Savior Complex: A Small Town Love Triangle Romance

“You’re just getting cold feet,” she says, offering a small laugh. It reminds me of my conversation with my dad—how he dealt with his cold feet—and what I did this weekend that had nothing to do with cold feet, but it was unfair all the same.

“I’m not. The truth is, I don’t think we’re supposed to be together. You want to see the world, to live in a big city and make a name for yourself. But my life is here on the ranch. All this time, you’ve made plans that include me leaving the family business. But Jordy, you never once asked me what my plans were, or how you could fit into them.”

“We can make it work.” Her eyes plead with mine. “I can stay here in Sunset Bay. I know I can find work, even travel to San Diego or Santa Barbara and work at some higher end offices.”

“Jordy, listen to yourself. You don’t want this. You’d be miserable here.”

“You don’t know anything about me,” she spits out. “Besides, the deposit is already paid. My mother is working on the invitations. I have a registry started and everything. People are going to talk if we cancel.”

“I can give you the money for the deposit, it’s just money. As for people, who cares what they say? This is our lives we’re talking about.”

“Exactly! This is our life!”

“You’ve worked your ass off for yours,” I point out. “Your dream was to always go to New York. Are you really willing to give that up? For me?”

Her lip trembles. “Maybe we could split our time,” she eventually says. “I can get a place in New York while you stay here on the ranch. We can see each other on weekends. We’ve already been doing it for years, so why not just do it for a few more?”

“Is that really a marriage?” I ask. Her tears are falling freely now, and I feel like the biggest ass. “Jordy, we’ve been living apart for years and surviving because we are completely okay apart. Even since you’ve moved here, we barely make time for each other. I don’t want a marriage where we’re fine with being apart. I want to be with someone I can’t wait to wake up next to, who is excited about the things I’m excited about, who wants to be on the same journey as me. And I think you deserve the same thing.”

“We can have that,” she whispers.

“We’d already have it if it were possible.”

“But Bray—”

“Jordy, I slept with someone else.”

The words tumble out of my mouth before I can think too hard about what I’m saying. Her expression freezes, and I watch as she absorbs the words. I feel terrible, I really do. But I also feel some relief because I know this is the only way she’s going to let our relationship end.

“When?” There’s devastation on her face, but then it turns to anger. “With who?”

“No one,” I say. She throws one of her shoes at me, and I duck in time to miss it. “Jordy, it was no one important.” Because I’m sure as hell not telling her about Nina.

“What, are you going to leave me for her now? Is that why you’re calling this off?”

“No,” I say, because what the hell do I say? I realize there’s no coming back from this at all.

“You fucking asshole, how could you? Do you have any idea how much time I’ve wasted on you? I could have had anyone, but I stayed with you! I never strayed. What the fuck were you thinking?” She sinks on to the bed, twisting her ring on her finger. “Oh God, what is my mother going to say? Our whole family thinks we’re getting married. What do I say?”

“I’m so sorry.” I really am. She doesn’t deserve any of this. I’m the biggest asshole there is.

“I’m serious,” she says, wiping at her face. “What the fuck do I say?”

“You say I was a cheating bastard.” Because I am. “It’s my fault, and I’m so sorry.”

“She told me this would happen.” Jordy gets up and starts pacing the floor. “She said no man would ever stay with me.”

“First of all, your mom is a bitch.”

“Don’t talk about my mother that way!” Her eyes flash, and her other shoe is in her hand.

“Don’t throw that at me,” I warn her. “But she is. There is nothing you can do to make that woman happy, and you know it. We could have the most perfect wedding, and she will still find flaws in it.”

But I can tell Jordy has checked out completely.

“We can move past this,” she says, turning to me. “Couples do this all the time. Someone cheats, and it sucks. But then you come back stronger than ever.”

“This isn’t one of your romance novels, Jordy.”