Cherished (Wanted 4)

Scott would love it here. I felt tears coming again.

Scott had been asking me so many questions about what I wanted to do when we got married. He’d asked if I wanted a big wedding with lots of guests or a small one with just family and where my dream honeymoon would be. I had told him I always wanted to go to Belize. Belize would be my dream honeymoon, and here I was, standing outside a beautiful cabana. I was all alone and totally heartbroken, feeling like I was flying in a free fall.

I took a deep breath and made my way up onto the small porch that looked out to the ocean. I glanced over to the beach and saw a man around my age walking alone. I wasn’t sure why I stopped and watched him, but I couldn’t pull my eyes away from him. He looked up, and our eyes caught. I tried to smile as I gave him a wave, but he must have been able to tell that I’d been crying. He frowned and then smiled as he continued along the beach.

I turned and opened the door. I walked into the room where I was planning on spending the next few weeks…alone. I just needed time to sort through things and figure out what I was going to do now that I wouldn’t be buying the vet clinic in Mason.

Where will I go? What will I do?

I sat at the small table for two at the Mesa Café and waited on my shrimp burger. I’d tried to call my father’s house to let him know I was okay, but I couldn’t get the stupid phone in my room to work. I just hoped that Amanda and Brad had let everyone know that they had seen me. I didn’t want my dad to worry about me.

Oh shit…he’s going to kill me for running off and not telling him where I was going. Double fuck!

“Long time no see.”

I looked up and saw the same man I’d seen earlier walking on the beach. He was peeking down at me with a drop-dead gorgeous smile. I couldn’t help but notice those deep green eyes, and his dark brown hair had that perfect messy look to it. I smiled back and nodded.

“Hi, um…I just got here today, so you’re actually the first person I’ve talked to…well, besides the hotel staff and the waitress here.” I let out a giggle.

Oh, for the love of God, what is wrong with me? I just made an ass of myself.

He glanced down at the empty chair and lifted his eyebrows. “Tell me why a beautiful woman, such as yourself, is here alone.”

My smile slowly faded before I managed another weak smile. “It’s a long story.”

He nodded and said, “Mending a broken heart?”

My mouth dropped open, and I just stared at him. Am I that obvious? “Um…”

He started laughing. “Don’t be too shocked, love. I’m here for the same reason.”

I lifted my eyebrows with a questioning look.

“Yep. I was left at the altar…literally. I was standing there, waiting for her to walk down the aisle. She never made it, and I was left with two plane tickets to Belize and a broken heart bigger than the size of Texas. So, what else could I do? I made the trip with my best friend. He just left yesterday.”

“I’m so sorry. That must have really hurt. I’m glad your friend was able to make the trip with you though. Did y’all at least get to have fun while he was here?”

He smiled. “Oh, hell yeah. It was nothing but getting drunk and then waking up the next day to go sightseeing before getting drunk again. That was our routine for two weeks. By the way”—he extended his hand out to me—“the name is Trey Walker.”

I placed my hand in his and smiled. “Jessie Rhodes. And yes, I’m mending a broken heart, but I’m not really ready to talk about it, so…”

Trey held up his hands and smiled bigger. I wasn’t sure what made me do it, but the next thing I knew, I was inviting him to sit and have dinner with me. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to talk to him. I actually laughed a few times. I also found out that he was a lawyer from Dallas, Texas.

Huh…I would have never pegged him as a lawyer.

“You’ve got to have the key lime pie gelato. Oh man, it’s to die for.”

I smiled. “Share it with me?”

“I was hoping you’d suggest that,” he said with a silly grin.

My stomach did a funny little dip. What in the hell was that?

I instantly felt guilty for even having dinner with Trey, and now, we were going to share a dessert. Then, I closed my eyes and saw Chelsea riding Scott, like the whore that she was, and I quickly pushed those feelings aside.

Besides, the last thing I wanted was another relationship. Men sucked.

Trey was telling me how he and his best friend had ended up falling off a pier a few days ago, and I couldn’t help but laugh at how animated he was. It was so nice to finally not think about what had happened to me. To be able to laugh felt so good.