The idea made her physically ill, and she clutched her suddenly aching stomach. Melanie, the gorgeous and smart blonde woman he’d been dating when Jessica came to town. The woman who had an adorable two-year-old girl named Avery, who Kyle admitted he was crazy about and couldn’t abandon. The woman who had told Jessica that she would jump at the chance to marry Kyle.
Yes, Jessica could believe that Kyle was keeping Melanie as an option.
And the trust issues Jessica had with Kyle weren’t helping to convince her otherwise. She had to get past those issues before she would be ready to get serious with him. Not the least of which was her trust that if he made a commitment to her, that he would keep it.
That was at the heart of their problems. He’d ended their engagement five years before because he’d gotten scared, but when they’d talked the day before, he’d told her he’d changed, that he wasn’t afraid to make a commitment now. But if that was true, how could he so easily dump Melanie? Unless he hadn’t truly let her go.
Jessica stared at the wall across from her, images of Kyle, Melanie, and Avery in different family poses filling her mind. Images that she’d found on the disc Melanie had given her. Images that were not in her imagination, but ones she’d seen on her computer screen in vivid and crystal clear color.
Second Chances Chapter Two
Fifteen minutes later Jessica heard a knock on her bedroom door. “What?” she called out, not ready to forgive Kyle for his comments just yet.
“Can I come in?”
Sighing, she frowned, then shook her head. What am I doing? Kyle and I have finally gotten our feelings out into the open, and it turns out we both still care about each other. And here I am pushing him away? Do I want this to work or not? “Yes,” she finally said, both in answer to him and to her own question.
He opened the door and stood in the doorway, but didn’t come in. “I’m sorry, Jess.”
His use of her nickname softened her feelings, and a wave of love for him washed over her. They had a history together, a history she had with no one else. Yes, they were just beginning their relationship anew, but that didn’t change the shared memories they had. “I hope you didn’t really mean what you said, Kyle.”
He hesitated, which made her wonder if he really did believe what he’d said—which added to her suspicion regarding his relationship with Melanie.
“Of course not,” he finally said.
She didn’t want to argue anymore, so she nodded. “Good.”
He gazed at her for a moment. “Do you want to go somewhere for dinner?”
“Like a real date?”
He smiled back. “Yeah. A real date.”
“I think I can pencil you in.”
“Great. Where would you like to go?”
Somewhere you haven’t taken Melanie, she immediately thought, but instead said, “I’ll leave it up to you.”
“Hmmm.” He stroked the stubble on his chin. “Okay. I guess I’ll surprise you.”
“All right.”
“I still have some work to do in Ellen’s bathroom first, but when I’m done I’ll go home and clean up, then come back for you.”
Jessica nodded. “I should probably do some work today too.”
“Don’t you get weekends off?”
“I could take today off, but I might as well get ahead on my new programming project.”
“Makes sense.” He smirked. “Or maybe you’re just a workaholic.”
“Like you, you mean?”
He laughed. “Hey, I’d be happy to loaf around all day, but I have a deadline and a demanding employer.”
“Meaning me, I suppose?”
“Exactly.”
She narrowed her eyes in mock sternness. “Break’s over, Judd. Get back to work.”
His eyebrows rose. “Oh, I see how it is.”
“As long as you know who the boss is.”
In three steps he crossed the room and knelt in front of her, taking her by surprise. “You can be the boss,” he began, his voice soft. “But I think we’re better as partners, don’t you?”
A thrill of heat rushed through her to have him so close. His face was inches from hers, and she locked eyes with him. “Yes,” she whispered, his nearness knocking her off-kilter.
He cocked an eyebrow. “So does that mean you’re not the boss?”
Jessica swallowed. “No. I mean yes.” She noted the satisfied smile on his face, like he knew the effect he was having on her. She tried to put a professional tone in her voice. “What I mean is, I’m still responsible for this project, so by extension I am the boss.” To show that his presence didn’t get the best of her after all, she smiled with confidence.
“Is that so?” His voice was low and sexy. He leaned even closer, their lips centimeters apart. “Is it okay for me to kiss the boss?”
Her eyes widened and her lips parted, then she barely nodded, pinned by his gaze. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled, then he pressed his mouth against hers. Without thought, she wound her arms around his neck, dragging him against her, and he slipped one hand to the back of her neck, holding her in place.
After a moment he pulled away, his eyes seeming to glow. “I’d better get back to work, or I’ll never get done in time.”
Nearly breathless, Jessica nodded. She was totally captivated by this man who she was once engaged to. There was not even a small chance that she would go back to Alex. He’d never made her feel this way. “Okay,” she finally managed to say.
Kyle smiled, obviously liking the impact he had on her, then turned and left the room. Jessica watched him go, her pulse fluttering, still unbelieving that they had gotten back together after all this time. In a way, she was grateful to Douglas Harrington. If he hadn’t attacked her, would she still be allowing Kyle to believe that her engagement to Alex was still on? Would she be avoiding all interactions with Kyle Judd in an attempt to protect her heart from breaking every time she thought of him with Melanie and Avery?
Of course she didn’t like that she and Kyle had been shot at and could have been killed, but now that they were safe, she was glad the near-death experience had brought them to the point where they’d finally expressed their feelings for each other.
Sitting in the warmth and light of the sunroom, Jessica fantasized about all the possibilities their future held, but then she vividly recalled the phone call she’d received five years before when Kyle had told her he couldn’t marry her, and then the crushing feeling that had made her non-functional for weeks. Just the night before he’d told her that he had changed, that he wasn’t afraid to make commitments anymore. But what if he really wasn’t? What if he thought he was ready, but when it came down to it, he wasn’t? Was she willing to take that chance?
Her fantasies fleeing, Jessica touched her mouth, trying to recall the joy she’d felt mere moments before when Kyle had kissed her. He really did seem to be in love with her, but was that enough? Enough to see their relationship through? It would take some time before she could truly give her heart to him, to truly trust him.
Not wanting to think about that just then, she turned her phone back on and saw she had several messages. Most were from reporters wanting to hear first-hand what had happened with Douglas Harrington, and she deleted the messages, not interested in talking to them. The only message she cared about was from her mother. She called her right back.
“Hi, Mom,” Jessica said.
“Hi, sweetheart. How are you feeling today?”
“Okay. But what about you?”
Her mother sighed. “This flu is miserable, but I think it’s getting better.” She sighed. “I want so badly to be there with you, to make sure you’re okay. But it wouldn’t help if I gave you this nasty bug.”
“I know, Mom. I’ll be fine.” Both her parents were down with the flu, so neither could come see her. “How’s Dad? Is he feeling any better?”
“Yes, I think so. But we just don’t bounce back as fast as we used to. It will take a few da
ys.” Her mother hesitated. “So did Alex ever get in touch with you after I came to see you the other week?”
Jessica had avoided telling her mother all that had happened with Alex—and she’d never mentioned Kyle at all—but she knew she needed to bring her up to speed before she came for a visit. Especially now that she and Kyle had rekindled their romance. “Yes, he did, actually.”
“Oh?”
She recounted how he’d shown up unexpectedly, and how he’d tried to woo her back. She didn’t mention their two day engagement.
“So, are you back together then?” her mom asked.
“No. I just don’t believe he’s the right man for me.”
“Well, if he’s not right for you, then that’s that, I suppose. I’m sure you’ll find your true love one day.”
An image of Kyle filled Jessica’s mind, and she smiled. “Mom, I’ve found my true love.”
Her mother was silent a moment. “But you’ve only been there three weeks. Forgive me, but how can you be sure this man’s your true love? What’s his name, anyway?”
While in the hospital, Jessica had spoken to her mother several times, and as much as she’d wanted to tell her about Kyle, she hadn’t been up to the task of explaining her complicated love life, so she hadn’t yet told her that Kyle had been the one to save her. Now, bracing herself for how her mother would react to her news, she plunged in. “It’s Kyle. Kyle Judd.”
Her mom gasped, then was silent a moment. “I don’t understand. He left you, what? Five years ago?” She paused for a second. “What are you saying, Jessica?”
“I’m saying we’re back together.” Hudson jumped on her lap, and Jessica absently stroked his fur.
“How did this happen?”
“He’s back in town, Mom. Ellen hired him to remodel her bathroom.”
“I see.” Her mom began coughing.
“Mom, maybe we should discuss this when you’re feeling better.”
“No,” her mother said between coughs. “No, I want to talk to you about this now.” She coughed again, then her lungs seemed to settle. “Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, I was there, Jessica. I saw what you went through when he broke your engagement. You locked yourself away into a dark place, and frankly, I was deeply worried about you.” Her voice softened, but still sounded scratchy. “There was a period of time where I wasn’t sure you’d come out of it.” She paused. “Are you sure you want to risk going through that again?”
Her mother’s words served to remind her of what she’d been trying to forget. Kyle hadn’t just broken her heart, he’d pulverized it when he’d told her he couldn’t marry her. Her mother’s final question placed a wedge of doubt into her mind. A wedge that created a wide gap between what she ultimately wanted with Kyle, and what she feared would actually happen. A gap that she hoped she could bridge over time.
“Mom, when I saw him again, I realized that I still loved him.” She sighed. “Of course I’m a little scared about trusting him, but I just feel like . . . well, I think I need to give him one more chance.” She paused. “And, Mom. He was the one who saved me when I was attacked. If it wasn’t for him, I’d probably be dead.” Jessica heard her mother’s sharp intake of air.
“Oh. I didn’t know.” She was quiet for a moment. “Even so, sweetheart, you need to be cautious.”
Her mother voicing her own concerns upset her a little, made her doubt herself, and she didn’t reply.
“Jessica,” her mother said. “You know all I want is for you to be happy, right?”
“Of course.” She had no doubt that her parents loved her and wanted what was best for her.
“But please be careful. Please. I don’t know if I can watch you suffer through that kind of heart break again.”
A feeling of apprehension made Jessica shiver, but she told herself it was only due to her mother’s worry. “I will. I promise.”
“Okay.” Her mother had another coughing fit. “I’d better go take some more cough medicine. I’ll call you when Dad and I are better.”
“Okay, Mom. I love you.”
“I love you, sweetie.”
She turned her phone off and set it on the table, then replayed their conversation. A wave of exhaustion washed over her as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Would she really fall apart if things didn’t work out with Kyle? Or had she become stronger since then? Her mind drifted, and what seemed like moments later, she heard Kyle’s voice and felt him gently stroking her cheek.
“I’m leaving now, Jess,” he said.
Her eyes fluttered open to see the face of the man who had brought her so much happiness and so much heartache, and who now brought on so much anxiety. Trying to push aside her reservations, Jessica smiled up at him. “Hey.”
“Sorry to wake you, but I didn’t want to leave without telling you.”
His thoughtfulness helped to dampen her doubts about his claim to have changed. Maybe he really had changed. “It’s okay. I’m glad you did.”
“How are you feeling? Do you need anything? Ibuprofen maybe?”
Jessica sat up a little, which startled Hudson enough to make him jump down. Her body seemed to complain about her movements too. “Yeah, that might help.”
Kyle nodded, then went into the kitchen and fixed her a glass of ice water and brought it to her, along with two small pills. “Here. These should help.”
She took them from him, placed them on her tongue, then took a swallow of water. “Thanks.”
“I’ll be back in about an hour to take you to dinner.” His forehead creased. “If you think you’re up to it.”
This would be their first date since he’d broken their engagement five years before. She really didn’t want to miss it. “I think I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure? I could just get something and bring it over.”
She readjusted her position to see how she really felt. Awful, that’s how. Her back ached from falling down the stairs, and the flesh wound from the bullet made her leg throb. Grimacing at the pain, she said, “Yeah, maybe that would be best.”
“Okay. I’ll be back in an hour or so with something to eat. You take it easy while I’m gone.”
She nodded.
When he came back with dinner, Jessica let him in the house, then followed him into the kitchen. “I can set the table,” she said, walking toward the cabinets.
“No, you need to rest.” He steered her back to the soft chair in the sunroom. “I’m perfectly capable of setting the table and laying the food out. I’ve taken care of myself for a long time now.”
She put her feet up on the ottoman in front of the chair. “Good, because I feel pretty stiff.”
A few minutes later they sat across from each other at the table.
“Thanks for getting dinner,” she said as she dug into the enchilada on her plate.
“I’m sure you’ll feel better soon, and then I can take you out.”
She smiled at him. “I’d like that.” She took a bite of salad. “What work do you have left to do in Ellen’s bathroom?”
After giving her a verbal bullet list, he said, “Unless I run into some kind of huge snag, I should get it done before Ellen comes home.”
“That would be perfect.”
They chatted and ate, their earlier argument pushed aside, than Kyle cleaned up. “How are you feeling?” he asked as he put the last dish away.
“I’m pretty tired, actually,” Jessica said.
A look of sincere caring filled his face as he came over to where she sat. “Do you want me to help you upstairs?”
Though the ibuprofen had helped, her back and leg still ached. “I wouldn’t mind.”
Kyle helped her stand, then with one arm around her waist, they made their way to the stairs. Despite her discomfort, Jessica enjoyed having him so close to her, and leaned heavily on him as they climbed the stairs.
“If I have time tomorrow, I’ll patch those bullet holes,” Kyle said as they passed the obvious damage to
the walls along the staircase.
“Okay. I’d rather Ellen not see them.” They reached the landing and turned toward her bedroom.
“I’ll do my best,” Kyle said as he helped her sit on her bed. A smile crossed his face. “Do you need any help undressing?”
Jessica smirked. “No, I can manage that much.” Then a new thought came to mind. “Can you lock the front door when you leave?”
“I don’t have a key, so I won’t be able to lock the deadbolt.”
She pointed to her purse, sitting on the floor. “You can borrow mine.”
He looked at her with surprise. “Are you sure?”
She gazed at him with confidence. “You protected me from that mad man, Kyle. I think I can trust you with a key to my aunt’s house.”
He laughed. “I just wanted to make sure.” After retrieving the key from her purse, he sat next to her on the bed and leaned close. “I promise I won’t sneak into your room while you’re sleeping.”
With the heat from his body radiating toward her, and his green eyes gazing at her, Jessica caught her breath. Maybe I wouldn’t mind, she thought, then felt a blush wash over her cheek. To cover the thought that had taken her by surprise, she laughed. “You’d better not.”
His lips quirked into a smile. “That’s not what you would have said when we were engaged.”
His reminder that they were once engaged was like a splash of ice water to her face, and all the doubts she’d had after the phone call with her mother that afternoon came rushing back. She kept her voice even as she spoke. “Well, we’re no longer engaged, are we?”
Stiffening, Kyle froze for a moment, then he frowned. “No, we’re not. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.”
How can he be so cavalier? She wondered. Is he that clueless about the anguish I suffered? The complete and utter devastation? The thought worried her.
If he was so unaware of the heartbreak he’d caused, what would keep him from doing it again? Then she thought of Melanie and the way he’d abruptly broken things off with her—and she had a daughter whom he adored. Did he feel any guilt for the misery he certainly caused the two of them?
Over You Page 25