“Amanda! Have you heard from her?”

“Yes! Oh my god, she just called me, Scott! I could hear her, but she said she was only getting every other word of what I was saying. I tried telling her that it wasn’t you and that it was Bryce, but I don’t think she got any of it.”

My heart was pounding in my chest. “Did she say where she was?”

Please, God…please let me find her.

Amanda paused for the longest time, and I already knew the answer before she started talking again.

“No. I’m so sorry, Scott. The number didn’t show up either. She only said she was okay and would be staying about three weeks.”

“Three weeks!” I stopped and had to lean over. I. Can’t. Breathe.

“Scott? Scott, are you okay? Scott…please say something,” Amanda pleaded.

“I can’t talk right now. If she calls again, please try to find out where she is.”

“Of course I will, Scott. Don’t worry. When she comes back, she’ll find out the truth, and it won’t be long before she’s back in your arms.”

I tried to talk, but nothing would come out. I just hit End to disconnect the call. I walked back to my truck and slowly crawled in. My legs were like iron. My chest hurt, and it felt like someone was sitting on it.

Three weeks? Jessie, please don’t do this to me. I need you.

I sat at Gunner’s kitchen table and watched Ellie moving around while she made homemade marinara sauce. Every now and then, she would look at me and smile.

I couldn’t go home. It had been a week since Jessie left, and I’d only been home once. I had asked Bryce and Jeff to get rid of my bed. I was going to buy a new one. There was no way I’d ever sleep in that bed…or let Jessie sleep in it. That is, if she ever comes back. I’d noticed that Doc had put the vet clinic back up for sale. Jessie had left a message for him, saying that she was no longer interested in buying the practice.

Please just call me, Jessie.

Fuck! If she would just call me…

Ellie sat down and reached for my hands. The moment I felt her hands touch mine, I jerked.

Ellie jumped and let out a giggle. “Holy hell, Scott, you scared the shit out of me.”

I smiled at her. She was so sweet. I kept noticing how she would place her hand on her stomach. Gunner was beyond happy that Gramps was okay and home and that Ellie was having a pretty easy pregnancy so far. She’d hardly had any morning sickness. My smile slowly faded as I thought of Jessie and how much I wanted to have children with her.

“Ells…I miss her so much. I have such a bad feeling, and I can’t shake it. What if she meets someone else? What if she doesn’t believe me when I tell her it wasn’t me? Oh god…what if I never see her again? I want to marry her and have children with her. I don’t want anyone else, Ellie. I only want her.”

I couldn’t believe what a pussy I’d been during the last week, so I wasn’t surprised when I started crying again. My whole world felt like someone had just ripped it apart.

“Scott, I know you’re worried about her and things seem like they are really bad right now, but in her mind, she thinks she saw you and Chelsea having sex. That probably really upset her beyond belief. She just needs time…that’s all. Just be patient, and wait for her, sweets. She’s going to come back, Scott, because I know how much she loves you.”

I shook my head. “If she thinks I cheated, Ellie…she’s not going to forgive me. I know her, and the last time I walked away from her for Chelsea, it devastated her.”

I looked up when I saw the back door of the kitchen open. Gunner walked in with Jeff, and they both gave me that look. Everyone was feeling sorry for me, and I wasn’t helping anyone by sitting here and moping.

“Hey, dude. How are you doing?” Jeff asked as he reached out and shook my hand.

“I feel like someone keeps punching me in the gut.” I let out a small laugh.

“Ari made your favorite dessert—apple pie. She’s bringing it over tonight for dinner.” Jeff gave me a weak smile.

Everyone was going to come over to Gunner and Ells’s place for dinner to celebrate Gramps being okay. Even Josh, Heather, and the twins would be here. Everyone would be here.

Except for Jessie.

I smiled and tried to look as happy as I could even though I was slowly dying inside. I was supposed to head to Kentucky to look at a horse today, but I’d called and told them I would have to come in a few weeks. There was no way I was leaving and missing Jessie if she decided to come back early.

Gunner walked up to me. “You need to take a ride. Get some fresh air, Scott. You look like shit.”

“Gunner!” Ellie said as she punched him on the arm.

I threw my head back and laughed. “Leave it to you to keep it real, Gunner.” I stood up and smiled. “I think a ride is exactly what I need—open space to clear my thoughts. You need me to check on anything while I’m out?”

Gunner looked over toward Jeff.

“You know, the south pasture fence line hasn’t been checked on in a few days. Would you mind?” Jeff asked.

“Done!” I said as I hit Jeff on the back.

I made my way out and down to Gunner and Ellie’s barn. When I stepped inside, six horses all turned and looked at me, each pleading with me to pick them.

I smiled as I made my way to Rose. “Hey, beautiful. You ready to go for a run, girl? Just you and me…and the open sky.”

She started bobbing her head up and down, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

Once I had her saddled up and out of the barn, she was practically begging to run. We walked a little ways until I came to an open pasture. All it took was one squeeze of my legs, and she was off in a full run. The feel of her running under me with the wind in my hair was exactly what I needed.

I wasn’t sure how long I’d let Rose run, but she ended up stopping on her own. I jumped off and walked her up to the river to let her get a drink. I sat on the bank of the river while Rose patiently stood by and waited.

I fell back and looked up at the blue sky. I let out a scream, and I was pretty sure I sounded like a girl, but I didn’t care. I needed to get it out. It was either that or beat Bryce’s ass. I couldn’t even think of looking at Chelsea. I hated her more than ever now.

“Jessie, baby, please come home to me. I’m hurting so bad without you. I can hardly breathe with you being gone. I love you, baby. Please…”

I lay there for a few good minutes, just staring up at the blue sky, willing Jessie to come back to me. As I prayed for her to come back to me, I fought the sick feeling in my stomach that I hadn’t been able to shake for the last week.

I had the strangest feeling that I was losing her…and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.

I couldn’t pull my eyes from the sky. It was so blue and beautiful, and it just held my gaze. I closed my eyes, and then I quickly opened them. Every time I closed my eyes, I would either hear Scott or see his smile.

I felt something cold dripping on my stomach, and I sat up quickly. Trey was holding a beer over me, laughing.

“Damn you! That’s cold, you ass!” I said as I swatted at his leg.

He jumped and laughed. He sat down next to me and let out a long sigh. I glanced over and watched him take a drink of his beer. I smiled and shook my head. Trey and I had spent practically every waking moment together, touring the island. We had taken a hike yesterday, and I’d ended up throwing up twice. The guide had said that I was probably just not used to the salt air. I’d been feeling like the flu was coming on for the last two days.

Trey bumped my shoulder and smiled at me.

Shit! There goes that damn dizzy feeling in my stomach. I wasn’t even sure why Trey was having such an effect on me. I was clearly only interested in a friendship, but I was slowly starting to think that he was hoping for more from me. Last night, he’d leaned down to kiss me good-bye, but I’d turned away.