Ash reminded Jenna of a younger version of his father, the respectable and intimidating Judge Douglas Vance, not the eager young lawyer who did pro bono legal work at the community center. Had Ash sold out completely?
The thought made her sad. She didn’t know why, given what he’d done to her. Memories rushed back. Arguments over the photo. Her denials. His disbelief. The breakup standing at the altar. A living nightmare she wanted to forget but couldn’t.
Her throat tightened. She thought she’d put this behind her. Ash too. Maybe not, given the way she kept staring at his face and noticing little things like the lines at the corner of his eyes. She swallowed. One more reason to turn down his offer. “I’ve made my decision. It’s no.”
On the street, Michael walked around the front of his car to the passenger side where Kerri sat. Perfect timing. “My clients are here. I have to go.”
Jenna hoped her words sounded calm when her insides trembled like a 6.0-magnitude earthquake. She wanted to grab a bottle of chocolate sauce, bypass the spoon, and squeeze the liquid straight into her mouth. Maybe that would stop the emotions—anger, sadness, relief—threatening to overwhelm her. She forced a wasn’t-this-nice smile instead.
Ash glanced toward the couple getting the puppy out of her crate. “If you reconsider . . .”
“That probably won’t happen.” She knew she’d left wiggle room with the probably. Maybe he wouldn’t notice. “I appreciate your stopping by and apologizing.”
“Jenna . . .”
An elephant stomped on her chest. Okay, not really, but the imaginary weight made her take shorter breaths. Or maybe Ash was the problem. Either way, she couldn’t do this any longer. She’d thrown away the pictures of them together. Time to close the door for good. “Hope life treats you well. Good-bye.”
Ash stepped from Jenna’s porch onto the brick walkway that split the neatly mowed lawn in half. He passed a smiling couple. The woman held a pink dog leash attached to a small tan puppy who wanted to sniff the grass. Ash’s feet dragged as if he’d walked across quick-dry cement and was carrying ten extra pounds on each shoe. He and Jenna had been happy like her clients, gazing into each other’s eyes, laughing, and picturing a future together.
He’d messed up. Big time.
The sun beat down from a clear, blue sky, a taste of summer on this early June afternoon. The warm temperature had nothing to do with the sweat dampening his hairline and dripping down his neck.
Jenna.
Over the past two years, he’d thought of her—a flash of a memory during a deposition or an image of her pretty face, warm green eyes, and long blonde hair sitting in church. He had thought about calling her. More times than he wanted to admit. But he hadn’t. Couldn’t. Not after what she’d—
She hadn’t done anything.
That realization troubled him, as did the last words she’d spoken.
His shoes clicked against the brick, an echo of her good-bye, the sound of finality, the end. If only he’d listened to her, but he’d thought he knew best and put his belief behind his family instead of his fiancée.
Ash’s cell phone vibrated, the third time since he’d arrived at Jenna’s house. Amber’s name and number were on the screen.
His heart ached, a combination of regret and frustration, over what had happened, what he hadn’t done two years ago.
He should have believed Jenna. He should have stood by her. He should have done things—everything—differently.
But he would make amends. Pay her back with interest. Repair the damage to her reputation and business. Making things right for Jenna might make him feel normal again. Nothing—work, friends, church—satisfied him lately, but he had no idea why.
The phone vibrated again. He wanted to ignore the call. Talking to Amber would upset him more, but knowing his sister, she wouldn’t stop until he answered.
Might as well get this over with. He tapped the screen. “Hello.”
“I’ve been calling for the last ten minutes.” Amber sounded annoyed. She should join the club. “Why haven’t you answered?”
“I was speaking with Jenna.”
“Oh, good. When does she want to talk about the wedding?” Amber’s words ran into each other. “Did you tell her about the reception location? And I’d like her to take photos of me in my gown after the final fitting? I need one for the Sweetwater Post’s bridal page.”
His sister didn’t pause to take a breath. She kept on talking.
“Ash?” Amber’s voice rose. “Are you there? What did Jenna say?”
He loved Amber, but his sister had ruined everything two years ago. All because she thought he was too serious about his run for the state legislature and needed to loosen up and laugh.
Going to a comedy club would have accomplished the same goal better than leaking the photo of him walking out of the courthouse in a bunny suit with a trail of rabbits following him. That picture, courtesy of Jenna’s Photoshop skills, hadn’t made him laugh, but turned him into a laughingstock.
The Pied Piper of the County Courthouse.
The Bunny Guy.
The Rabbit Representative.