Built To Last

Everything he said was absolutely true, but he stopped short of telling her outright that he was actually getting back together with Lindsay. He’d told her enough for her to draw her own conclusion.

Erin’s lips pressed into a tight line and her demeanor changed. Gone were the tears, replaced with a furrowed brow and another emotion entirely filling her gaze. “We may not have known each other long, but you sure didn’t waste any time dating me. Is that all I was? A convenient distraction until Lindsay came back.”

“No, Erin. That’s not it at all. “I love… the time we spent together. But I’m not getting any younger and I made no secret of wanting a big family.” This was not at all going like he wanted. He almost screwed up and told her he loved her. He couldn’t do that now… or ever. Even though he had no plans to get back together with Linds

ay, Erin could never know how he really felt about her. He didn’t want to be the reason she stayed in Laguna Beach when she wanted to be somewhere else. Anywhere else.

“I guess you’re right then. Maybe we aren’t working. Because you sure aren’t the man I thought I knew.” She stood, her shoulders squared and determination in the set of her jaw. “Goodbye, Jake.”

She spun on her heel and hurried down the sidewalk, darting around a couple holding hands and a business man in a suit before disappearing around a corner. After he watched her walk out of his life, he dropped his head into his hands.

He’d done what he’d intended to do—set her free. Now she could turn in her resignation and go find the adventure she’d always wanted. Meanwhile, he would give up his dreams of a wife and family. Because he would never stop loving Erin and a life with Lindsay was out of the question.

Chapter Fourteen

ERIN BARELY MADE it to her car, her tears blurring everything in front of her. Once she climbed in, her hand shook and she dropped her keys on the floorboard when she tried to put them in the ignition. This was too much. She couldn’t take it. At least she was alone now and could break down in peace. She wouldn’t give Jake the pleasure of seeing her heart crumble.

She wrapped her arms around herself and cried. Sobbed. Big ugly tears running down her cheeks. She cried because he broke her heart, and she cried because he killed any chance of her ever trusting a man again.

Everything he’d told her about Lindsay made it clear to Erin that his ex-girlfriend was out of the picture. Evidently not. And that made Erin dispensable.

She should never have put her heart on the line. She thought Jake was different. Thought that they were building a future together. She’d delayed her plans because of what they had. And what had he done? He’d gotten back with his ex-girlfriend.

She grabbed her phone and pressed a few buttons.

“Taylor Wellness Center, Ashley speaking.”

“Hey Ashley, it’s Erin.” She forced herself to sound upbeat. “I’m calling to let you know I’m not going to be in for the rest of the day.”

“Okay, sweetie. I’ll let Austin know. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’ve just got a headache, so I’m going to go home and sleep it off.”

Ashley chuckled. “I bet that headache’s name is Jake, huh?”

Erin shoved her fist in her mouth. She couldn’t cry on the phone. Couldn’t let anyone know how Jake had humiliated her. “No, really, just a headache. Tell Austin I’ll talk to him later.”

Erin clicked off before she was grilled any more. She scanned the half-full parking lot. She didn’t know where to go. What to do. She couldn’t go home. She didn’t want to run into her father with his girlfriend again, but she needed time to process everything Jake had said to her.

She rubbed the tattoo on her wrist, the world that usually gave her hope now taunting her with its vastness. So many places she wanted to see, and right now, she couldn’t decide where to start.

After a few more minutes, she pulled out of the parking lot and drove the short distance to Heisler Park, one of her favorite sections of coastline in Laguna Beach. An escape from the reality her life had become the past ten years. The peace of the gardens and the ruggedness of the coastline calmed her.

She climbed out of her car and drew in a deep breath of the salt-filled air swirling around her. Then she stepped into the park.

For she didn’t know how long, she meandered along the paved paths weaving their way through the colorful flowers and plants of the park. Deep reds and purples and greens filled the landscape and cocooned her with their life. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to grab hold of the peace. When she reached the gazebo along the path, she stepped in. The solitude of the enclosure is exactly what she needed.

She sat on one of the benches, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes. Images of Jake filled her mind. A tortured look had crossed his face when he broke up with her, telling her he was going back to Lindsay. She would have thought he’d have looked happier about getting everything he wanted out of life. She just thought that he would be getting that with her.

A sob escaped and she slapped her hands over her mouth.

She’d given her heart to Jake and he’d stomped on it. Maybe he’d never really gotten over Lindsay like he said he had. Maybe she had just been a distraction until Lindsay returned. But his expression on the day she met him told her a different story. He’d sought her out, after all. Confidence and gentleness oozed from his pores. He didn’t seem like a man pining after another woman.

Every moment of their relationship, he’d been solely focused on her. Sure, he’d talked about his dreams for the future. His desire for a family. But she’d put him off, distracted him, so she didn’t have to tell him about her plans to travel. Maybe this was her fault after all. Maybe if she’d been honest with him, they could have worked through this together.

And he wouldn’t be running back to Lindsay.

“I thought I’d find you here.”