[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.“Kyle is here to bid on some work I want to have done,” Ellen said.“Oh.” Jessica turned to Ellen and wondered if her aunt realized the affect seeing Kyle was having on her.“I just need to get these groceries put away.” Jessica turned her back on them, her hands shaking, and focused on getting the food put away as quickly as possible.Though Ellen and Kyle resumed their discussion, Jessica could sense Kyle’s attention shifting to her.Mercifully, she finished her task in only a few minutes.“I need to put my things away,” she mumbled, glancing at her aunt.“Of course, dear.”Ignoring Kyle, Jessica managed to walk out of the kitchen and toward the front door, despite the fact that her ears had started to ring, and dizziness had begun to sweep over her.She stepped onto the front porch and sank into a chair, hanging her head and forcing herself to breathe deeply and slowly until the dizziness passed.When she felt better, she lifted her head and gazed at the truck parked out front, which she now knew to be Kyle’s.She read the stenciling on the doors: Judd Construction.How did I miss that when I pulled in? Sighing, she pushed herself out of the chair and walked to her car, then lifted her things out of the trunk and carried them into the house.She went up the stairs and into the guest room where she always stayed when she came for a visit.It didn’t take long to get her things put away.She went to the linen closet in the hall and paused at the top of the stairs, listening.Kyle’s deep voice floated up the stairs.Though she couldn’t make out what he was saying, the timbre of his voice brought back a flood of memories, all of them good.All except the last time she’d spoken to him.Sighing again, Jessica opened the door to the linen closet and pulled out a set of sheets and a large, fluffy towel, then carried them back to her room.She set the sheets on her bed, then went into the hall bathroom and hung up her towel.Trying to ignore the memories tumbling around her head, Jessica wondered what work her aunt wanted to have done.Though the house was in pretty good shape for such an old house, it was somewhat outdated.Jessica put the sheets and blankets on the bed, and just as she finished, she heard the creak of someone coming up the stairs.A moment later her aunt stood in the doorway.“I like the looks of this room much better when someone is using it,” Ellen said.Jessica smiled.“I hope this is the room you wanted me to use.I just assumed, since this is where I’ve always stayed before.”“Oh yes.” Ellen walked over to a pair of wingback chairs tucked in a corner and sat down.“Are you getting settled in all right?”“Yep.I’ve pretty much moved right in.”“Good.That’s what I want to hear.” Ellen rested her hand on the arm of the chair adjacent to her own.“Come sit, Jessica.”Obediently, Jessica sat next to her aunt, although she dreaded the conversation she was sure was about to begin.“I didn’t know you were planning on doing any remodeling.”“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.Your Uncle Patrick and I had talked about it off and on for years, so I decided to go ahead and make some of the changes I’ve been wanting.”“Like what?”“Mostly just updating the bathrooms and kitchen.I want to keep the character of the place, but those rooms are rather dated.”Jessica nodded, not wanting the conversation to lead to where she knew it inevitably would.“There are very few contractors available around here.” Ellen looked at Jessica closely.“There is one other I’m considering, but I felt it best to get more than one bid.”“I was just caught off guard to see him.You know it’s been five years since he.well since he left.”“I made the appointment before I knew you were coming.And then I forgot about it until the moment he showed up on the porch.I’m sorry.”“It’s not your fault.How long has he been back?”Ellen furrowed her brow.“Oh, I suppose about a year now.”“I guess things didn’t work out for him in the big city.” Jessica tried to hide her derision, but knew she probably failed.“You were both young.I think it’s time for you to forgive him.”“Ellen, we were engaged.And he just.left.No warning, no good-bye.” Jessica felt hot tears push into her eyes, and was surprised by the strength of her emotions after all these years.“Tonight is the first time I’ve seen him since then.”“I suppose it would be a shock.”Jessica took a deep breath, gaining control of her emotions.“That’s an understatement.”“Well, maybe now that you’re both back in town, you can get to know each other again.I’m sure you’ve both changed quite a lot over the years.”Without hesitation, Jessica shook her head.“No way.Not going to happen.I literally broke up with Alex yesterday.I have no interest in kindling an old flame.Or creating a new one.”Ellen’s voice softened.“Oh, Jessica.You loved him so much.”As the words left her aunt’s mouth, Jessica felt the absolute heartbreak of Kyle’s sudden and unexpected departure as if it had happened that very day, and this time she couldn’t stop the tears.She pictured him standing in her aunt’s kitchen and admitted, if only to herself, that he had become better looking since she’d seen him last.His hair was still as dark and thick as she remembered.But it was the unusual color of his eyes that she had never forgotten.Sea-green and fringed by dark lashes, his eyes had always drawn her in.She remembered the last time she had seen him, the night before he had run away from her and their relationship, and recalled the way he had looked at her, as if he had been gazing into her very soul.Later, she realized he had known he was going to be leaving, and wondered if there was something she could have said or done that would have changed his mind.Of course he had never given her the chance, and she had always felt like there had been something lacking within her when he had gazed so deeply into her eyes—something that, had it been there, would have kept him from leaving.It had taken many, many months for her to gain back her sense of self-worth.And even longer before she had begun dating again.No, she was not about to risk her heart with him again.Ellen handed her a tissue from a box on a nearby table, and Jessica dabbed at her wet eyes, then blew her nose.“That’s over now, Ellen.He is part of my past.”“Of course, dear.Of course.It was not my place to say that, and I’m sorry.”Jessica reached out and patted her aunt’s hand.“It’s okay.” Wiping her eyes once more, she stood and threw the tissue in the trash.“I think it’s time to go downstairs and let me fix you some dinner.How does that sound?”“That sounds wonderful.” Her aunt stood as well.“Did you notice how I didn’t say I should be the one doing the cooking, since you’re the guest?”Jessica laughed, then gave her aunt a hug.“Oh, Ellen.I’ve missed you.”Over You Chapter FiveThat night as Jessica lay in bed, she couldn’t keep her mind from replaying the look on Kyle’s face when she had walked into the room.He hadn’t appeared to be as shocked to see her as she had been to see him—her aunt had most certainly told him that she was in town.But in the brief moment their eyes had met, she’d vividly recalled the feelings she’d had when he had left her five years before.Closing her eyes and allowing her memories to flow freely, she remembered when she’d first met Kyle.She’d been on a long weekend break from her first post-college job, visiting Ellen and Patrick, when she’d gone to the library to pick up some decorating books her aunt had put on hold
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]