Page 1 of Forever and Other Lies

Part 1

Chapter 1

“Forever Love” blasted from the speakers, and Jayna groaned, slapping the mute button. She loved Reba’s badass songs like “I Am A Survivor” and “Consider Me Gone” had practically become her anthem. But this sappy love song? Hard pass. She wasn’t buying it.

True love, soul mates, happily ever after—forever; it was all one big lie. This over-romanticized garbage filled books read to impressionable young girls. Hollywood perpetuated the fallacy further, painting the world and love in such unrealistic hues. It was cruel. And now Reba, her idol, was singing the praises of forever love. She might just have to switch to the heavy metal station.

Maybe she’d buy into the whole ‘til death do us part’ belief if she had the type of mother who read bedtime stories. Or a romantic father who showered unconditional love on his wife and child. Instead, she’d been blessed with a selfish breed of parents. With their substantial wealth, they hired staff to raise their only child while they traveled the world, searching for meaning in their unfulfilled, entitled lives.

Instead of growing up hopeful, Jayna grew up jaded. Rich and jaded, but not spoiled. She liked to think she was a step ahead of the women who desperately clung to the promise of forever love. Not that she faulted them. They held onto the illusion for stability in a world that could be so cold. But Jayna chose her own path. She’d pretty much raised herself, so it was second nature to continue on this solitary road. No man was needed to define or protect her. She could buy her own damn stuff.

Letting someone in who could break her heart? Not a chance. She preferred to be the heartbreaker. Not that any hearts were at risk. She never dated seriously. She was not looking for Mr. Right, just Mr. Right-now. Jayna Sutton was fine on her own. She always had been, always would be. She was an independent, modern woman.

However, she couldn’t shake off her small-town roots, no matter how hard she tried. Six years in the big city hadn’t helped. Pickup trucks and country music were in her blood. Now she was back home, and her brand-new, fully loaded Ford F150 Raptor was her way of thumbing her nose at the men in town. Just to be sure they got the message, the bumper sticker on the back window, “Silly boys, trucks are for girls,” slammed it home. Next to that sticker, another read, “Trauma Nurse—your stupidity is my job security.” Sadly, that one was all too true, especially now that she’d taken a job in the ER of her hometown hospital. The boys in this community aged but never truly grew up. Stupid stunts were a rite of passage or simply a way to waste a Saturday night.

Jayna slowed as she approached the bridge, waving to Graham and Amanda Willard, who strolled along the sidewalk walking a Golden Retriever. The couple had dated throughout high school and married right after graduation, buying a small house in town. Starting their family with a puppy, they now had their first baby due in a couple of months. It was the dream of so many girls she’d grown up with; the matrimonial fairytale of building a life with someone, making a home, raising a family. But it wasn’t for everyone. It wasn’t for her.

Hitting the right turn signal, she pulled onto the ornate bridge that led to the downtown core. Nestled beside a river, the main street of Blythe Landing was the epitome of old-fashioned and quaint. In December, the landscape transformed into a serene winter wonderland as it became blanketed under a pristine layer of snow. The partially frozen, fast-flowing river slowed, meandering at a more graceful pace past the picturesque town. Along the riverbanks, the bare tree branches were adorned with a light cover of ice that sparkled in the sunlight. They glistened even more magically under the enchanting glow of the moon.

With only three weeks left before Christmas, a sense of tranquility and tradition had descended upon the cobblestone streets and historic limestone buildings. Blythe Landing could be a serious contender for the next Thomas Kinkade painting. The one-of-a-kind shops brought tourists in by the droves in summer. Tonight, though, the street was empty. It was past 6 p.m. on Friday, which meant the sidewalks had been rolled up. Next Friday, though, was Midnight Madness, which would bring all the tourists back searching for that unique Christmas gift for the hard-to-buy-for.

Her gaze shifted to the vacant windows of Yesterday and Tomorrow. The store belonged to her close friend Jamie Whitney. Having bankrolled the enterprise, Jayna held the title of silent partner. However, it was Jamie’s skill and vision that had turned the second-hand and refurbished furniture shop into a thriving business, and she was happy to give her friend free rein to run it. Although Jayna was not so silent when it came to the Christmas Window Display contest. They had yet to win it. But this year, she was determined to change that.

As she drove past, two guys sitting on the edge of a tailgate waved. They were both cute but far too young, which made them off-limits. She may date ruthlessly, but she did have standards. A frown creased her face, replacing her smile. Had moving back home just drastically reduced her dating pool?

Finding male attention had never been an issue. With long flaxen blonde hair, thickly lashed cornflower blue eyes, and a curvaceous figure, she had her pick of men. The challenge was finding one who didn’t bore her after a few dates. Returning to a town of only 7,998 people would make the feat even harder.

The lights turned red at the only set in town, and she pressed the brake pedal, coming to a stop. “I’m the only vehicle on the road,” she muttered.

The digital clock on the dashboard blinked 6:20, signaling her usual tardiness. Jamie was not going to be happy. They’d made plans to meet at Patty’s Pub at 6 to toss around ideas for the Christmas window display. As a bonus, they could spy on Jessica, the third blonde in their trio, fondly referred to as the 3 Js.

Tapping her freshly manicured nails on the rhinestone-crusted steering wheel, she let out a frustrated breath. It may be the only set of traffic lights in town, but it was seriously the longest-timed set of lights anywhere. Finally, the green light flashed, and she hit the gas. Two minutes down the road, she slowed again and pulled into the parking lot behind the pub, killing the engine. Jamie sat on the tailgate of her battered truck and made a point of pulling up her coat sleeve to look at her wristwatch.

“I know, I know. I’m running late yet again.” She hit the key fob. Locking her truck was not necessary in this town where everyone knew everyone, but a habit she developed after living in Toronto.

Jayna flashed her bright blue ombre nails. “But look at these beauties.” She’d driven back to the nail salon in the city for a fill. With a nod to Jamie’s chipped and paint-stained fingernails, she continued, “You should join me next time.”

Jamie shook her head, the pixie cut barely moving. “No point, wouldn’t last five minutes in my line of work.”

A large armoire that had seen better days was secured in the truck bed. However, it would look better than new once Jamie finished with it.

“Where did you find that monstrosity?” Jayna asked her. “Exactly how do you plan to get it from the truck to the shop?”

“It’s not that heavy, just awkward,” Jamie smiled sweetly. “I was hoping I could entice a couple of friends into helping.”

“Well, this friend wants her nails to last longer than a day, and your other friend probably won’t be speaking to you after tonight.”

Jamie shrugged. “Can you blame her? I wouldn’t be speaking to us either!”

“Hey, he might end up being a great guy and she’ll be thanking us.” Jayna playfully nudged Jamie as they walked toward the bar.

Jamie pulled open the door, and Jayna stepped inside, scanning the tables for Jessica. Their friend sat at a cozy corner table, across from a man in an expensive suit.

“Look, a stuffed shirt. Just her type,” Jayna nudged Jamie again.

“By the pained expression on Jess’s face, I’d say he’s far from it,” Jamie groaned. “We are in so much trouble.”

Jayna’s eyes landed on a table near Jessica’s. Derek ‘Dare’ Brennan, the man, the myth, the legend—at least in his own mind, she thought bitterly. What probably annoyed her most about him was his equally low opinion of her.

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