Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“Why did you do that?” she demands.
“You just got here, baby. You’re not going to turn around and go back to Seattle.”
“Brooks, I’m so sorry.” She leans her forehead against my chest and fists her hands into the fabric at my sides. “I miss you so much, and I needed to see you. But Justin tried to kill himself this morning, so I need to get home—”
Shit. Not this again.
“You are home.”
“You know what I mean.”
Shaking my head, I pace to the other side of the room and turn to glare at my girlfriend. The love of my fucking life. The one person in this world who knows me inside out and loves me anyway.
“Eight people live in that house, Jules. He has people to help him.”
Justin has been one of her roommates for the past two years, and I hate the fucker. He manipulates the hell out of my girl, and she refuses to see it.
He’s the reason she went back to college early at Christmas.
He’s the reason she ends our evening calls before either of us is ready.
He’s the reason for every fucking fight we have.
“I know, but they can’t get through to him like I can. Brooks, I don’t want to hurt you, but he could die, and that would be on my conscience. I have to go calm down the situation, and then I can come back.”
“I need you here.” I cross to her and cup her face. “Baby, I need you here. I haven’t seen you in months. Haven’t touched you, held you, kissed you. Christ, we haven’t had sex in more than nine months—”
“A man’s life is a little more important than sex, Brooks.”
I let go of her completely and step away, my heart hammering.
“He manipulates you. That son of a bitch controls you, Juliet.”
She shakes her head and pushes her hands through her blond curls. “I can’t have this conversation with you again. It always comes back to your jealousy.”
“I’m not the jealous one. Isn’t it convenient that he pulls this stunt the day you’re coming home to me, Jules? He did it at Christmas, too.”
“He’s sick, and—”
“I. Don’t. Fucking. Give a shit.” My voice is hard and a little mean now, but I can’t help it. Christ, my heart is being ripped out of my chest. “I care about you, and I see you being used and controlled, and it pisses me off. If you leave here today and go back to him in Seattle, we’re done.”
Fuck! How did we get here?
Her face goes white.
“Brooks.”
“I’m serious. I’m not bluffing. He’s bullying you, and I won’t just stand by and let it happen. I won’t sit here and be second place anymore. I’ve talked to you about this until I’m blue in the face, but you won’t fucking listen, so now I’m telling you that I need you to stay here for the week like we planned. If you choose to go to him, I won’t be here anymore.”
I swallow hard, feeling like I might throw up. Jesus.
Jesus.
What is even happening?
My wildfire takes a long, shaky breath, and just when I think she’s going to come to her senses, she shakes her head.
“What you’re asking isn’t fair.”
And that’s my answer.
“Goodbye, Juliet.”
With my heart bleeding outside of my chest, I leave her bedroom and head for the door.
“Brooks!”
“You’ve made your choice. Better go take care of a man who doesn’t need your help.”
“That’s not fair.”
I spin and take her face in my hands. “You want to know what isn’t fair? The fact that I was literally minutes away from giving you everything, and you just threw it all back in my fucking face. Have a good life, Jules.”
I slam my mouth onto hers one last time, then push her away and walk out the door.
Christ.
Jesus fucking Christ.
Now I have to find a way to tell my family that not only aren’t we engaged, but she’s gone. She’s gone, and she’s never coming back to me.
Chapter One
JULIET
Present Day
After making sure the deadbolt on my apartment is engaged, I turn to walk down the steps but then spin back around to check that the door is locked again.
I do that three more times before I finally feel confident enough to descend the stairs to the alley behind my restaurant, Sage & Citrus, to start my morning walk.
I never have anything in my ears during my walks. I don’t own earbuds or headphones. I never listen to podcasts or audiobooks or music when I take walks. I know that Bitterroot Valley is safe, and that the odds of being mugged during the early morning hours here in town are very low, but that habit has been ingrained in me for years.
I don’t like surprises.
I don’t do well with being startled.
Besides, this way I can hear the birds waking up, the tick-tick-tick of the lawn sprinklers, and the occasional car drive by. I like the way my town sounds so early in the day.