Sharon smiled and said, “Now, go home and get some rest. Just take it easy for a few days. Eat some fruit and veggies and drink lots of water.”

Jessie smiled and nodded her head.

We walked out of the room and into the lobby. Ari, Ellie, Heather, and Jeff all jumped up.

Ari walked up and gave Jessie a kiss on the cheek. She whispered, “I’m sorry for being such a bitch.”

Jessie smiled. “No. You were being honest.”

Ellie and Heather each gave Jessie and then me a kiss on the cheek. We all walked out together, and Jeff and I talked a little bit about the New Year’s Eve party we were throwing at Gunner’s place.

I got into the car and looked over at Jessie. “Do you want to stop and get the vitamins now or later?”

She looked at me and gave me a weak smile. “Later? I’m just so tired.”

I nodded, and I started driving.

As Aaron and Jenny’s house came into view, I noticed Jessie sit up a bit straighter.

She looked at me. “Why are you bringing me to my brother’s? I don’t want to go there. I want to go home. I just want to go home and go to sleep.” Then, her face dropped. “Do you not want me at your house?”

“What? Of course I do. I just thought you might want to be at Aaron’s, especially if…if he’s coming to town to see you and all.”

She turned and looked out the window. “I would rather stay with you, and I don’t care that he’s coming to town.”

“Okay,” I said as I pulled out of Aaron’s driveway and headed home.

The short drive to my house was a silent one. When we got to the house, I got out, and by the time I got around to the passenger side, Jessie had already gotten out of the truck. She was making her way to the front door.

We walked in, and I set my keys on the table. I took my wallet and phone out and set them down as well.

She looked at me and smiled. “Will you lie down with me? Please?”

As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t. What if Trey comes to town and talks her into leaving with him? I’ll be alone…again.

“I, um…I have a ton of work I need to catch up on, and then there’s this party we’re planning, so I need to take care of some things for that.”

Her smile faded as she nodded her head. “Of course. I understand.” Then, she turned and headed for my bedroom.

Two hours later, and I was still sitting at my desk…with nothing done. I got up and walked outside and down to the barn. I walked up to the stall where the new filly was. I smiled as I looked at her name on the door—Jessie Girl.

I turned and sat down on a hay bale, and then I put my head in my hands. I’d never felt so torn in my life. Does she love him? Her eyes had told me that she didn’t, but she had feelings for him. That much I could see in her eyes.

“What are you doing out here?”

I looked up and saw Gunner standing there, leaning up against the barn door.

“Thinking.”

I’d forgotten Gunner had mentioned that he was going to come by and pick up a horse today.

He slowly nodded and started walking toward me. “About what?”

“If I’m doing the right thing,” I said as I watched him take a seat across from me.

He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Talk to me, Scott.”

I let a small laugh come out as I shook my head. “He had the fucking nerve to call me and tell me he’s coming here…to fight for her. That motherfucker. She’s pregnant with my child, and he thinks he’s going to take her from me.”

“What are you planning on doing?” Gunner asked.

I looked over at him. “I’m going to let her make the decision on her own. I’m not going to force her into anything…even if it kills me in the end. I won’t hurt her again…ever.”

“She loves you. You have to know that.”

“I do,” I said as my voice cracked.

“Don’t just give up on her, Scott. Don’t push her away again by thinking that what you’re doing is helping her because it might end up hurting her. She needs to know that you will fight for her and your child. Don’t let this prick just come walking in here, so he can try to convince her what happened on the island is worth walking away from the love of her life. From what Ellie and Heather told me, Jessie is scared to death that you’ll walk away from her again. She is filled with guilt about what she did with this character. Don’t let her think, even for a minute, that you’re pushing her away. Because she just might find her way back into this guy’s arms.” Gunner raised his eyebrow.

I stood up and thought about how sad she’d looked when we pulled up to Aaron’s and then when I didn’t go lay down with her. She’d looked almost…devastated.

“Where is she now?” Gunner asked.

“Sleeping.” I thought about how she must have felt as she walked back to the bedroom alone. I turned and looked at Gunner.

He stood up. “When will he be here?”

“Not sure. I’m assuming he’s on his way.”

Gunner walked up to me and put his hands on my shoulders as he looked me in the eyes. “Go to her, Scott, right now. Don’t even let that fucker put a single doubt in her mind. Ellie truly believes that Jessie only cares for Trey as a friend. Don’t push her away.”

I thought about Jessie telling me about the day Trey had touched her…kissed her body in places where only I should be kissing. I felt the anger build up inside me, but then I remembered her telling him to stop, telling him she loved me and how it’d felt wrong. She thought I’d cheated, and she hadn’t given up on our love.

I won’t give up on our love either.

“Sorry, Gun…but I have to leave you to fend for yourself.” I turned and walked away from Gunner.

I started to make my way back up to the house. I found myself jogging, and then I burst into a full-on run. I ran up the back steps and into the house. I stopped and took a minute or two to catch my breath. That was when I heard Jessie talking to someone. I slowly walked down the hall that led to my room and stopped to listen.

“I’m not really sure why you felt the need to come here, Trey. No…there is nothing to talk about. I care about you, I won’t deny that, but only as a friend. At first, I was confused because that day…that day, I think a part of you captured my heart, but it was for all the wrong reasons. I wanted you to make me forget about the pain and hurt I was feeling. We weren’t going to make love, Trey. We were going to fuck the hurt away.”