Built To Last

“It’s not. I swear. My sister, M

onica, was pregnant. We were all so happy. She glowed. Pregnancy agreed with her. And then…” Lindsay picked up her glass and drank another gulp, staring at the yellow slush in the bottom of the bowl. Tears filled her eyes. “She lost the baby.”

He wouldn’t wish that kind of grief on anyone, but he was struggling to believe Lindsay’s change of heart. But he wasn’t a jerk, either. “I’m so sorry, Lindsay.”

“She was twenty weeks along. They don’t know what happened. She was devastated and my heart broke for her. And it made me think about what’s important in life.” She reached her hand across the table and placed it over his. “And what isn’t. I want a life with you, Jake. And a family.”

The waiter arrived at that moment with their dinners. Just in time. This was certainly not the conversation he expected when he agreed to meet Lindsay. She seemed genuinely distraught by what happened to her sister, but he was still skeptical of her one hundred and eighty degree turn around.

Lindsay stood, interrupting the swirl of thoughts crowding his mind. “I’m going to run to the ladies. I’ll be right back.”

He slumped in his chair and ran his hands through his hair. What just happened here? This wasn’t what he expected when he took Lindsay’s call. He eyed the exit. Maybe he could scoot out while she was gone. She’d done it to him, why shouldn’t he do the same?

Because that’s not who he was. And despite everything that happened with Lindsay, he still cared about her. Just not in the same way. Not anymore.

Could he really be considering getting back with Lindsay?

No. Absolutely not.

He wanted his future with Erin. He’d shared his dreams with her. But each time he tried to dig deeper, she deflected the conversation.

Maybe she didn’t want a family after all.

Was family so important to him that he would choose Lindsay over Erin?

He couldn’t believe he was even considering reconciling with Lindsay. But what did he really know about Erin’s plans for the future? Austin had mentioned losing her now that she had her degree. Did he know something Jake didn’t about what was next on the horizon for her?

His mind swirled with those thoughts and he was no closer to knowing what Erin’s plans were than he was the day they met.

Lindsay returned to the table. He stood while she sat then returned to his seat. They ate dinner, the conversation moving into more general topics, and didn’t return to the bombshell she had just dropped on him. He caught her up on Ryan and Megan, but steered clear of any conversation about his own personal life. Lindsay didn’t know about Erin and until he knew what his future held with her, it would do no good to discuss it.

When dinner was over, he paid the bill and escorted Lindsay out of the restaurant. His hand moved naturally to her lower back before he caught himself and pulled it back. Old habits die hard. He helped her into his truck and drove back to her hotel. He pulled into a parking spot, turned off the truck, and the two of them sat there in silence.

“What are you thinking?” Lindsay asked.

There was no way he could organize his thoughts enough right now to answer that question. “I don’t know. I just don’t know. Things aren’t the same since you left.”

“Are you seeing someone else?”

Jake’s head snapped up.

Lindsay lowered her eyes, staring at her hands in her lap. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. This isn’t fair to you. Or to her. I’ve made so many mistakes in my life, Jake, but the biggest was letting you go.”

“You didn’t let me go, Lindsay. You shoved me away.”

Tears streamed down her face. “I know. I was wrong. About so many things. Please tell me you’ll think about what I said.” She grabbed the door handle, leapt out of the truck and ran into the hotel before he could respond.

As he pulled out of the parking lot and headed home, he knew he wouldn’t be thinking of anything else.

Chapter Thirteen

ERIN’S NERVES PRICKLED when she walked into the office the next morning. Everything felt wrong today. The spring in her step when she left yesterday had been replaced with concrete blocks for shoes.

Her father had a girlfriend… and she saw Jake with another woman.

She’d caked on the concealer this morning but there wasn’t enough makeup in the world to cover her red, splotchy, puffy eyes from spending the night crying.

When she ran out of the restaurant, her father had gathered her into his arms and she’d broken down. She didn’t know how long she’d cried, but Daddy sat there with her, comforting her, until she’d run out of tears.