CHAPTER EIGHT
CAYLEE
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I’m so happy for Louisa. She got her braces off and looks full of confidence. She was excited to show her mom, and as I walked her out, she told me she has a boyfriend. He had braces but got them off three months ago.
So sweet.
I can remember being her age and going through the same thing.
My brother and I both had braces. I’m very aware how lucky we are to have parents who could afford them. It changed my life. I was bullied for having two big crooked front teeth. The kids nicknamed me Thumper after the Disney character, and more than once I came home from school crying.
After they came off, everything changed.
Suddenly all the boys looked at me differently and I became one of the popular kids. I felt beautiful, attractive and was invited to everything.
My C-cups also helped.
Unfortunately, Cole was bulking up at the same time and scaring any potential boyfriends away. When he joined the army and moved away for a time, it did wonders for my dating life. The downside was his hot new friends were off limits.
Damn it.
I’m sure that whole experience is what led me to training for and becoming an orthodontic assistant.
“Don’t forget to wear your retainer and enjoy that beautiful smile,” I told Louisa as she’d left, then handed her a small bag of aftercare products.
“Thank you.” Louisa stuffed it into her larger handbag and danced her way to the door.
“Where’s your mom?” I’d called out, noticing she wasn’t in the waiting room.
Louisa said she would pick her up.
I hated it when parents were late. Kids reacted differently. Some panicked. Some simply used the time and jumped onto social media. Others chewed their lips, looking uncomfortable.
I rarely just let them head out the door without a conversation.
Louisa lifted her phone. “She texted. She’s meeting me downstairs.”
“Okay.” I didn’t bother looking at the message too close. I believed Louisa.
Waiting for the door to click shut, I walk back to the desk and share a look with Amy.
“Can’t believe she wasn’t here today. Her mom has been to every appointment but couldn’t move things to see her walk out with her new smile.”
“I know. The kids get so disappointed. Apparently, she had a conflict and raised it over a month ago. Brad recommended she pay the final installment in advance, so Louisa didn’t have to wait to get them removed.” Amy tells me. “You know how booked up he gets.”
I did. That was why I always felt secure in my role. We were fully booked at least four months in advance.
After owning the successful clinic for two years, Brad had decided to run a free clinic on Wednesday mornings as give back to the community. While that didn’t include orthodontics, it did mean children and adults with dental needs could come in and get treatment at no cost.
I really respect him for doing it.
He hasn’t stopped, either. It’s been going since I started working with him three years ago.
I shrug off my annoyance at Louisa’s mom, knowing they’ll be in the car now and her daughter showing off her pearly whites.
“Okay, I have to run.” I push away from the desk, remembering I have to buy lunch. “I’m going to get a sandwich. Do you want anything?”
Amy shakes her head. “I have boring stir-fry leftovers that Derrick made. Do not repeat that.”
Laughing, I grab my purse and race down the backstairs. Taking a shortcut to the park, I stride down the alley and reach the side road.
In the distance, I hear the screeching of tires and some banging. It halts me for a moment, then a loud roar as a white van fishtails past me on the side road.
Jesus!
If I’d started to cross the road, they might’ve hit me.
“Idiots,” I mutter and slide my shades down over my eyes.
It takes me several minutes to reach the park, and I wonder whether buying my lunch twice a week wouldn’t be a bad thing. It gets me outside into the sunshine and moving, rather than sitting in the boring lunchroom four days a week.
I should.
I pull out my phone to send myself a message when something catches my eye.
Or rather, someone.
Jake.
What is he doing here?
And what the hell is he wearing?
I can’t decide if he belongs in Disneyland or Venice Beach with that ridiculous tropical shirt, which fits snug around his biceps.
Worse, he’s walking towards me. Figures that he spotted me first.
“Hey,” Jake says when he reaches me while Liam stays on the bench, taking in the park like he’s on vacation. He’s in a similar shirt and dark shades.
“Didn’t have your size?” I ask, nodding at his arms.
I should pretend I don’t notice but, yeah, you’d have to be blind.
Or not into guys.
I am...particularly this one.
Unfortunately.
“What? Oh, yeah, we are—” he stops talking. “You work around here?”
I nod, my heart dropping as I realize if we’d dated properly, he might know that. I told him what I did, but I doubt the conversation ever led to where my office was. Because, let’s face it, it’s not like he was ever going to visit me at work or send flowers.
We were fuck buddies.
Nothing more.
“Yes, and on that note, I must get lunch and then get back to the clinic. Good to see you again.”
Too good.
I wish I hadn’t.
Every time I lay my eyes on this man, my body reacts in ways that both infuriate me and remind me of all the reasons I kept letting him into my house.
I dare not look down because if my nipples are hard, I will be embarrassed.
Jake does it for me and fights the smirk on his lips.
Damn him.
When his eyes lift, he asks, “Caylee, can we talk?”
“Nope.” I start to walk past, but he reaches out and gently grips my arm. Our eyes snap together as a thermonuclear charge sears the place our skin connects.
Holy hell.
Jake feels it, too. I can see it in the way his eyes swirl dangerously, and that it’s only our respective responsibilities that are stopping him scooping me up and dragging me away.
Memories of his thick cock inside me, the way he thrust while palming the wall above me, not wanting to crush me, while I clung to his back wanting the full feeling of him.
There was always a space.
Always an inch or barrier between us.
He would never completely give me all of himself.
I guess I didn’t, either.
“Come on, give me a chance to explain.” Jake’s fingers relax and glide down my arm.
I shiver.
Then hate myself for wondering what he’d have to say. Imagining a life where we fast track this complete misunderstanding and I learn he wasn’t lying, he hasn’t been taking calls from other women. It was all a bad dream.
Instead, we are married, have toddlers in our arms and are walking our puppy in the park. Where he kisses me, tells me he’s so glad we met and can’t imagine spending his life with anyone else.
Or something like that.
I know it’s impossible, so why haven’t I been able to move on from this man?
Despite his nice dick—thank you, Scarlett.
“Jake,” I turn my back to Liam as I know these guys can lip read. “You were seeing other women. That’s not something I can forgive.”
“No. I wasn’t.” His voice is husky.
“I heard her, Jake.” My voice rises a little, angry he’s still sticking with the same lie.
“She wasn’t—”
“Nice,” I shake my head, not letting him finish that bullshit. I pull my arm away. “I’m sure you said the same about me. Look, Cole is very protective, and you have to work together. Let’s just—”
“Move on?”
“I have moved on,” I lie.
His eyes roam my face searching for the truth, and I hate how handsome he is, even in that silly shirt.
“There were no other women.” Without taking a step, somehow Jake feels closer. “None, Caylee.”
I blink.
Why would he keep saying that? Most men, when caught in a lie, would give up. They’ve been caught. The end.
As Jake holds my gaze, a tiny bit of truth reaches me, and I almost hate him for it. I don’t want to believe him after all the pain—because I did grieve him and he did hurt me—and I want him to suffer.
“Then who was she?”
Jake glances away, runs a hand through his hair, leaving the front sticking up as a police car whizzes past us with full sirens.
We both glance at it.
My phone beeps. I pull it out of my bag and keep glancing at Jake, waiting for his answer.
“A relative. That’s all I can say. Have dinner with me, Caylee. Please.”
A relative?
Why didn’t he say that a few months ago? He could have cleared the air, explained what family drama was going on, and we could have progressed into a proper relationship.
But he didn’t choose to do that.
I’m about to ask him why when I see the missed calls on my phone. They’re from the office, which is unusual. I’ve been gone twenty minutes at the most.
I still need to buy lunch.
“I have to go.” I tuck my phone away.
“Dinner,” Jake says, turning as I take a few steps towards the sushi place. I no longer have time to get a sandwich.
Curious and lacking time to argue any more with him, I say, “Fine. Yes.”
I regret it almost immediately.
But if Jake isn’t cheating, and he’s been dealing with family issues, then the least I can do is hear him out. And that’s all I plan to do.
“I’ll pick you up at seven.” His dimples appear, and my body perks up as I take two more steps backwards, silently groaning.
No.
I’m pretty sure my ovaries just started preparing for the night ahead.
Nope. No way. The only thing happening tonight is eating—and not each other.
My phone rings once more, and I tug it out while still facing Jake.
“Hello,” I answer. As Amy starts talking, I freeze and feel myself pale.
Jake frowns.
“What? W-w-what do you mean?” I stutter.
“What’s going on?” Jake closes the distance.
“I’ll be right there. Oh, my god.” I hang up and start walking. “I’ll see you tonight. I’ve gotta go.”
I feel Jake’s eyes on my back as I start running back to the office. Our relationship, date and anything else will have to wait.
This is more important.
Louisa’s mom can’t find her. She’s disappeared.