Jesse (Damage Control 2)

Meanwhile, lots of little packages are ready to be mailed, so I leave the chocolates on my bed, grab everything and head out.

My heart is light for the first time since the wedding. Or maybe since ever. Shedding the doubt and anger was a conscious decision. Choosing to love Jesse wasn’t, but it’s all coming together.

I’ve lived the past few years in a bubble, taking no risks, making no moves. Now I’m treading deep water. Taking the plunge was the hardest part. I need to keep swimming and trust in my instinct. In my feelings.

In him.

As I push the door closed with my hip, loaded with two plastic bags full of my packaged jewelry, my cell rings. My thoughts on Jesse, I drop the bags and whip out the cell.

“Yeah?” Breathless, I sit on the top step of the stairs.

“Amber? Is everything okay, were you running?”

I snort. “Ev. No, I wasn’t. I’m heading to the post office.”

“I’ve got some news for you. About Nick Harris.”

Frowning, I change the cell to my other ear. “What did you find out?”

“Nick has found God.”

I blink. “You’re kidding me.”

“I’m not.”

“He’s a priest?”

“No, not yet anyway. But he’s openly repented in the church he attends about his past ways, and has promised to do only good from now on. He volunteers for charities, helps out with the homeless… You name it.”

“Can’t believe it.” I rub my forehead. I can feel a headache starting. “He was a frigging bully, for chrissakes.”

“A repentant one. Also some awful stuff came out about his family. His older brother bullied him, too, apparently.”

“Not good enough,” I grumble. It isn’t. Wasn’t Asher also bullied by his father? I remember the story Ev told me. But he turned out just fine. “Not even close.”

“I know.” She sighs into the phone. “Anyway. I wanted to let you know, oh and that he works for an event organizer. The one who organized Asher’s and Audrey’s wedding reception. No wonder we both saw him there. He must have found your address on the guest list.”

“Crap.” Fear shudders through me.

“Look, I got to go now. Come have a coffee with me in the afternoon? There’s this new café near State Street, and Kayla might drop by, too. We can talk about this.”

I get the name and address of the café, and promise to go. Then I disconnect and let out a long breath.

Coffee with the girls is always fun. There will be some gossip and plans to go shopping, or do our hair or watch a movie. I love those girls. Yeah, Kayla has been growing on me, too.

But truth is, I can’t take my mind off Jesse, and I can’t wait for evening when he’s off work to finally see him.

***

After a morning of running about, mailing my packages and shopping—I love Kayla, but her dinner options are a toss between tortilla chips with dip and ice cream—I’m looking forward to meeting the girls and grabbing some lunch there.

Stomach grumbling, I put away the groceries, drink some cold water, and head back out. Tall trees line part of the street, foliage rustling, throwing dappled shadows on the sidewalk. I pull down my sunglasses and squint up into the bright sunlight.

“Amber!” someone calls, and I stiffen. “Can we talk?”

Nick Harris is striding toward me, dressed in a blue T-shirt with a smiley face on it and white shorts. His handsome face is drawn into a small frown.

His hated, arrogant face, the face that sneered at me and laughed at me too many times to count while he and his minions broke my pens, tore my notebooks, called me names and circulated awful rumors about me.