Forever Rain (Rain Will Fall Trilogy #1) (8 page)

“Hey, Juana… I think there is a conspiracy here. No one called us in for lunch,” said Veronica, as she piled food onto her plate, grinning at Juana.

“It’s Miss Jenna. Getting pregnant, she drives us all crazy around here,” Juana said as she bustled around the kitchen. She loved to be complimented on her food and nothing pleased her more than to see everyone partake in what she prepared.

We all jumped on the bandwagon, blaming Jenna for just about any silly thing we could imagine. She ate it up too, and chimed in about how much fun it was trying to get pregnant, but that it had already been three months, and she was ready to get pregnant already.

We finally said our goodbyes to Jenna. I texted David and thanked him again for everything. We piled into the limo and made our way back to Houston.

“So, Jordan Dawson was at your party, huh?” Aunt Suzette asked. She was as sharp as a tack.

“Aunt Suz…leave well enough alone. I hope never to see him again, good riddance.”

She chuckled. “So, I will have to be the one to tell you?”

“Tell me what?” I sat straight up in my seat. My eyes looked around at Mia and Veronica as if daring them to know something I didn’t, but clearly they did not know much more than me since they were all ears as well.

“Sweetie, Jordan apparently is moving his headquarters to Houston from Brussels,” she said calmly, as if though she were talking about the weather.

“What the f—-”

“Manners, dear!” she admonished me quietly as I was about to let the F-bomb fly, which would have embarrassed her and myself greatly.

“Who else knows about this, Aunt Suzette, and when did you find out?” My tone of voice was frosty and I was trying not to take my frustrations out on her.

“I found out last night. David told me. He asked me to tell you and I thought that since Mia and Veronica are your best friends and you would tell them…well, I thought that it would be OK to tell you now.” I saw that this has made her uncomfortable and I leaned over to her and squeezed her hand.

“I’m sorry for losing it. Really, I am.”

“Understandable, dear. David said Jordan told him about the move a few months ago, but David didn’t know how to tell you and he didn’t want to get Jenna involved, so he asked me to tell you.” Aunt Suzette had been there to hold my hand when Jordan’s relationship and mine went south. I imagine she knew I was still pissed at Jordan and may never get over his betrayal.

I looked at Mia and Veronica and saw that they were concerned as well. Jordan and I dated for a little over six months and they were there to pick up the pieces when he cheated on me with his secretary. Someone I had only met a couple times, but she made it quite clear that she and Jordan had been around the block a couple times and they were still an item.

I looked out the window of the car in dismay. I didn’t want to go through this. I didn’t want to live in the same town as Jordan Dawson. Why was he moving to Houston? Why move his whole company? Why now, after 10 years…just as my life was about to be settled into a nice, quiet phase with a perfect gentleman? I took a deep breath. I have friends and family around me. Everything will be fine. Houston is a massive city and big enough for both of us.

I have my business and employees that I’m responsible for. We didn’t move in the same circles and we have no friends in common. From what I tried not to hear about him, but inevitably did…Jordan lived a life of wealth, never lacking of gorgeous women on his arms, private aircraft jetting around the world and driving fast, expensive sports cars. We probably didn’t even know the same people. I could avoid him. No, I must at all costs avoid Jordan Dawson.

“You have an incredible amount of support around you, Zoe. We were there for you 10 years ago and are here for you now,” Mia said, squeezing my hand that was actually cold and numb now.

“Look, Zoe, Jordan will not be dealing with a young, naive 20-year-old girl now. You’re an accomplished business woman. He’s in for a big surprise if he thinks he can waltz back into your life and mess around with your head again,” Veronica, ever the practical voice of reason, said.

“Yes, so true. I have a lot of back-up and reinforcements if I need to ward off Mr. Dawson. Thank you both. Aunt Suzette, I’m sorry you were the bearer of bad news, but I love you for being concerned about me, even though I’m an adult.” Brave words when I actually wanted to burst into tears.

“No matter how old you are, you will always be my baby girl,” she said, smiling at me. Those words of love and comfort washed over me, calming down my racing heartbeat. God, I can’t wait to get home now. What will I tell Robert? He doesn’t even know about Jordan. There was never a reason for him to know. Jordan was always a world away from Houston.

At some point we would discuss intimacy and I would let him know that there was once a guy…a jerk, in my life. I planned to tell him there had only ever been one guy with whom I was intimate with. Not that that was so important or that Robert needed to know any details of my past personal life but I wanted to be open and honest with him. Fuck! I didn’t care at this point. I just wanted to be home and think, think… Why?

With great luck, and to my relief, I was the first one to be dropped off. We said our goodbyes, as the girls and Aunt Suzette help carry gifts from the limo into my town house. Although I’d told everyone to just bring themselves to the party, no gifts needed…I got many in the mail and those who did not mail gifts, took them to the party.

I went through the motions of settling back into the routine of a normal Sunday evening but my mind was not on the week ahead—it was on Jordan and his decision to move to Houston. More disturbingly are my thoughts of my response to his lovemaking, against a fence, in my sister’s front yard, on the lawn, my begging and pleading… God! What a mess! I was mad at myself for betraying Robert. He loves me. He trusts me and I blatantly betrayed that trust.

Later in the evening, Andre texted me and reported that he took back the administrative duties from the two nurses that were covering calls for the weekend and all was well. Some minor issues with a couple of nurses canceling their shifts but other nurses were happy to pick up the shifts and make extra money. I thanked him and got on the treadmill.

Three miles later, I decided to keep my little sexual escapade to myself and not worry about what Jordan would do with his company and his move to Houston. I planned to stay clear away from him.

My head hit the pillow and again sleep eluded me. I decided to be brave, but to do so…I must face the demons hiding in my attic. I got back out of bed and headed to my garage, pulled down the lever to the attic and clambered up the ladder. Flipping on the light switch, my eyes adjusted to the intrusive brightness and narrowed on the brown trunk that was a few feet away from me.

Gingerly, I reached for the handle of the trunk and pulled it closer. Taking a deep breath, I wrestled with the enormous box and pulled it slowly behind me. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t burned the contents. My conscience had not let me. As much emotional pain as he caused me, I had every right. But something, though I wasn’t sure what, prevented me from destroying all the gifts he had sent me over the past years.

I managed to pull the trunk into my living room. In the peace and quiet of my sanctuary where I was able to think clearly…I slowly opened the lid. With a deep breath, I pulled out the first item on the top. It is the last gift Jordan has sent me one year ago.

Don’t cry, I whispered,
but my soft foolish heart would not listen. Tears gathered in my eyes as I opened the elegantly wrapped gift. My breath caught in my throat as I saw what that foolish man had sent me for my 29th birthday.

It is an 8x10 painting of me. How did he get this photo…I may never know, but will certainly try to find out since this picture of me was taken last summer. I was looking at the large structure of Hoover Dam, smiling with my hair blowing in the wind over Lake Mead. For my birthday last year, Mia, Veronica, Jenna and I went to Las Vegas.

There was a card with two heart intertwined with some sappy love words at the bottom. On the inside was a note that said:
Enjoy the Bellagio cabana, dinner and shows.

I was pissed! That entire trip was paid for by Jordan. The chips were falling in to place now. I thought the first class airplane tickets and hotel came from David. No one questioned where the elaborate accommodations came from. I suppose we all assumed that each other knew. The four-bedroom cabana at the back of the hotel came with its own private pool, a chef and housekeeper, limo and driver.

Setting it aside, I opened the other package. I was sure my neighbors heard my explicits from their quiet bedrooms as I stared at the antique books that I’m sure cost a fortune. They were Shakespeare’s
Othello
,
Macbeth,
along with
All’s Well that Ends Well,
the first Shakespeare book he’d given me that I returned to him when he proved that we had many common interests.

Every year since we broke up, Jordan had sent me birthday gifts by express mail with no return address. I never bothered opening them, as I did not see any reason why he should be sending me anything. I always felt that the gifts were sent out of guilt. To me, they were a clear reminder of the pain and embarrassment he had caused me. Try as I might, I could not bring myself to throw them away nor give them to someone else. I mean, how would I even start explaining the whats and whys of such personal items? So I always took the gifts and placed them in the old trunk. I suppose now was as good time as any to open them.

The second gift would have been for my 28th birthday. It was simple, elegant and timeless…a gold Cartier Ballerine watch. Stunned, I stared at the perfection and beauty of the timepiece. I had a Cartier and all these other exquisite items in my attic. What a foolish, foolish man. Surely he must know I would not have opened his gifts. Foolish, gorgeous, definitely sexy, and still dangerous, man.

I couldn’t open the other gifts. I was too emotional and his gifts evoked feeling in me that I no longer wanted to feel. I put it all back in the trunk and pulled it into my spare bedroom closet, but I took the watch and placed it in my jewelry box. I suppose at some point I must come to some conclusion about Jordan and what my true feelings are for him. I sat on my bed and turned my iPod music on to the soothing voice and sound of Enya. I allowed the music to take me back to more of my time with Jordan. To go forward, I decided that I must go back and relive the memories I have kept hidden in the recesses of my mind.

Chapter 8

Ten Years Ago

I waited anxiously in the apartment for Jordan to text or call and let me know he had arrived to pick me up for our first date. Mia was going out with some friends and Veronica’s mom was in town visiting her. I paced back and forth in the living room, rearranging things here and there, anything to take my mind off the guy who had taken up permanent residence in the forefront of my mind.

“Girlfriend, you will totally wear some serious holes in the carpet,” Mia said, coming into the living room and standing in front of me.

“Just nervous.”

Mia pulled my finger from my hair that I had a death grip twirl going on. “You look totally mag and he will have the hot’s for you all night.” She looked over my choice of nice jeans minus the holes, three-inch slinky summer sandals, white silk top and light pink, short-sleeve summer jacket. Some dangling silver earrings and a couple bracelets completed my outfit. “I approve,” she commented.

“You should, since the jewelry is yours and you chose the entire outfit.” I took a sip of water and emptied the rest down the drain in the kitchen. Just then there was a knock at the door. Mia graciously opened it.

“Hi, handsome, who might you be?” she asked as if she had no clue who he was. I peeked over her shoulder to see Jordan looking at me. A smile broke over his handsome face as our eyes met. He winked at me and mouthed hi. I grinned like a schoolgirl and blushed.

“Hi. I’m Jordan. You must be one of Zoe’s roommates,” he said in that sexy low voice that had me all but drooling. I walked toward the door.

“Yes. Mia. Well, come on in, Jordan. I was just on my way out. Have fun kids.” Mia turned around and gave me a squeeze on my arm. We’d already had the talk that if the date does not go well, I would call her.

“These are for you.” Jordan was holding a dozen yellow roses in his hand. I took them into the kitchen and placed them in a glass container that was under the sink. I inhaled the sweet smell of the roses and thanked him.

Jordan drove us in to town. All the while, we engaged in light conversation about my school. He also filled me in on some of his business acquisitions. He was venturing in to Asia and Europe with investors that were eager to work with him since he was doing so well in Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles.

He took me to a steak house where I tasted the most delectable and succulent steak that Texas is famous for. I relaxed in his company. I enjoyed our time together and could not believe when he said it was 11:30, and we headed back. I told him I had a study group at ten in the morning so he’d promised to get me back by midnight.

I was a little disappointed that our time flew by so quickly. Jordan was very attentive and charming, holding my hand and squeezing it gently every now and then. He made me feel beautiful and had eyes only for me the entire evening.

“Do you mind if we go back to your little lake for a few minutes, Zoe?” he asked just before we turned off the freeway and onto campus. My subconscious started that little happy dance again, and I told him that would be OK with me if we hung out for a few minutes, but my heart was racing in a gallop. Secretly, I wanted him to kiss me again and I was so ready for another of his breathtaking kisses, but I wouldn’t tell him that.

Tonight he was driving a new red convertible BMW. If he was trying to impress me with cars, that was accomplished. I complimented him on his choice of car. He was too cute, gushing over all the details and the car specs. I had no clue what most of it meant, but he was having fun explaining it and I gave him my undivided attention. We pulled up in front of the lake and he killed the lights but kept the engine and air on.