Page 22 of A Second Chance

“And you don’t…”

“Remember a damn thing,” Jason shoved his fingers through his hair, pacing the small area between the desk and the couch.

“Ouch,” Dan said.

“Talk to her,” Autumn said, sniffing. “Be honest.”

Yet another woman to apologize to. How long would it be before these horrible surprises stopped coming?

The back door of the farmhouse opened, then Weasel and Rebecca rounded into the office holding hands. Rebecca had finished her kitchen duties, her hair in a bun and looking tired and sweaty, but happy. Jason dropped onto the small couch in the office – he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And this secret wasn’t staying in this room, it would become common knowledge among the group.

“There you are,” Weasel said eyeing him. “Wondered what happened to you after you disappeared.” Jason leaned back, rubbing his temples. He should have gone straight back to the guys’ house and not said a word to anyone. “What on earth is going on with you and Gwen?” Weasel asked.

“They slept together,” Autumn burst out.

“When?” Rebecca asked.

“Five years ago,” Jason replied, looking at Weasel. “At one of your parties. In the hot tub.”

“Nice,” Weasel said, dragging the word out and grinning. Rebecca backhanded him in the stomach, scowling. “What?” he asked. She shook her head.

“Well, this brain injury of mine… I don’t remember it. That’s why she hates me,” he whispered. Rebecca’s mouth fell open and her husband had gone quiet, an odd move for him. Everyone in the room stilled. “She’s thought this whole time that I was pretending I didn’t know her.”

Autumn and Rebecca both put their hands on their chest, their hearts breaking for their friend, and probably commiserating with what Gwen had gone through and what she believed to be true. She’d gone these last few years thinking he’d used and lied to her, only to end up face-to-face at a bonfire where he introduced himself like it was the first time. He had to give her credit for not killing him.

Nine

Gwen never understood the appeal of meditation, until that day in the tree lot when she spotted the guy who promised her he’d call her the minute he got back to White Oak. He looked at her like a stranger who’d just hugged him. Why did she ever believe him? They’d met and slept together the year before at Weasel’s party. That was her first mistake, to sleep with a guy she just met at a party and in the hot tub – that was her naivety.

But carrying around all of that anger had taken a toll on her personality and health. Her body became unable to fight off infections and she stayed sick. She’d become mean and cynical. Something had to change, she needed to let go of her anger and shame before it killed her. Her mom and Avery were big on meditating, so she gave it a whirl and ended up finding her calm. Whether it resulted from the time and distance or the meditation or a combination of it all, she didn’t know. It wasn’t worth finding out, so she kept meditating. She’d slacked off in recent weeks, and now Jason had returned.

Even three blocks from the town square, the house had a nice sized yard with a six-foot privacy fence around the back. They all tended their backyard, but Gwen didn’t have a green thumb, and let them be in charge of growing plants. She killed a cactus. The weeds were the only things that thrived under her tutelage. The backyard ambiance resulted from their planning and work. One of her favorite places was what Avery called the “Zen garden”, where the chiminea sat. Lighting it created a circle of warmth and coziness on an evening in late fall. Outside, she sat in front of the lit chiminea and sank into a meditative state, needing the calm after last night’s debacle.

“Gwen,” Avery called out the back door.

“No,” she replied.

“There’s a man here to see you.”

“I’m not expecting anyone.”

“Well, It’s a surprise gentleman caller, then. He is fine. So, I suggest you take this.”

Gwen groaned. “Probably someone selling something.”

“You should buy whatever he’s selling,” Avery replied, giggling.

Gwen stood and stretched. “Why are you so desperate to pimp me out?”

“I’m not.”

“Uh, huh,” Gwen muttered, passing Avery walking into the house.

She pulled open the front door to Jason standing there in the porch light, looking hot, and it pissed her off. Which member of the group ratted out her location? “We’re not interested,” she tried to shut the door in his face, but his hand shot out and blocked it from closing. He was quick and strong.

“Please, let me explain.” He removed his hand from door and she could close it now, but something in his voice stopped her.

Gwen sighed, “Fine.” On the front porch, she closed the door behind her and crossed her arms over her chest. “Explain.”

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