Chosen by a Stranger (Craved Series #5)

by Kelly, Hazel

  "What else did he say?"

  The last time I saw him I'd laid into him even more harshly than I'd planned. I started with telling him how much he was fucking up my life on top of fucking up his. I didn’t stop until I told him what his future was going to be like if he carried on as he'd been for the last few years.

  Of course, he was kind of quiet and sulky and drugged the whole time so I wasn't sure the message even got through.

  The last thing I said to him was that if he didn't check himself into rehab, I would never speak to him again.

  At the time I was sure Tip thought I was being cruel, but I was fed up and meant every word of it. And I needed a sober witness who could remind him how serious I’d been after I left.

  "He said Tip took him to a facility near Phuket and that he’s going to stay there until he gets better."

  Maybe the accident really had shaken him up. For a moment, I let a warm feeling of hope fill me before squashing it. I knew better than to leave my faith in the hands of someone who'd done nothing but let me down for years.

  "Wow."

  "I know." She released my hand and took a sip of her lemonade. "Whatever you said to him must've finally gotten through."

  I sighed.

  Her eyes were crinkled at the corners. "Maybe this time he'll finally pull it off."

  It was obvious that she wanted this for him as much as I did, maybe more.

  I shrugged. "I hope so."

  She nodded. "I think he might," she said. "The painkillers he's on from the accident might actually make it easier for him to make the transition to sobriety."

  "Fingers crossed."

  "Tip must be a strong woman to put up with his shit," she said. "Stronger than me."

  "I think she really loves him," I said. "Against all odds."

  "So did I."

  "What about Travis?" I asked.

  "What about him?"

  "Is it serious?"

  She shrugged. "Travis is a good man. He makes me laugh. He's considerate, health conscious… all things that are important to me."

  I nodded.

  "I'd say my relationship with him is about as serious as I'm ever going to get again."

  "You don't want to get married again or-"

  She shook her head. "No. I couldn't. Or wouldn't rather. I don't know."

  I took a sip of lemonade and licked the sweet sugar off my lips.

  "I guess I'm a one husband kind of girl," she said. "But just because I wouldn't get married again doesn't mean I want to be alone all the time."

  "Understandable."

  "I have needs, you know."

  "Got it."

  She rolled her eyes.

  "Well, I'm happy if you're happy," I said. "He seems like a cool guy."

  "I'm sure you'd get along great," she said. "Probably push me right out of the picture."

  "I won't be around long enough for that I'm afraid. Not now anyway." Plus, the fact that he was clearly banging my Mom pretty much disqualified him from ever having a shot at being my buddy.

  Her eyes turned down for a second when I mentioned I wouldn't be staying, but she didn't dwell on it.

  "You know I almost forgot," she said.

  I rolled my eyes. That’s what my Mom always said before she mentioned something she never would’ve forgotten in a million years.

  "What's that?" I asked, playing along.

  "He said when he gets out of rehab, he hopes you'll let him meet her."

  I raised my eyebrows.

  "So tell me, Jack. Who's the mystery woman and how did your Dad come to know about her before I did?"

  Chapter 10: Audrey

  "I don't think it's as simple as all that," I said.

  "Look," Megan said. "I'm no relationship expert, but I'm pretty sure it is."

  I sighed. If only I had a crystal ball that I could look into that would tell me if saying yes to Jack was the right thing to do, if we could be happy together, if we were meant to be.

  "Do you love him or not?" Megan asked.

  "I think I do," I said. "I feel like I do. But I've never been in love before so how am I supposed to know if that's what I'm feeling right now?"

  "Simple," she said. "You just answer a three point questionnaire."

  "Something tells me you're about to make up some shit on the spot."

  "Do you want to hear the questions or not?"

  I glanced over at his watch on the desk and then lay down on my back, resting my head on the pillow he used the night before.

  "Well?" she asked. "I don’t have all day."

  "I'm ready," I said, my eyes on the ceiling. "What's question number one?"

  "Please describe the feelings you have when you think about him."

  "I was hoping it would be multiple choice."

  "I'm afraid not."

  "How do I feel when I think about him?"

  "That's what I said."

  "Well, the first words that came to mind are sick and crazy."

  "Please continue," she said.

  "Is that good or bad?"

  "Can you just answer the damn questions and wait until the end to get your results like a normal person?!"

  "You mean all the normal people that have never taken this test?"

  "Do you want my help or not?"

  "I do."

  "So how else do you feel when you think about him?"

  "I feel stupid."

  "Stupid?"

  "Not when I think about him, but about telling you how I feel."

  She groaned. "Get over it."

  "Okay." I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "I feel happy. I feel warm. I feel pretty… and slightly aroused."

  "And crazy and sick?"

  "Yeah. Is that too many things?"

  "No," she said. "Next question."

  I pursed my lips.

  "It's a two parter."

  "Okay."

  "How would you feel if I told you Jack was madly in love with someone else?"

  "Heartbroken," I said. "Devastated."

  "And how difficult is it for you to imagine being with someone else?"

  "In what way?"

  "In a sexually exclusive relationship kind of way."

  "Really hard," I said, furrowing my brow. "Maybe even impossible. I'm not sure. I don't think I've even looked at another man since I met him. Not like that if you know what I mean."

  "I do."

  "Okay," I said. "So what's the last question?"

  "The last question is, how do your feelings for him change if you picture him wrinkly and old and slightly overweight with a hunchback and a cane."

  I laughed out loud.

  "Well?"

  "Is that really the third question?"

  "Yeah."

  "I guess they don't really change. I mean, it's hard to picture him falling apart like that-"

  "Aging."

  "Whatever. But I'd still rather he was rocking in his chair toothless next to me than some other old bitty."

  "I see."

  "So what does it all mean?" I asked. "What are the results of your fool proof true love questionnaire?"

  "It sounds to me like you're in love with him."

  "And?"

  "And what?"

  "Is that it?" I asked, sitting straight up again.

  "Yeah," she said. "I never said it was a perfect test. I only said it was simple."

  I shook my head.

  "I don't know what your hang up is here, Audrey. If I remember correctly, you've been completely smitten with him since the day he carried you like a princess through the hotel after rescuing you from the sea."

  I smiled at the memory.

  "Maybe that doesn’t mean anything, but if fairy tales are real then you're pretty much destined to be together," she said. "That's just my opinion, of course, and I can only compare my impression of Jack to the other suitors of yours I've met in the past-"

  "Don't be a bitch."

  "I'm not," she said. "I'm just trying to figure out
what your problem is."

  "I think it's just that logically I haven't known him that long."

  "True," she said. "But logic doesn't have anything to do with love."

  I pursed my lips.

  "In fact, I’m pretty sure love trumps logic every time."

  "Yeah?"

  "Of course. As it should. Otherwise we'd just be a bunch of dispassionate robots and online dating would be the answer to everyone’s relationship woes."

  "It’s not just that."

  "I'm listening."

  "I think part of me still finds the whole thing- I don't know- a bit unbelievable."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I still don’t get why someone like Jack would go for someone like me."

  "What?"

  "I'm not trying to have a pity party for myself or anything, but I'm not exactly trophy wife material. And he's a super hot, super successful guy. Why would he want to marry me when he could literally have any woman on the planet?"

  "Oh Audrey."

  "What?"

  "You're not as big of a loser as you think you are."

  "Thanks?"

  "I meant that as a compliment."

  "I was hoping."

  "Look, I know you grew up feeling like this nerdy girl who preferred drawing to normal social interaction. And based on what you've told me, things didn't get easier for you when you grew those big breasts and suffered a particularly pimply puberty, but you're not that girl anymore."

  "Of course I am. I’ll always be that girl."

  "But you're not just that girl. You're more than that."

  I swallowed.

  "You're smart and funny and strong," she said. "You've got a big personality and the fact that you're pretty is just icing on the cake."

  I glanced at myself in the mirror, trying to see myself the way she did, the way Jack obviously did.

  "You need to get it out of your head that there are guys who are out of your league. If anything, those doubts are the reason you've dated so many assholes. Cause they can sniff out the fact that you have those insecurities."

  "Then why would Jack be attracted to me when he's not an asshole?"

  "Cause he's not a fool. And he might be a lot of things- a little too spontaneous for one-"

  "Unpredictable."

  "Definitley."

  "But he's not a fool."

  "No. I suppose he’s not."

  "And I'm sure he was charmed by the fact that you're infinitely nicer and more easy going than most women who are as pretty as you are. Because you didn't grow up cashing in on your looks."

  "I want to believe what you're saying."

  "So believe it," she said. "You're just as entitled to have your pick of the fish in the sea as Jack is. The only difference between you is that he already knows that about himself, and you're still unconvinced about what a good catch you are."

  "Well, you've certainly given me something to think about."

  "I'm not going to tell you that you should get in touch with him immediately and say you've taken the time you need and that yes of course you'll marry him-"

  "But that's what you think I should do?"

  "It's not my business to say one way or the other-"

  "That's never stopped you from voicing your opinion before."

  "All I'm saying is that he's the first guy who's ever been good enough for you. And that's how you need to look at it. Not like you got lucky that he noticed you, but rather that he's the lucky one for having a chance with you."

  I sighed and thought back to his proposal.

  "And my guess is that he already knows that which is why he jumped at the chance to come after you. Because you're worth chasing."

  I felt kind of pathetic that my best friend was tooting my horn so hard, but she was actually starting to convince me that maybe I wasn’t seeing the situation for what it really was.

  "So basically you think I'm just sabotaging my own happiness," I said.

  "Yes," she said. "Because of bullshit insecurities that aren't real."

  "And you think I should say yes?"

  "I think you should follow your heart."

  "I've never done that before," I said, wrapping my free hand around the back of my neck.

  "Yeah, well," she said. "Maybe it's about time you start."

  Chapter 11: Jack

  "What mystery woman?" I asked, trying to buy myself some time. My Mom's brand of interrogation was swift and thorough, like many people who've spent the last decade watching Law and Order religiously.

  "Your Father told me you left town to go woo some woman."

  "I didn't tell him that," I said, wracking my brain.

  "Does that mean it's not true?"

  I took a sip of my lemonade and looked out the kitchen window. Tip. She must’ve heard me talking on the phone to Jin before he gave me a ride to the airport.

  "Is she American?"

  I sighed, figuring that being honest wouldn't have any negative consequences. After all, it wasn't like I was fifteen and my Mom had the time and energy to meddle in my affairs. On the contrary, she was merely starved for gossip about my love life.

  Though it was impossible to tell exactly what shape it was in at the moment. There was only one woman on the planet who knew that and she was eight hundred miles away… probably cursing me and staring at her ringless finger.

  "Jack?"

  "Yeah," I said. "She's American."

  "How did you meet her?"

  "She was on vacation with a friend," I said. "A few weeks ago."

  My Mom put her chin in her hands.

  "I dug some coral out of her foot."

  "I'm sure that got her attention."

  I smiled.

  "What are you not telling me?"

  I laughed.

  "Seriously, Jacky." She furrowed her thin brows. "You seem nervous. That's so unlike you."

  "I'm not nervou-"

  "You must really like her."

  "I do," I said.

  "What's her name?"

  "Audrey."

  "That's pretty."

  "It suits her then cause she's absolutely gorgeous."

  "You never did like the butterfaces."

  "Who taught you that word?"

  She smiled. "Travis."

  I shook my head.

  "What does she do?"

  "She's an artist,” I said. “A graphic designer."

  "Interesting," she said. "And is it serious?"

  "I want it to be."

  "And what about her?"