From what I know, she didn’t tell her parents where she was. I’m now wondering if the ex told them.
She seems as shocked as I am that they’re here and tries to close the door on them. But her dad is faster and stops it with his foot.
‘You’ve had your fun rebellion, Jenna. It’s time to come home,’ her dad says.
‘This isn’t a rebellion. This is my life. A life away from you. A life I want,’ she fires back.
Her parents push their way inside and take a look around. The place is still pretty empty, mostly because she’s been spending so much time with me. She has some bar stools at the kitchen island, but I’m still working on her table. There’s a couch, a coffee table, a TV, a bed in her bedroom, and that’s it. There’s very little on the walls, and the place doesn’t look lived in.
‘This is where you live?’ her father asks in disgust.
‘Sweetheart, you can’t live like this. You’re in the middle of nowhere, and there’s nothing in this town,’ her mom says.
I’d hate to see what they think of my place, which really is in the middle of nowhere. Even with no furniture, this cabin is a lot fancier than mine.
‘This place is mine and I’m taking my time to make it my home. So what?’
‘Honey, it’s time to come back. You’ve had your time to recover from what Chad did to you, and people are asking about you. Just the other day, Spencer MacIntosh was asking after you.’ Her mom smiles and gushes over the name, and I can tell she thinks this Spencer guy is a big deal.
Her father is looking around the place. When his eyes land on me, he jerks, almost like I hit him.
‘Jenna, did you know there’s a strange man in your house?’ her father asks as if she had no idea I was here.
‘Yes. This is Phoenix. We just stopped home for me to grab a few things, and then we were heading back out.’
It doesn’t escape me that Jenna doesn’t introduce me as her boyfriend or even her friend, just by my name. I try not to read too much into it, but it stings because I see her as my girlfriend, and if I’m honest, as so much more.
But she was never meant to be here, was she?
‘Phoenix, why are you in my daughter’s house?’ her father asks.
I open my mouth, unsure what to say.
Jenna beats me to it. ‘He’s here because I asked him to be. But I did not ask the two of you to come here, so it’s time to go. I’m sorry you wasted your time.’
‘Just because you paid Chad back for the wedding doesn’t make living like this okay,’ her mom says.
I can feel the blood draining from my face. Shit. Jenna wasn’t supposed to find out like this.
‘What are you talking about? I didn’t pay Chad back that money. In fact, I made it very clear I wasn’t going to,’ she says, looking as confused as her parents.
The more she stands there with her parents, the more I realize how much she doesn’t fit in here. I was fooling myself, thinking she was learning how I live for anything but her book.
‘Come on, let’s move you into the pool house. It will give you the privacy you want, but you’ll still be close. You can attend the Children’s Hospital Gala and reenter society. We can find you a great catch there.’
‘Get out!’ Jenna snaps.
Her mom jerks back like Jenna slapped her instead of just yelling at her. ‘Jenna–”
‘No. This is my place! Get out or I’ll call the cops on you for trespassing. Then I’ll make sure all your friends back home see those photos,’ Jenna says as she opens the door.
‘Well, I never!’ Her mom storms out.
‘That makes two of us,’ Jenna says.
‘This isn’t over,’ her dad says, following her mother.
Jenna closes the door and locks it. She stares at the closed door for a moment before she turns back to me. ‘I didn’t pay Chad that money.’
I swallow. ‘I know. I did.’
She stares at me in disbelief. ‘Why? Why would you do that?’
‘I didn’t want him bothering you anymore. I didn’t like him harassing you, so I took care of it.’
‘Without talking to me.’
‘Would you have let me do it if I had?’ I ask, already knowing the answer.
‘No, of course not. It was my issue to deal with, and I wasn’t paying him back for the wedding. He’s money hungry, so the last thing I was going to do was give him any. And that was my choice to make.’
‘I should’ve told you. I’m sorry, but all I want to do is protect you. From the moment I saw you in the shop, when you got that call. I knew someone was bothering you. I saw it on your face, and I wanted to protect you even then.’
‘But this was still my choice to make. I can’t have you interfering in big things like this without talking to me.’
Neither of us says anything. We just stare at each other, waiting for the other to speak.
‘Maybe you should go back with your parents. We both know this won’t work out. You’re too city, and you won’t survive a winter here, even in town. We’re too different, and you don’t fit in here.’
‘What the hell are you talking about?’
‘Jenna, finish your book and go home to your family. At least you have one. No matter how horrible you think they are, it’s better than not having one.’
I move around her toward the door, thinking she’ll let me go.
‘Well, I guess you got what you wanted. Pay off my debt, fuck me, and send me away. So much for being different. Thank you for making me feel like a whore.’
When she slams the door behind me, I jump.
She is the furthest thing from a whore, and I never saw her that way. I want to yell through the door and tell her that, make sure she understands it. But what is there I can say now that will make her hurt any less?
Slowly, I make the drive home. I expected to have her at my side, but now with an empty passenger seat, my heart is breaking.
I walk into my cabin, instantly feeling her presence. Her computer is still on the kitchen island, and I know if I walk into the bedroom, her clothes will be there, her stuff mixed with mine in the bathroom.
Even though I know I have to get everything back to her, I can’t bear to see her right now.
Going to the radio I do the only thing I can think of.
‘Emelie, you there? I need a favor.’
