Joshua Healy (Mitchell Healy Book 10) (2 page)

Chapter 2

Tamsyn

It’s been four days since my ex-boyfriend Shaun has tried to get in touch with me. It was devastating finding out he didn’t want to be with me after three years being together. I want to believe it isn’t because of someone else, but my gut is telling me it’s true. My heart hurts, like it aches to no end. I get up each morning, put on some makeup to hide my swollen eyes, do my hair to keep people from asking what’s wrong, because let’s face it, I never leave the house without looking as perfect as possible. I’m not conceited, albeit I love to look my best. I’m kind of a nerd, or maybe a tomboy. I love to hunt, fish, and play sports. Maybe it’s a country thing, but it’s something Shaun never understood.

As far as telling people about my relationship woes, I’ve decided to keep busy by trying my hands at selling cars when I don’t have class.

College has become a nightmare considering I have to sit in the same room as Shaun and wonder where it all went wrong. One day we seemed happy, and the next he was starting a huge fight and telling me he was done. I’ve spent countless hours wondering what could have possibly set him off with no result.

My first day on the job and I’m already getting hit on. He’s older than me, at least by a year, well known in these parts for being a player. I knew I’d seen his face before, but couldn’t place him until I saw the license. Everyone knows where the Mitchell-Healy Ranch is. They own half of the town’s outer limits, and probably more I’m unaware of.

He’d be the perfect distraction if it weren’t for his past. I’ve always had this thing for bad boys, but also a sense of reason when it came to guys my friends have been involved with. I can’t change my mind just because he’s sexy and wanting to bide my time. He’s trouble. The end.

It’s half past three when I’m able to check my phone for the first time, since I’m desperately trying to impress my father. There’s a message from my friend Kara, so I step out of the building to call her back.

“Tamsyn, it took you long enough. Have you heard?”

“Heard what?” She always seems to have some kind of gossip she wants to share.

“Are you sitting down?” She asks.

“No. I’m standing outside. Why?”

“It’s about Shaun.”

“Is he okay?” My first thought is that he’s been in an accident.

“No. Well, physically he is, I guess, but when you hear this he probably won’t be anymore.”

Now I’m worried. Something bad is about to happen, and my stomach knots up as I await the news. “Just tell me.”

“When is the last time you saw Chrissy?”

Chrissy is my roommate. We’re not exactly friends. We share the same space. She’s in college with a soccer scholarship, keeps to herself, and hangs in a different crowd of people. “Why? What does she have to do with this?”

“She’s pregnant, Tam.”

“Oh my god. She’s going to lose her scholarship if she can’t play. How did you find out?” It takes a few seconds for it all to sink in. “Wait. What does this have to do with…” She doesn’t let me finish the question.

“I heard it’s Shaun’s. I overheard it, I mean.”

I’m frozen in place, unable to speak, believe, or even blink.

“Tamsyn. Say something. Oh my god are you still there?”

“I’m here,” I manage to get out. I feel dizzy, as if I’m about to lose my footing and collapse onto the sidewalk beneath me. “It’s not true. Whoever said that is a liar. Shaun would never do that. He doesn’t like her at all.” I’m in disbelief. We’re together too much for him to have the time to cheat on me. It’s not possible. He couldn’t.

While all the notions run through my mind like a freight train about to plummet through a car stuck on the rails, I can feel the bile rising to my throat.

“You’ve been sick over this break up for days. If it’s true, you know why he did it. Look, I understand it’s a lot to take in, but maybe you should confront him. Straight up ask him if he’s involved with her. If you won’t do it, I’m damn sure going to seek him out and get to the bottom of it. I won’t have my best friend trampled on because some douche couldn’t keep his dick in his pants.”

As much as I appreciate her coming to me, and having my back, I’m too disgusted to consider what needs to be done. At this point I need to hang up and breathe. “I have to go.”

She’s trying to talk when I end the call and shove my phone back in my pocket. The tears overcome me, until I sink down on the curb and stop trying to fight them. I’m emotionally exhausted from the breakup, so this news destroys me. I can’t begin to comprehend how I’m to go about asking Shaun if this is true. Could he have been unfaithful right in front of my face and I not notice? What does that say about me?

It’s only a few moments later when I decide to take a break and hunt him down. I’m not doing it over the phone. I need to look into his dark brown eyes and see his expression.

It takes me fifteen minutes to locate him on campus. He’s sitting in the library working on an essay that should have been done days ago. When he sees me he stands abruptly, placing both hands in his trousers. “Tamsyn. What are you doing here?” His husky voice use to do things to me every single time I heard it, but right now it makes me cringe.

My eyes are welling up with tears, my lips trembling as I conjure the nerve to ask the question I can’t stand to hold in any longer. “Tell me it’s not true.”

He shakes his head and peers down at an open textbook. “What?”

I shove the book off the table, grabbing the attention of everyone else in the room, as well as my ex-boyfriend. “Say it’s a terrible rumor, Shaun. Tell me you were never with her?”

He opens his mouth, but words fail to come out. The truth is written all over his face, and it takes everything in me not to fall to the ground and weep. This is the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, to have children, and even grandchildren. I can’t abstain from running around the desk until I’m able to beat and punch every part of him I can reach. “You son of a bitch. How could you do this to me?”

He takes hold of my arms to prevent me from hitting him. “Tam, please. It’s not what you think. It was an accident. We were drunk. I thought she was you, and everything afterwards just kind of happened. I couldn’t stop. It was just sex. She meant nothing to me.”

If this is supposed to soften the blow, it’s not working on me. “Bullshit!” I back up. “That’s bullshit.”

“She blackmailed me. She wants me for herself. She said if I didn’t break up with you, she’d tell you the baby was mine.”

“Is it? Are you the father of her child? Did you stick your dick inside of my roommate?” I know I’m being irrational in a public place, and it’s inappropriate and unlike me, but I’m not about to be made a mockery of and not defend myself. “You’re disgusting!” I jerk away from him and point. “You stay away from me.”

He puts his hands on his head and peers around the room at all the spectators. I’ve kicked him in the balls without having to actually do it.

“Tamsyn,” he’s pleading while chasing after me. I need to get out of there. The love of my life impregnated another woman. I feel wretched. I’m crumbling and need a safe place to come to grips with it. I need to find Chrissy and give her a piece of my mind.

Shaun catches up to me as we exit the building. He grabs me by the arm and forces me to stop. “Please listen to me. I broke up with you because I made a dick move and screwed up. I knew once you found out there would be no room for reconciliation. Baby, I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t love you. I fucked up.”

“Yeah, you really did.” For the second time I pull my arm from his hold. “You succeeded screwing up everything. Congratulations. You’re the bastard my father always told me you were. Tell your new girlfriend she can have you. You both make me sick. I hope she traps you into a loveless relationship you’ll never be able to escape from.”

I leave him to sulk while rushing back to the dealer car I used to drive to the college. Upon climbing inside, I let it all out. My makeup burns as it seeps into my eyes, and I do my best to wipe it away without making more of a mess for me to have to clean up before I make it back to the dealership.

It hits me like a rushing hurricane, the memories, the petty fights, and the makeup sex. Every beautiful moment we shared, the good and the bad. It’s all gone. One poor decision has ruined an opportunity for a future. Like I blinked and woke up in another person’s horror, my life is ruined.

I manage to calm down enough to make it back to the dealership. It’s easy to avoid my father since he’s working with a customer. As quickly as possible, I hurry into the bathroom to reapply my makeup. Doing the best job I’m able to manage, I take a few deep breaths and head out to finish my shift.  I’ve yet to make my first sale, and don’t really feel like trying, but know I have to prove my father wrong even when everything else in my life feels like it’s falling apart.

A lovely elderly couple come in a few hours later. The gentlemen has retired and they’re looking to purchase a corvette for the two of them to cruise the country roads in. I swallow back my pain and focus on them, how cute they still are, holding hands as we walk through the rows of shiny new vehicles. They choose the cherry red convertible, and after a long test drive they decide to make the purchase. Not only have I sealed my first sale, but it’s one of the most expensive cars we offer. After the congratulatory wave goodbye, I’m met by my father. He pulls me into his arms and lightly pushes me away to give me a special proud smile. “That’s my girl.”

“I told you I could do it. I’ve been watching for years.”

“Yeah, it’s tough though. One sale doesn’t make you an expert. It’s a good start though.”

He’s proud, but hell-bent on making me earn every single sale without his assistance. Before I can counter with a snarky comment, I see him move to the side with a snicker. “Looks like someone else has come to celebrate your first sale.”

Out of the corner of my eye I see him. My heart begins to patter, but not because I’m excited. I feel revolted seeing him put on an act for my father and everyone around us. He’s waving with a smile on his face as if nothing has happened between us. I amble toward him, pressing on his chest until he spins and walks in front of me. Waiting until we’re outside, I start giving him shit. “What are you doing here? I told you to stay the hell away from me. You can’t show up like this. Not here.”

He tries his best to change my mind. “We need to talk. Now that you know the truth we can try to fix this. I don’t want Chrissy.”

“I don’t care what you want, Shaun. You betrayed me. You slept with my roommate. You told me you hated her.”

“Because she was blackmailing me,” he defends.

“There isn’t an excuse in this world that would make me forgive you. I can’t look at you right now, much less deal with the repercussions of your actions. I need you to go.”

He begins to speak, but is distracted by a raised Ford truck pulling into the parking lot with loud country music blaring from the speakers. The vehicle makes a fast turn and stops right in front of where we’re standing. The passenger window rolls down and that’s when I see him.

“Hi. It’s seven,” he says with an uncertain grimace. “You got somewhere else to be?”

I glance at Shaun and then back to Josh, and I don’t know what makes me do it, but I push my cheating ex to the side and put my foot on the side step in order to open the door and climb inside of the four-by-four. I don’t look at Shaun when I make the order for Josh. “Get me out of here.”