Take a Breath (Take #1) - Jaimie Roberts Page 0,140

rain is coming down as fast as I shed my tears—so much so that I can’t tell where my tears begin and the rain ends.

A gentleman coming out the door holds it open for me. He visibly winces when he sees my obvious distress. I must look like a wretched mess. As I pass him, he gives me a sympathetic smile and looks as though he’s of two minds whether or not to say something to me. I smile back and thank him, noticing the kindness in his grey eyes. Even when I’m surrounded by ugliness, there is still that one person who can make a difference. One act of kindness is all it takes.

And that’s exactly why I’m here.

I take the lift to the fourth floor and knock on Jessie’s door, silently willing her to be home. She’s the one person I can trust. The one person I can rely on after Jake’s betrayed me so brutally. My heart and my head are pounding relentlessly. I don’t know how much more agony I can take.

Jessie finally answers the door and takes one look at me, the shock visible on her face. “Oh, my God! What the hell happened to you?”

My tears are still falling with no end in sight as I tighten my fists in an effort to keep myself from falling apart. “Can I stay with you? Please?” I don’t know how I manage to speak, but the words fall naturally from my lips.

Jessie’s face is full of outrage, horror, and worry, but it soon softens as she makes way for me to come inside. “Of course, Ana. Anything for you. You know that.”

I find my feet and walk through the door before shutting it behind me. As the door closes, the finality of my situation hits me. The chapter of my life with the only man I have ever truly loved has ended. My heart is broken into little pieces, and it’s now laying in the hallway of Jake’s house. The truth of my situation is shattering my life and my whole being. He’s the one I thought I would spend the rest of my life with—the one who taught me how to live, love, and find true happiness. He’s my laughter and my song; he’s my only reason to take a breath.

My Jake.

My caveman.

Introducing Jake Bennett

Bored as fuck is about the only way to describe how I feel. I don’t know why I let myself get in to this situation, but I’m here, nevertheless.

I like Stella; she’s a nice lady. But there’s no spark there for me. When our hands touched the same cereal box in the local grocery store about a month ago, I didn’t really pay much attention. I smiled at her, and like the gentleman I’d like to think I am, I offered her the item before choosing another for myself. She acted a little shy and giggled, but I ignored her and went on my way. The problem was that it happened again.

So I started to wonder if fate was trying to tell me something. There we were, with our hands on the same jar of strawberry jelly, and I thought that maybe I should give her a chance. After all, she was making all the right noises as she giggled and played with her soft, wavy, golden-brown hair. Her light eyes sparkled in the brightly lit store as our gazes met.

I rarely give women the time of day. I have my son to look after, and none of the women I meet really do anything for me. Sure, I’ve been on dates, but none of them progressed beyond the second round. All of the women I met made it quite clear what they wanted from me, and although I do have urges—which I have fulfilled on occasion just like any other man would—they aren’t what I obsess over anymore. Not at my age. I’m not getting any younger, and I know I need to settle down at some point. Matthew’s fifteen, and before long, he’ll be leaving for college and will have his own separate life to lead. Once that happens, I’ll be left alone to fend for myself.

“My daughter likes this brand,” she’d said, tilting her head ever so slightly as she purred the words to me.

I noticed her British accent and thought it was sexy as hell. “Well, your daughter has good taste,” I replied.

She laughed, easing the tension as she began to tell me a little about herself.