Cherished (Wanted) (4 page)

I sat at the small table for two at the Mesa Café and waited on my shrimp burger. I’d tried to call my father’s house to let him know I was okay, but I couldn’t get the stupid phone in my room to work. I just hoped that Amanda and Brad had let everyone know that they had seen me. I didn’t want my dad to worry about me.

Oh shit…he’s going to kill me for running off and not telling him where I was going. Double fuck!

“Long time no see.”

I looked up and saw the same man I’d seen earlier walking on the beach. He was peeking down at me with a drop-dead gorgeous smile. I couldn’t help but notice those deep green eyes, and his dark brown hair had that perfect messy look to it. I smiled back and nodded.

“Hi, um…I just got here today, so you’re actually the first person I’ve talked to…well, besides the hotel staff and the waitress here.” I let out a giggle.

Oh, for the love of God, what is wrong with me? I just made an ass of myself.

He glanced down at the empty chair and lifted his eyebrows. “Tell me why a beautiful woman, such as yourself, is here alone.”

My smile slowly faded before I managed another weak smile. “It’s a long story.”

He nodded and said, “Mending a broken heart?”

My mouth dropped open, and I just stared at him.
Am I that obvious?
“Um…”

He started laughing. “Don’t be too shocked, love. I’m here for the same reason.”

I lifted my eyebrows with a questioning look.

“Yep. I was left at the altar…literally. I was standing there, waiting for her to walk down the aisle. She never made it, and I was left with two plane tickets to Belize and a broken heart bigger than the size of Texas. So, what else could I do? I made the trip with my best friend. He just left yesterday.”

“I’m so sorry. That must have really hurt. I’m glad your friend was able to make the trip with you though. Did y’all at least get to have fun while he was here?”

He smiled. “Oh, hell yeah. It was nothing but getting drunk and then waking up the next day to go sightseeing before getting drunk again. That was our routine for two weeks. By the way”—he extended his hand out to me—“the name is Trey Walker.”

I placed my hand in his and smiled. “Jessie Rhodes. And yes, I’m mending a broken heart, but I’m not really ready to talk about it, so…”

Trey held up his hands and smiled bigger. I wasn’t sure what made me do it, but the next thing I knew, I was inviting him to sit and have dinner with me. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to talk to him. I actually laughed a few times. I also found out that he was a lawyer from Dallas, Texas.

Huh…I would have never pegged him as a lawyer.

“You’ve got to have the key lime pie gelato. Oh man, it’s to die for.”

I smiled. “Share it with me?”

“I was hoping you’d suggest that,” he said with a silly grin.

My stomach did a funny little dip.
What in the hell was that?

I instantly felt guilty for even having dinner with Trey, and now, we were going to share a dessert. Then, I closed my eyes and saw Chelsea riding Scott, like the whore that she was, and I quickly pushed those feelings aside.

Besides, the last thing I wanted was another relationship.
Men sucked.

Trey was telling me how he and his best friend had ended up falling off a pier a few days ago, and I couldn’t help but laugh at how animated he was. It was so nice to finally not think about what had happened to me. To be able to laugh felt so good.

“Sounds like y’all had an interesting few days,” I said.

Trey nodded his head and smiled. “May I walk you back to your cabana?”

For a few seconds, the guilt from wanting him to walk me back filled my whole body until I quickly pushed it aside.

“Yes, I’d love that. Thank you.”

As I walked up to my cabana, I turned to face Trey. “How much longer are you here for?” I asked.

He let out a long sigh. “I’m not sure. I’m, uh…I’m kind of afraid to go back, so I took a leave of absence. I’m thinking maybe another two months. I love the lifestyle down here. I just need…time. Does that make sense?”

I caught my breath because I felt the same way. I slowly nodded as I bit down on my lower lip. He reached up and pulled it out of my teeth.

There goes those butterflies again.
I smiled and felt my face blush.

“Trey, I’m not looking to…you know.” I peeked up at him.

When my eyes caught his, I swore his eyes twinkled.

He gave me the cutest crooked smile and let out a small laugh. “Believe me, love, I’m not interested in a relationship either…but since we’re both here, we might as well enjoy each other’s company. How about I show you around tomorrow?”

I smiled and nodded. “I’d like that.”

He took a step backward and gave me a thumbs-up. “It’s a planned event then—not a date but a planned event.”

I let out a giggle. “Sounds great. What time should I expect you?”

“Eight thirty. We have a ton to see.”

We said our good-byes, and then I walked into my empty cabana. I leaned back against the door and smiled. There was something about Trey that just made me feel comfortable. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but he made me feel…happy.

I’m not going to feel guilty. If being friends with Trey will make me feel better and forget about the hurt for a few hours, then so be it.

I started stripping out of my clothes, and then I put on a T-shirt. After I sat on the bed, I pulled my knees up and set my chin on them as I listened to the sound of the ocean. I couldn’t help but think of Scott.
God, I miss his touch already.
I missed his breath on my neck as he would whisper how much he loved me and only wanted me. I put my hand up to my neck and could almost feel the warmth. I took a deep breath and let it out as I lay down.

After four hours of just lying there, I finally fell asleep. I dreamed of Scott walking along the beach with me. We were holding hands…and then someone came up behind us and pulled our hands apart. When I turned around to see who it was, I saw deep green eyes looking into mine.

I sat up quickly in bed and looked at the clock. It was eight on the dot.

“Shit!” I jumped up and started getting ready.

For ten minutes, I tried to get my hair to look decent before I ended up pulling it into a ponytail.

Shit, I never called anyone.
I made a mental note to look for a cell phone.

I quickly walked up to the lobby of the hotel and noticed a pay phone. I had to laugh. I hadn’t seen one of those in years. I pulled out my credit card and hit zero. I gave the operator my credit card number and Amanda and Brad’s phone number. I didn’t think I could talk to my father just yet. The call was full of static, but I heard Amanda answer.

“Amanda! Hey, it’s Jessie.”

“Jessie! Thank God! Scott’s…insane…mistake…Chelsea…Bryce.”

“Wait—what are you saying, Amanda? I have a terrible connection. I’m only getting every other word. Can you hear me?”

“Yes! You…come…quickly…he’s…bad.”

“Okay…sweetie, I can’t understand you, but listen, I hope you can hear me. I’m fine. I’m going to stay here for about three weeks. Please let my dad and brothers know that I’m okay…Scott, too, I guess…if he even cares.”

“No! Please…Scott…he…talk…right away.”

“Ugh…Amanda, this connection is driving me nuts. I’ll give you a call in about a week or so. Tell Gunner I’m praying for Gramps. Bye, sweetie!”

“Wait!”

I hung up the phone. There was no sense in trying to piece together the conversation. I glanced up at the clock to see it was eight thirty.

Oh shit! Trey!

Right as I made it back to my cabana, I saw Trey walking up with the biggest smile on his face.

“Are you ready to see the sights of Ambergris Caye?”

Seeing him instantly made me feel better. All thoughts of Scott were pushed aside as I looked into the most beautiful green eyes I’d ever seen.

I nodded and smiled. “Yep, let’s do this!”

Trey held out his arm, and I took it as we made our way into town. Only about one minute into our walk, and I was already laughing my ass off.

Oh yeah…Trey is just what the doctor ordered for me to forget about Scott.

“Sir, believe me, I understand your frustration. But if Ms. Rhodes is not a missing person and you don’t have a warrant, there is no way I can look at the security cameras to see what airplane she got on. Do you know how many cameras we have? Or how long that would even take?” the Austin-Bergstrom security manager said.

I nodded. “I understand. I’m just desperate. I need to find her before I lose my mind.”

“I wish I could be of more help to you, sir. Do you share a credit card with her? She might have charged the ticket.”

I shook my head. “No, she only has one credit card, and it’s in her name, so I can’t check it. Thank you so much for your help. Have a good day.”

As I walked out of the airport, my cell started ringing. I didn’t even want to answer it. When Brad had called me yesterday and told me he’d brought Jessie to the airport, my heart had broken all over again. I couldn’t believe she had been mad enough to get on a plane and leave.

I pulled the phone out of my pocket to see that it was Amanda calling.

“Amanda! Have you heard from her?”

“Yes! Oh my god, she just called me, Scott! I could hear her, but she said she was only getting every other word of what I was saying. I tried telling her that it wasn’t you and that it was Bryce, but I don’t think she got any of it.”

My heart was pounding in my chest. “Did she say where she was?”

Please, God…please let me find her.

Amanda paused for the longest time, and I already knew the answer before she started talking again.

“No. I’m so sorry, Scott. The number didn’t show up either. She only said she was okay and would be staying about three weeks.”

“Three weeks!” I stopped and had to lean over.
I. Can’t. Breathe.

“Scott? Scott, are you okay? Scott…please say something,” Amanda pleaded.

“I can’t talk right now. If she calls again, please try to find out where she is.”

“Of course I will, Scott. Don’t worry. When she comes back, she’ll find out the truth, and it won’t be long before she’s back in your arms.”

I tried to talk, but nothing would come out. I just hit End to disconnect the call. I walked back to my truck and slowly crawled in. My legs were like iron. My chest hurt, and it felt like someone was sitting on it.

Three weeks? Jessie, please don’t do this to me. I need you.

I sat at Gunner’s kitchen table and watched Ellie moving around while she made homemade marinara sauce. Every now and then, she would look at me and smile.

I couldn’t go home. It had been a week since Jessie left, and I’d only been home once. I had asked Bryce and Jeff to get rid of my bed. I was going to buy a new one. There was no way I’d ever sleep in that bed…or let Jessie sleep in it.
That is, if she ever comes back.
I’d noticed that Doc had put the vet clinic back up for sale. Jessie had left a message for him, saying that she was no longer interested in buying the practice.

Please just call me, Jessie.

Fuck! If she would just call me…

Ellie sat down and reached for my hands. The moment I felt her hands touch mine, I jerked.

Ellie jumped and let out a giggle. “Holy hell, Scott, you scared the shit out of me.”

I smiled at her. She was so sweet. I kept noticing how she would place her hand on her stomach. Gunner was beyond happy that Gramps was okay and home and that Ellie was having a pretty easy pregnancy so far. She’d hardly had any morning sickness. My smile slowly faded as I thought of Jessie and how much I wanted to have children with her.

“Ells…I miss her so much. I have such a bad feeling, and I can’t shake it. What if she meets someone else? What if she doesn’t believe me when I tell her it wasn’t me?
Oh god
…what if I never see her again? I want to marry her and have children with her. I don’t want anyone else, Ellie. I only want her.”

I couldn’t believe what a pussy I’d been during the last week, so I wasn’t surprised when I started crying again. My whole world felt like someone had just ripped it apart.