There was no way I was just taking Louise's word on this. It was too important. I'd learned my lesson, but I didn't suddenly turn into an idiot.As soon as I made sure Rachel was nowhere in the house, I left. There was food in the kitchen, but I didn't feel like I could eat at all. Louise wouldn't eat it, either, because she was almost always on a diet and watching her calorie intake. A nice, wholesome ranch meal was beyond her.Hopefully, I can convince her to come back soon. We could warm it up for dinner, even.But first, I needed to see a doctor, to see what could be done about the situation with Louise.It was the first time I went back to the hospital after I was told Grandpa Nathan had died. My throat choked up a little as I pulled into the parking lot. I took a minute to breathe and settle myself, then stepped out of the car. I’d have to get over it at some point, though I somehow doubted the guilt would be so easily forgotten.I stopped by the reception and was directed to a
I pulled Jason with me inside and closed the door.“Where’s Jack?” he asked, looking around.I felt a warmth in my chest when Jason asked about him. If there had been one thing I was anxious about Jason and I being together, it was how he would take to being with Jack. He hadn't spent much time around Jack the times I’d taken him to the ranch. I’d caught him looking a few times, before rushing away like hungry wolves were at his heels, and I hadn't been sure how to take that reaction.But he looked all concerned now as he looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of my son, that I couldn’t help but be happy.“He’s sleeping in the bedroom,” I told him, pulling him over to the couch and coaxing him to sit down. “I have the baby monitor here so I can hear when he wakes up. Though, this place is small enough that if he cried in the room, I could hear him.”Jason looked around the room, and I fidgeted beside him, my fingers playing with the hem of my top as I wondered exactly what he wanted
It hurt to leave Rachel at her place and go back to the ranch. But, Rachel had thought it would be better if she and Louise didn’t interact too much. I agreed, but I still didn’t like it.Louise, of course, was still at the ranch when I got back later that evening. Like getting rid of her would be that easy.“Hey, there, Jason,” she called as soon as I walked into the house. She was coming down the stairs, still in the get up from earlier, holding her phone in one hand and her purse in the other. She must have been left alone and had to entertain herself while I was out late having fun with Rachel.A part of me felt ashamed. But, I had warned her that I didn’t have the time to be looking after her.“Why are you still here?” I asked her. “Don’t you have things to do in the city? A party to attend maybe? Friends, to visit?”“Aww,” she pouted. “But I’m already visiting someone, and that’s you. Is that your subtle way of telling me to get lost?”I sighed. “If I wanted to tell you to get l
I went to the ranch the next morning. I’d thought long and hard about it, and I’d wondered to myself.Why the fuck am I hiding?Sure, that girl, Louise, could claim to be Jason’s city girlfriend, but he’d already said it wasn’t like that between them. And, even though there was a part of me that felt insecure just looking at her, I knew I didn’t have to feel like that.“We’re going on a trip,” I sang to Jack as I packed up the stuff of his that I’d brought along.Then I picked up my son, and his luggage, and left my apartment. I’d called for a taxi already and would be paying with the money Jason had insisted on lending me when he left yesterday.I arrived at the ranch, all but ready for war. The taxi driver helped me carry my things over to the door, and I gave him a generous tip, then he was driving off. I turned to the house, taking a deep breath as I walked slowly up the porch steps. The door opened before I got to it, and Jason stood there, smiling happily at me.“Hey,” he said,
“I still can't believe this is happening,” I muttered under my breath.Rachel, who was by my side with her arm wrapped around mine, smiled up at me. “What? That you’d get an excuse to dress in a dashing suit again? That we’d be here in the same place with your brother and you both aren’t being such damn grouches about it?”I frowned at her. “Noah getting married,” I emphasized. “And us being so friendly that I’m joining the wedding after receiving an invitation.”She gave me a curious look. “Why is that?”I opened my mouth to give her an answer, only to stop and snap my mouth closed. Exactly what could I tell her, anyway? Noah and I…used to get along as kids. We were twins, after all, and spent most of the time together. I couldn’t remember when we’d drifted apart, and somewhere in between, I’d grown to distrust and dislike for my brother, and he the same.But, why did I dislike him in the first place? I couldn’t pinpoint a reason. Had it… Been some stupid sibling thing for all those
I'm back home, hoping that the girl I left behind still wants me back...My mom had died, and my dad was acting like a loose cannon. I shouldn’t have left Ginger, but I couldn’t help myself. I was a mess and becoming a SEAL felt like the perfect solution. I was wrong!I knew Ginger wouldn’t wait for me. I knew she would move on. I didn’t blame her, but all I could do was hope.There's a little girl, and I can’t help but wonder if the little girl is mine. I want to ask Ginger, but I know I have no right to. After all, I left her and didn´t even bother saying goodbye. I broke her heart once, and I have no intention of doing it again if only she`ll take me back?
I snapped awake in my bed, and for a moment I was confused. I didn’t know where I was. My heart was beating too fast in my chest, but my breathing was coming out calm. Then I looked around and remembered.Right. Shit.I was back home, in my little place at the hotel. Still, I didn’t calm down immediately, and I closed my eyes to take a few deep breaths, getting my heart to return to normal.I shook my head and got out of bed, heading for the showers. It took exactly five minutes before I was done and drying myself out. I picked an outfit for the day, then debated whether or not I should leave my room.You should, I thought to myself. You can't keep yourself locked in here forever.But the thought of leaving had my heart beat coming up again, and I knew I needed to stay calm.I wasn’t quite fresh out of the Navy. I’d been back for some time, though I mostly kept to myself, shit, I barely left the hotel. The only reason I even came back here instead of drifting, was because of my injury
“Hello, Ginger.”Those were the first words Ben said to me, and all I could think was this bastard.How fucking dare he!I glared at him because he fucking deserved it, and he just stood there, awkwardly shifting from foot to foot, looking at me.It had been months. He’d left a few years ago, but he had been back in town for several months. It had been big news when he came back, after all, everyone made a big deal about it. The rumors going around started to die down when people rarely saw him come out of his family’s hotel, but he did come out sometimes, usually to see his dad.But…not once. In all those months, not once had he come to see me. Or tried to call me, or sent a message to me through his sister, or made any effort to try and contact me.The first thing he said after we finally saw each other was ‘Hello, Ginger.’In the beginning, I’d been anxious to see him, too. I was still mad, but I knew he’d enlisted. I wondered the kind of person he’d be once he’d come out because I