Page 50 of Fake-Off with Fate
“Are you okay to drive?” he asks. “Maybe I should pick you up.”
“I’ll be fine,” I tell him. “Thank you, Jamie. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
I’m surprised to realize that’s the truth. Jamie Hayes is the most unexpected person to come into my life, but I can’t imagine how I’d face any of this without him. I’d better watch myself, because even though I’ll be in Maple Falls for longer than expected, I’m still not going to move here, so nothing more than friendship can happen between us.
CHAPTER 24
JAMIE
I callin a comfort food order to Shirley May’s before leaving my cabin. Then I grab one of the several boxes of cereal I bought for the bear family sharing my yard. Walking out the door, I make eye contact with the papa bear. Then I throw the box behind him and make a run for it. I’ve gotten pretty good at this in the last week, all the while counting down the days until this crew goes into hibernation.
My phone rings once I get into my car and Bluetooth picks it up. Over the speakers I hear a voice I have not heard in a long enough time. “Jamie.”
“Allegra?”
“Yes, it’s me,” she says. The sound of her is both familiar and oddly unsettling.
I don’t feel like small talk, so I get right to the point. “Why are you calling?”
“I’ve been thinking about you a lot. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
The dormant anger in me starts to rise like a volcano coming to life. “Why do you suddenly care how I’m doing?”
She makes a low humming sound in her throat which is something she does when she doesn’t quite know what to say. “I … well … three years was a long time to be together. I guess I feel like we ended things a bit abruptly.”
Putting the car into drive, I exit the property and pull out onto the main road. “I didn’t end things,” I tell her. “You did.” There doesn’t seem to be any reason to bring up the fact that I proposed twice, and both times she told me she wasn’t ready.
“It was my fault, Jamie, and I’m sorry.”
I might have appreciated this conversation months ago, but it’s not doing much for me right now. “Is that all you called to say?”
“No. I wanted to let you know that Brett and I are taking a little break.”
“Pardon me if this sounds rude, Allegra, but why do you think I care?”
She inhales deeply before telling me, “I left without giving us a fair chance, Jamie. I should have told you how I was feeling.”
As I drive toward town, I realize the trees are changing color more every day and an unexpected peace washes over me. “There’s nothing you can do about it now.”
“Can we talk in person?” she asks. Her voice sounds pained, like a wounded animal.
“To what end?” I ask. I mean, I left New York for Washington because of her. I hardly want to see her now.
“I need to see you. I need to talk to you. I need closure.” She sure does have a lot of needs for someone who caused this situation.
“You left me high and dry,” I tell her.
“I know.”
“I don’t owe you anything, Allegra.”
“No, you don’t. But we were once very much in love and even if you hate me now, please try to remember the woman I used to be to you. Meet me for her sake.”
Turning onto Main Street, I park in front of Shirley May’s. “The woman I used to love doesn’t exist anymore, Allegra. I’msorry you’re having a hard time, but I’m not the person to share your troubles with.”
Her soft sob stirs a tiny speck of sympathy in me. I did love Allegra, and as I recently told Ashlyn, part of me always will. But even so, I can’t put myself through any more. I’m finally coming out of my grief and getting on with my life. There’s no point in moving backwards.
“I’m sorry I called,” Allegra eventually says. “I’m sorry for everything. I really made a mess of things.”
