What are you doing? Just leave! What loose ends do you need to tie up? Rocky obviously hates you!

But I couldn’t leave. I couldn’t even move. I was frozen, staring into a house where the one woman I continued to push away had finally fallen into the arms of another man.

“What did you expect to happen? That she’d wait for you again?” I spat out with distaste.

The front door opened with a bang, startling me. I sucked in my breath and scooted down into my seat, worried that Rocky would catch a glimpse of me. However, it wasn’t Rocky at the door. Ethan jumped from the cement step, tossing his keys in his hand. Like tiny bells, his keys jingled in the night, a song of happiness—a song that wasn’t mine. As if feeling my presence, his gaze immediately jumped to my car and though I was hidden behind the darkness of night and behind tinted glass somehow I knew that he saw me. A smug smile rested on his face, and for the first time I noticed his messy hair and haphazardly thrown on sweater, which was wrinkled as if somebody had been gripping onto its sides. My stomach lurched with the realization of what he and Rocky must have been doing inside.

“Well, your plan worked, genius. Rocky’s finally gone.” I waited until Ethan peeled off before I restarted my car. I threw one last glance at her house, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu. Stifling a chuckle, I shook my head and drove off. “Goodbye again, Rocky.”

Chapter 24

Knock. Knock.

“Jesse! Get your ass over to the front door and answer it.” My mother coughed twice as she struggled to get the words out of her mouth. Those coughs were the only thing stopping me from snapping back at her. I was really not in the mood for her shit that day.

Rolling my eyes, I opened the door to a shivering Michelle. Her red hair was tucked into an oversized knit cap and her teeth were chattering so hard I could have sworn I heard their impact above the whistling breeze.

“Hey, come on in.” I lifted my eyebrows in surprise, completely forgetting that I had insisted she begin work immediately.

“T-thanks,” she stammered as she rubbed her gloved hands over her arms. “I-i-t’s freezing out there!”

“I bet,” I replied glumly, staring longingly outside. I knew I had hit rock bottom when I favored sitting in an igloo outside over being cooped up with my mother…or going to Rossi’s Novelties.

“Sorry, I’m late,” she said as she peeled off her gigantic jacket. Not only was the navy blue monstrosity thick, but it went down to her ankles! How the hell was she still cold?

“Yeah, about that…” The corners of my mouth dipped low. “Honestly, I was in the middle of an emotional upheaval last night and well…I kind of forgot that I told you to come.”

Her eyes widened. “Does that mean I don’t have the job?”

“No!” I answered quickly. Calming my voice, I smiled apologetically. “I mean, of course not. There’s no way we could let go of a good nurse like you. I just wasn’t prepared to train you today.”

“Phew! That’s a relief. Talk about someone having an emotional upheaval.” She reached out and squeezed my arm, causing me to jump back quickly. With a sly smile on her face, she coyly asked, “Girlfriend gets jealous?”

“Huh?” I blinked in confusion.

She nodded her head toward my arm as if wary of touching me again. “You flinched when I touched you. Don’t worry, dude, I’m taken.”

For the first time I noticed the gigantic rock on her left finger. She was taken all right. Taken by someone who was loaded. The rock was so big that it almost looked fake, but judging by the smirk on her face it was five carats worth of real. It’s probably the kind of rock a guy like Ethan would give Rocky.

Shaking it off, I muttered, “Well, congratulations, and no, I’m not seeing anyone. Hence, no jealousy.”

Michelle lifted an eyebrow but didn’t respond. Instead she placed her jacket on the nearby couch, taking a moment too long bent over. It vaguely reminded me of Sarah back in art class and I immediately felt uneasy. I’m all about seduction or what not, but I drew the line at cheating.

“Um, coat closet is around the corner.” I shook my head and frowned.

She snorted knowingly and shook her head. “It’s obvious that this girlfriend or lack thereof really has you twisted inside. Just relax.”

I kept my lips pressed together firmly, definitely not appreciating her unsolicited comments. Brushing her off, I began to point to different rooms around the house. “Bedroom, bath, kitchen—”

“Why don’t you just fix things with this girlfriend of yours?” she interrupted. “It’s almost painful watching you.”

“Are you still talking?” I blurted without thinking. Mom must have heard because she burst out laughing in a nearby room.

Michelle shrugged, throwing me an innocent look. “All I’m saying is that there really is no use sitting around miserable when you can totally do something about it.”

“Point taken.” I rubbed at my eyebrows and sighed. “Well, we might as well begin training, yeah?”

She shrugged again, her smirk never leaving her face. “Whatever you say, boss.”

“I hired you to take care of my mother,” I grunted. “As far as you’re concerned, she’s the boss around here.”

“That’s too bad…” She took a deep breath and sighed. “I always wanted an alpha male for a boss.”

I stopped in my tracks. “What are you even talking about?”

“Gosh, can you lighten up? I was just referencing some books I read. Do you even understand pop culture or are you so far down your hole of despair to not get any of it?”

Great, another Stephanie with her elf porn.

“Yeah, you better not read on the job,” I muttered.

“Speaking of jobs, your mom mentioned you having one here in town. I take it you’re off today?” There was some sass in her voice, which led me to wonder what she was getting at.

I shook my head. “I don’t have a job…here in Bethel Falls anyway.”

She eyed me knowingly. “That’s where the girl works, right? The one you’re in love with? I’m surprised someone who looks as manly as you do is too chicken to go after her. Seriously, men are so transparent.”

Of course my mother wouldn’t have any qualms gossiping about me.

“You know what? I can’t even dignify that statement with an answer,” I shot back angrily.

“Didn’t expect you to.”

I was walking the line of whether to fire her or not when my phone vibrated in my pocket. Frowning, I snuck a peek at the number that flashed on the screen and felt an unexpected jolt of excitement when I realized it was a number I didn’t recognize.

Maybe it’s Rocky.

I glanced over my shoulder to find Michelle attempting to catch a glimpse of my phone. Catching eyes, she blushed and took a step back.

“I have to take this. I’ll be back.”

“I bet you do.” Michelle’s grin was sickening.

With a shake of my head, I walked toward my kitchen, desperate to escape her prying eyes. “Hello?”

“Jesse!” A mouse-like voice screamed in my ear. “Where are you?”

Guess the excitement wasn’t unwarranted after all. “Is this Rocky?”

“Who else would it be? Where are you? I was worried! You could have at least called in to tell us you were missing work.”

Just like that my heart plummeted. Why did I expect she’d call? To tell me she dumped Ethan? Even if that were true, it wouldn’t change anything anyway.

“How’d you get this number?” I asked, fighting off pangs of disappointment.

“I’m your employer. I have it on file.”

“Your dad is my employer.”

“Jesse, let’s cut the crap. Where are you?” I could almost imagine her tapping the toes of her little feet and crossing her arms in a cartoonish manner. God was she cute.

“Why do you care?” I blurted out, thinking about what I saw the night before.