Savior Complex: A Small Town Love Triangle Romance

“We’re not dumb, Son,” my father says. “As soon as Doug Murphy said the two of you had left for the weekend, we knew exactly what you were up to.”

“I’ve never loved Jordy. At least, not the way she deserves. But meeting Nina made me realize I can’t keep up this charade.” I hang my head. “I’ve really made a mess of things,” I say. “I should have let Jordy go ages ago. She never deserved any of this.”

“No, she didn’t,” my mom agrees.

I get up then and look at my parents. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you two stuck it out.”

My mom looks at my dad and smiles, “We are, too.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Brayden

I sit in my truck in the Sandpiper Inn parking lot, next to Jordy’s car. I knew she’d come here First, it’s where she always stays when she doesn’t stay at the ranch. Second, I can see her on my location services. Which means she could have seen me when I was with Nina, and I should be grateful she didn’t.

I still don’t know what I’m going to say to her.

Brayden: Can I come up?

I wait a few moments, then see the three dots light up before her text comes through.

Jordy: Rm 324

I smile in spite of myself. I might have been playing a game of pretend for the past five years, but it doesn’t mean we don’t know each other. She’s probably been waiting for me to show up, which is both cute and annoying, since it’s also part of her game. She runs, I chase after her, she puts me through hell, then finally forgives me—even if it was all her fault.

This one was on her. But what I’m about to do to her is completely on me.

I take the stairs to the third floor, racking my brain for a way to break things easily to her. Easy. That’s a misnomer. Nothing about this is going to be easy, and now that I’m nearing her door, I can feel the knots forming in my stomach and a sense of nervousness I haven’t felt in a very long time.

I reach her room and knock three times. I can hear her footsteps on the other side before she answers. There’s an annoyed look on her face, but her makeup is freshly done and she’s wearing a tiny black dress that just barely covers her assets.

“Going somewhere?” I ask as she moves aside, letting me in.

“I could only grab what was within reach.” She shrugs and gestures to the duffel bag on the bed. It’s true, there’s a mishmash of stuff falling out of it. But Jordy isn’t accidental when it comes to fashion. This outfit is for me and me alone.

But as I look around, I realize I’m being too quick to judge. The truth is, there isn’t much here for daily comforts. Most of her stuff is at Nina’s house, and for Jordy, this is a bit like hell. She won’t even go camping with me because roughing it is not her cup of tea. It hits me how out of place she is. Sure, it was her choice to refuse to stay at the ranch, but she’d been unprepared to get kicked out of Nina’s place. I know Jordy’s intentions were pure—even if skewed—and suddenly I wonder if my timing is completely callous and insensitive.

“Do you need anything?” I ask. “More clothes? Toiletries? Some dinner?”

She rolls her eyes. “I still have my key. I’ll get my shit tomorrow somehow. She can’t keep all of it, right?”

I don’t know and choose to play dumb. Nina was pretty pissed when we left, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she throws a giant bonfire in our wake, burning everything Jordy owns.

“Look, I’m sorry,” Jordy begins, catching me off guard. Jordy never apologizes. “I know I should have included you in the wedding plans. It’s just that neither of us were doing anything, and it felt like if we waited any longer, it wouldn’t happen.”

I look at my hands, all the words I want to say to her just sitting there, waiting for me to let them loose.

“I guess I missed you while you were gone,” she continues. “I thought I could do some mental planning, you know? See a few places and take notes, and then go back with you once I’d found some that both of us would like. But then the country club looked so beautiful, and I kept remembering the times when Nanna brought both me and Nina there as little girls. You know that we used to have matching Easter bonnets and gloves we wore all year long?” She laughs, and I see the faraway look in her eyes. “We were close once,” she murmurs, “almost like sisters.” She shakes her head, and the look disappears. “I asked the manager a few questions and found out he only had one Saturday left on the books, and the next open date isn’t for another year. I guess I got swept away in the moment, because all of a sudden, I was signing paperwork and forking over my savings. Then it was done.”

She looks at me, her eyes big and wide, brimmed with tears. “I know I should have waited, and in hindsight, I wish I had. I didn’t even give you a chance to choose a place with me. You should have been able to.”

“It definitely surprised me,” I say carefully, “and it’s too soon.”

“It’s been five years, Bray.” She wipes at her eyes, then takes my hand in hers. The diamond on her finger flashes in the low lights of the room. “It was starting to feel like you didn’t want to get married at all.”

“I didn’t,” I say. I remove my hand from hers. “I don’t.”

A flash of surprise crosses her face. Her brow wrinkles, and I can see she’s fighting tears. But she composes herself.