“Jas, what is it?” Heather asked looking over Jasmine’s shoulder. “Oh my…”
“Yeah, I said that already.” Jasmine was stunned. Justin was standing in the middle of the floor holding red roses and the biggest stuffed teddy bear she’d ever seen. It had a small red velvet heart-shaped box attached to its paw.
Heather tapped her on the shoulder from behind. “Girl, you’ve got a problem.”
“No shit,” she whispered from the corner of her mouth. “What should I do, Heather?”
“If it he were Chase, I would gush. However, this psycho, I’d run as fast as my legs would let me. Do you want me to call Chase?”
“No, don’t call him; the place is full of people. I haven’t seen or heard from Justin in weeks. I thought he had moved on.”
“He did; right to the top of the list with the rest of the crazy ass men who can’t accept rejection from the women they love on Valentine’s Day.”
The palms of Jasmine’s hands sweat. She had the eyes of everyone in the restaurant plastered on her. Women were smiling and pointing at Justin standing there with a confident but gorgeous smile on his face. She took a closer look at him. Most of his body was hidden by the huge bear, but was sure he was wearing a tuxedo.
What the hell.
Justin moved closer and stopped inches in front of her. He leaned down and kiss her on the cheek and whispered, “Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart.”
The spot on her skin where he kissed her burned. Her heart was beating wildly. The women in the restaurant swooning over Justin’s romantic gesture had no clue what was going on. They had no idea this was not a scene from a movie and she would jump into his arms from his outpouring of love for her. They would not understand why her stomach was on the verge of emptying either.
This is sick, Justin is sick. He had her where he wanted her—on the spot without an escape route. If she turned away and walked off, she would seem like an ungrateful ogre in the eyes of these women. Heather had not strayed from her. She felt her presence still behind her.
Finally, she found words. “What’s all this, Justin?”
He smiled. His handsome face bright and cheery but the blue of his eyes seem blank. “This is for you, sweetheart. Open the box my friend is holding.”
“Maybe we should do this later when we’re alone. I mean look at you! You’re dressed nice and I’m looking a hot mess. I want this to be right…”
“I have to do this now or never, Jasmine. I gave you space as you asked. It has been hard staying away from you. Not talking to you has been the worst. I got in the habit of getting a text from you to see if I’m okay on the job. Jasmine, I need you in my life. I can’t go on without you.”
Jasmine’s legs started to shake. He was scaring her for real now. This was not natural. How was he in love with her? They’d never shared intimacy except for that one night. And she hardly called that anything but heavy petting. Other than him lifting her shirt, no clothes came off.
“Please, Justin, not here. We have to talk first. A lot has changed since you’ve been gone.”
“If you’re referring to Lombardi, I’m not sweating over that. You had a choice to make and I respect that. Now open the box.”
Looking around the restaurant, not one person had taken their eyes off her. Rita and the rest of the kitchen crew were now watching. She didn’t care. She’d rather embarrass herself with the truth than pretend an excitement. Jasmine took a fortifying breath. “No, I won’t open the box. Just go home and we’ll talk later, Justin.”
The smile on his face faded. “Then you leave me no choice. Justin dropped the flowers and teddy bear on the floor and ripped open the box. “Take a look at this, Jasmine.”
Jasmine moved closer to see the picture that was taped inside the box. Her heart instantly fell to her feet for her to step on. The sound of Heather’s gasp served as confirmation and tears filled her eyes. She wanted to slap him across his smug face. She had never in her life been so angry. Lips trembling and face distorted, Jasmine found movement in her feet to run to her office.
Heather let her go and glared at Justin. “You are a fucking heartless bastard!”
Brandon jumped from his seat and went over to her. “Heather, what is going on?”
Justin ignored the man. “I may be heartless to do it this way but she needed to see it, Heather. She chose that cheating asshole over me. Do you believe he would have told her about his other woman?”
“You have a picture of him hugging another woman. Do you even know who she is! For God sake, I hope you get help soon. You shouldn’t be allowed to carry a gun with the sick mentality you have.”
Justin closed the box and put it in Heather’s hand. “Call me all the names you wish. I’ll overlook it since you’ll be thanking me for saving your best friend the hurt of a lifetime.”
Heather shook her head. “You really don’t have a clue. She’s already suffered that and then some.” She pointed a finger at the people in the restaurant. “You women in here who think Jas is stupid for running off—you would do the same. He doesn’t love her; he is seeking revenge because she dumped him. Get out, Justin! Get out and leave Jasmine alone!”
Justin released a disturbing chuckle. “Don’t blame me for presenting the evidence; that’s my job.” He kicked the bear aside and stepped on the brilliant red roses that were on the floor, smashing them into the laminated wood with the tip of his shoe. “Tell Jas to call me once she’s calmed down and come to her senses.”
Heather found Jasmine sitting behind her desk with her head resting on her folded arms. The jerking of her body and soft cries cut through Heather. Lightening had struck twice for Jasmine on Valentine’s Day.
“Jas, let me take you home,” she said rubbing her shoulder softly.
Jasmine didn’t lift her head. “Why is it always me, Heather? I’m a good person or so I think I am. Why am I always getting my heart ripped from my chest and torn apart?”
“Honey, don’t jump to conclusions without talking to Chase first. From the picture, you couldn’t even see a face. It was a man hugging a woman; it could’ve been anyone.”
“It was Chase. The name of his business was on the window.”
Heather opened the box and looked at the picture again to make sure. Jas was correct; she hadn’t even seen that. “So that doesn’t mean he is in involved with this woman. Give him a chance to explain, Jas.”
Jasmine took a tissue from the box and wiped her eyes. “He doesn’t owe me anything. We haven’t agreed to be exclusive. He can see whomever he wants as far as I’m concerned.”
“If that is true, why are you so upset? Justin is jealous and hell bent on destroying your relationship with Chase. Don’t let him have that power, Jas. If you love Chase; fight for him.”
Her head yanked up from resting on her arms. “I’m not in love with Chase.”
“Oh yes, you are! This is why we are always here. You claim I live in a world of denial, but you reside there a lot more than I do. You refused to follow the breadcrumbs Shawn left behind and went full ahead planning a wedding, when he kept dropping signals that he did not want to get married. Chase is Shawn again without the secret family tucked away in another State.”
Jasmine blew her nose. “He might not have the hidden family but how many other women is he crying to about his life? The ex-soldier using the PTSD act can get a lot of women to drop their panties, Heather.” She slammed her hand down on the desk. “I’m listening to you this time. I will not be taken in again. From this day forward, I am swearing off men for good. The bastards aren’t worth it for me to keep running. I’m tired of running away from the shame of my failed relationships.”
“Jas, please, don’t do that. If he’s dealing with something serious, you can’t walk away from him,” Heather begged softly.
Although she had stopped crying, a few tears managed to squeeze through her oversaturated ducts. “I’m done with him, period!”
“Jas, you’re overacting.”
“Um, no, this is not an act.” She got up from the desk and grabbed her coat and purse. “I’m dead serious. I’m pulling the doormat from under me. Let the tart he’s hugging in that picture help him deal with his pitiful life.”
Justin moved closer and stopped inches in front of her. He leaned down and kiss her on the cheek and whispered, “Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart.”
The spot on her skin where he kissed her burned. Her heart was beating wildly. The women in the restaurant swooning over Justin’s romantic gesture had no clue what was going on. They had no idea this was not a scene from a movie and she would jump into his arms from his outpouring of love for her. They would not understand why her stomach was on the verge of emptying either.
This is sick, Justin is sick. He had her where he wanted her—on the spot without an escape route. If she turned away and walked off, she would seem like an ungrateful ogre in the eyes of these women. Heather had not strayed from her. She felt her presence still behind her.
Finally, she found words. “What’s all this, Justin?”
He smiled. His handsome face bright and cheery but the blue of his eyes seem blank. “This is for you, sweetheart. Open the box my friend is holding.”
“Maybe we should do this later when we’re alone. I mean look at you! You’re dressed nice and I’m looking a hot mess. I want this to be right…”
“I have to do this now or never, Jasmine. I gave you space as you asked. It has been hard staying away from you. Not talking to you has been the worst. I got in the habit of getting a text from you to see if I’m okay on the job. Jasmine, I need you in my life. I can’t go on without you.”
Jasmine’s legs started to shake. He was scaring her for real now. This was not natural. How was he in love with her? They’d never shared intimacy except for that one night. And she hardly called that anything but heavy petting. Other than him lifting her shirt, no clothes came off.
“Please, Justin, not here. We have to talk first. A lot has changed since you’ve been gone.”
“If you’re referring to Lombardi, I’m not sweating over that. You had a choice to make and I respect that. Now open the box.”
Looking around the restaurant, not one person had taken their eyes off her. Rita and the rest of the kitchen crew were now watching. She didn’t care. She’d rather embarrass herself with the truth than pretend an excitement. Jasmine took a fortifying breath. “No, I won’t open the box. Just go home and we’ll talk later, Justin.”
The smile on his face faded. “Then you leave me no choice. Justin dropped the flowers and teddy bear on the floor and ripped open the box. “Take a look at this, Jasmine.”
Jasmine moved closer to see the picture that was taped inside the box. Her heart instantly fell to her feet for her to step on. The sound of Heather’s gasp served as confirmation and tears filled her eyes. She wanted to slap him across his smug face. She had never in her life been so angry. Lips trembling and face distorted, Jasmine found movement in her feet to run to her office.
Heather let her go and glared at Justin. “You are a fucking heartless bastard!”
Brandon jumped from his seat and went over to her. “Heather, what is going on?”
Justin ignored the man. “I may be heartless to do it this way but she needed to see it, Heather. She chose that cheating asshole over me. Do you believe he would have told her about his other woman?”
“You have a picture of him hugging another woman. Do you even know who she is! For God sake, I hope you get help soon. You shouldn’t be allowed to carry a gun with the sick mentality you have.”
Justin closed the box and put it in Heather’s hand. “Call me all the names you wish. I’ll overlook it since you’ll be thanking me for saving your best friend the hurt of a lifetime.”
Heather shook her head. “You really don’t have a clue. She’s already suffered that and then some.” She pointed a finger at the people in the restaurant. “You women in here who think Jas is stupid for running off—you would do the same. He doesn’t love her; he is seeking revenge because she dumped him. Get out, Justin! Get out and leave Jasmine alone!”
Justin released a disturbing chuckle. “Don’t blame me for presenting the evidence; that’s my job.” He kicked the bear aside and stepped on the brilliant red roses that were on the floor, smashing them into the laminated wood with the tip of his shoe. “Tell Jas to call me once she’s calmed down and come to her senses.”
Heather found Jasmine sitting behind her desk with her head resting on her folded arms. The jerking of her body and soft cries cut through Heather. Lightening had struck twice for Jasmine on Valentine’s Day.
“Jas, let me take you home,” she said rubbing her shoulder softly.
Jasmine didn’t lift her head. “Why is it always me, Heather? I’m a good person or so I think I am. Why am I always getting my heart ripped from my chest and torn apart?”
“Honey, don’t jump to conclusions without talking to Chase first. From the picture, you couldn’t even see a face. It was a man hugging a woman; it could’ve been anyone.”
“It was Chase. The name of his business was on the window.”
Heather opened the box and looked at the picture again to make sure. Jas was correct; she hadn’t even seen that. “So that doesn’t mean he is in involved with this woman. Give him a chance to explain, Jas.”
Jasmine took a tissue from the box and wiped her eyes. “He doesn’t owe me anything. We haven’t agreed to be exclusive. He can see whomever he wants as far as I’m concerned.”
“If that is true, why are you so upset? Justin is jealous and hell bent on destroying your relationship with Chase. Don’t let him have that power, Jas. If you love Chase; fight for him.”
Her head yanked up from resting on her arms. “I’m not in love with Chase.”
“Oh yes, you are! This is why we are always here. You claim I live in a world of denial, but you reside there a lot more than I do. You refused to follow the breadcrumbs Shawn left behind and went full ahead planning a wedding, when he kept dropping signals that he did not want to get married. Chase is Shawn again without the secret family tucked away in another State.”
Jasmine blew her nose. “He might not have the hidden family but how many other women is he crying to about his life? The ex-soldier using the PTSD act can get a lot of women to drop their panties, Heather.” She slammed her hand down on the desk. “I’m listening to you this time. I will not be taken in again. From this day forward, I am swearing off men for good. The bastards aren’t worth it for me to keep running. I’m tired of running away from the shame of my failed relationships.”
“Jas, please, don’t do that. If he’s dealing with something serious, you can’t walk away from him,” Heather begged softly.
Although she had stopped crying, a few tears managed to squeeze through her oversaturated ducts. “I’m done with him, period!”
“Jas, you’re overacting.”
“Um, no, this is not an act.” She got up from the desk and grabbed her coat and purse. “I’m dead serious. I’m pulling the doormat from under me. Let the tart he’s hugging in that picture help him deal with his pitiful life.”
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