Sara's Unyielding Lover (The Lovers Series)

by Black, Joslyn

  Eric eyebrows scrunched and his head slightly tilted to the side, he was missing something. “Why would Jo Ann hate you more?”

  Gio took another pull from his beer and rested one arm on the back of the couch, kinda settling in before he told his tale.

  “Last night when Jo Ann and I were dancing she told me what Tracy said as I told you but she also asked me if there was any left over feelings between you two. I swore to her that nothing was going on and that if there was I’d even break guy code and tell her cause she’s too nice to get messed with. So it stands to reason that she thinks I lied straight to her face. Thus making me a bigger asshole than you.” He raised his beer to Eric. “Cheers.”

  Matt looked over to his brother. “What do you care if she hates you or not.”

  “I don’t.”

  “Then why bring it up?” Matt countered.

  “I was just saying that’s all.”

  “Uh huh.” Matt voice was full of sarcasm and he rolled his eyes at Gio.

  Clapping his hands loudly Eric got the attention of his two cousins back. “Hey let’s focus on me ok, I can’t lose her, I won’t lose her.”

  “Then I guess that leaves you with option old school.” Matt replied.

  “Hey hey hey.” Gio cut in. “When we moved her bedroom suite and had beers in the kitchen I saw a cordless phone. Does she have a land line?”

  “I doubt she could have changed that this morning.” Matt added.

  Eric let out a big sigh in frustration. “I don’t have that number and she just got it hooked up so she’s not in the printed phone book and I’m not even sure she’s listed.”

  “No harm in trying.”

  “True.”

  ***

  Rubbing her stomach Jo Ann groaned with discomfort. “I can’t believe I ate so much, I knew I was full but it tasted so good I just had to finish.”

  Sara waved her finger at Jo Ann. “Tsk tsk, over eating is bad for you, that’s why I chose to bring some home with me so I wouldn’t get sick and could enjoy cheesecake all week.”

  “Like that’s healthy.”

  Sara pinched Jo Ann’s arm. “Ouch!”

  “Serves you right, I need comfort food.”

  “Yeah yeah.”

  “Do you have Netflix?

  “Yeah why?”

  “I say we go back to your place and just veg with Netflix and junk food.”

  “Ok sounds like a plan, but I don’t want to watch anything weepy, I want comedy, romcom or action.”

  “Jo Ann trust me I’ve had enough drama this weekend. I defiantly don’t want to watch any.”

  “True enough.”

  Driving back to Jo Ann’s Sara stared out her window pensively.

  “You know I just don’t understand, I know we were only together for two weeks but it was a condensed two you know, we did things said things that take average people months or years to say and do. I met his family, he told me about his past; he told me he loved me that he wanted no one but me. Why would he do those thing if he had her. And when we made love, looking into his eyes, you can’t fake that emotion burning in them.”

  As she was talking tears slowly began to run down her face, she wiped them away but they still came.

  “I’m so sorry Sara, I don’t understand it either, men just suck we should stick to chocolate romcoms and battery operated love.”

  That made Sara laugh, which was what Jo Ann was trying to do. She didn’t want to see her cry any more. She blamed herself, if she had never given Eric Sara’s info none of this would have happened. She never would have guessed that Sara would fall in love, she just wanted her to get out have fun. Enjoy being single and dating since she never had. But now after having her heart broken again Sara would be even more gun shy about dating again. Jo Ann didn’t blame her thou after all she still hadn’t started dating again.

  Back at Jo Ann’s the girls unloaded the car and went up stairs. They popped popcorn and grabbed their sodas along with the junk food they had bought and went to the living room to get settled. Once they were cozy each on either side of Jo Ann’s over stuffed couch covered with a throw they began to search Netflix for a movie. After a long debate they finally settled with Spaceballs, there was no threat of tears or drama in that movie; it was just stupidly funny.

  When the movie was over they cleaned up their candy wrappers and popcorn bowls and decided to call it an early night. After all the best cure for stress was rest and relaxation. When they were done taking turns in the bathroom they bid each other good night and went to bed. As Sara lay down she tried to keep her thoughts away from Eric but she couldn’t it had only been one day without him and she missed him so much. When she had left Michael she was sad, disappointed but more over their failed marriage. She had cried at the hurt he caused with his betrayals and the loss of a life time love but she never felt as she did now. With Eric she actually ached.

  Chapter 36

  2 weeks later…

  Gio had to do something about Eric, he was getting multiple complaints from workers over the way Eric had been treating them lately. Some employees that have even been with them for years were threatening to quit. As he started to walk through the store heading for the back of the store where the offices were and storage, Gio could already hear Eric’s voice. He was tearing into someone over a miss mark.

  “You just cost the store $350 fucking dollars! You want that money coming out of your pay? (He didn’t give the clerk time to answer) no I bet you fucking don’t so you better read the tags better because next time it will. Now get to the fucking front!” Eric’s voice was so cold and harsh and just by looking at the scowl on his face and the deadness of his eyes you could tell he was hanging on by a thread.

  Gio had never seen his cousin this way. He never lost his temper with employees. Never cursed at the business, always said it was unprofessional. Gio walked to his cousin hands in his pocket , his stance relaxed he didn’t want to incite Eric.

  “Eric cuz we need to talk.” He kept his voice calm and low.

  “What about?” Eric’s voice was still loud .

  “First you need to calm down and lower your voice I could here you all the way up front when I walked in. Now you know that’s not good for business.”

  Eric covered his face with his hands and then slid them up and through his hair. He looked like shit. He had maybe 2 days growth on his face. There were dark circles under his eyes showing the sleepless nights he’s had and his hair was a mess from him constantly running his hands through it.

  “Let’s go to the office so we can sit and talk ok?”

  Eric puffed out a breath ran his hands once again through his hair, but this time when he answered Gio his voice was calm. “Yeah ok.”

  They both walked to Eric’s office when they were both inside Gio shut the door. Eric went to sit at his desk and Gio took the chair in front of it. Gio never being one to beat around the bush, as nice as he could he just came out with it. “We have top employees threatening to leave because of the way you’ve been riding them these last two weeks. It’s got to stop.”

  Eric with his face in his hands again his voice was muffled.

  “I know I’ll apologize I just can’t get rid of this anger so it just hits who ever is around me. It’s been two weeks, she won’t answer the letters I send, she returns the flowers. I even tried going to her work but she’s in a secured building, you can’t go up with out a visitors pass and you can’t get one unless you are an approved visitor, which I’m not. I can’t sleep, I’m never hungry and when I manage to get some sleep I’m dreaming about us making love and I just wake up hard frustrated and angry.”

  “You only knew her two weeks Eric.”

  “That doesn’t matter it could have been 2 days or 2 hours, I connected to her like I’ve never connected to a woman before. My body my mind need her, craves her, I love her and it’s killing me that she won’t even let me explain.”

  When Eric moved his hands to look at Gio, Gio
saw the shimmering of unshed tears in his eyes. Apart from when his father died and the night James was killed and his funeral, Gio had never seen Eric cry.

  “Look why don’t you go home ok. Take a couple of days off I’ll rearrange the schedule to make sure everything is covered.”

  Standing up to his feet Eric grabbed his keys of he desk. “Ok, call me if you can’t cover something.” With that he left.

  When Eric left Gio walked around and sat at his desk logged on to the computer went to Google search; he was on a mission, he would find someway to contact Sara and explain the truth he couldn’t stand seeing his cousin this way any more.

  ***

  It was starting out to be a bad day, the new merchant she had contracted had a major malfunction with their machinery. So the order she placed would not get filled in time. So now she had to hurry and find a quick replacement or the store won’t have the merchandise for the promoted sale.

  “God why is it when ever I’m on my period that’s when everything falls apart around me. I’m already irritated and the Midol I took isn’t helping.” Jo Ann complained while rubbing her abdomen, her eyes squished closed with discomfort.

  Sara commiserated. “Yeah the first two days for me are the worst. I have a heating pad constantly on my belly and I get as irritated as a bear with a pine cone shoved up his butt.”

  “Well thank god our cycles haven’t synced up yet or the whole office would have to run for cover.”

  “Yeah, my periods not due till…” Sara stopped mid sentence. “What was today’s date again?”

  “31st “

  Sara put a hand to her belly her eyes wide she started to hyperventilate with panic setting in. Jo Ann stood up and walked around her desk to get to Sara. She was completely frozen apart from her chest moving with her rapid breathing.

  “Sara what is it what’s wrong?”

  “I’m Late.” Her voice was barely audible but Jo Ann her utter the two words every single woman fears.

  “Shit! Sorry, how late is late I mean you been stressed and have had an emotional couple of weeks that can effect your cycle.”

  “My period was due the weekend that Eric and I broke up, that was two weeks ago.” She started to pace back in forth in Jo Ann’s office. “Oh god oh god oh god, this can’t be, why, what am I gonna do?”

  She turned her panicked tear filled eyes to Jo Ann hoping she would have an answer. Jo Ann knowing she had to stay calm to keep Sara from panicking further, steadied her breathing and schooled her face. She reached out and grabbed Sara by her shoulders to stop her from wearing a hole in her carpet.

  “1st we are going to get a test before we panic ok? If it was due that weekend maybe the stress of what happened made you late and with him constantly sending you letters and flowers it’s keeping you in an agitated state.”

  Jo Ann checked her clock “It’s almost time for lunch, we can leave a bit early we’ll go to the drug store a few blocks down and get you a test ok?”

  Wringing her hands Sara to emotional to speak just nodded in agreement. They both collected their purses and made their way to the elevator. When they got to the parking level Sara started walking toward her car but Jo Ann stopped her.

  “Let’s take my car so you don’t have to drive, you’re pretty stressed and I doubt you can concentrate on the road.”

  Jo Ann took Sara by her arm and walked her to her car. There was a Rite Aid only 4 blocks down. Once parked they walked into the store together. Neither of them knew what isle the tests would be in so Jo Ann asked.

  “Excuse me where would I find pregnancy tests?”

  The fifty something year old cashier smiled at them. “They’re down isle 12 women’s products, if you are I hope you get what you want, children are such blessings.”

  Jo Ann thanked the nice cashier and they walked back to isle 12. Sara couldn’t believe what she saw, there was over 10 kinds of pregnancy tests, which one would she need? They each took a box and started reading narrowing down their choices. They ended up with a First Response test that could tell you if you were pregnant a day after your missed period and it was digital no guessing does it look pink, is that a second line no this test said either pregnant or not pregnant. Test in hand they went to pay. The friendly cashier commented that the test they chose was in fact one of the best ones they had and then she wished us luck.

  “Where do you want to take it?”

  “Uhm I I don’t know.”

  “Ok well in my opinion you should not take it at the office cause you may end in tears and then everyone will be up in your cool aide. Why don’t you take it here, then you will have time to compose yourself before we get back.”

  “Ok”

  The walked back in the store and looked for the restroom sign. They followed the signs all the way to the back. It was a muti-stall bathroom so Jo Ann could be in there and wait with her. Sara opened the box and read the directions carefully. The tip of the stick had to be in her urine stream for 15 seconds. That’s easy enough; she ripped the plastic foil from the actual test and took it. She made sure to only grab it at the right end, she finished cleaned herself and used some toilet paper to hold the test. She left the stall grabbed a napkin and placed the test on it while she washed her hands. The test said it needed 5 minutes. And those were the longest 5 minutes of Sara’s life.

  “Ok Sara five minutes up let’s read the test.”

  They both turned to see the test at the same time. Sara started to cry and Jo Ann was just in shock, she pulled Sara in for a hug trying to calm and sooth her. The test read “Pregnant”

  Chapter 37

  Jo Ann returned to the office alone, when they arrived at the parking garage she told Sara to just go home; no way would she be able to work today. If she didn’t have to fix this screw up with the merchandise she would have gone with her. She would go over after work, maybe bring her some Chinese and butter pecan ice-cream.

  ***

  It had taking Gio the better part of two hours before he found the right number. He had to do people searches with what little he knew of Jo Ann. But he finally found the right one.

  Jo Ann Miller

  Buyer for Mervin’s Department Store

  (619)555-7502

  Now all he had to do was call her and get to not hang up but listen.

  “Jo Ann Millers Office.”

  “Hi yes I was wanting to talk to Ms Miller please.”

  “Is she expecting your call?”

  “No. You’re not her usual Asst.”

  “No I’m not they sent me up from personal to help for today Ms. Stevens was ill.”

  Gio sat up in his chair. “Sick? How sick? Is she at the hospital or somewhere?” Concern pored from his voice Eric would go nuts if she was sick or hurt and he couldn’t be with her.

  “No sir just an upset stomach she’ll be back tomorrow.”

  At hearing that he relaxed. “Can you patch me to Ms. Miller then please.”

  “Who may I ask is calling?”

  If he said Gio she wouldn’t talk to him, he and Eric had different last names because their mothers took their husbands names; so he could give his last name and she wouldn’t know it was him until she picked up.

  “Yes please tell her its Mr. Garcia.”

  “Ok hold please.”

  “Jo Ann Miller.”

  Before she recognized his voice he rushed out his words.

  “It’s really important don’t hang up please 5 minutes.”

  Now she officially marked this day as the day from hell: screwed up orders, deadlines, her period, her friend pregnant and now Mr. I’ll break the guy code was calling her.

  She was short and curt. “Five minutes”

  Gio sighed in relief she was going to listen to him. “Ok look Eric is a mess without Sara he’s not eating or sleeping he’s mad at everyone.”

  “How that two timing dick feels is none of my concern, 3 minutes.”

  “Ok then Sara didn’t see what she saw.”

&n
bsp; “Ha” Jo Ann laughed sarcastically

  “Eric went to confront Tracy about what she had said because none of it was true, Tracy in a last ditched effort to try and make Eric feel something for her she grabbed his face and kissed him.”

  “So now you’re gonna lie to me again! Sara saw him holding her, what, was he doing that as a fair thy well.”

  “That’s just it he wasn’t holding her, he had grabbed her wrists trying to pull them of him with out hurting her to stop the kiss and put space between them.”

  Jo Ann was quiet for a minute. Thinking over what Gio had said. When Sara said he was holding her Jo Ann never asked how she assumed they were in each other’s arms. Jo Ann’s brain was on overload, work, drama, pms and now the possibility that Eric in fact did not cheat on Sara everything had her muddled up.

  “Look Jo Ann please just get her to talk to him or read one of his letters, she’ll know the truth and all this crap can be fixed and buried.”

  “Gio, look I don’t know she’s really stressed to the max right now. She’s carrying the hurt from Eric, work has just been a stress inducing disaster and now that she knows she’s pregnant I just don’t think she can handle Eric.”

  Gio caught onto one word in that statement. “Pregnant? She’s Pregnant? Holy shit!”

  “Oh fuck” thought Jo Ann this is why she should just call in sick when she’s raggin cause she doesn’t think straight.

  “Answer me is she pregnant?”

  “Yes”

  “When did she find out? Was she going to keep this from him?” Gio’s voice roughened as he spoke with the thought that Sara may have been trying to hide this from Eric.

  “Don’t you raise your voice at me. She found out this morning she went home sick because she was crying so much.”

  “Is she going to keep it?”

  “Yes she’s going to keep it whether Eric wants it or not. She been wanting to have a child for awhile. Her ex always said not yet. So there is no question she’s keeping it.”