“Face the fucking facts, princess.” Jack held my face in the palms of his hands. “It was sex. Nothing more.”
“Christ, Jack,” Gabriel hissed.
I narrowed my eyes and pushed his hands away. “Only sex?”
“Yep.” Jack harshly popped theP.
Jack was dead serious or a good fucking liar because my father was clearly eavesdropping.
I wiped the tears off my cheeks, and my entire body trembled with sadness. Heat fused inside me, and the anger took away the sorrow. Though my knees were wobbly, I stepped away.
“I expect this is over with my daughter, Jack?” Gabriel questioned his best friend.
Jack crossed his arms across his chest. “It never even started.”
“Noelle?” Dad asked me.
The man I loved had rejected me. Jack never loved me. He only saw me as a family friend, and his supposed love made my heart hurt a million times worse. He shattered me, used me, and humiliated me. I hated Jack Timber’s guts.
“Whatever this was between us is over,” I hissed through clenched teeth and crossed my arms too. “This relationship will go back to the way it used to be.”
“Fine by me.” Jack shrugged.
Ignorant, smug dick.
“Glad we’re all on the same page. Your mother and I will be on the next flight home.”
“But what about your vacation?” I asked.
He sighed. “There’s always next Christmas.”
My father went silent. Jack and I were alone, further away than we had ever been and more at odds than before.
Jack got what he wanted. A good roll in the hay, as an old guy such as him would call the hottest sex I’d ever experienced, but that was beside the point. I’d never have faith in him again. Our trust broke when he admitted I meant nothing to him.
“Don’t cross onto my side of the lawn. Stop texting me, and don’t you dare knock on my door because you won’t get an answer.” I glared through tears. “I hate you, Jack Timber, more than I have in my entire life.”
Jack glared right back. “Likewise, princess.”
I ran out of my parents’ house and didn’t turn back.
THIRTY-THREE
Heartache
Noelle
Ibroke down in my car on the way to work, and I was angry at myself for being weak. To make matters worse, I was late to my job, and the entire workday was ruined because of heartbreak over a man who never deserved me. I should’ve continued thinking of Jack as my grumpy, asshole next-door neighbor who meant nothing to me.
I couldn’t think properly and screwed up filing paperwork at the main office. My mind was in overdrive with a constant replay of everything Jack had done. His words echoed in my eardrums and distracted me from my job. I couldn’t eat lunch. I felt drained—depleted of all energy. I finally made up an excuse to head home early to pick up Faith at school.
Once Faith bounced into the backseat with a smile on her face, she made everything better. I didn’t have the heart to break the news of Mr. Timber not coming around anymore when she had wanted to invite him over for a spaghetti dinner. She wanted Jack to tuck her into bed too.
The memory of her sweet innocent face pouting up at me and her eyes twinkling as she pleaded with me to text Jack. To tell him to come read her a bedtime story, but I knew Jack wouldn’t. There was no reason to break her heart too with his rejection. The damage was done, and my Faith didn’t need to suffer. She would feel devastated.
I was dumb to let my heart impede common sense, and I had left my child vulnerable to have her heart broken by a grumpy old man. He had wanted nothing but multiple one-night stands. His heart was too cold to care about anyone but himself.
I’d be able to live the rest of my life with Jack hurting me, but never my child. I’d conceal the truth for as long as I could, shield her from the pain after getting too close when she should’ve never been. I knew better.How dare Jack put our hearts on the line for him to shatter?
