“Uh, sure.”

“Really?” he asked again.

“Yeah sure,” I repeated.

“Are you going to the Halloween party the Second Amendment Club is putting on tomorrow?” he asked me curiously.

“I hadn’t really thought about it.” I told him honestly. I didn’t really party in school. I found it best to stay out of the mix.

“Well, would you go with me?”

“Okay,” I agreed, smiling back at him.

“Great I’ll text you the details tonight.”

“Alright,” I told him.

“I’m really looking forward to it Jenna.” He turned and headed back toward the private study room in the back of the library. What in the heck had I just agreed to?

“You look great, girl!” Audrey said as she helped me with my name tag.

Audrey was also going to the Halloween party and she was bringing Brad, the med student she had been seeing lately. Audrey was dressed up in scrubs to match her date, she of course opted to wear just an oversized top with no bottoms. She added a cute belt too it making it the most adorable scrub dress I have ever seen. I had decided to be a school girl. It was a last minute choice from the local Halloween store, the selection was slim and it was one of the last outfits they had left. It of course was slutty as hell. The short plaid skirt and thigh high stockings were surely going to grab a few stares from my fellow male classmates.

“Do you think I’m making a mistake?” I asked Audrey at the entrance to the party.

“No. Why would you ask that?” she asked me, concern written all over her face.

“I don’t know. It’s just last time…I’m not sure I’m ready to date someone,” I told her embarrassed of my feelings.

“Jenna, it’s time you moved on—”

I tried to cut her off but she lifted her hand up stopping me.

“I know you think you have moved on, but you haven’t. It has been over two years and you have thrown yourself into school to avoid your feelings. I know he hurt you. I get that, but don’t you think it’s time you at least try to let yourself have some fun?”

Audrey was right. It was past time to get over Jamieson. I wanted to be happy and maybe Cain could help make that a reality.

“You’re right,” I told her with a small smile.

“I just want you be happy, Jenna and I know living in the past isn’t going to get you there. And I can almost guarantee Jamieson isn’t sitting around pining for you. He has surely moved on, so why not do the same thing?” she said giving me an encouraging smile.

“I know. I think I’m just scared,” I admitted.

“Well you have good reason to be. You’re going on a date with the most eligible bachelor in all of law school,” she kidded.

“Not helping, Audrey,” I scolded her.

“Come on, we need to go find our hot dates,” she said wrapping her arm around me leading me into the busy bar filled with law students.

Audrey had been right; I did need to let myself have some fun. Audrey and I danced our faces off. Brad and Cain seemed to get along great and I could tell they could easily be friends. Cain and I also danced. I must admit he had some excellent moves which was a huge turn-on. I hadn’t expected to have those types of feelings so early on. I knew I was attracted to him; I would have to be completely blind not to be. Cain was full of charisma; he was the life of the party. It seemed like everyone liked him and I knew he was smart. In class he always seemed to have the right answer. He was also sweet and that was incredibly reassuring to me. Cain had all the qualities that I was looking for and more. He was perfect, but for some reason at the exact moment he kissed me on the dance floor I didn’t think of all of that. In that flawless moment his name darted across my mind, ruining my happy moment. Would I ever forget him? Would I ever not think of him or would he forever steal my happiness?

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

I stayed in my room the rest of the afternoon and evening. I didn’t want to see Jamieson after our awkward encounter and truthfully I didn’t trust myself around him. The way he had kissed me had reminded me just how much I had missed him. I didn’t want to let myself fall for him again, I had done that once before and I couldn’t imagine the pain it would bring if I let it happen again.

I was glad it was a new day. My ankle still hurt so I had called my sister to let her know I couldn’t ride yet. I planned on spending the day sending out resumes. I was at my absolute wits end with my shut-out in the legal community in Huntsville, last night I decided to go ahead and begin and applying other places. It didn’t mean I had to take the job but at least I would have options, unlike my current circumstances.

I padded across my bedroom floor in my pajamas. I was dying of hunger since I skipped dinner, I needed food and stat. I opened my bedroom door to head downstairs when I heard voices coming from Jamieson’s room. I stopped instantly in my doorway trying to listen. I couldn’t hear so I walked across the hall toward his room but as I was doing so the double doors of his bedroom flew open and Jamieson emerged and he wasn’t alone.

“Trinity, I said stop,” he told her, swatting her hand away.

“It hasn’t been that long you know,” Trinity purred, winking at him.

I gasped and both of their heads turned in my direction. I pushed my back against the wall hoping like hell I would literally just become a part of it.

“What the fuck is she doing here?” Trinity demanded.

“She is staying with me, which is none of your business,” he snapped back at her with a warning look.

Finally my wits came back to me and I hobbled as quickly as I could back to my bedroom and shut myself inside.

As my door clicked tight in the frame, I let out a breath I knew I had been holding in since I overheard voices in Jamieson’s room. My lungs hurt and it was hard for me to truly catch my breath. Tears began to prick my eyes. I was upset even though I wasn’t sure I had a right to be. Jamieson could do whatever he wanted. I had made it clear yesterday that I didn’t want anything from him, but it still gutted me to see him with her. She had been the reason he had left me in the first place. Even though I couldn’t blame Trinity for Jamieson breaking up with me, I still felt jealous of her.

It wasn’t long before a soft knock sounded at my door. “Jenna…can we talk?”

I didn’t want to talk to him. I didn’t have a good explanation for my reaction and more than that, I didn’t think I could look him in the face after knowing he had shared his bed with Trinity last night.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Jamieson. I’m sorry I interrupted.” I hoped he would accept that and go away.

“Please just talk to me,” he pleaded from the other side of the door.

“It’s fine, I’m fine.” I said and my voice cracked giving me away.

Jamieson didn’t ask this time he opened the door and found me sitting on the edge of his large guest bed.

“Jenna, please don’t cry.” He pulled me against his chest.

I continued to sob. It was all too much. Living in his house, being so close to him constantly and now seeing him with Trinity, I couldn’t take it.

“I knew this was a bad idea,” I choked out.

“No it wasn’t.” He held me gently.

“Yes it was. This is just too much, I can’t do it,” I told him through the tears.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated.

“It still hurts you know, even if we aren’t together it still hurts.”

“I know that,” he agreed.

“I know it shouldn’t, I know I pushed you away yesterday, but it guts me to see you with someone else, and I know that I have no claim to you, not now,” I said trying to regain my control.