“Okay, honey.”
* * * *
Jay left the park and walked further away from his home. I can’t believe she would let go of me so easily. I mean—after al, we’ve been through together? He tried to assess the past, wondering if he should have done something differently. He kept returning to his original premise, that if he’d taken the chance and she rejected him, he would have been crushed. That was why he’d always played it safe. He didn’t have the opportunity to set things right any longer. He couldn’t change the way she saw him. He was crushed.
I should just go to her house and tell it like it is. He quickly decided against that idea. If she opened the door, she might not allow him the time to speak. He also knew that when it came to his own feelings, he would become flustered and never get his point across.
He turned around and walked home, his head hung low. It was time to let go. He couldn’t reach her on the phone. He couldn’t face her in person. He needed to close the book and find the strength inside to open a new one.
Going upstairs to his room, he sat on the bed and looked over at his phone. He sighed. I need to say good-bye. He picked up the phone and dialed her number. It went immediately to voicemail.
* * * *
Jeanine strolled down her street, thinking of Jay and their past. She’d never seen him take out a girl. She flashed on him possibly being like Aaron. That notion disappeared quickly. She’d never seen him look at another guy the way she’d caught Aaron on more than a few occasions.
He was always there for her, making her feel good when she needed it, causing her to laugh over some of the most ridiculous things. She had to admit he was cute, and his work in construction only enhanced his physique. That was why she couldn’t understand why he didn’t have a girlfriend. He’d said that when the right girl found him, he would be complete.
She stopped dead in her tracks. Has he been waiting for me to find him? Oh, my God, he told me that I would find the right guy probably under my nose. How much closer to under my nose than him? Could I be any more oblivious to his subtle attempts to have me notice? Then why wouldn’t he come out and tell me?
She turned around and headed home. This was way too confusing. It made no sense for him to hide his feelings. His innuendos—and there were many over the course of their friendship—could be taken generically. Am I reading into them now?
And then there was Aaron. No, there wasn’t. Who was she kidding? Her mother was right. He wasn’t going to change for her, no matter how much she dolled herself up for him.
When she got home, she went to her room. Lying back on the bed, she glanced at the ceiling, trying to determine what was real and what was imagined. She rolled over on her side. All the events over the summer were clouding her judgment. She couldn’t think straight. She glanced at her phone on the nightstand. She decided to block out the issues plaguing her and check her email. She picked up the phone.
It had a message from Jay. She hesitated. Sighing, she pressed play and placed the phone to her ear.
Hi, Jeanine. Before you delete this, I wanted to tell you I won’t call anymore, so you can set your phone back to ringing. I know you don’t want to see me, so I’ll respect your wishes. I—I—oh man... I have to explain why I never said anything about your boyfriends. To be honest, I didn’t think that if I explained, you would believe me... or worse. Above all else, I couldn’t lose your friendship. And to tell you how I really felt was too risky. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the guts to tell you, and now I’ve lost you. So, I’ll let you know the truth. The truth is... um... the truth is I’m in love with you. I think I fell in love the moment I understood what love really is. I’m sorry I could never bring myself to tell you. And I’m sorry you deleted this before you heard me admit it. Take care of yourself.
She sat up. Pushing replay, she listened again. Tears started flowing freely. How could I have missed it all these years?
She pulled herself together and washed her face. She returned to the bedroom trying to think of what to do. Glancing at her dresser, she smiled. Right under my nose. She knew exactly what to do.
* * * *
Jay heard a knock at the door. “I’ll get it,” he called on the way down the stairs. He opened the door. There was Jeanine. He did a double take. Her face was alluring. She was wearing makeup he’d never seen on her before. She’d put on a dress that allowed most of her legs to show. The upper portion curved down across the top of her breasts, exposing enough to be able to tell their true size. Black was a very good color on her, even in summer.
Before he had a chance to open his mouth, Jeanine wrapped her arms around him and pasted her lips to his.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, once she allowed herself to break free.
“I was afraid I might destroy our friendship. But when I had nothing to lose, I had no reason to keep it secret. Besides, I didn’t think you’d listen to the message anyway.”
“I wouldn’t have either if Mom hadn’t opened my eyes.”
“Then I owe her a debt of gratitude.” He smiled sincerely.
Jeanine shook her head. “All this time, and I almost let you go.”
“Well, you didn’t, and I will be forever grateful. These last few weeks have been probably the toughest I’ve had to endure. Not being able to talk to you was sheer agony.”
“I’m sorry. I won’t let that happen ever again.”
Jay frowned. “Unfortunately, you have to leave in a week.”
“Actually, someone told me I should follow my dream and become a nurse. I believe that person was right.”
Jay smiled widely and took her in his arms. They kissed passionately.
Jeanine pulled back from the kiss and quietly asked, “So what do you think of my new boyfriend?”
He stared into her eyes and said, “You finally picked the right one.”
About the Author
Curtis A. Cooper is a diverse author, having published suspense, mystery, and fantasy before focusing on romance. He is not afraid to tackle controversial subjects and shows how love can triumph even in the worst of circumstances. He is married with four children and three grandchildren.
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