“I’m sure he will be up soon. I can’t imagine he would leave you for very long. He seems quite captivated by you.”

I didn’t know what to say to that so I stepped away and made my way back to the bedroom Jamieson and I were sharing.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The next morning I woke to Jamieson’s large arm draped over top of me. I don’t remember falling asleep or him moving close to me. I’m torn. Part of me wants to recoil and swat his arm away, but the other side of me wants to snuggle deep against him. I opt for neither of those things and just quietly lay there relishing in his gentle touch and enjoying the intoxicating smell of his cologne. There was a time in my life that I thought I couldn’t live without that touch or that smell, but now I knew the truth. I could live without him and I had to.

I attempted to squeeze my shoulders out from underneath him without waking him but with no success.

“I see you’re finally awake.” Wait, was he pretending to sleep?

I pulled myself out from underneath him. “I uh, I need to get home.”

“I’ll drive you, just let me go put on some clothes.” Jamieson rose out of the bed and he was only wearing his boxers. I shouldn’t have been surprised. He loved to sleep naked. I was more shocked he even kept the boxers on.

I followed him into his bedroom to gather my clothes from last night and my purse. Jamieson quickly put on a pair of dark wash jeans and a white t-shirt. His outfit may have been simple but there was something about it that was sexy as hell. I felt myself staring so I immediately headed downstairs. That’s when I remembered that Olivia would probably still be there. She didn’t think I knew but she had been shacking up with Julian lately.

When I got to the first floor I searched around but it seemed pretty quiet. I checked the front of the house and of course her car was gone.

“They left early this morning. I told them I would bring you home.”

Jamieson startled me. I didn’t hear him come down the stairs.

“Alright.” I conceded.

I followed him to his massive garage. The stupid thing can fit six cars or more. I headed toward the truck; it is the closet vehicle to the door and the one I knew he drove the most. Jamieson however didn’t stop at the truck he had continued down the row of vehicles until he came to the sporty black Aston Martin.

“Get in, Jenna.” He commanded.

He was doing this on purpose, I knew him. He was well aware the memories this vehicle held. The last time he and I had sex was in that ridiculous car. It was the hottest sex I had ever had, hands down. I have relived that memory a thousand times in my mind. I knew I could protest but that would just prove to him how much I remembered. Instead, I opted to ignore it and climbed in like it meant nothing to me.

As I fastened my seatbelt I caught Jamieson staring at me and for a brief second I saw the flash of memories in his eyes. He too remembered that night.

He pushed a button and the car roared to life. Music flooded around us through the sound system. I thought about reaching forward to turn it down but I didn't do it. It took me a minute to realize the song but then it came to me. It was Desire by Meg Myers it sent unwanted butterflies loose in my belly. The song blared as he sped down the private drive. The haunting melody overtook me and I felt myself get lost in the backdrop of scenery as it whizzed past us.

When we got to my apartment, Jamieson parked the car and turned it off. “Thanks for the ride.” I told him.

“When are you telling your parents?” His question only slightly surprised me.

“Today.” I decided not to look at him; I didn’t want him to see the fear in my eyes.

“I want to go with you,” he declared.

“No. That is nice of you to offer but I don’t think it’s the best idea,” I replied.

“Jenna, I am to blame for this and I would like to be there for you when you have to tell your parents.”

“Yes, but I am the one that agreed to marry you, sober or not. I made my choice and I have to live with that now.” I knew his intentions were good, but I just couldn’t take the high stakes pressure of having him in the same room as my family when I divulged this monumental fuck up.

“Jenna, just let me help you through this,” Jamieson pleaded.

“You know that is not a good idea,” I retorted.

“Why?”

“You know why! This cannot happen Jamieson, not again.” He was starting to upset me now.

“No, I don’t know that. This thing between us, Jenna, it’s not over. We can’t keep ignoring it.”

“Ha! I didn’t ignore it, you did and you made it abundantly clear it was very much over. I gave you everything of me, Jamieson. I wanted you and only you. But that wasn’t the case for you was it? The truth is I was never enough and I was never going to be enough. You knew that, but unfortunately I took longer to catch on.” I flung open the door and scrambled out of the car toward my apartment not looking back. I wasn’t sure if he would try to follow me but I didn’t intend to find out. As I opened my door I heard the roar of the engine come to life and I knew I was free of him, for now.

My parents had no idea I had called off the wedding, or should I say the wedding already took place to another man. I wasn’t sure how I was exactly going to break the news to them but I figured I might as well do it at Sunday dinner with everyone there. I had considered telling my mom first or my sister but then I decided why go through the pain and questions more than once. I needed to just do this once and get it over with. Today was going to epically suck.

As I proceeded inside my parents’ house toward the kitchen I could hear my mother and sister chatting and entertaining my niece, Libby. Libby is almost five now and an absolute handful which is why I love her so much. She reminds me of her mother, she is fearless and very determined. She hasn’t even had her fifth birthday yet and she is already learning to jump her pony, Edwin.

“I said one Libby.” I heard Jacks tell her defiant daughter.

“But Mom says I can have three.” I smiled to myself hearing Libby call my mother “Mom.” Since Libby was able to talk she calls grandma “Mom” and her mother “Mommy.” I know it is because she hears Jacks and I call her that but I secretly think she also does it just to annoy her parents.

“How about we have one for right now and another after dinner.” My mother attempted to curb the freak-out that was brewing.

“Okay Mom.” Libby replied sweetly.

“Hey guys,” I called out as I entered the kitchen.

“Aunt Enna! I have missed you.” Libby hollered running up to me hugging me tightly.

“You did?” I quizzed her.

“Yes, I missed you.” She said with her blonde curls bouncing.

“Well I missed you too.” I told her picking her up and hugging her tightly.

“So where is Cain today?” My mother had always been able to tell when her children were hiding things.

“He couldn’t make it.” I replied without any further explanation. “Where’s Dad and Lukas?” I attempted to steer the conversation off of Cain’s absence.

“They are watching the game in the family room.” Jacks replied.

“Dinner is almost ready. Jenna can you go tell the guys?” Mom asked.

“Sure.” I knew my Mom could tell there was something off. I also knew she was holding back until the opportune moment.

After the table was set and we said our Sunday prayer, everyone began digging in to their dinner. Lukas and my father were arguing about some football game. My mother and Jacks were busily discussing the wedding and all of the details. I listened anxiously to all the conversations around me and panicked thinking of how my news would be received.