Page 22 of Unforgotten

He didn’t even wait a second before responding. “I disagree.”

Of course, he did, she thought sarcastically. “Jay, you are being obtuse on purpose.”

“And you are using some of your fancy vocabulary to ignore the fact that you and I actually have no history.” He leaned forward. “Bethanne, yes, I was friends with Peter. And yes, you were Peter’s girl. But what history do the two of us have?”

“We have lots of history. You know that. We’ve known each other all our lives.”

“I think that’s the case with almost everyone in our circle.”

He was maddening! “You’re oversimplifying this, Jay. You and I both know it.”

“Really? I feel like our lives are intertwined but not linked. You weren’t my girl, even though I wished you were. I didn’t interfere. Peter had made it known that he liked you a lot. Because of that, we really didn’t have much interaction.”

Even though I wished you were. The words were so sweet. Almost hard to ignore. But she did her best. “Still, I’d rather you didn’t call again.”

He leaned forward and looked her in the eye. “Give me another reason.”

She averted her eyes. “I don’t need one.”

“Instead of giving us a try, of giving your future a try, you’re choosing to sit in your room. Yet again.”

She hated that Jay was acting as if she hadn’t made any progress. She had. Was there room for improvement? Yes. Absolutely.

But would she admit it to him?

No.

If she did, it would be like he knew too much. They wouldn’t be on equal terms. No, they’d be even more unbalanced. He had his life together and wanted marriage and family. She was still trying to be comfortable around strangers. Sometimes, she even had trouble being around friends for a long period of time. Sometimes she still had panic attacks. What would Jay do when he realized that she was nothing like he thought? More importantly, how would she handle seeing the disappointment in his eyes?

Forcing herself to look at him, she whispered, “You’re mistaken. I’m not planning on sitting in my room by myself. I’m just choosing to avoid you.”

“All because of what happened years ago.”

She hated how he was making so many complicated, complex issues into a simple equation. But if that was what he wanted, then that was what she would give him. “Not exactly because of what happened. But if that’s how you want to think of it, yes.”

Dismay filled his expression before he seemed to come to a conclusion. “All right.” He stood up.

“Bethanne, I think you’re making a mistake. Maybe not tonight, maybe not tomorrow, but one day soon you’re goingto realize that I’m really a great guy. And you’re going to wish you’d given me a chance.”

“Have you finished your coffee?”

He looked down at his cup on the table. It was still about a fourth of the way filled but likely cold. “Jah.”

She smiled. “Shall I walk you out, then?”

A muscle in his jaw jumped. “Thank you, but I can see myself out.”

As Jay Byler left the living room, she didn’t move. The front door opened and then shut.

She could hear her mother washing dishes in the kitchen.

All the while, she thought about how Jay had been wrong. Bethanne wasn’t going to need a day or even an afternoon to know that she’d made a mistake. Jay Byler was worth fighting for. Getting to know him was worth a lot of things. He was that kind of man. A good one.

She regretted pushing him away already and wished Jay was still there, that she could change her mind.

But Jay was long gone.

9

---