Page 23 of Forever and Other Lies

Was it too much to ask for a quiet break? Greta was nice, but Jayna wasn’t interested in hearing about the happy couple. She ripped open the box of her frozen dinner and shoved it into the microwave. She wished for the millionth time that she possessed any real cooking skills. Takeout and frozen meals were fast losing their appeal.

Her saving grace: dessert. She’d snagged a slice of freshly baked banana bread from Blythe Landing Perks that morning. While waiting in line for her coffee, she had eavesdropped on a conversation between Ophelia and a coworker from the clerk’s office.

“Did you hear that Piper and Nick broke up?” Despite whispering, Ophelia’s words reverberated across the shop.

“No, but I did hear her grandmother passed away last week,” the coworker had replied.

A pang of guilt had hit Jayna. She hoped hijacking Piper’s makeover hadn’t contributed to the breakup. The last thing she needed was to be responsible for someone else’s heartache.

The microwave dinged, interrupting her thoughts. She retrieved the steaming container of pasta, which looked as unappetizing as it smelled. Sitting down at the table, she forced a smile at Greta. Her dislike for the woman was irrational, just like her feelings for Leighton. It wasn’t Greta’s fault that she was dating Lance, the man Jayna was interested in.

Jayna projected this super-confident woman to the world, yet internally, she battled with imposter syndrome. Women like Greta and Leighton were effortlessly kind and beautiful, attracting men with ease. Jayna didn’t have trouble attracting men, but they seemed to view her differently. She was a good time until they found “the one.”

But did “the one” truly exist? Could there really be that one special person out there just for her? Maybe it was easier to dismiss the idea of true love than to face the fear that she might not be lovable. If she was lovable, wouldn’t her parents have stuck around?

“So, how are things going with Lance?” she asked, pushing her dark thoughts aside.

Greta sighed. “Not great, to be honest. I don’t think it’s going to work out between us.”

“Oh, really?” Jayna sat up a little straighter. “Why not?”

“He told me he doesn’t want children.”

“Yeah? So?” Jayna’s brows knitted in confusion.

“That’s a deal-breaker for me.”

“But you’ve only been dating a few months. Isn’t it too soon to be talking about children?”

Greta shook her head firmly. “I’m too old to waste my time.”

“Girl, you’re only 26.”

“Exactly! My sister is 28, married, and pregnant with her second child. Dating a man with no future is a waste of my time.”

Jayna bit her lip to stop the smile that threatened to erupt. A man who didn’t want children was a deal-sealer for her. With her own disastrous parents, she feared repeating history. No child deserved to be born to a parent who didn’t want them.

Spending time at the Brennan farmhouse with Kylie had shown Jayna what a real family looked like. Marion Brennan was so involved in her children’s lives. She was always meddling but in such a loving way that contrasted sharply with Jayna’s own parents. She still remembered prom night, when Marion had grabbed her by the chin, reminding her to behave, and kissed Jayna’s forehead to soften her firm words. It had been both wonderful and painful, a reminder of what she never had.

Jayna doubted her ability to offer more than she had received. While she was close with the Js and Kylie, forming new attachments was a struggle. However, the idea of casual dating was losing its appeal, much like her frozen pasta dinners. She was tired of being alone. Lance was starting to look like a pretty good catch, and apparently, he was about to be back on the market.

She hid her grin as she pulled a can of diet Coke from her lunch bag, popping the tab with a satisfying hiss.

Chapter 10

Popping the tab on a beer, Derek took a long swallow, grinning as Nick’s truck rumbled into the driveway.

“Why are you on my roof again?” Nick called, stepping out of his pickup.

“I waited until afternoon this time,” Derek hollered back.

“Barely! It’s twelve-fifteen,” Nick retorted, glancing at his watch as he walked toward the house.

Nick climbed the ladder with ease. “You’re going to ruin my shingles.”

“What do you care? You’re moving.” Derek held out a cold beer can as Nick settled beside him at the peak. “I hear you showed up at Piper’s door with flowers and she sent you packing.”

Nick choked on his beer. “Where’d you hear that?”

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