Noelle
Last night was awful. I swore I wouldn’t let Jack get to me, but I cried until my eyes were bloodshot and puffy. I kept a Kleenex box beside the bed, and I had a horrible sleep. I’d tossed and turned for hours because I couldn’t stop thinking about Jack and the other chick with him. The idea of them together only made everything worse.
I woke up after a crummy four hours of sleep. The version of myself in the mirror’s reflection wasn’t too pleasing. My hair was a tangled disaster, and I had bags under my eyes and wrinkle lines on my cheeks from my rumpled bed sheet. A crusted drool line in the corner of my mouth, and I had a piece of Kleenex stuck in my hair.
This wasn’t me. An unorganized mess. But I didn’t give a shit because my heart broke.
I plucked the tissue out of my hair and gathered my unruly locks up into a high bun on top of my head. While fastening an elastic around the awful hairstyle, I groaned in misery. I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was curl up and go back to bed to sleep away the heartache and dream about the man I could never have.
I couldn’t. I had responsibilities, a little girl who depended on me, and a life I had created long before Jack Timber turned my world upside down.Where did I go wrong?
“Stupid, stupid, stupid.” I tapped the heel of my palm against my forehead and blew out a frustrated breath. “I can do this. Pull yourself together.”
I plastered on a fake-ass smile, which made my cheeks hurt, and adjusted my fleece pajamas. The tips of my fingers tapped the messy bun, and it fell lopsided. I inhaled deeply and blew the air out.There.I was ready, but I needed a caffeine fix.
I yawned while my feet sluggishly ambled across the floor and headed downstairs. One step, two steps, three, but I fumbled on the fourth and thank God I’d held onto the railing. I didn’t need any more dumb decisions to add to my list of fuck-ups this month. I had enough to deal with.
Once in the kitchen, I prepared a coffee but passed on any fixings. I wanted the brew black. Bitter to the taste and cracking my ass into gear for the rest of the day.
Mug in hand, I wandered out onto my backyard patio to take in the beautiful morning view and try to lighten my mood. The cool seasonal temperature bit as it usually does, and the birds chirped as they normally do. Trees swayed in the light breeze, and there wasn’t one peep of disturbance.
I leaned against the railing of my deck, and my eyes drifted shut. This was the peace and quiet I needed. Until I heard a low grumble and then a grunt.
Whack!
My eyes popped open. My hands clenched the mug while I squinted and turned to glare at the fence. Jack not only had the audacity to grant me a front-row seat to his sex life after he’d rejected me, but he wanted everything to go back to normal.
A bellowed vocalized cry of frustration escaped me. “That’s it.” I tossed the rest of my hot coffee over the banister.
I was pissed. My blood boiled, my head fumed, and smoke would puff out of my damn ears if it could. I left my mug on the deck and charged toward the fence on the property line.
“Timber!” I yelled at the fence.
No response other than a manly grunt and a chop.
I hollered at him through my hands, “Timber!”
Nothing.
I jumped up and down, but there was no way I’d see over the damn fence. The wood was too tall! I stomped my boot on the ground and searched around until I saw a lightweight stool. I put the stool beside the fence and stood on top of it. The damn thing wobbled, but I grabbed a sturdy post before I took a tumble.
Phew! Close one.
I popped my head over the fence. There was Jack in his flannel shirt, chopping wood with his axe. The memory of what he’d insisted I do to the handle made my cheeks flush, but it wasn’t time to reminisce. I gave my head a shake, gripped the wood, and stared daggers of rage at my nuisance of a neighbor.
“Timber!” I barked.
Jack froze mid-chop with his axe held high in the air, and he let the blade fall to his side. He turned his attention toward me with a smug smile.God damn jerk.
“Well, good morning, neighbor.” The grin faded into a pressed line. “What doyouwant?”
“I want you to keep the damn noise down!” I yelled at Jack and pointed at him. “After the night I had, I think you of all people owe me that!”
Jack mumbled something I couldn’t make out and went back to chomping with the axe. He ignored my request.Was I shocked?No.Infuriated?Hell yes!
“Goddamn it, Jack, quit ignoring me! Don’t make me come over there and give you a piece of my mind!” I exclaimed.
Jack heaved the axe blade into the wooden stump. He turned to give me his full attention with his chest heaving and strands of sweaty hair stuck to his forehead. His shoulders were rigid, and his hands balled into fists at his sides.
