Promise Me Always (7 page)

I started laughing. “That, actually, would have been pretty funny. By the way, thanks so much for the Advil and Gatorade this morning. How did you know I would need it?”

“I saw how many Patron shots you did last night and I figured it was a safe bet,” Blake stated, winking at me.

“Thanks, Blake. That was sweet of you,” I said with a genuine smile. “Well, I better get up and get home so I can call Jared’s ass back. This is going to be fun.”

When I got home, I took a long shower and decided to make something to eat before calling Jared back. I reasoned that I was going to need all of the energy I could muster to get through that conversation. Really—I was just stalling. I didn’t want to call Jared back at all. I didn’t have much to say, except that he was an asshole. I also knew he could be persuasive when he wanted to be and, to be honest, I still loved him. I really wanted to have my head on straight before I returned his call.

An hour later, I got up the courage to call him back. I knew that if I didn’t, he would show up at my apartment and then I would really be screwed. I picked up the phone, found his name, and hit the green button. I was full of dread. I did not want to do this—now or ever.

He picked up immediately. “Baby, I am so sorry! Please, can I come up? I am outside. I’ve been sitting here for an hour waiting for you to call.” He sounded so worried. Just hearing his voice pleading like that—he was already breaking through my walls. I needed to stay strong.

“I don’t know if that is the best idea, Jared. I’m still really hurt and I just don’t think anything good could come from seeing you right now.” I started to cry. I couldn’t fight back the anger that was building up inside me. Images from the night before flashed vividly through my mind and my anger boiled over. “You fucked someone else! AGAIN! You know what—I can’t believe I called you back in the first place.”

“Babe, please I’m coming up. I have to see you. I need to explain,” he said in a rush. I heard him close his car door.

“No, Jared! I don’t want you coming up. I’m serious. Go away. We’re done,” I said, trying to sound strong. I didn’t so much as get it out of my mouth and there was a knock at my door.
God, he got up here fast!

“Tessa, open the door. Even if you’re done with me, can I please just see you one last time so I can say goodbye? Please, babe,” he pleaded.

I hesitated for a minute. I didn’t want to open the door but, somehow, he always could get me to do things I didn’t want to do.

“Please, I’m begging you.”

I sat there for a few moments, debating if letting him in was a good idea or not. I knew he wouldn’t give up if I didn’t. He would stay out there all damn day, trapping me inside my apartment and I had things I needed to do. I finally gave in, figuring this conversation had to take place sooner or later and it was best just to get it over with. Hopefully, it would be fast and painless, like ripping off a bandage. When I opened the door, he was sitting on his knees with his head down. In his arms were a dozen long stem pink roses.

He looked like hell. His shaggy dark brown hair was all messed up, like he had been running his hands through it all night. His dark green eyes were blood shot and he looked like he hadn’t slept in days. I silently stared at him as he looked everywhere but at me. The look on his face was despondent and, for a split second, I actually felt bad for running away last night and not speaking to him. Then images of him and Monica replayed in my mind and I had to close my eyes to keep from crying again. This man that I had loved, trusted, given my heart to, completely betrayed me. I had given up so much to be with him and I lost a piece of me along the way. I silently cursed myself for allowing him to control me for so long. I was always so scared to upset him in fear of what the backlashes would be—but not anymore. He caused me enough pain over the past six months and I was done.

After what seemed like an eternity, he stood up and wrapped his arms around me. I pushed him away. “No, Jared. It isn’t going to work this time. You fucked your assistant and lied to me.” I walked back into my apartment, making my way over to the kitchen. I couldn’t let him near me—I had to stay strong. “How long have you been seeing her?”

He followed me, closing the door behind him. He set the flowers on the counter, pushing his hand through his hair as he spoke. “It was only that one time, babe. Please believe me. I never would have done it but,” he paused for a moment, probably trying to come up with the perfect lie. “She black mailed me, Tess.”

“Really, Jared?” I asked in disbelief. “You had all night to think about this and
that
is the best you could come up with?” I said, anger dripping from every word. “What could she possibly have to blackmail you with?”

“I messed up at work—big time. I screwed up this huge multimillion dollar commercial account and my father would kill me if he found out. I have been trying to fix everything on my own. I left some paperwork on my desk and Monica must have seen it. She threatened to tell my father if I didn’t sleep with her. She has been trying to seduce me since the day I hired her,” he explained, his eyes pleading with me to believe him.

“Why didn’t you just fire her a long time ago if she was trying to seduce you? Or at least turn her into HR?” I questioned him, not buying the story he was feeding me.

“At first, I was flattered that she found me attractive. I never flirted back, but I still thought it was cute. Then it started to get out of control. I was going to fire her, but then I fucked up the account. I got so wrapped up in trying to fix it that I didn’t have time to worry about her. Yesterday morning, right before you called me, she threatened to tell my father everything that I had done if I didn’t take her home after work and fuck her.”

“So—let me get this straight. You cheated on me to save your ass? How romantic,” I said, looking at him with disgust. “Why didn’t you just go tell your father what happened? Why didn’t you just confess to screwing up instead of screwing her?” The initial adrenaline I had coursing through my veins had begun to wear off. “I’m glad I mean that much to you,” I whispered, putting my head in my hands. Tears began cascading down my cheeks.

Jared came to my side and put his arms around me. “Babe, I’m so sorry. I should have just told my dad everything that happened, but I didn’t want to disappoint him. I wanted to prove that I could do this job on my own. He wants me take over the company and he’ll never give it to me if he thinks I can’t handle the large accounts. I am so sorry. How can I prove to you that you’re the only one for me?”

“I don’t think you can this time,” I said, shaking my head as I pushed my way out of his arms. “I never should have taken you back. I knew you would do it again.”

“Babe, please don’t say that. I know I can fix this. I did it once—I can do it again. Please. What are you doing this weekend? Can we go away together? I’ve wanted to surprise you with a trip to Mexico for a month now. We can work things out while we’re there. Please?” God, he was good at this. He always knew what to say and when to say it. I took a deep breath; summoning any strength I had left to assist me.

“You can’t just take me to Mexico and think that everything is going to be okay. You cheated on me.” I looked him in the eyes, letting him see the devastation he had caused. “It doesn’t matter anyway,” I continued, “because I have plans this weekend.”

“Plans? With who?” He sounded concerned.

“I am going with Blake to the firefighters ball. His date stood him up and he has already paid for everything. So I agreed to go as his friend.”

I waited for the wrath of Jared to come falling down on my head. I knew he was going to be pissed, but I didn’t care. I saw his fist ball up at his sides. He took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly. “No,” he said matter-of-factly.

I looked at him, fuming with anger. How dare he try to tell me what I can and cannot do? He didn’t own me and I was sick and tired of him treating me like he did! I had spent the last five months doing what
he
wanted—staying away from my family and friends and losing a piece of myself along the way. Sensing I was fed up with him and this conversation, he quickly changed his demeanor.

“Umm… I’m not going to lie, Tess, I don’t like this one bit. But I need to earn your trust back. If you want to go, then it’s okay with me. I won’t try to stop you.” I could tell he was trying to be sweet, but he was failing miserably. The vein in his temple was pulsing and his fists were still clinched at his sides.

“I
am
going and I wasn’t
asking
for permission, Jared,” I informed him, annoyance obvious in my tone. “I think you need to leave. I need time to process all of this. And, personally, I don’t really want to look at you right now. Can I just call you tomorrow?” I couldn’t believe I had just spoken to him like that. I silently praised myself for standing up to him once and for all.

His face fell a little and he looked hurt. “I guess, babe, please just… you need to know how much I love you. You’re it for me. I mean it.” He gave me a kiss on the cheek and made his way to the door. Right before he left, he turned around to face me.

“Tess…”

“What, Jared?” I asked, aggravated. I just wanted him to leave already.

“I need to know something.” I saw his Adam’s apple bob as he forced a swallow. “I need to know if this is the last time I’m ever going to see you.”

“I don’t know, Jared. I’m way hurt. I’m sure we will see each other again at some point. I’ll call you tomorrow but, right now, you have to leave.” His head fell.

He calmly came up to me, taking my face in his hands, and kissed me with everything he had. I tried to kiss him back, but I felt nothing. It was like I was finally numb to him. After all of the pain he put me through, I was finally closing myself off. I just stood there as he walked out my door.

A few hours later, I was going through all the photographs I had taken while being in school. Unfortunately, a lot of them were of Jared. I had been going to college at the Art Institute of Denver for the past two years. I was getting ready to graduate with an Associate’s degree in Applied Science in Photography. Thursday was my portfolio review and I was nowhere near ready.

I couldn’t wait to graduate; we would walk in just two short weeks. I always wanted to start my own portrait photography company. There was something about capturing a moment in time with one simple click that just fascinated me.

Lexi showed up right when my eyes were starting to get heavy from all the focusing. I opened my door and she was standing there with two java chip frappuccinos from Starbucks.
Yum!

“Hey, hooker! Thought maybe you could use a little pick me up,” she said, holding up the two cups. She walked in and handed me the heavenly drink.

Lexi was beyond gorgeous. She moved to Colorado from Alabama our sophomore year in high school and we had five classes together; we became inseparable. She never had any problem attracting the guys. With her long wavy blonde hair and eyes the color of the ocean, she was a knock out. Her southern accent was thick and it drove all the guys crazy.

“Oh, my God! I needed this! Thank you so much, Lex! You are the best best friend ever!” I said as I took a drink.

“Of course I am! Okay, now that I’ve got your attention,” she said mischievously, raising her eyebrows at me. “What the hell was going on outside with you and Blake Bentley? You guys looked like you were about to go at it! I want details, you slut,” she demanded. We headed over to the couch and sat down.

“First of all, we did not look like we were ‘about to go at it’—we were just hugging. Second, there are no details to tell. We didn’t do anything. We’re just friends,” I reminded her. Lexi gave me a looked that just screamed
liar
.

“Yeah and I’m a virgin! Tessa Collins, you expect me to believe nothing happened out there? He was shirtless and staring at you like he was about to devour you.” Lexi was the type that didn’t believe that two people of the opposite sex could actually be “friends” with each other unless one of them was gay.

“I swear, Lex, nothing happened,” I reassured her. I didn’t even want to mention what could have happened if she would’ve never came outside, though. That would just fuel her fire. I started to blush just thinking about where last night could have gone. I needed to change the subject fast before she started to see through me. “So, what happened with you and Matt? You seemed a little flustered when he asked if you needed a ride home.”