the man you love.”

  Ellen’s positive attitude gave Jessica the push she needed. Yes, she thought, I need to fight for him. Not just stand idly by waiting for him to choose. Melanie certainly wouldn’t give up that easily.

  As she and her aunt worked to pack up the kitchen that afternoon, Jessica thought about things she could do to fight for Kyle’s heart.

  After hours of wrapping the dishes and packing them in the boxes, the neighbor boys came over and carried the boxes into the attic. By dinner time, the kitchen had been emptied. Ellen pulled a casserole out of her refrigerator and placed it in the oven. “Good thing I planned ahead.” Then she took a package of paper plates out of a bag tucked in the corner of the room, along with plastic utensils.

  Jessica laughed. “Wow. Look at you.” She set the table and sat down with her aunt as they waited for the casserole to bake. “I’ve been thinking about what I can do to fight for Kyle.”

  “What did you come up with?”

  “Not a whole lot, but I was thinking I ought to stop by his place this evening. Surprise him. Let him know I’m in town.”

  Ellen pursed her lips. “What if Melanie’s there?”

  “It would be awkward, but it would also put her on notice that I’m not going to give up that easily.”

  Nodding, Ellen smiled. “Good for you, Jessica.”

  After helping her aunt clean up from dinner, Jessica touched up her make-up, put on a flattering pair of jeans with boots that made her legs look longer, picked out a blouse that made her feel confident, then headed over to Kyle’s house.

  When she pulled up in front she didn’t see his truck, but she didn’t know if he parked in his garage. Taking a chance that he did, she checked her reflection in the mirror, then walked to the front porch and rang the doorbell. She heard it echoing through the house, but no other sounds came forth. For good measure, she knocked loudly, but after only a moment it became evident that no one was home.

  Deflated, Jessica walked back to her car and climbed behind the wheel, but just as she was about to turn on the engine, Kyle pulled up in his truck and climbed out. Her gaze went to his face as he looked in her direction. When his face lit up with a smile, she felt a boost of confidence, and climbed out of her car and began walking toward him.

  She smiled to herself when she noticed his eyes skimming her body, because she knew she looked good.

  “You’re back,” he said, meeting her halfway down the driveway. He pulled her into his arms, seemingly without any thought of Melanie, and Jessica wondered if he’d made his choice.

  She allowed herself a moment of pure bliss that he’d seemed to have chosen her. “Yes, I got back today.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and breathed in his unique masculine scent, her body heating with desire at his touch.

  “I missed you,” he murmured in her ear.

  Then why didn’t you call me? She wanted to ask, but kept her thoughts to herself for the moment. “I missed you too,” she said instead.

  “Let’s go inside.” He released her and took her hand, leading her to the front porch and into his house.

  Jessica glanced around the living room, taking in the dark wood floors, subdued colors on the walls, and leather furniture. “You have a nice place.” Very masculine, she thought. Like you.

  “I forgot. This is your first time here, isn’t it?”

  Except when I stopped by the other night when Melanie was here, she thought, her smile dimming. “Yes.”

  “Let me give you the tour.”

  “Okay.” She followed him into the adjoining kitchen and saw the dark wood cabinets and lighter granite countertops. “Did you do this yourself?”

  He grinned. “Yep.”

  “If you can make my aunt’s kitchen look this good, I’m sure she’ll be thrilled.”

  He leaned against the counter. “That’s the plan.”

  Next, he showed her the bedrooms and bathrooms, then led her back to the living room where they sat next to each other on the couch.

  “Good thing I keep my house clean,” he said, smiling.

  “I have to admit, I’m impressed,” she said.

  He laughed. “The truth is, I have a lady who comes and cleans my house once a week, and she came today.”

  Jessica laughed with him. “Oh, that’s cheating.”

  “It’s so good to see you,” he said, putting his arm around her and pulling her close.

  She rested her head on his shoulder, elated that she’d decided to come over.

  “How did your trip go?” he asked.

  “I met with Alex.”

  “And?” Kyle murmured.

  Jessica sat up straighter so she could look at him. “I told him I wasn’t going to marry him.”

  “Uh huh. How did he respond?”

  “He was upset.”

  “I can imagine,” he said, his face grim. “What did he say when you told him about us?”

  She held back a frown. “Uh, nothing.” At the look of surprise on Kyle’s face, Jessica went on. “Because I didn’t tell him.”

  His eyebrows drew together. “Why not?”

  Do I want to get in to this now? She decided it was as good a time as any, but her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

  Kyle answered the door, and though Jessica couldn’t see who it was as Kyle’s body blocked her view, there was no mistaking the words that flew from a young child’s mouth. “Daddy!”

  Her heart pounding, Jessica froze in place, then remembering h
er vow to fight for the man she loved, she walked over to the door, stopping next to Kyle. Melanie’s gaze shot to Jessica’s face, and the look of surprise was genuine. Jessica could almost hear the blonde woman’s thoughts: What’s she doing here?

  “Hi, Melanie,” Jessica said cooly, then she squatted in front of the adorable little girl holding Melanie’s hand. “And you must be Avery.”

  The little girl blinked at Jessica, then hid behind her mother’s legs, her eyes peeking out behind the safety of her hiding place.

  Kyle squatted next to Jessica. “This is Jessica,” he said. “She’s my . . . friend.”

  Jessica kept the smile on her face, telling herself he had called her that for the child’s sake. She was only two after all. No point in confusing her with complicated relationships, right?

  Avery stepped out from behind her mother and flung herself into Kyle’s arms. “Whoa,” he said as he absorbed her little body. “You’re getting so big.” Then he stood with her in his arms.

  “Daddy, play?” Avery said.

  “I think Daddy’s busy right now,” Melanie said, her gaze flicking to Jessica before settling on Kyle. “We can come back later.”

  Jessica felt her hackles rise at Melanie’s attitude that seemed to say He’s mine, and I can come over whenever I want.

  Melanie began pulling Avery out of Kyle’s arms, which elicited squeals of unhappiness. “No,” she wailed. “Play with Daddy.” She kicked her feet as Melanie tried to pry her hands from Kyle’s neck. The child was strong, and didn’t give up easily.

  “Maybe she can stay for a little while,” Kyle said over her shrieks.

  What? Jessica thought, but held her tongue.

  “Are you sure?” Melanie completely ignored Jessica as she relaxed her grip on Avery.

  “Of course,” he said. “It’s fine.”

  Melanie smiled, displaying her perfectly straight white teeth framed by red lips. “You’re the best, Kyle. Truly.” Her smile turned almost seductive. “I’ll come back later to pick her up.”