Several times, they had double dates with Devon and Tessa.Grant studied Devon with his wife and understood Devon was just as bad off.
Jennifer took time now to make herself less dowdy, even going shopping several times with Tessa, and Grant knew she hated shopping.However, it didn’t matter to Grant what she was wearing.He never stopped wanting to touch her, no matter where they were or what she looked like.
He tried taking her to different places.Once, he had taken her to the movies.They had to leave halfway through before they got kicked out.His hands hadn’t stopped, and it quickly heated between them.Their need for each other flamed.She was surprised they’d made it to his house that night.They hadn’t made it to the bedroom.They didn’t get past the kitchen for a while.
She thought at first that their relationship was typical, until she started watching other couples.She was dumbfounded to watch young couples in restaurants, ignoring each other, talking, or texting on their phones.She worried that, over time, Grant and she would get to that point, too, but then discarded the thought.What they felt for each other was strong and seemed to grow, not lessen, daily.They would never get to that point.
Jennifer fell more in love with him every day.It seemed her whole world started to revolve around him.At times, it scared her how strong her emotions were.As her feelings for him grew, so did her insecurities.
Sometimes, her insecurities would creep up and shake her.Jennifer knew she was attractive, but she’d sometimes look at Grant and still not understand what he saw in her.It didn’t help when women threw themselves at him at every turn, and it didn’t seem to matter to them if she was standing there or not.Sometimes, it felt like she was invisible.It helped that Grant didn’t seem to see these women.All his attention stayed on her, but it didn’t take away all her uncertainties.
Jennifer had talked to Tessa a few times.Tessa always came back with how much Grant seemed to care for her, and she couldn’t understand why she was insecure.She was beautiful, had a great curvy body, and was incredibly sweet.
It didn’t matter.Other women always seemed more beautiful than she was, and they had better bodies.Every one of them was taller than she, and skinnier.Jennifer kept asking herself what man wanted a full-figured, ignorant, small-town girl with no experience who worked with animal feces all day?
As the days passed, her insecurities grew rather than lessened.It got worse when it seemed Grant was making excuses to not be with her.His most used excuse was having meetings, especially at night, and he seemed more preoccupied than usual.He always had a good explanation when she asked, but they seemed contrived to Jennifer.The few times he’d have to travel, he always called it work, but she got the feeling it was something else.Something he was keeping from her.
One Friday night, Jennifer waited at her apartment for Grant to pick her up at six for dinner.But six came and went, then seven, then eight.Jennifer tried to text and call him several times but never got through.She started to worry because Grant was never this late.
Jennifer’s stomach tightened in concern.She tried calling his office several times and was surprised when someone—a woman—answered at that late hour.
“Hi, is this Mrs.Arnett?
There was a slight pause.“No.She went home hours ago.”
“Oh, okay.Who is this?”
“You tell me who you are.”The voice took a hard, cold edge.
A deep-seated feeling of dread crept into my mind.“This is Jennifer.Is Grant there?”
The woman paused again and then purred.“Oh, yes, Jennifer.I’ve heard all about you.He is, but he can’t come to the phone.”
Tears burned her eyes.“I see.Could you give him a message for me?”
“I’ll try, but we’re very busy, and I might not get the chance,” the woman said seductively.
A mass of emotion clogged her throat.“Okay.Just tell him I called.”
“Whatever.Now I need to get back to him because he needs me.”
She heard Grant’s voice in the back say, “Let’s go.I don’t have all night.”It seemed to bruise something inside her to hear him there with her.
Jennifer stood in the middle of her living room, frozen and thankfully numb.She knew, logically, this was out of character for Grant, but that conversation with the woman brought her insecurities to the forefront of her mind.All the times he had acted secretively ran through her mind.What if the time had finally come that he’d grown tired of her?
She needed to move but couldn’t remember why.She swallowed back her tears and grabbed her purse.She needed to keep busy, or she felt like she’d fall into a million pieces.
Half an hour later, she unlocked the door to the shelter.There was always something here to do.And the animals always gave her comfort.She worked well into the night, finally falling asleep on her couch in the wee hours of the morning when she had no more energy or will to keep the tears at bay.
“Jen.Jen, wake up.”
Jennifer jerked awake, disoriented for a moment.
“Jen.What are you doing here?Have you been here all night?”
Jennifer sat up and pushed the light blanket off.She rubbed her eyes.“Morning, Kari.”
Kari cringed at Jennifer’s raw-sounding voice.“Jennifer, what’s going on?”
