“Jenna!” Jamieson rushed toward me and gently helped me back to the bench.

“Sorry, I drank too much tonight.” I told him sheepishly.

“You’re staying here tonight.”

I knew that tone and I also knew he wasn’t messing around. “I’d rather go home, Jamieson. I would be more comfortable at home.”

“No.” He said and stood up and went toward his massive mirrored dresser. He pulled open the third drawer and grabbed something. “Here put these on.”

I didn’t know what to say. He had handed me my favorite pajamas from years ago. Touching the material I instantly felt the past coming alive. A flood of memories washed over me of all the times I had spent in this room tangled in his bed. But with those memories, was the one memory I wished I could forget, the day he had ruined everything. “Why did you keep these?”

He ignored me and headed toward his bathroom.

I stared at my old clothes in my lap and resigned myself to finally putting them on seeking their familiar comfort. As I waited for Jamieson, I asked myself over and over why he had kept my pajamas all these years. Then I began to wonder if there were other items of mine in the drawer. After all, it had been my drawer. I stood and gently opened the giant third drawer. I gasped as the contents were revealed. It was exactly how I had left it all those years ago. There were clothes, my extra phone charger from back then and also a slew of lingerie I had all but erased from my memory. I ran my hands gently over the pile of items not believing they truly existed.

“I couldn’t throw it out, even though you told me to.”

His voiced startled me and I spun around wide-eyed to see a very half naked Jamieson leaning against the tall four-poster dark wood bed.

“Why?” We both knew I wasn’t just asking about him keeping my clothes.

“Because I couldn’t, if I had it would have been the end and I wasn’t ready for that. I don’t think I will ever be ready for that Jenna.” Please this coming from the man that not just broke my heart but ripped it out of my chest.

“Jamieson—”

“Don’t Jenna. I don’t want to argue with you tonight. I know I am the one that destroyed everything. I get that, but it doesn’t mean I haven’t regretted it every day since. I made you a promise a while ago and even though you seemed to have forgotten that promise, I have not.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Could he be any more confusing?

“I know you don’t, but I’m confident it will come back to you,” he said and climbed into his huge bed with its wicked looking black bedding. There was no way in hell I was getting in that bed, not ever again. I grabbed the blanket from the bench at the end of the bed and proceeded to make a bed on the floor.

“Jenna what are you doing?” he glared at me from the side of the bed.

“Making a bed on the floor."

“I can see that, but why?” he asked baffled.

“Well Jamieson, the last time I stepped foot in this bedroom I vowed it would be my last. I’m sure you can imagine why.” I said shooting daggers at him.

Pain washed across his face for a half a second before he jumped out of bed. “Come with me.”

“No, I’m just getting comfy.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Fine.” He grumbled and bent down scooping me up with my blanket.

“Damn it, Jamieson! Put me down!” I squirmed trying to get loose from him but to no avail.

He took large purposeful steps across the room and down the hall. We went pass his office by the staircase and he flung open a door at the far end of the hallway. He flipped on the light and I realized where he had taken me. It was a spare guest room that he rarely used. I had only been in it once maybe twice.

“I understand if you don’t want to sleep in my bed, but you aren’t going to sleep on the floor.” He dipped down lightly placing me on the bed. He then turned to walk out of the door.

“Jamieson…” I didn’t really think before I said his name. It just kind of came out.

“What baby?” He purred in a smooth tone.

“Can you sit in here with me until I fall asleep?” It was pathetic I know but I couldn’t help it. Five years ago this man made everything right in my world. Being near him could just set my soul at ease. It wasn’t just a comfort that I sought from him it was a peace I had never known in my life until him. I wanted a small part of that again, even if it was just for tonight.

Jamieson turned out the light and settled into his side of the king bed. “Get under the covers, Jenna, I don’t want you to get cold.”

I agreed and snuggled under the fluffy comforter.

“Thank you for understanding why I couldn’t sleep in your room. There are just too many memories in there.” I said into the darkness.

“I know all about the memories Jenna, they haunt me day and night.” They do?

CHAPTER TEN

December 25, 2009…

“So Jenna, tell us what it is you do?” Jamieson’s intimidating mother, Adeline Wellington questioned me from across the large wood table.

“Well, I just graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in computer science.” I replied as all eyes were on me. Jamieson had neglected to tell me that in addition to his brother and mother, his uncle Phillip would be joining us along with some business associates from London. He had reassured me after I learned of their presence that they were also close family friends that owned a chain of restaurants and bars in London. So far I was really enjoying getting to know them. The husbands name was Lars and the wife was Violet. Violet was stunningly beautiful woman in her mid-fifties. I was seated next to her and we were easily chatting about our favorite designers before Jamieson’s mother had interrupted us.

“Jenna has also been accepted to the Vanderbilt School of Law.” Jamieson offered from beside me.

“Well I must say that is rather impressive, Jenna.” Adeline said giving me a warm smile. Jamieson’s mother might be pucker-your-cheeks intimidating but for whatever reason she clearly liked me, which I was thankful for.

“Yes I must say, James you certainly got yourself an over achiever here,” Uncle Phillip stated coldly.

Something about Jamieson’s uncle gave me a bad vibe. Perhaps it was all of his creepy dead-eyed stares or maybe it was his intense business talk that bothered me. He was aggressive by nature, it showed in how he carried himself around others, always asserting his presence.

“Yes Uncle, I certainly did,” Jamieson said and slipped his hand in mine under the table.

“So Jenna, when will you be leaving for Vanderbilt?” Uncle Phillip asked.

“August,” I replied. I didn’t want to think about it. I had talked about it briefly with Jamieson and he had reassured me the two hour drive wouldn’t stop us from being together. I tried to make my concerns known to him but he repeatedly just brushed them off telling me two hours was nothing.

“Long distance relationship, huh?” he asked looking at Jamieson with an eyebrow raised.

“Yes, Jenna and I don’t really see it as a problem,” Jamieson shot back clearly with an edge to his voice.

“Well I think that is great.” The lovely Violet piped up from my other side. “I just love seeing young people today making that sort of commitment.”

“I agree darling, if only we could find a nice young man to settle our own daughter down.” Lars mused. Violet and Lars had informed me earlier that they only had one child, a daughter who was Jamieson’s age and in fact they had been close friends through childhood. I got the feeling though that she was a bit on the wild side and caused her parents much anxiety.

“Do you have any siblings Jenna?” Violet asked me clearly still trying to help steer the conversation in another direction and bless her for that.