CHAPTER TWENTY

November 23, 2011

I had successfully completed my first year of law school and was almost done with my second semester of my second year. School was even harder than I had imagined. I knew it would consume my life and push me to my absolute limits, but I hadn’t realized it would change me so profoundly. Some people crack in that type of high pressure situations, I however flourished. By the end of my first year I was in the top of my class and interning at a fast-paced law firm in downtown Nashville.

When I left for law school in July of last year I was still broken. I was functioning but I wasn’t truly myself. It took me finding myself again to fully appreciate how much of me had let Jamieson have. I also now realized how lucky I was to have regained those broken pieces of myself. School had brought back my confidence; it gave me an outlet and a priority to focus on. I wouldn’t say that I was completely over Jamieson Wellington, but I would say that I now knew I would never give my control away again.

“What do you think, Jenna?” Olivia asked me from across our corner table at Ted’s. It was Thanksgiving Eve. Audrey and I had come home for the week long break.

“Think about what?” I asked confused.

“The hottie in the corner?” Livy said pointing toward a dark haired man sitting at the end of the bar by himself. He was talking to the lone female bartender who was covered in tattoos.

“I think if he’s interested in her, he would hardly be interested in us.” Audrey huffed beside us.

Audrey was also excelling at school. She and I had discovered very early on that we made an excellent study group of two. Our first semester we had tried to study in the law library like all the other first year students, but we quickly learned that was an epic mistake. Neither one of us had been prepared for the level of petty drama that would take place at school. The library was the epi center for it all. Our apartment quickly became our safe haven. It was the only place we would study, since it was imperative to do so every day. Law school was kind of like the Hunger Games, if you could survive the daily reaping of being called on by volunteering as tribute, then you were more likely to survive because it was on your terms not the professors. This was a strategy that had been working well for Audrey and I so we studied our asses off every day to stay one step ahead.

“Maybe I should get a tattoo,” Olivia mused.

“Really?” Audrey questioned her.

I faintly listened to my friends battle over what was more unique having a tattoo or not having one as I studied the guy across the bar. There was something very familiar about him but I was too far away and his back was too me. The way he held himself reminded me of someone, but who evaded me. It really annoyed me.

“Do you guys want another round?” I asked the girls.

“You bet your ass we do. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I have to spend it with my step-monster and my Dad so I will be downing as much alcohol as humanly possible.” Livy said handing me their empty glasses to take to the bar.

I headed over to the female bartender and the hot mystery guy.

“And don’t make a move on the hottie at the bar I called dibs!” Livy yelled across the bar to me which was incredibly embarrassing.

I knew the guy had heard and when I looked in his direction his eyes met mine and I knew instantly who the dark stranger was.

“Hello Jenna,” he said as I approached.

“Hello Ethan,” I greeted him coolly.

“I thought you moved to Nashville.”

“I did. I’m just home for Thanksgiving,” I explained.

“Oh, you here with your friends?” he asked turning around to look at Audrey and Olivia. They were of course watching mouths hanging open in astonishment.

“Yes,” I offered nothing more.

“What can I get you honey?” The beautiful bartender asked me.

“Three more mojitos please,” I told her with a smile.

“No problem.” She went to work on our drinks.

I could feel Ethan staring, analyzing me.

“What?” I asked him, slightly unnerved by his scrutiny.

“Nothing.” He continued to sip his drink.

I tried to ignore him and willed the bartender to hurry up.

“Have you talked to him?” he asked into the distance separating us.

I knew who he was referring to but I didn’t want to think about him. I was in a good place now; I was moving on, I didn’t want to get pulled back under again.

“No,” I said sternly.

“What a fucking moron,” he muttered under his breath.

I don’t know why it ticked me off that he was calling his brother a moron, I mean he was a moron for what he had done and then some, but I didn’t really think Ethan had a right be such a harsh critic.

“That’s a little like the pot calling the kettle black, don’t you think?” I said with grit to my voice.

“Touché, I see someone has enlightened you about me.” He mused.

“Yes, you could say I have had a complete enlightenment about the Wellington brothers.” I bit back at him.

He laughed a cold almost evil laugh at my hostility. “He really did a number on you, didn’t he?”

That was it, I was pissed now. “You know what Ethan; you’re a dick and an asshole. My sister warned me about your family. She told me not to get involved with your brother and I didn’t listen. She was right, you’re toxic and so is your brother.”

I watched as his face changed into regret at my words.

“How is she?” he asked somberly.

I felt bad instantly, even though Ethan was a complete jackass I could tell he was still tormented by the past. “She is good, really good. She has a daughter now.”

“I’m glad for her.”

“Here you go, sweetheart.” The bartender handed me three drinks.

“Thanks, keep the tab open,” I said handing her my debit card.

I was just about to turn and walk back to my table when Ethan spoke up again. “You know, he’s coming back. He can’t keep up this charade much longer.”

I didn’t really know what he was referring to but I guessed he meant Jamieson was going to be coming back from London. “It doesn’t matter.”

“If only that were true, Jenna,” He slyly smiled.

“It is true. None of it mattered and it certainly doesn’t matter now.” I told him defiantly.

“Maybe not but I know my little brother and when he sets his mind to something—nothing will stop him.”

“What he did was inexcusable. There is no coming back from that Ethan,” I said softly.

“He will try, Jenna. Lord knows he will try, so you best get prepared for that,” Ethan warned.

“I really doubt he will, but thanks for the heads up.” I shrugged at him.

Ethan studied my face and then his face lit up in a sexy smile. “You look so much like her, do you know that, Jenna?”

“Yes I do. Jacqueline and I share a lot of traits,” I continued to smile at him.

“Have a good night, Ethan.” I said as I turned and started toward my friends.

“Jenna…” he called out, forcing me to pause and look back at him.

“I really did love her. You know that right?” Ethan said desperately almost like a he was pleading for his life.

I nodded my head in acknowledgement. “I know that and so does she.”

I smiled at him one last time and walked away.

My heart broke for Ethan a little bit; as much as he had screwed things up with Jacks, I could see he was devastated even now. It made me wonder if Jamieson felt the same way and what my reaction would be if he was ever to be so candid about his feelings. I immediately dismissed that thought when I remembered I had walked in on Jamieson engaged in a threesome. He hadn’t just cheated on me, he made me look like an absolute fool and I refused to play that part again. I had learned my lesson. I was done and if Jamieson Wellington decided he was dumb enough to come back into my life a second time, I would not be so naïve this time around.