Page 22 of Accidental Love

Chapter Seven

Liam

“How did the meeting go?” my father asked through the phone.

“It went well. Everything is going well,” I answered, clicking on my emails while talking with him.

“So well that you had to stay there an extra three days?” I knew he and my mother would find out that Jenna and I were gone for four days when it was supposed to be a one-day trip. “And did it involve a woman?”

I could hear the teasing tone in his voice and groaned inwardly. My father always found ways to tease me and always found things out. It was probably my mom’s idea to spy on Jenna and myself.

“Yes, Dad, Jenna and I spent three extra days in Barbados. Happy?” I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. I loved my dad, but sometimes he could really get on my nerves.

“And you just got back yesterday?”

“Dad, why are you even asking if you already know the answer?”

“Just curious, son.”

“Is that the only reason you called me today? I do have work to do, you know.”

“I know. I just wanted to check in. Your mother wants you and Jenna over on Friday for dinner around five or so.”

“Thanks for the three-day heads up dad,” I said sarcastically.

“Just passing the message on. Apparently your sister has some news to tell us too.”

“Okay. Thanks, Dad. Tell Mom we will be there around five. I better go. I have a meeting in a few minutes.”

“Sounds good. Tell Jenna hi from us, and see you on Friday.” With that, my dad hung up. I set my phone down and rubbed my forehead. When I glanced at my phone, I saw it was only one. Only a few more hours and I could go home to be with Jenna. I smiled fondly at my screensaver. It was a picture of Jenna and I from the other night, when we were covered in flour and eggs. Jenna was smiling widely at the camera while I was smiling down at her.

Taking her with me to Barbados was the best decision I had ever made. The entire time we spent there I was the happiest I had ever been, literally. After I learned that Devon was Grayson’s boyfriend, I was fine with him being around Jenna. He was one less person who might steal her away from me.

If someone had told me a few months ago that I would be as happy as I was now and thinking of settling down, I would have laughed in their face. So unlike me. I could see myself with Jenna ten years from now; us having little kids running around the house, Jenna greeting me as I came home from work. I was starting to become one of those love struck guys I used to hate.

All that was ever important to me was taking over my father’s business. Sure I wanted to play football or some other sport when I was in high school, but I’d soon realized that it was just a dream. All that mattered was doing a great job and making my father proud of me; making him want to pass the company over to me, not because I was his son and he had to.

Over the past four years I had never really taken anything serious besides work. I used to go through women like I went through toilet paper, and I wasn’t ashamed to admit that. Drinking almost every night and hooking up with random women was what I did. I used to think that being twenty-four was the right age to be screwing off and living life to the fullest. But ever since I met Jenna, I hadn’t felt that way or done any of that stuff. Well, apart from the last girl a few months ago.

Jenna was slowly becoming a stable part of my life. I was happy with the routine we had. They say you sometimes can’t see what is right there in front of you. And they were right. I hadn’t realized how much I needed Jenna in my life until we were in Barbados. The thought of not being with her made me go crazy and made my heart hurt.

I used to be Liam Stanford, the one who didn’t do serious relationships. Now, looking back on it, I noticed how stupid I was. I hurt a lot of girls’ feelings and didn’t even care. Just the idea of doing that to Jenna made me want to punch myself. How could I have been so heartless before?

I had vowed to myself the night Jenna and I confessed our love to one another that I would try to be a better person for her. I would not act like a dick, I would try to be with her as much as possible, and do nothing to break her heart. She did not deserve to have her heart broken by anyone, least of all me.

All the while I was thinking of Jenna, I answered some emails and signed some forms. Just as I was finishing up, my cell phone rang. Glancing at it, I grinned when I saw Jenna’s name and picture. The picture was of her in Barbados when we tried on all these ugly hats and sunglasses. She was posed with one hand on her hip and the other under her chin, trying to look like a model.

“Jenna?” I answered, surprised she was calling me. I knew she was with her friends today. Her calling me was a surprise.

“L-Liam,” I heard her choke out. I could hear her sniffling and slightly echoing through the phone.

“Jenna? Are you okay?” I asked, starting to become worried. She was definitely crying, but why? Had something happened? At the thought of anything happening to my baby, my heart went into over drive.

“N-no I’m not. I just talked to my mother.” She hiccupped into the phone. Immediately after hearing the word “mother,” I stood up, not caring my that chair hit the wall behind me.

“Where are you?” I demanded, already grabbing my suit jacket and pocketing my keys. I did not care. I had a meeting in just a few minutes. They could do it without me. All that mattered right now was Jenna. Since I was there when she talked her mother for the first time in fourteen years, I couldn’t imagine what she was feeling now. After I had heard what her mother did to her, I wanted to march over to Martin’s house and demand to see her.

Jenna did not deserve that woman as a mother. What kind of person left their child on the sidewalk? Sure, at times my mother was annoying, but never in a million years would she think of giving me or Julie up. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. How Jenna survived that was beyond me and made me even more proud of her.

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