Shattered Rose (Winsor Series) - By T L Gray Page 0,65

did.

“I wanted to apologize for earlier. I had a little too much to drink and came on way too strong. It wasn’t fair to you.” He was being so careful with his words, which was not like him at all. In fact, he hadn’t said a word about Issy being wasted out of her mind on my watch either, which really wasn’t like him.

I shot him a look that must have said all I was thinking, because he walked toward me carefully and sat on the bed. “Can we just talk? Like we used to?” he asked taking my hand in his. I didn’t know what to say, so I just sat on the bed next to him. He moved up to where his back was resting on the headboard and pulled me between his legs. My back was resting on his broad chest and his arms were wrapped tightly around me. I closed my eyes, taking in his perfect scent, sure I was in a dream.

“This was my first holiday without her,” he explained quietly, still holding me tight. “I thought I’d be fine, but really neither of us were. Diana was a mess today, trying to make everything perfect so I wouldn’t miss her so much, and I pretended with everything I had just to make her feel better. As hard as we tried, though, it wasn’t enough. Her absence was everywhere.” His voice trailed off and he buried his head in my hair. I didn’t know what to say. My anger towards him had completely melted, and I wanted more than anything to take away his pain. I shifted my body so that I could reach him and ran my fingers through his hair while he continued to rest on my shoulder.

He was still for a long time and then whispered in my ear, “Can I just stay with you tonight? We won’t do anything. I just need to feel you next to me.” He looked up at me and I nodded, lost in his eyes, remembering all the reasons why I fell in love with him to begin with. He smiled at me, almost as if he could read my mind and got under the covers. He was on his back and I rested my head on his chest as he held me. It felt so familiar, so right that I fought sleep as long as I could for fear it would all disappear in the morning.

The sun coming in my window woke me from my sleep as I felt around for Jake. He was gone, and just as I feared, my heart suddenly felt very empty and cold again. I went next door to Issy’s room to check on her, but she was gone too. I knew she was planning to go shopping, but never imagined she would actually make it. I shook my head; Issy never ceased to amaze me.

I showered and cleaned up the room, trying to make it look as perfect as it had when I got there yesterday. I glanced at the bed one more time before I turned out the light and shook my head. So much of my relationship with Jake was a mirage, so real when I was in the midst of it, and then gone in an instant.

I walked into the kitchen and left Diana a note, thanking her for her hospitality. The comfort and warmth I felt when I walked in yesterday was gone; it just felt dark and empty now.

I felt depressed as I drove home, the weight of the week suddenly weighing on my shoulders. My phone beeped, and I grabbed it as quickly as I could, hopeful that it was Jake. It was just the grad student reminding me to take the sample today, as if I could possibly forget. I rolled my eyes and threw my phone down. I hated today.

I got home and unpacked, but my mood was still foul. Parker was getting back today too, and we had talked about meeting up at the library again and possibly going to a movie. For some reason, it didn’t have the same appeal. I sighed, frustrated with myself for being such an idiot, and left to go take samples for the fiftieth time. The whole walk to the lab, I could feel my conscience gnawing at me, but I pushed it down.

I daydreamed of Jake, remembering our kiss in the kitchen, his broken manner in my room last night. It was consuming