Focused on building something that would outlast me.
And she was taken.
Her head had been turned by that sniveling little weasel before she was old enough to know better.
She married a man who went to work as an on the call IT guy.
I could have told her then that skinny pencil dick wasn’t right for her.
She needed someone who could match her fire.
But it wasn’t my place.
So I did the right thing.I left her alone.
I built my company.Expanded.Signed contracts.
J.T.Lawrence Construction—yes, I left out the Leonard on purpose, and only fuckers who had a death wish called me that—outgrew every small-town expectation that tried to box me in.
Sure, I dated.
I entertained.
Even had a kid with a woman I toyed with marrying.But she wasn’t for me.
Luckily, we both knew it and avoided that particular train wreck.But we did share joint custody of our son, and now Maddox is twenty-six years old and working for my company.
He lives here in Woodhaven, and we have a great relationship.
But the fact is, no, I never got serious with a woman after that.
How could I when every time I came back to Woodhaven—every board meeting at the mill, every supply negotiation—thereshewas?
Kelly McCrae.
Beautiful.
Sassy as all get.
And married to a fucking pipsqueak who didn’t deserve her.
Over the years, you’d have thought my desire for her would have dimmed a bit—it didn’t.
And I know what society says about men my age wanting significantly younger women, but I’m not looking to date someone my son’s age.Frankly, I’m not attracted to anyone else lately.
There’s only ever been one woman in my mind.One ideal.
And over the years I’ve watched.I’ve waited.And I noticed something others overlooked.The last few years, that bright and pretty Sawmill Jill’s smiles started to change.
Never quite reaching her eyes like they used to.
I watched that piece of shit husband of hers trying to cut her down to size year by year, shrinking her confidence, making her doubt.
I watched him bristle when she spoke too confidently at the annual dinner for local business folk.Watched him take credit for things she did better.Or amuse himself with rude little criticisms disguised as teasing that others smiled at.
Made me fucking livid.But I kept my distance.
For too fucking long, I stood by and let the woman I was crazy about be with a man who couldn’t begin to be worthy of her.
