Chapter Forty
Now
Jasper
When I signed the papers in front of Avery that morning in my kitchen, I quickly noticed her address on the upper right-hand side of the document. I wasn’t sure at the time why I slid one of the extra copies into my drawer, but I’m glad I did because now I have the address for her penthouse.
I caught the first flight out this evening. I’ve waited eight years. I could have waited until tomorrow, and it would have saved me from having the last seat on the flight, which, of course, was in the middle. I knew I’d get nervous and change my mind if I delayed this any longer.
Now, four hours later, I’m in Phoenix, Arizona, on the way to her place. I’m not sure if she’s actually home, and my decision to leave abruptly was purely rash, but I had to do it.
“Here, sir?” the driver asks, pulling to the curb outside a tall residential building in a bustling part of downtown Scottsdale.
I’m trying not to think of the outcome and only live in the moment because that’s precisely what I did the summer I met Avery. She changed my life.
I did book a hotel room nearby in case she’s not home on my first attempt. I plan to come by every day until she is.
“This is it,” I say, glancing up at the nine stories before us.
“Love this part of town,” he comments as I pay through the app.
I nod, climbing out of his SUV. “Looks nice.”
“All the rich finance guys live down here.”
That’s nice. I purse my lips together in a tight smile. “Okay, well, thanks for that.”
I give the driver my back as he peels away, and then I turn my sights on the locked glass doors in front of me.
It looks like I will need a key card to get in.
But to my luck, I only have to wait a few minutes before a group of people chatting loudly walks up the entrance.
I’m able to sneak into the building behind them.
The lobby is wide open and looks expensive.
A stark contrast from the simple life of Coconut Grove.
I hop into the elevator and stare at the endless buttons. I find a set of six at the top, each with a number and a capital “P” at the top. I know Avery’s is Penthouse 3 based on the divorce papers. With confidence, I hit P3 and watch nervously as the doors close.
My breath halts until the chime alerts me that I’ve reached her floor.
The automatic doors open, and I face a short hallway with a large window on the left.
I step out and walk toward two black double doors with a small camera on the right side.
She’ll know it’s me. Flipping up my hoodie, I attempt to hide my face even though this might appear creepy. I’ll give it a shot.
I knock on the door a few times, then ring the bell—no answer. I switch between knocking and tapping the bell. Not ready to give up for the day, I continue for an ambiguous amount of time.
After repeatedly knocking and ringing, I decide to give up for the day. Maybe she’s traveling? Suddenly, the elevator opens behind me. Heart pounding, I whip my head around, half expecting it to be her.
“Whoops,” she says. “Wrong floor.”
“Actually, I’m headed down,” I tell the woman, slipping into the elevator. She’s young and looks about our age. Maybe she’ll know Avery?
“Do you live in this building?” I ask.
She gives me the side-eye. “I’m not going to tell you if I live here. You’re a stranger.” I sense a playful tone to her voice.
“Sorry, let me introduce myself,” I offer, extending my hand. “I’m Jasper. I know the tenant in P3.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh, Avery?”
I knew it.
I turn to face her fully with a warm smile. “Yes. We go way back.”
“Of course you do.” She rolls her eyes. “Avery always gets the good-looking guys.”
Shoving my hands in my front pockets, I lean against the railing in the elevator. “She gets a lot of guys?”
The woman puts a hand on her hip. “She did until she started dating the dentist last year.” She continues to be forthcoming with information. “But the odd thing is, I don’t think she’s that into him.”
I can’t help but feel a flush of satisfaction when I hear that. “Interesting,” I breathe out. “I’m trying to surprise her. Do you happen to know where she is?”
“Oh yeah! I just ran into her and her fiancé at the pizza place a block from the apartment.”
She’s with him. Why did I hope that her weekend with me left her with the relaxation that something was missing? Did she not tell him she slept with me? Maybe it was a test that I didn’t pass. Avery and I have incredible sex. It wasn’t that.
“A block down, you say?” I confirm. A slow pit grows in my stomach.
The doors open.
“Yeah, when you walk out of the lobby, take a right, then it’s about two or three restaurants down.” She points out of the doors in the direction she wants me to take.
“Thank you,” I toss over my shoulder, jogging through the lobby. Not sure why I’m running.
In the distance, I hear her call out, “What was your name again?”
I don’t turn around, ignoring her as I enter the warm evening air. With purpose, I dart around the crowds on the sidewalk, passing a Greek restaurant and a small café before I see the pizza parlor’s white-and-red-checked tablecloths.
I stop before I reach the small outside patio to collect my thoughts. I have no plan. What am I going to do? Profess my love for her in front of her fiancé? Fuck. Maybe I’ll just confirm it’s her, then come back in the morning now that I know she’s in town and not working.
My palms are clammy in this desert heat. I’m not used to it. How do people live here? I swipe a few drops from my moist hairline, then creep around a bush and peer into the restaurant through one of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Scanning the place, it only takes me a second to find her.
My heart leaps from my chest. I spot Avery sitting at a small two-seater table in the corner. A guy in a buttoned-up collared shirt and a blindingly expensive watch is positioned across from her, rolling her massive engagement ring between his fingers.
She’s laughing.
It’s a gut punch. I rip my eyes away, ready to claw them out.
They look happy. She looks happy. The woman who was my wife first. The woman who chose me to give herself to that night at the beach house.
I loved her then. I’ve loved her since. But I didn’t fight for her.
I didn’t follow her to Arizona. I never got on that plane to chase after her.
I was a young kid back then, but what was my excuse in the years that followed?
Fuck.
Crouching behind this bush, I try to hide myself. The visceral feelings of regret hit like they never had before. Did I think she’d wait for me for this long?
It’s my fault. I wanted her to want me as much as I wanted her. I’ve been blinded by the fear of her one day regretting giving up her life to stay in Coconut Grove, and I lost track of what was important to me.
It’s not fair for me to fight now. All I ever wanted was for her to be happy. Now it seems she is.