Not This Time Read online

  “Good. Just bought a cottage in the Hamptons.” She made the announcement with all the enthusiasm of having a tooth pulled, which convinced him further something was seriously wrong. Claire had bragged for months about her mom buying property in the Hamptons and giving her free rein of the house on weekends.

  She curled into fetal position, adjusting the seatbelt around her twisted body. Her eyes closed, and Drew didn’t say anything else. He worried she’d passed out from the pain, but her eyes occasionally fluttered.

  Not soon enough for him, they reached the ER. He helped her down, and she was steadier on her feet than when they’d left the office. Still, he hooked arms with her for extra support. Once inside, he helped her to a chair then took her insurance card and registered her at the front desk.

  Within five minutes, a nurse triaged her. Her priority was ranked high, and she was given a room ten minutes later.

  “You can come if you want.” The offer was halfhearted, and a part of him rejoiced she didn’t want him in the room.

  His kindness only went so far and watching her examination crossed that line. He was uncomfortable being in the room while she was treated. The scenario was too intimate for their history and out of respect for Amie. “Thanks, but I’ll wait out here.”

  “I’ll ask the doctor to give you updates.” From the wheelchair she’d been placed in, her gaze lingered. “Thank you for bringing me.”

  Like he’d had a choice. Any decent human would have done the same thing. He settled into a seat, reminded how uncomfortable they were. He had to call Amie. His phone had no signal, so he stepped outside. No answer.

  He sent her a text, asking if she’d meet him here, at the Farthington ER. He emphasized no one was hurt or sick, and that he was waiting for a friend. Referring to Claire as a friend was a stretch, but for simplicity’s sake, it sufficed for the message.

  Her reply came a minute later.

  —Dena and I were just about to leave for home. I can be there in ten minutes. Can you give me a ride home?

  —Yes.

  Doubting there’d be any news on Claire so quickly, he waited for Amie outside. He returned his phone to his pocket and paced the length of the sidewalk. The moment of truth was coming. Why hadn’t he told her already? He’d tried on their engagement day, but they’d gotten distracted. The right time hadn’t come, and now he’d have to tell her under an unusual set of circumstances.

  He’d taken classes and seminars on how to remain calm under pressure, but none of the techniques worked at the present moment. Today had spiraled out of control, and he found himself exhausted, emotionally and physically.

  The conversation with Amie was sure to wear him out even more, but it had to be done. She would understand. She had to.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “He didn’t say why he was there?” Dena activated the turn signal and drove into the hospital parking lot.

  “All he said was he was there with a friend.” In the ten minutes since getting his text, she’d imagined twenty or so different scenarios, the worst of which something happened to Aunt Sally, and he didn’t want to tell her over the phone.

  “I don’t know what’s going on, but if it were anything serious, someone would have called us.” Dena cast her a reassuring gaze. “Jasper Lake is a small town. Not much happens without everybody knowing.”

  The reminder took an edge off of her worry. Surely if something had happened to Aunt Sally, somebody would have called her or Dena. She looked at the emergency room entrance. “Is that Drew outside?”

  Dena squinted. “I think so.”

  In a few seconds, Amie clearly saw her fiancé pacing outside the doors. “At least I know he’s okay.”

  “Do you want me to stick around?”

  “Thanks for the offer, but whatever’s going on, I’ll be fine with Drew.”

  Bringing the vehicle to a stop, Dena glanced over. “Call me if you need anything.”

  Amie collected her purse and a bag from the boutique they’d stopped at. “I will. Thanks for today—I had fun.”

  “Me, too.”

  She left Dena and walked to Drew, who’d yet to spot her. “Hi.”

  He pivoted in a jerky motion. Stress lines formed over his face. “Hi.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “We need to talk.” He released a heavy sigh. “I should have told you before. I tried once, then got distracted by my parent’s early arrival, but that’s no excuse.”

  “You’re scaring me.” The lack of touch, no kiss or hug to greet her, worried her more than anything, made her think there was a larger problem at hand.

  “It’s nothing bad, per se, but I don’t know how you’ll take it, and I won’t blame you for being upset. In your shoes, I’d probably be, but I pray you’ll be a better person than me.”

  Drew’s rambling wasn’t a good sign.

  She sucked in a breath, held it in her lungs. When she couldn’t hold it any longer, she expelled it, mildly calmer. “Just tell me what’s going on.”

  “Can we go inside? I’m waiting to hear about a friend.” He stumbled over friend, further piquing her curiosity.

  Following him inside, she scanned the waiting room for any sign of a familiar face. The only other waiting patients were a woman with a young child sleeping against her chest.

  Drew led her to the far corner where a burnt light gave the illusion of a darkened, private spot. He didn’t talk for a minute after he sat. “I’ve told you about my disillusionment with my life in Manhattan. What I didn’t tell you was why I finally left.”

  Fighting her own nervousness, she put his needs before hers and reached for his hand, offered her support. “What happened?”

  “I was engaged.”

  Crinkling her eyes, she didn’t see the problem. “So was I, but we know things happen out of our control. Unless you still love her?”

  “No.” He spat his answer like it was a dirty word. “But Amie, I left her. A week before our wedding.”

  Her world tilted on its axis and spun in five directions at once. It couldn’t be true. Drew would never break a commitment. He was nothing like Tim. Dizziness made her head spin, and she let go of Drew’s hand to grip the armrests.

  Calm down, Amie. This is Drew. There has to be a justified reason for what he did. You know him too well. Give him a chance to explain.

  Thank goodness for her conscience talking sense into her. Slowly recovering from the initial blow, she took another deep breath. “Why did you leave her and call off the wedding?”

  “Claire, my fiancée, was a co-worker, but we also attended law school together. Everyone called us a power couple, and we were both on the fast track to making partner.” Flexing his fingers, Drew stared at the ground. “There were signs, but I ignored them. Too focused on my own career, I guess.”

  “Signs of what?”

  “Infidelity.”

  She began to see the big picture. “Claire cheated on you.”

  Nodding, he lifted his gaze to hers. “With our boss.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Tim’s leaving her for the jungle didn’t seem as bad in light of what Drew had gone through.

  “When I found out, it stung, but it also brought me back to my roots.” He ran a hand down his neck. “Claire’s not a Christian, and I shouldn’t have dated her to begin with, but I got caught up in a power high. Working at my firm granted me a glamourous, high dollar life, and it took Claire and Grant’s betrayal to bring me to my knees, make me realize that wasn’t who I really am.”

  She processed all the information he’d shared. Was she angry? No, how could she be? He hadn’t left Claire for selfish reasons. His ex-fiancée had broken a sacred trust. But she was hurt he hadn’t trusted her enough to tell her everything before. “Why the secrecy?”

  “Dena is the only person here who knows the truth.”

  “Dena knows?”

  “Don’t be mad at her for not telling you, please. She was keeping her word to me.”

&n
bsp; “I’m not.” Reluctantly, she had to admit she’d do the same in Dena’s shoes.

  “I left Manhattan in a hurry. I wasn’t running away, but I knew I was done with that part of my life.” Finally, he reached to touch her, folded her hand in his. “There’s more. Claire and I made a bargain—if she left me alone, never contacted me again, I’d go along with letting her tell everyone I jilted her. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea, but I wanted her out of my life and didn’t see the point of ruining her reputation out of spite. She still had to live in the city, I didn’t.”

  The mercy he’d shown to a woman who’d so badly wronged him confirmed the man Drew was. “You’re a good man, with a big heart.”

  “You’re not mad?” Skeptical hope danced between his words.

  “I wish you would have told me from the beginning, but I can understand why you didn’t.”

  “I was afraid you wouldn’t understand after what Tim did to you.”

  “That’s two completely different scenarios.” She locked eyes with him. “But no more secrets. If we’re going to share our lives, there has to be complete honesty, even if we think it might upset the other.”

  “I promise, no more secrets.” He broke eye contact to glance toward the doors leading to exam rooms. “Which is why I should tell you why I’m here.”

  She’d momentarily forgotten where they were.

  Drew grimaced. “Claire didn’t keep her end of the bargain. I was working in the office today, and she showed up out of the blue with no warning.”

  Jealousy tried to surge, but she willed it away. Drew loved her, and she had no reason to be envious of the woman. “What did she want?”

  “To blackmail me. Told me she was pregnant and would tell everyone I was the father.”

  “Which isn’t true,” she stated with certainty.

  He smiled for the first time since they’d been at the hospital. “Thanks for your vote of confidence, and you are correct. The baby can’t possibly be mine.”

  “What did you do?”

  “Stood my ground, told her I had no qualms breaking my end of the bargain since she broke hers.”

  “From what you’ve told me, I gather she didn’t take that very well?”

  A shadow cast over his face. “She broke down. Showed a vulnerable side I’d never seen. She’s hurting, Amie, but I can’t be there for her to lean on.”

  “Understandable.”

  “I gave her the number to my church in Manhattan. I hope she uses it.”

  “Is she the friend you had to bring?”

  He nodded. “As she was leaving, she yelled out in pain. At one time I would have thought she was faking it, but it’d be impossible to make up the misery she was in. The doctor was out, and I had no choice except to bring her in.”

  “I’d think less of you if you hadn’t.” A new patient entering the area distracted her for a second. “Is there a problem with the baby?”

  “She thinks she’s losing the baby as punishment for all she’s done.”

  “How sad.” Despite the despicable way Claire had treated Drew, as a woman, Amie’s heart went out to her.

  “She’s supposed to send the doctor out with an update once she knows something.” He cast a doubtful look at her. “Do you mind waiting? I can take you home and come back. I know it’s not an ideal situation.”

  “I’ll wait. She might need a woman to talk to.”

  “You’re an amazing and generous person.”

  The love on Drew’s face was all the assurance she needed.

  Evening arrived before the doctor came out with any news on Claire.

  Doctor Camden, the same physician who treated Aunt Sally, found them in the waiting room. “I’d say it’s good to see you again, though I’m not sure you feel the same way.”

  Drew rose to his feet. “How is Claire?”

  “She’s resting now that we’ve gotten the pain under control,"

  “And the baby?” Amie joined Drew’s side, gripped his arm.

  “The baby is fine. Claire is experiencing the breaking down of uterine fibroids, which can be very painful. We have her comfortable now, but she’ll need to follow up with her obstetrician who will want to keep a close eye on her as the pregnancy progresses.”

  Drew expelled a breath, relieved Claire hadn’t lost her baby.

  “When can she leave?”

  “If she’s still comfortable when she wakes up, we’ll discharge her then, but she won’t be able to drive.” Doctor Camden switched a glance from Drew to Amie, and Drew wondered how much Claire had told the doctor. “Will you be able to take her home?”

  “Yes,” Amie answered, surprising Drew. She looked at him and shrugged.

  “I’ll let you know when she wakes up.” Doctor Camden left, leaving Drew and Amie alone.

  “What should we do about Claire?” By logical deduction, he realized she wouldn’t be able to return to the city today.

  “I’ll call Aunt Sally, and she can stay with us for tonight.”

  “Is that a good idea?”

  Amie heaved an exasperated sigh. “You can’t just drop her off at a hotel for the night. She needs someone nearby.”

  “I know, but I could call Dena so it wouldn’t be so awkward for you.”

  “This isn’t about me. I’m thinking of Claire, and after all you’ve told me, with your permission, I’d like to tell Aunt Sally.” She looked at him with pleading eyes. “She’s full of wisdom and will know how to help Claire, not just physically, but spiritually as well.”

  Overwhelming love for Amie struck him with such force, he lost his balance. He grasped her arms, meeting her gaze and seeing the same love reflected in her eyes. “You are selfless and giving, the epitome of a woman of grace.”

  “I’m only doing what any decent person would do.”

  He shook his head. “You’re going leaps and bounds above what a normal person would do in this situation, and I love you more for it.”

  “The same could be said for you.” Leaning forward, she kissed his cheeks.

  “Let’s set a date. We’ve left it hanging long enough.”

  She giggled. “Here? Now? In the hospital?”

  “Yes. I want to mark on the calendar what day I’ll marry the love of my life, whom I let go of once, but never again.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” She tapped a finger to her chin, breaking out in a broad grin. “But I do think October would be a beautiful time to marry in the mountains.”

  “The first weekend, then?”

  “I’ll be counting the days.”

  Epilogue

  October Fifth

  Amie stared out the window of a side room in the chapel built on a peak overlooking the lake. Jasper Lake had changed her life, made her a better person. She’d come of age during her many summers spent here and had met the man she was about to marry. Her heart was entwined with this town and its people, and a part of her always knew this is where she was meant to live.

  Her phone buzzed. She thought she’d already turned it off, but since she hadn’t, she checked the message. A text from Claire, wishing her the best today. Amie smiled. Claire was going to be all right. She was making changes in her lives, and against all odds, the two had formed a tentative friendship.

  Someone rapped on the door.

  “Come in.”

  Her dad opened the door, dressed in a black tuxedo. A bittersweet smile formed, and he spoke in a husky voice. “You’re as beautiful as your mother on the day I married her.”

  She blinked back tears. “Thank you.”

  “The ceremony is ready to begin.” He bent his elbow and offered it to her.

  Slipping her arm through his, she breathed in. She’d miss her mom and dad. When Dad retired next year, maybe she’d convince them to move north.

  They stopped at the rear door she would enter through. The music began, and her father held her close as he escorted her down the middle aisle to give her away.

  Her eyes met Drew’s, and every ne
rve faded. She had no qualms, no anxiety.

  She loved him, and he loved her. He was her first love and her last.

  “There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear.” 1 John 4:18

  Born to Love

  Jasper Lake Book One

  Available Here

  Jessa Graf loved her job at the Jasper Lake Chamber of Commerce. She spent her days promoting the town she grew up in and never wanted to leave. When a detour on the nearest highway brought more traffic to town, she was ecstatic to see the influx of visitors, especially one in particular who caught her attention.

  Jasper Lake drew in Landon Reeves from the first time he drove through. Its serene, picturesque settings spoke to his weary soul. Life hadn’t been the same since his parents came back into his life. His siblings might have forgiven them, but he knew better. It was only a matter of time before they packed up and left again.

  When Landon meets Jessa, they share an immediate connection, but as they spend time together, the depths of his childhood wounds surface. Can he overcome the pain of abandonment and see that he was born to love, not leave?

  A Note from the Author

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for joining me on this new series. It’s an idea I’ve had in mind for some time now, but never was able to work into my schedule. Jasper Lake takes me back to a time of childhood innocence but is also a reminder of the dynamic world in which we live. We grow up, enter new phases of life, but through it all, God and His love remain the same. I hope you’ve enjoyed Drew and Amie’s story. Stay tuned for more of the series coming in 2018.

  Until next time,

  Leah

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