Page 24 of Accidental Love

“Jenna, you don’t have to call her. In fact, I say throw the card away,” I said, looking at her. She looked down at the card in her hand before looking back at me.

“Liam how…how can she think I will just forgive her?” she whispered in a small voice. I grabbed her hands and forced them from the fists she had them in. Taking the piece of paper, I set it on the table next to me. I laced my fingers through both hers and leaned forward, closer to her.

“Baby, I can’t tell you the answer to that, but I know how hard this must be for you. All the things she did to you cannot be forgiven so easily, if ever. You did not deserve to be treated that way. You have every single right to write her and her other family off. If you don’t want to see her ever again, then we won’t.” I squeezed her hands, wanting to let her know I was here for her through all of this.

“What you are feeling right now is expected. In fact, I would be scared if you weren’t feeling this way. Having talked to her mother after fourteen years is not an easy thing to do. I wish I could have been there with you. But, Jenna, know this.” I let go of one of her hands to gently grab her chin. “I will be here for you. Whatever you want to do, I will stick by you. If you don’t want to talk to her, we won’t. If you want to keep this card for a day that you may want to talk to her, then we will.” I stared into her eyes.

“But also know this: I will not sit by and let her treat you like garbage again. She will not get away with it. She may think she can waltz right back into your life like nothing happened, but she has another thing coming. I love you, Jenna, and I will do anything to keep you safe.” I spoke with a firm tone, letting Jenna know I was serious.

I watched as her eyes welled up with tears again. Before I could take her back in my arms she was coming toward me, wrapping her arms tight around my neck. I smiled softly, liking the feeling that she wanted me to hold her. In all the time I had known her, she had never looked more vulnerable.

When I first met Jenna at the strip club, I could see this almost visible emotional shield she had kept around her. Her face rarely showed emotion, and she seemed to have a chip on her shoulder—which, of course, I found out about. I had mistaken it at first to be because she had a rich father. For our first few weeks together she didn’t really let me know what was going on inside of her head, even now she didn’t say much in that regard, but I’d learned that was how she dealt with her mother’s loss. Jenna showing me her emotions made me happy that she was finally letting me inside, and for that I was grateful.

“What would make you feel better? Want some ice cream?” I asked, resting my chin on her shoulder.

“Yes,” I heard her mutter in my shoulder.

“Want to go out and get some, or see if we have some here?”

She pondered the thought for a minute before mumbling out a response. “Out. We don’t have any here.”

I grinned, thinking of the perfect place to take her.

“Okay, we will go.”

Jenna pulled away a few minutes later, wiping her cheeks. Even though she had been crying for a while, she still looked perfect. Her cheeks were a little red and so was her nose, but it wasn’t too noticeable. And her mascara hadn’t run that bad. “Do you need a few minutes or are you good?”

“Just let me run to the bathroom, then I am ready.”

I nodded as she got off of me and headed to use the bathroom. I stood up and ran a hand through my hair. I was actually impressed with how I handled that. I was usually not the greatest when it came to comforting people, especially crying girls. I guess that was another thing Jenna had brought out in me.

Right before Jenna came back out, I slipped off my suit jacket, feeling overdressed compared to Jenna’s sexy skinny jeans and t-shirt.

“I’m ready,” she announced, coming back in the room. I noticed her face looked less flushed, and she seemed to have a little bit more of life back in her.

“Okay, I have the perfect place to go.” When I held out my hand out for her, she laced her fingers with mine before we headed back to the car.

The entire ride to the ice cream parlor, I couldn’t help but keep glancing at Jenna. I was proud of her for how she dealt with her mother and how she was taking it now. Yes, a few minutes ago she had been like a zombie, but if I could make her feel better, I would go to the ends of the earth to do so. She deserved all the happiness in the world, and I did not want to see that look in her eyes ever again. I gripped her hand in mine. I felt determined.

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