Pointing to me, Jade’s eyes grew dark. “No. That’s when you decided to go your own way and you left me heartbroken.”
“For fucks sake, Jade. All we ever did was fight; you cheated on me! Do you remember that?”
“Mistake. It was a mistake, Noah.”
“Nothing was a mistake. It was all done with the knowledge of what the consequences would be, Jade.”
Jade took another step closer to me as she let a smile play across her face. “Noah, if you didn’t care about me, why did you send me a letter?”
Shaking my head, I couldn’t believe what was happening. “Because no matter what happened between us, we were still together for five years, Jade. My mother liked you and you liked my mother. I was only doing the polite thing by sending you the letter to let you know my mother passed away. I sent them to a few people, not just you.”
Jade’s face filled with disappointment. “Did you read any of the letters I sent?”
Looking away, I softly spoke, “No.”
“Not one, Noah. Not one single letter? Why?”
Blowing air out forcefully from my mouth, I looked back at Jade. “I don’t want to hurt you again, Jade. But you showing up here and doing all of this, you leave me no choice. I didn’t read the letters because there was nothing there for me to read. No matter what you had said in them, it wouldn’t have changed my mind. Once I met Grace, everything changed. She’s my entire world. When I think of my future, I only see Grace.”
Jade stood a little taller and titled her head some as she stared at me. “I see. Well, this was all just a waste of time. I guess I’ll be getting married this Saturday knowing there will never be an us again.”
This Saturday she’s getting married? Wow. That poor bastard had no idea what he was getting into.
“You’re getting married this weekend and you’re standing here asking about us?”
Jade smiled. “Noah, we were together a long time. You can’t deny we didn’t have some wild and crazy times. I miss you. I had given up hope of us ever getting back together until you sent me that letter. It took courage to seek you out and when I did, the house had been sold and you were gone. I had to find you.”
Shaking my head, I looked into Jade’s eyes. “Jade, we were young. There isn’t anything there between us. There hasn’t been in a very long time. Maybe you’re just nervous about the idea of getting married.”
Throwing her head back, Jade laughed. “Trust me . . . I’m going to be set for life, Noah.” Jade took a few steps closer to me as she licked her lips.
Nothing. I felt absolutely nothing.
“So you’re sure there’s no chance we can go out to dinner. See if there is anything there that once was?” Lowering her voice she said, “Maybe a roll in the hay for old times sake, Noah?”
I actually felt sorry for Jade. She clearly didn’t love the man she was engaged to. If she had, she wouldn’t have tried so hard to track me down. Especially when she was getting married in a couple of days.
“Sorry, Jade. I’m very much in love with Grace.”
Pursing her lips, she said, “You’re kidding, right? I’m practically throwing myself at you, Noah, and you’re turning me down?”
“I’m beginning to remember why we broke things off, Jade. I think the best thing for you to do is leave.”
Swallowing hard, a look of anger moved across Jade’s face before she smiled and laughed. “Now I know why I cheated on you. You always were a bit boring. In and out of bed.”
My eyes drifted over toward the door as I looked back at Jade. “I guess I was saving the best for the woman I loved and wanted to spend the rest of my life with. The woman I’m marrying in two weeks.”
Pushing past me, Jade headed to her car, got in and slammed the door shut. She quickly headed down the driveway as I stood there still in shock somewhat that she had even been there.
The door to the house opened and I quickly turned around to see Grace standing there. She wore a smile so big it caused me to smile.
Before I could even say a word, Grace jumped into my arms and wrapped her legs around me as she pressed her lips against mine. Walking her back into the house, Grace spoke against my lips. “I’m so sorry. I eavesdropped, but I’m so glad I did. I love you. I love you so much, Noah.”
Pushing Grace against the wall, I gazed into her eyes. “You’re the one for me, Grace. You always were and you’ll always be.”
Grace placed her hand on the side of my face and ran her fingers over my two-day-old stubble. “I’ve changed my mind.”