When the light of dawn hit my face, it was not that that pissed me off. It was my Lenovo smart clock on the nightstand next to the bed that kept ticking like crazy, not caring if I need a couple of minutes to rest.
For a while, I tossed on the mattress to avoid the irritating noise from my alarm because for once, I did not want to wake up from the bed.
My heart still hurts from last night's incident, and what I so wanted was to stay in bed all day and not have to go out, or see any living being today.
The last thing I would want is to explain myself to my best friend who always noticed when I was depressed.
But last night was nastier than before, and what I'm feeling is kind of worse than depression. It is like heartbreak without the breakup part.
Who could have guessed that I would spend my anniversary miserable and alone in bed when I have been married for fourteen years?
It sucked that Jennie messed up our entire plan. Yet, it is not strange to me since she has been canceling on me for the past eleven months.
Some people usually say I am a very patient man, and I want to be that for Jennie because what She and I have is something worth waiting for and fighting for.
Finally, my stupid clock stops ringing abruptly, and I close my eyes. But as I was drifting back to sleep, it screeched. "It's six O'clock!"
Immediately, I woke up from my nap and yelled, "I am awake, you idiot!"
It took me a moment to realize how stupid that was, and I couldn't help but laugh, "whom am I kidding? I am the idiot,"
The was no way I was falling asleep again after that, so I left my bed, and when about my regular morning routines… Did a ten-minute exercise, brushed my teeth, took a cold bath, bandaged my wound, got dressed, and headed downstairs for breakfast.
It was unnecessary to prepare extra food because of the leftovers from last night. So I sat at the table, and as I was about to take a bite, my watch caught my attention, and I knew breakfast was not possible, except if I wanted to be late for the company.The was no need to be in a rush though, but I hate arriving at work late, so I skipped breakfast and rushed out of my house.
The wind was intense outside when I came out the door and I noticed a couple of snowflakes resting on my coat as I locked the gate to my house.
"Good day Mr. David, is it fine to invite you over for brunch at our bakery?" Mrs. Harper asked, standing on her porch as though she had been waiting on me for a while.
"I don't mind. But can we make it brief? I don't want to show up late at work." I said, walking over to the bakery."Don't worry. We won't use up your time.“
“Since that's the case…”
“Please come in.“
With a faint smile on her timeworn face, she stared at me for a moment, and then we headed into the shop together.
The colorful tablecloths and fresh pastries scent regularly make the shop enchanting. But the real magic is Mr. Harper. His appearance seemed frown every time he bakes, but his pastries are really tasty.
This was not my first time visiting the bakery. But today it seemed a bit different because the moment I walked into the shop, the mood changed and Mr. Harper jostled a young woman to serve me.
As I stared at her, I couldn't stop myself from thinking, 'she is attractive.'
Her full rosy lips, curly dark hair, and brownish skin got my attention immediately. But I don't think I was there only one who realized her beauty because the bakery was crammed with more men than usual.
After she walked up to me, she placed a tray full of Harper's signature donuts on the table and gave me a weak smile.
"Thanks.“ I asked her. “ What's your name?“
"Julie,” She uttered with a cute but wary smile that got me to grin. “What happened to your finger?"
The way this look of nervousness in her eyes when our gazes locked, so I lower my stare to the table to make her feel comfortable.
"I cut myself. I guess men do not know their way around knives." I teased to relieve the tension between us.
“Nah, they do, but not you though.“ Julie uttered in a hilarious tone. “Sorry about your finger though.“
“Mrs. Harper, I see you have a new waitress, and she is modest.“
“I am not…”
Mr. Harper's laughter suddenly cut Julie off, and he blurted out. “She's my Preston graduate daughter.
But she is more intimate with books than me.“Subconsciously, I stared back at Julie when her father uttered, “Although I wish she would take an interest in a fellow. She is an adult after all. Settling down with someone ought to be on her mind, but she is stubborn as a mule,"
Swaying her gaze off me, Julie did not utter a word, but I knew her parents' behavior embarrassed her.
Suddenly, Mrs. Harper drew out a chair, looked at me as she sat down, and calmly intoned, "How is your wife?"
This conversation was becoming way too irksome for my comfort, and I did not appreciate the awkwardness in the atmosphere and thought it was best to leave early.
"My wife is splendid, and she will arrive home tonight… If there is no more to discuss, can I please have my donut package to bring with me to work?" I uttered calmly with a forced smile.
"That is not a problem.“ Mrs. Haper uttered, focusing her gaze on her daughter. “Can you please package Mr. David's donuts?“"Sure!" Julie replied.Avoiding my eyes, she took the donuts off the table and left in haste, and for a brief moment, I stared after her, feeling a sense of compassion for her because of how her parents acted.
"Don't pay attention to her bashful approaches, that is her personality since she was a child.“ Mr. Harper uttered as though he read my thoughts. “Can I ask you for a favor?"
"As long as it is within my principles I can grant it," I mumbled, staring him in the eyes to show my sincerity.
"We have lived next to each other for five years, and we see that you are a decent man who respects his wife and has dignity for himself.“
“Thanks for the compliment.““You are welcome… What I am getting at is that your behavior shows that your friends might have outstanding characters.“
“Well…”
“Have you heard of the statement that birds of the same feathers fly together?“
“Quite a lot.“
“Great. That's how I think of you and the friends you have. So whenever you are available to hang out, please take Julie with you to meet a decent person like yourself."
That was quite not what I was expecting him to say. But I felt glad that that was what he wanted to ask of me, and a sense of relief wash through me.
At that moment, Julie arrived with the donut package, took one look at our faces, and asked, "What are you people discussing?"
"Nothing serious. Your parents asked me to do something for them, and I guarantee them that when I have the opportunity I will fulfill their request," I told her, staring at the donuts to avoid her doubtful gaze.
It was suddenly becoming awkward again, so I stood from my seat, focused on Mr. and Mrs. Harper, and let out, “Since there is nothing more, I beg to take my leave,"
When they nodded, I walked away from the chair and headed for the door ignoring Julie's voice when she uttered, "What did you ask of him?"
"Nothing," Mr. And Mrs. Harper kind of said almost mutually.
As I got a hold of the doorknob, I cackled at Julie's words when she uttered loudly, "Well, since that is the case, I am going upstairs to resume my job search. Please do not distract me again with useless matters. I have suffered enough humiliation from you guys."Steve POV My attention swayed toward the door when it opened, and I watched Jackson enter the room and closed the door. When our eyes met, he had that look on his face that said he was confused to see me seated behind his KEFA executive desk, even though I am his boss. Lowering his gaze, he stared at his watch, and I could tell that he felt a bit anxious about being late to work. And honestly, I was concerned about him breaking his records for the month, even though there was no need for him to worry about showing up at work late or seeing me in his office. "Hey, Steven," Jackson asked, using a causal tone with me. “What are you doing here?“ My thoughts were occupied with his expression, and his words didn't concern me for a while. After approaching me, Jackson laid his donuts on his desk next to a pile of documents and focused his eyes on me. When I raised my brow, he ignored the suspicious look I gave him and sat at the edge of the table. Silently, I grabbed the donuts a
Jackson POV "Hey Steven, is that invitation still open? I believe Jennie loves to bandage and reopen damn my wounds!“ I said over a phone call to Steven. When he didn't speak, I immediately guessed what was going on in his head because I was the one who told him that I wasn't planning on going to the party. But what changed my mind was Jennie leaving me a voicemail while I drove home, saying it is unlikely for her to arrive home tonight because the airline delayed her flight. And the moment I walked into the empty house, I knew I need to drink my frustration away, or else I would lose my damn mind. The other end of the line remained mute for quite a while before Steven asked, “How bad is it?“ Although I don't say much often to others about the problem in my marriage, Steven knew just enough to understand how much these eleven months have affected my mental health. “I just need a drink.“ I mumbled, knowing talking more about Jennie's constant lies would only trigger me. “I kno
Julie POV The moment Jackson brought the car to a stop, I pushed the door opened and got down, shutting it behind me. The entire drive was quiet, and I couldn't help worrying that my bold comment about his wife had him still mad at me. But then again, it could just be my anxiety getting the best of me. Shortly after, Jackson joined me, stared down, gave a faint smile, and said, “Let's go.“ There were a lot of questions on my mind, but I didn't speak them and walked after him, keeping close behind him, even after I entered the building. My entire body came to a standstill as I stared ahead of me, spacing out for a second before looking at Jackson. "This club is impressive and dope!" I screamed toward him as he stood closer to me. In that instant, a guy pushed into me, and Jackson immediately grabbed my hand, warning, "Stay near me and do not let go of my hand. I don't want you to get lost in this crowd.“ “I am not a baby.“ I mumbled in annoyance, thinking he wouldn't hear me be
Steve POV Staring solely at Julie's lips, I realized that I had fallen in love with her smile. It’s the first time I thought of words like that for anyone other than Chloe, and I don't mean it as a simple statement of truth, but rather as an honest expression of my love for how they pulled upward in the perfect shape. "So…" Julie whispered, staring down at her heels. It should be easy to talk to her, but it felt difficult because she had the same effect that Chloe had on me… they both captured my heart in a way that made me nervous. From how Jackson had looked at me earlier, I knew he was shocked that I attended the club with Chloe, and honestly, I am surprised that she was the one I settled for. Even though the way he acted was damn rude, it was understandable because he has tried several times to break off our toxic relationship. But a six-year bond isn't easily broken because both partners agreed to end the relationship. It has nothing to do with time healing all wounds
Jackson POV "Is this seat taking?" a masculine voice asked me. At this point, I was moderately wasted with alcohol, and I turned my head to the right to gaze at a built dark skin guy standing over me whose outfit looked superior and deluxe. "Brother, your suit makes you seem stuck up, and it's ruining my pleasant mood.“ I mumbled, judging if I needed someone next to me right now. “ Haha,” a laugh slipped from his lips, and he didn't seem offended by my words. “You can sit near me since you are handsome, and if you are sitting next to me, it is in my favor.“ “Why?“ “Did you notice how those ladies' eyes immediately rolled off me and on you? You are everything I need to make my night perfect." I mumbled, picking up my shot glass. The stare I was getting from the girls from the other table was annoying, and their constant whispering to each other was screwing with me. "I am Chris." The fellow said as he seized the seat next to me. "David, Jackson David," I told him, ignoring th
Jackson POV Last night we both barely slept, and never in a million years did I think that this would be us after she finally came home. But I know my wife inside and out, and something was different about her… and I feel shitty that I can not move past that. Her cries kept me up last night, and I could feel the pain she was going through, but I couldn't do anything to help her, not when she wouldn't be honest with me. All I could think about is what this must be like for her right now because we had never gone through something like this before… not once in our love life. Sighing out my frustration, I sat up, resting my feet on the cold tiles, and shut my eyes when I felt the bed move beneath me. Even though Jennie was awake, she said nothing, and I woke from the bed, headed into the bathroom, and locked the door behind me. When I got into the shower, the noise of the doorknob turning a bit aggressively caught my attention, but I turned on the showerhead with a heavy heart.
Julie POV The sound of a knock echoed in my room before my mother walked inside with a breakfast tray and hangover pills. As she approached my bed, I hastily shut my eyes. But when she kissed my head, I couldn't help but smile at her sweet gesture, even though she does that more than often. Yet, I didn't raise my eyelids since I was pretending to sleep because I couldn't sleep last night. It's hard when I'm trying not to think about Steven. All night, I could not stop thinking about him even though we just met. I kept remembering the sparkle in his eyes, hearing his voice, and the way he smiled when he spoke to me. It was no secret that he was so captivating, and it took my breath away, and my poor heart felt drawn to him as an arrow stuck in its target. "Jul, wake up and have breakfast." My mother's voice flowed in my ear. When she hit me gently, I still didn't want to wake up because it felt nice to be in bed, and that's what I wanted today… to stay in my room. "Do you nee
Jackson POV "All done with the bandage," Jennie whispered as she lifted her head and stared at me, smiling brightly. Staring into her eyes, I wanted to kiss her so badly, but I couldn’t bring myself to do so. Yet it felt like all my emotions were screaming at me to do it, and I tried to silence them, but they grew louder. The way her eyes glow, she is beautiful, and she is mine. What happened between us last night was not right, not in any way did it make sense at this moment... at least not anymore. "Does it still hurt?" Jennie said, pouting cutely. But I couldn't focus on anything else but her lips. They were pink and plump and soft, and when they move when she spoke, I felt my body react on instinct. And I took a deep breath, trying to calm down before I did something stupid, and before my heart beat out of my chest. I could feel it racing as Jennie stared at me, those eyes that are usually warm and playful now full of concern. Unable to control myself, I pulled her towards