Page 106 of The Love Rematch
Completely gutted, as if the past five minutes have physically reached inside his chest and ripped everything out, leaving a trail of blood and gore and debris across the Indian Ocean.
He can’t lose Emily again.
He can’t.
And if he has to defy God himself, then that’s exactly what he’ll do.
The second the boat stops, Jake is on his feet. He runs. Down the dock. Along the walkway. Through the terminal until he’s forced to stop in the logjam at security. He updates his phone incessantly, waiting for the confirmation that Sam’s flight has landed. The second the flight status changes, he calls her.
Straight to voicemail.
Again and again and again.
Then he’s running, and calling, and running, and calling, darting through crowds, jumping over suitcases, nearly knocking people over as the door to her gate looms. By the time he gets there, passengers are already unloading.
“Sam!” he calls. “Sam!”
A security guard grabs him by the arm when he tries to run onto the jet bridge.
“Sam!” he shouts again, his voice turning hoarse. “Sam! Sam! Sam!”
An auburn head pops up in line. She finds his eyes, her expression equal parts annoyed and relieved. He’s bowled over by how much she looks like Em. The terror he’s been keeping at bay crashes over him, leaving him staggering as she makes her way to him. Jake grabs the wall to keep from falling over. He feels as if he’s been hit by a truck. He probably looks it too, sweaty and disheveled from his race across the airport. The fact that Sam doesn’t even comment as she stops in front of him is a reminder of how gravely serious the situation is. He’s never known her not to take the bait.
“What’s going on?” he pants.
“It’s about fucking time,” she sneers and grabs his arm to lead him to a quiet corner away from the gate where no one will overhear. “How much do you know?”
“Nothing,” he snaps. “Not a goddamn thing. I told Em I loved her last night. We slept together, and it was the best fucking night of my life. Then I went to my boss first thing this morning to quit the show. I overheard them talking about some call from a doctor’s office, then I got all your voicemails, and—” He inhales sharply. “What the hell is going on, Sam? What’s wrong with Em? Is she okay? Will she be okay?”
“I hope so.” The vulnerability in her response does little to calm his alarm. Sam squints up at him, disbelief ripe in her familiar golden eyes. “She really didn’t tell you?”
He shakes his head. “Tell me what?”
“God, I could kill her.” Sam groans, then sharpens her gaze on him. “I could kill you. I could just strangle the both of you right now!”
“Sam—”
“I can’t tell you, Jake.”
“Why not?”
“I can’t.”
“Come on. You owe me.”
“What?” She gapes at him, but he stands firm.
“You. Owe. Me.”
“I OWE YOU?”
“Christmas, seven years ago, when you stopped me from leaving that letter outside your house. You lied. Emily didn’t know I was there. She didn’t tell you to send me away. And if you had let me leave that letter, if you had left it alone, maybe she never would have—maybe we never would have—maybe—”
“You havenoidea what we were going through. Jake. No idea.”
“Then tell me.”
“I CAN’T!” she shouts, then takes a deep breath before turning a fierce eye on him. “I promised her I wouldn’t. Ipromised. And she’s my sister. She’s my best friend. My loyalty belongs to her. It always has.”
