Page 27 of The Sweet Spot
Her eyes widen. It’s barely perceptible, but I’m used to watching for small tells. She shrugs. “I told you, Chris. It was nothing.”
“Sweetheart, it wasn’t nothing. It was an automatic response.You flinchedwhen you saw my hand coming at you.” I pause a moment to give her time to process what I’m getting at. She has to know where this is going. “I know he was physically abusive.”
She just stares into my eyes, but says nothing.
“I need to understand why you married him, Jennie. Please. And why you never told me.”
She looks away a moment, as if collecting her thoughts. When she looks back at me, her dark eyes are flashing with emotion. “I never told you because I was ashamed and embarrassed, all right?” She’s trying to keep her voice down. “I didn’t want you to know what a horrible mistake I’d made.”
I reach across the table, my hand open, palm up. I’m hoping she’ll give me her hand, but she doesn’t.
“I left for school in August, and you married him in November, right? Tell me how you married a complete stranger in three months.”
“It seems so stupid now, but back then, it made sense.”
“How so?”
She shakes her head. “After you and Micah left Bryce, he started coming into the diner, nearly every day. He always asked for me to wait on him. He was so funny and charming back then. Believe it or not, he can be very charming when he wants to.”
“He was courting you.”
She nods. “He was always around the diner. He offered to help out at the house. In the beginning, Granny loved him, and he was good to her. Grandpa was still alive then. They hit it off well, watching football games together. David helped Grandpain the yard. He took over the mowing and raked the leaves. He shoveled the snow that winter. He gave me rides to the diner when the streets were covered in snow and ice. It was… nice. It was what I needed at the time.”
She saysitwas what she needed, and nothewas what she needed.
“You were lonely?” I ask gently.
Frowning, she nods. “With you and Micah gone, I had no one. And that’s when Grandpa started getting ill. It was a stressful time. I was alone and vulnerable, and David realized he easily control me. Back then I had no idea what a narcissist was.”
My chest tightens.She’d been lonely.For the first time since we’d met in third grade, she’d had no one. “God, Jennie, I’m so sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about, Chris. You guys were living your lives. That’s how it should be. I don’t blame you for that.”
I went away to school in an effort to forget about her. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life pining for her, so I left, hoping I’d meet someone who could take my mind off Jennie. I didn’t. I dated in college, yes, but it never amounted to anything serious. When I returned home after four years of schooling, I was as much in love with her as I’d always been.
I can see the pain filling her eyes. “I was so wrong about him. He was just pretending in the beginning. He pushed and pushed for us to make it official. Once we tied the knot, I started seeing glimpses of the real David. Our marriage quickly became abusive.” She sighs deeply. “It wasn’t long before I realized he didn’t want me. He wanted access to my money—my grandparents’ money.”
“But why? The Braggarts are loaded. Why did he need money?”
“They’d cut David off, financially. I didn’t find out until after we were married. I guess I should have wondered what was up when he insisted we get married at the courthouse. His parents weren’t even involved. I guess they knew him better than I did.”
“And you think he’s back for your money?”
“Why else would he come back? His parents disowned him years ago. I’m his only connection here in town.”
“I want you to request another restraining order to keep him away from you. In the meanwhile, I’ll keep an eye on you—and him. I won’t let him bully or pressure you.”
Tears pool in her eyes. “This isn’t your problem, Chris. You shouldn’t have to—”
“Any problem of yours is a problem of mine. You’re not alone this time, Jennie. You’ve got me—and Micah. We’ve got your back. The threeamigos, right?”
She finally lays her hand on mine. “I’ve made so many mistakes in my life, Chris.”
“It’s okay. Mistakes were made to be fixed.”
“Some mistakes can’t be fixed.”
“Why do you say that?”
