Page 10 of Make You Love Me
Regret consumes me for not knowing about his injury. In my defense, we haven’t kept in touch since the wedding ten months ago. But it’s not like he means nothing to me.
God. Why does my chest feel like it has an arrow in it? It’s pierced through skin, bone, and heart. I could have better prepared myself for the strike had I known he was coming in today. If it hadn’t been for my mother’s ridiculous drama, I would have.
Today is my first day back to work after taking a long weekend to talk my mother off yet another imaginary ledge. She was served her fourth set of divorce papers, which means her world is ending…again. That’s why I missed Jordan’s registration. Why I hadn’t had time this morning to review the new member list and get up to speed.
Now that I think about it, my best friend could have warned me well before now. Sydney should have known, not only because she’s VET’s accountant but because she’s close to Emily, Jackson, the front desk staff, and literally everyone in this damn place. Everyone knew this new member came with a warning label, and only Emily was brave enough to bring it up…albeit a little too late.
Did everyone’s phone break simultaneously where no one could send a simple text?
Literally Anyone:Warning! Ex-boyfriend and you will collide unexpectedly tomorrow. Your world will be rocked, and you won’t know which way is up. Have a nice day.
Yet, with or without the warnings I wish I’d received, I still should have known. It’s Jordan, for goodness’ sake. Something significant and potentially horrible occurred in his life, he’s in my city, and he seeks services from my employer. At that, my hand presses against my stomach as it twists with guilt.
To make matters worse, my sick brain is running through all the possible causes for his obvious injuries, military-related or otherwise, and his upcoming recovery. I wonder if he’ll be able to return to the career he loves. If the woman he’s with will take care of him, and if they’re close like we once were. And with that thought, I’m forced to remember the shambles I made of our relationship and how it’s reduced us to strangers. An ache I don’t recognize pushes through the chaos, bringing me back to—
Someone nearby coughs, and I glance toward the only noise in the room. The music stopped and only a few of my new yogis remain, quietly removing themselves from the awkward end of class.
Shit.
“You okay, Miss Nora?” asks one of the older gentlemen, a Navy veteran, as his dark blue and gold embroidered hat tells me.
“Yes, thank you. I just need a moment.”
“Not a problem since time is up. Great class today.” He winks and rolls himself out.
“Sydney.” I jump up to go search for my best friend slash keeper of heart-wrenching secrets, but stop in the doorway to check for equally gut-wrenching ex-boyfriends. With none in sight, I head for the administrative hallway and burst intoSydney’s office without knocking. “Sydney Norman, I can’t believe—”
The stunning blonde who had accompanied Jordan on the tour now sits in front of Sydney’s desk as if waiting for me. I take longer than necessary to shut the door, sensing this is a closed-door type of meeting. Plus, I still need the moment I didn’t take earlier to gather myself.
Shit. Shit.
“Hi, Nora,” the woman says flatly. “I thought it was time we talked.” She doesn’t stand to greet me, only eyes me with suspicion and a forced smile. Her face looks familiar, but I can’t place her. Thick, perfect curls framing her slender face; a deep dimple on her left; big blue eyes—Oh, god, it’s Josie. Not Jordan’s new girlfriend, but his protective, despises-me-with-every-fiber-of-her-perfect-little-body older sister.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Josie,” I lie. At any other time in my and Jordan’s history, I believe I could have won her over as I do with my stubborn yoga students. She seems like a decent person from the things Jordan says, but no amount of shmoozing could make her like me after what I did to her brother.
“Have a seat, Nora,” Sydney urges. I narrow disapproving eyes at her sympathetic tone yet follow her directions, grateful she’s here to keep me from saying something I’ll regret. I can always count on her for a good kick in the shin whenever I’m being a jerk or have said something I shouldn’t. Unfortunately, her big, fancy-ass desk separates us and leaves me on an island. I’ll have to fend for myself or take my chances swimming for some distant, unknown shore when this conversation turns rocky.
“I’ll cut to the chase,” Josie begins. “Since Emily is busy with Jordan, I gave the details to Sydney to pass along to both of you. If I’m gone much longer, he’ll start asking questions.”
“What’s going on? Is he okay?”
She scoffs, surely not believing my concern is sincere. “He will be. Until then, I need you to do something.”
I glance at Sydney, and she gives me a tight-lipped grin, indicating my choices between right and wrong are limited. “What is it?”
Josie lets out a long breath. Asking me for help causes her a great deal of discomfort, and I don’t know how to interpret that. Her face scrunches like the words are bitter on her tongue. “I need you to pretend you and Jordan are still a couple.”
“What?” I shoot out of my chair. The arrow is back and has set my entire body aflame. “What the hell for?”
“Sydney can tell you why. I don’t have time to explain it again.”
She stands to face me squarely. She’s only an inch or two shorter than me, but she’s got a fierceness I wish I had in this moment. Mine seems to have melted into a useless confused pile of—
“Will you do it? For him?” she asks.
“Not until you tell me what’s going on.”
