Hey Jude (Lennox Valley Chronicles #1)

My eyes meet his.

“I know this,” he gestures between us, “is worth waiting for. You’re worth waiting for.”

The tears threaten to fall once again. I can’t speak. He doesn’t know what he’s getting into.

“You say the word…” He levels me with a look. “You tell me when you’re ready,” he says, his green eyes burning with intensity, “and I’m all in.”

At that, he walks away, leaving me standing on the path, speechless. He crosses the lawn, running a hand through his hair.

* * *

Jude keeps a respectful distance from me for the rest of the day. I try to forget what he said and concentrate on work; letting it in is too painful. I know I can’t let him get tangled up in my baggage, so I can’t dwell on his promise to wait.

Wait for what, exactly, anyway? How much time do I need to sort this out? What do I do about Sean?

Unable to focus, and noticing we’re ahead of schedule with the necessary tasks on-site, I head home earlier than usual. I change into my sweats and snuggle into the couch under a blanket, tucking it up under my chin and down over my toes.

I need to figure out what to do about Sean. He won’t listen to me when I tell him to leave me alone and he’s still using drugs, which makes everything more complicated. He’s more persistent in his attempts to talk me into moving back to Seattle, which worries me. I wish he’d accept we broke up and just go away.

With no solution, my thoughts inevitably drift back to Jude. He really wants to wait for me? Why is he so sure about me? He doesn’t know about the robbery or about Sean. Should I tell him about Sean’s recent calls? Would he still want to wait for me then?

Probably not. No one wants someone with a dumpster-fire of an ex that won’t go away.

The tears start falling as I wrestle with the grip Jude has on me already. I must be kidding myself to think I can back away from what we started. To think I can avoid him. That I can work alongside him.

Keys turn in the door and Wyatt comes in to find me sobbing on the couch. Hanging up his keys and kicking off his shoes, he hurries over to me and sits down. He pulls me into a hug and strokes my hair.

“Wanna talk about it?” he asks softly.

I look up at him, wiping my nose with the crumpled tissue in my hand. Without thinking, I launch right in, consumed by my swirling thoughts. “He just keeps texting me and calling me and he won’t leave me alone, Wyatt, no matter what I say! I don’t know what to do!” I fall into his embrace again. “He’s scaring me…”

“What?” Wyatt pulls himself away to face me, looking angry. “That fucking asshole! I told him not to hurt you.” He shakes his head ruefully.

I freeze. “What?”

“I told him! Oh, man, I could kill him.” Wyatt rubs his forehead with his palms.

“Wait. When did you talk to him?” I have no idea what’s happening.

“Yesterday. He came into the deli.”

My stomach lurches. “Oh my God. Sean is in Lennox?”

“Sean? What do you mean? No. Jude. I was gonna say… he didn’t seem like… Wait… You were talking about Sean? Sean has been calling you?”

I nod nervously.

“What the fuck! Since when?” Wyatt’s clearly pissed I didn’t tell him.

Guilt twists my stomach. “I don’t know… he’s texted a couple of times in the last few weeks… And when he started to call, I tried to ignore him, but he kept calling, and—”

“What has he been saying to you, Olena?” Wyatt searches my eyes.

“He keeps asking me to come home even though I told him I won’t, that I don’t want to be with him, and he won’t take no for an answer. And then he gets angry… and I know last time he called he was high, and… Wyatt, what do I do? He’s freaking me out!”

He puffs his cheeks as he blows out a long, frustrated breath. When he speaks again, his voice is calmer. “That fucking prick. I thought you were talking about Jude.” He runs a hand through his hair and sinks back into the couch, placing his other hand on his stomach. “Thank God. I was trying to figure out how to kick his ass.”

I sniff. “You were gonna kick Jude’s ass for me?” I can’t help but smile at the mental image.