Rediscovering Peace (Military Love Book 1)

by Rogers, Steffy

  I went to my room and changed into my pajama pants. If I was going to be a bum I might as well be comfortable.

  “Did you get lost on your way to the store? What took you so long?”

  “I ran into an old friend. He asked if I wanted to show him around town since he just moved here. We talked for a while and we are all meeting him on Saturday at Cowboys. Before you try to say no, you’re going. You need a distraction and what better way to do that than to dance the night away?”

  “I don’t have a choice do I?”

  “Nope. Now what do you want to watch?”

  Caige and I spent all day lounging around on the couch watching some show about a motorcycle club. I wasn’t really interested but he insisted that I needed to watch this. Faith had left shortly after we got home. I wondered if she would be home tonight. She had a tendency of leaving for days without letting anybody know where she was. I had come to accept it and stopped worrying about her. She would let me know when she had problems.

  “Don’t be mad but I am going to go bed. I want to go into work early tomorrow so I can get caught up. Plus I scheduled a meeting with a client for nine.”

  “Okay. But, babygirl, don’t drown yourself in work to get over Oliver. Trust me it doesn’t help. I’ve been there.”

  I decided then that I would ask Caige soon who broke his heart. I couldn’t believe I didn’t know about this. I always thought he just wasn’t ready to settle down.

  The next day I got up early and got ready for work. I had gotten several texts from Oliver during the night. I really needed to get a new number. I wanted nothing to do with him and he just wouldn’t get the hint. He could shove his apologies and declarations of love. I didn’t want to hear what he had to say. He made his bed, now he would have to lay in it.

  “Good morning, Skye, you’re here early. You okay?”

  “Yeah I am fine, boss. I have a 9:00 a.m. appointment with a client and wanted to look over the presentation before he gets here.”

  “Are you going to tell me why you cut your vacation short? I know I am your boss but I am a good listener.”

  “Thanks, Jake, I appreciate it. I don’t really want to talk about what happened. I will when I am ready. For now, please cancel my transfer. I am not moving to Colorado.”

  “What? Why not? Oh right, you don’t want to talk about it. Well, I am glad you decided not to go. I love having you on my team and you’re invaluable to this company. I will let the people responsible in Colorado know that you’re not transferring and that they need to find someone else.”

  “Thanks, boss! I knew there was a reason I liked working for you.”

  “You’re a funny one. I am here if you need me, Skye, I mean it. You don’t look too good if I can be completely honest. I don’t like seeing that sad, defeated look on your face.”

  What was it with people telling me that I looked like shit? I already knew that, why did they have to keep rubbing it in?

  I spent my first two hours working on the presentation for my client. I started getting the conference room ready for the appointment and was confident I would nail this meeting. The customer had asked to put together a marketing strategy for their new product. Of course, my boss would toss a vodka campaign my way. I had laughed when he told me I was the perfect fit for the job.

  “Skye, you did an amazing job with this presentation. I will talk to my partners but I think you will be hearing from us soon. I can’t officially say that you got the campaign, but you got the campaign.”

  “Are you serious? Thank you so much, Mr. Logan. I look forward to working with you. I promise this campaign will be a full success.”

  This meeting couldn’t have gone better and with the hours flying by, I was too distracted to think about Oliver. Work was just what the doctor had prescribed. I couldn’t wait for my boss to get back from lunch to tell him the good news.

  “How did it go?” Jake was peeking into my office.

  “Why don’t you take a seat?” I said as serious as I could be. I watched his face fall prepared for bad news. This campaign was a big deal for our company. Our former boss had ruined the reputation of our company by promising things he couldn’t uphold. It was Jake’s and my job to build our reputation back up.

  “Well, I am sitting, now tell me.”

  “I am sorry, Jake. I was so distracted all morning that my head wasn’t in the game.”

  “Skye, I understand we all have bad days but why did you schedule the meeting if you weren’t ready for it yet?” He looked at me confused when I couldn’t stay serious anymore and busted out laughing.

  “Calm down. Mr. Logan said he couldn’t officially say we had the campaign yet, but we have the campaign. We are on board.”

  “Really? Are you messing with me? If you are, it’s not funny.”

  “I am dead serious. We are doing the campaign for the vodka. Although I still think you were trying to imply that I am an alcoholic when you gave me this project.”

  I couldn’t grasp what was happening when Jake came over and hugged me hard.

  “What would I do without you here? Yeah, I am really glad you are not going to Colorado.”

  He didn’t know any better but his words started the waterfall of tears. I didn’t want to think about Colorado.

  “What did I say now?”

  “It’s okay, Jake. I guess I should tell you so we can get this over with. I found out Oliver was cheating on me. I broke the engagement and that is why I am not moving to Colorado. I don’t want to be anywhere close to him.”

  “I am so sorry, Skye. I didn’t know. I just thought you ditched him. Obviously you would ditch him because in my eyes he would be stupid to let you go. Well he is stupid for what he did anyways.”

  “Thanks, boss. It’s hard. But somehow I will get through this.”

  “Why don’t you call it an early day and go home?”

  “I’d rather not. Work helps me not think about it. I have a lot to prepare for the campaign and the more I can get ahead the better. I am just going to go grab some lunch then you can find me at my desk.”

  “Okay, if you ever feel too overwhelmed and need to take a day off, feel free to do so. You work too much as it is.”

  “I don’t know what you are talking about. I never work too much.” I laughed and walked out of my office to grab lunch. I wasn’t really hungry, but I knew I needed to eat. My phone rang, and it was Oliver again.

  “Oliver, what do you want from me? I told you not to contact me anymore.”

  “Skye, please just hear me out. I miss you and I know I hurt you. I promise it meant nothing. It will never happen again.”

  “You are right. It will never happen again because I won’t give you the chance to. I am done with you, with us. You threw it all away when you decided to crawl in bed with some skank. Now if you would excuse me, I have better things to do than to spend my time talking to your pathetic self.”

  “Skye...”

  That was the last thing I heard before I hung up. Why would he not leave me alone? I decided to change my lunch plans and get my number changed. I didn’t want to deal with Oliver’s calls and texts. My heart was still in pieces, and it wouldn’t help if I gave him the option to contact me. Mostly I was scared that I would give in to his apologies. Even after everything he had done to me, I knew one thing for certain, I still loved him.

  I returned to the office with a new number and in a lighter mood. Oliver had no way of contacting me anymore. I had already deleted him off all my social network pages the night before. Kicking him out of my life was the hardest thing I had ever done, and I still wasn’t sure how I felt about that. The last one and a half years Oliver had been the biggest part of my life and all of a sudden I didn’t have him to rely on anymore. I felt empty without him but I knew it had to be this way. I knew he would hurt me over and over again if I gave him the chance. However, the thing with knowing is that it still didn’t make things any easier.

  “Skye, go home it’s sev
en. You’ve been here since 6:30 this morning.”

  “Sorry, Jake, I spaced out. I didn’t realize how late it was.”

  “It’s okay, dear. You need to stop trying to distract yourself with work. It will eventually catch up with you. I know it hurts, but you have to deal with it one way or another.”

  “Why does everybody tell me not to drown myself in work? That’s not what I am doing.”

  “Because we care about you and I need you to be on top of your game. You won’t be if you burn yourself out with work. Now go home and I don’t want to see you back here until eleven. If you are here before then I will fire you.”

  “Yes, boss. I won’t come in till eleven tomorrow even though I think you’re bluffing. You need me here.”

  “Try me. Good evening, Skye. Now out!”

  Jake had been a kind boss from the get go. He cared about his employees and made sure that we got enough downtime after work. I was glad he had come into the company when it all went downhill. The first thing he had done was promote me to be his personal assistant. It had hit him hard when I told him I wanted the job in Colorado. We made a great team and between the both of us the company’s reputation would be back up in no time.

  I stopped by the grocery store and picked up some stuff to cook tonight. I hoped my roommates would be home. The last thing I needed right now was to be alone. Luckily enough both of them were home and happy to see that I was cooking for the night. I fried up some chicken knowing how much my roommates loved southern food.

  “Are you cooking what I think it is? Fried chicken, okra, mashed potatoes and gravy?”

  “Yes. Would you come in here and help me make the biscuits, Faith?”

  “I guess I can. Don’t get mad if they get burned again.”

  Faith was a talented girl who had made it far in her company as a publisher, but when it came to cooking she had two left hands.

  “I won’t let you burn them. It’s easy.”

  We spent the next hour in the kitchen cooking and talking about random stuff. I appreciated that none of my friends pressured me into talking about Oliver. They knew I’d come around eventually.

  “Caige, will you please get the plates and silverware? We cooked so you get to set the table.”

  “Isn’t all that a woman’s job?”

  He ducked down when he saw my spoon flying by his head. He laughed and got the plates out.

  “Will you marry me, Skye? I will never find a woman who can cook as well as you.”

  “You wouldn’t know if a girl can cook or not because you never even get to know the girls that you associate with.”

  “You mean the girls he fucks?”

  “I was trying to be nice, Faith.”

  “Why? He needs to know that it’s a dick move to sleep with girls and never call them back.”

  “I never lead them on. I tell them what it is from the beginning. It’s not my fault they still expect more from me. I don’t do relationships and attachments. The only thing that comes from relationships is hurt.”

  “Oh and you think it isn’t hurtful when a guy sleeps with you and then just ditches you?”

  “Faith, what is your problem? Caige’s sex life has never bothered you before. Why all of a sudden?”

  “All men are assholes. Look at you and Oliver. He cheated on you. Yet you still sit here pretending it never happened. How many times has he called you? How long till you give in and forgive him?”

  “Excuse me? I have no intention of ever forgiving him for what he has done. Nor do I plan on getting back with him. You are right he has called a million times. That’s why I changed my number. I don’t pretend like it never happened, I just don’t want to talk about him. My life fell apart in a matter of days. How would you feel if you found out your fiancé was cheating on you while you were sitting at home planning your wedding? Sorry if I don’t come out and talk about it all day. Now instead of being a hurtful bitch will you tell me what the fuck is going on?”

  Faith started crying. “I am sorry, Skye, I didn’t mean it. I have been seeing this guy and instead of sleeping with him right away I made him wait. We went on six dates before I decided I wanted to have sex with him. Well, we had sex and it was amazing. Or at least that’s what I thought. Now he won’t return my calls or texts. Fuck men. They are all douchebags. Besides you, Caige, I love you and I am sorry I compared you to him. I know you tell the girls that it’s a no strings attached thing. I didn’t mean to lash out at you. I just really liked this guy and thought maybe it could go somewhere. I guess not. This is exactly why I never date.”

  “Oh, Faith, I am sorry. You’re right he is a douchebag. He doesn’t deserve you. What you think about going to the liquor store and picking up a bottle and just drink the night away? I don’t have to go into work till eleven.”

  “No need to go to the store. I already did. Margaritas sound good?”

  “This is why we keep you around Caigey boy.”

  “Do not call me that.”

  “Oooooh, Caigey boy, why not? I think it’s a perfect nickname.”

  He punched my arm, and I giggled. We were a strange group of friends but with the support of each other we would make it through everything, even douchebag guys and stupid heartbreaks.

  The week passed in a blur and after meeting with my parents Saturday for lunch, I was getting ready to go out with my two best friends. A night of dancing would be perfect. My dad hadn’t been happy about my breakup. Not that he liked Oliver too much but he was protective of his little girl and I knew he wanted to kick his ass something fierce. I assured my dad that I would be okay and that Oliver wasn’t even worth the time. When we parted, he hugged me tight and told me that no matter what, in his eyes, I would always be the most beautiful girl and that no one was worthy of my love, but one day I would give my heart to the right guy. He would make sure that the guy protected it with everything he had. I loved my dad so much. He always knew what to say to make me feel special. I knew that even when he was away so much for his job, he had always loved me and that my mom and I were always on his mind.

  “Skye, what are you wearing? I can’t make up my mind.”

  “I think I am gonna wear my jean shorts, turquoise plaid shirt, and cowboy boots. Do you want to borrow my green dress? It would go perfect with your black cowboy boots.”

  “I knew there was a reason you’re my best friend. I can always count on you to have the right clothes for me.”

  “Yeah but you better give the dress back this time, bitch. It’s one of my favorites.”

  “I always give them back! Are you calling me a thief?”

  “I am pretty sure you still have my favorite pair of jeans.”

  “Do not... Oh you mean the ripped ones? But they look so much cuter on me than you.”

  I smacked her arm and made my way over to my bathroom to do my hair. I decided to straighten it and leave it down. I wasn’t in the mood to get all dolled up. I kept my makeup light too, just enough to make my blue eyes pop.

  “You look H-O-T, girl. If Oliver could see you he’d kick his own ass for letting you go.”

  “Ha! You don’t look too bad yourself, ma’am. Now let’s go make sure Caige doesn’t take hours to get ready again. I am ready to get my dance on. I wonder what this friend of his is like. Is it weird that I have known Caige for five years now and have never met any other friends of his before this?”

  “No, it’s not. Caige doesn’t have a lot of friends. He has always stuck more to himself. I think I was the first real friend he had. Either way, I hope this friend of his is cute!”

  “Caige, come on! We want to go! I am sure your makeup looks perfect.”

  “Very funny, Faith. I am ready. Let’s go get our dance on!”

  It was early in the night so Cowboys wasn’t packed yet. Thank God. Caige, Faith and I sat at the bar drowning our first drink of the night. It wasn’t until we ordered a round of tequila shots I heard someone call out Caige’s name. I turned around to see who was call
ing for my best friend. When I saw who it was my mouth dropped open. How could this be?

  “Hey, Parker, what’s up? Glad you could make it out. Meet my best friends Skye and Faith.”

  “Hey, Faith, it’s nice to meet you.” He shook her hand and I watched in shocked silence. He then turned to me and I knew I was done for.

  “Skye, it’s nice to see you again. It’s been a while.”

  Caige’s eyes landed on me. “You two know each other? How?”

  What in the world was he doing here? Braden James Parker’s dad had been stationed in Germany the same time my dad was stationed there. When Braden and I met in school we were inseparable. We did everything together and then he became my first boyfriend. At the time, I was seventeen and he was nineteen. When we got stationed back to the states I did the one thing that would haunt me forever, I walked away from my first love. I loved Oliver but nothing ever compared to what I had felt for Braden.

  “Braden, what are you doing here?” I asked when I finally found my voice again.

  “I just got stationed here from Kentucky.”

  “I didn’t know you had joined the army.”

  “Well you couldn’t have known since I never heard from you after you left Germany. You just vanished and I had no idea where you were. Why did you never call me like you promised?” I saw the hurt in his eyes. This couldn’t be happening. First I find out that my fiancé is cheating on me then I run into my first love. What did I do in my past life to deserve this?

  “Look, Braden, I am sorry. I just couldn’t. Can we just forget about it and enjoy the night? I need the distraction.”

  “Okay. But Skye, we will talk about this at some point.”

  Caige sat in silence watching us. He finally opened his mouth and started laughing. “Incredible how small the world is. When you told me your dad was stationed in Germany I never thought you actually met my Skye. This is hilarious. Now let’s drink.” He waved the bartender over and ordered another round of beer and shots. This was going to be a long night.

  Caige wouldn’t find the situation funny if he knew our history. I felt Faith putting her arm around me. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”