Page 34 of Jolene's Justice

“Who? Your mom?”

He shook his head. “No. Not my mom. My girlfriend complained that since I was leaving soon for the Air Force, I should spend as much time with her as I could rather than going off and doing stupid things with my friends. She claimed it hurt that I was choosing them over her. She cried nonstop. Eventually, my friends gave up waiting for me and left. While I stayed home with her, she voiced her worries about my decision to join the military, questioning my motives. She called me selfish and accused me of not loving her like I should.”

“Wow. She sounds like a piece of work. I’m sorry she did that to you. What happened to her? I hope you dumped her ass.”

Finch released a snort with a burst of laughter. “Unfortunately, no. I married her.”

Chapter 14

Forthefirsttimesince he’d started this conversation, Finch looked up at Jolene. If he hadn’t been so worried about what he was sharing, her expression would have made him laugh. Her eyes bulged as she stared at him in disbelief.

She opened and closed her mouth several times as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the right words. Her mouth moved soundlessly for a moment before she finally found the words to speak. “I don’t . . . why . . . that woman,” she finally pushed the words out, making the connection.

Yeah, she’d connected the dots. The girlfriend who’d ruined his night with his friends was the same one from that night in the hotel. His wife had a knack for ruining things he wanted. He’d never be able to erase from his mind the look of horrified betrayal on Jolene’s face as Angelica had screeched at them.

“She was your high school sweetheart?”

“Yeah. We married just after graduation. Before I left for the Air Force.”

“Wow. So young.” She glanced around the fairgrounds, and he waited for her to gather her thoughts. He held back, knowing there was more to tell, but unsure of how she was processing the information.

“Too young,” he confirmed, running his gaze over her beautiful face. The colorful lights and bustling crowds of the fair disappeared into the background as he watched her. That night, when Angelica appeared, Jolene had shut down. She’d become completely closed off and refused to listen to his explanation. Tonight, she seemed more open to hearing him out.

It had been over a year since they’d been this close, and he reveled in every moment. He couldn’t help but notice she still held his hand. Her grip was firm, and he took it as a good sign. There was hope there that he couldn’t suppress.

“So, that woman . . . what was her name?”

“Angelica.”

“Angelica,” she repeated. “She really is your wife?”

“Was,” he replied, feeling elated that he could finally say that.

“What do you mean?”

“I married her when we were eighteen. We separated after ten years, one year after I left the Air Force. My divorce finally went through today.”

He held his breath, waiting for her response to those words.

“Divorced?” She murmured the word back to herself, as if tasting it on her tongue to understand its meaning.

“That night was the first time I’d seen her in months. Even though we were separated and working toward a divorce, she’d show up like a bad penny every now and then.” He shifted to face her. “Jolie, I’m so sorry. It was never my intention to hurt you. I just wanted . . . well, I guess it doesn’t really matter what I wanted. I hurt you and I’ll never forgive myself for not telling you the truth before that night.”

She bit her lip and nodded. She rapidly blinked away the moisture that swelled in her eyes. As if she’d just made a decision, she took a deep breath. “You know what? I know we have more to discuss, and I’m ready to hear it. But not now. We’re here to have fun. You’ve never ridden rides like this, so let’s get to it.”

He blinked at her, stunned by her words. “Are you sure?”

She stepped away from the fence, pulling him along with her, their hands still clasped together. “What should we go on first?”

They rode as many rides as they could, and Finch enjoyed each and every one of them. But not as much as he enjoyed the company of the woman beside him. She was a breath of fresh air. Angelica had controlled him for so long that he felt invigorated to be himself around Jolene.

Angelica would have complained about every aspect of the fair. Too many people. The lines were too long. It smelled like manure. She would have hated getting dirt on her shoes. And she would have criticized him for every part of it, then blamed him for her misery.

As much as he hated to compare the two women, he couldn’t help but notice the world of difference between them. Jolene didn’t once complain as he dragged her around to all the rides. The lines were nothing to her as they passed the time talking to each other and to those around them. She wasn’t offended by the smells, even when they visited the animals and fed the goats. Their little tongues slurping at her hands to get at the food made her laugh.

Finch watched as she effused joy. He hadn’t seen her this happy in so long. It was as if she’d decided, at least for a few hours, to forget all her troubles and just have fun. He’d seen her worries stacking up over the time they’d been in Georgia. With her father’s health, the state of his house, the threatening messages, and the problems at her bar, he’d noticed she had grown increasingly agitated.

He was trying to help as much as he could, hence the repairs he’d done.

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