He turns his back to me, staring out the window at the snow-covered mountains visible through the glass. “Because I want you back.”
“No —”
He spins around quickly. “Let me finish.”
“Fine, but you have like two minutes until Remi gets here.” I cross my arms over my chest. Remi’s never been a member of the Jake fan club, but I didn’t think much of it before since he hasn’t likedany of my boyfriends. However, finding him in my room this morning after everything else that happened won’t be a good idea.
His face falls. “Does he know?”
“That you cheated on me? Yeah, he’s aware.”
“It doesn’t matter, Reagan. I’ll handle your brother. I’ll make it up to him and you.”
Jake doesn’t like my brother either. It’s kind of sweet him thinking he can make the situation better withRemi. But also dumb because cheating on Remi’s little sister three times pretty much means he’ll never make it better. He lost that privilege after the first time.
“I don’t think it works that way, Jake.”
“Reagan, we can work this out. I will do whatever you want.”
I sit on the bed, the sheets ruffled from where I lay down in despair a few minutes earlier. Jake paces a few steps and then stopsand turns to give me his attention. His blond hair is still messed up, distracting me. Underneath his ridiculous coat, he has on an oversized white sweater, the CHAPS logo to one side. We spent eighteen months together. In that time there were periods when I thought he wasthe one. The guy I could marry and start a family with. Jake never treated me badly…well except for the cheating. That’s prettyshitty.
I deserve better. I deserve somebody who makes my heart jump every time he enters the room, whether we’re dating for two days or twenty years.
“We both deserve someone better, Jake.”
His face falls, his chest depressing like I’ve stolen the air from his lungs. “There is no one better for me than you, Reagan.”
I shake my head. “But obviously there is. If I was the girl for you, youwouldn’t be constantly looking for somebody else.” Why is that simple concept so hard for men to understand? “Cheating on someone isn’t a sign of a healthy relationship.”
“I’m not stupid, Reagan. Well… I am stupid for cheating on you,” he quickly backpedals. “It’s just that you were never around. Living so far away is not good for us. Plus, you’re always off doing something with your brother.Helping your brother do this. Helping your brother do that. And wherever your brother is, Knox is there too.”
My breath stalls.
“Yeah, I see the way you look at him. The way you talk about him. How could I not be jealous?”
Okay, how did him cheating on me suddenly become my fault? “Today you have a bunch of excuses for why you cheated?”
“Tell me nothing has ever gone on between you and Knox.”
I sigh and that’s probably all the he needs to hear. “It hadn’t before.”
“So we break up for two days and you jumped in the bed with him?”
“Stop turning this around on me!” I stand from the bed in agitation.
We stare at each other. My eyes narrowed in anger, but Jake tilts his head like he’s known all along. It does nothing but piss me off more.
“You’re right, I’m sorry. I don’t know whatto do to win you back.”
“Jake, there’s nothing you can do.” I take hold of his hands and squeeze them in mine. “We aren’t meant for each other. Go out and find a great girl for you.”
Man look at me sounding adult and non-spiteful. The fresh mountain air must be as good for me as the television commercials preach.
He twists, taking me with him and we sit on the bed our knees touching.
He sighs,running his hand through his hair. “I think I always knew, and that’s why I’d get jealous. The cheating isn’t because I didn’t love you Reagan. I know you won’t believe me,” he finishes while I start to respond. “But it’s because I love you so much.”
I audibly huff. This is a first. He loved me so much he had to cheat on me.
