My Missing Puzzle Piece (Creekside Falls #1) (29 page)

“Hey.” Elle said as she walked into Taylor’s.

“Hey you. I wasn’t sure what time you were coming but dinner’s almost ready so your timing is perfect.”

Elle handed Taylor a chocolate chip pound cake with chocolate frosting on it that she brought for dessert as she walked into the kitchen and gave Taylor a big hug.

“Let me get us drinks. What do you want? Wine?” Taylor asked her friend knowing she had yet another bad week.

“Wine is fine but not too much I haven’t been eating…or sleeping much. Dinner smells good though.” Elle said with a lackluster smile.

“Thanks. It’s almost ready, probably another ten minutes.” Taylor said as she looked at the time while uncorking the wine.

Elle walked over to the stove to see what was cooking, she saw Taylor made angel hair pasta with shrimp, asparagus and tomatoes in a vodka cream tomato sauce -- it was one of Elle’s favorites. She was lucky to have a friend like Taylor. She just hoped she wasn’t bad company tonight.

They ate dinner in silence; Elle knew it wasn’t something Taylor did well, so she must have been doing it for her. The thought made her smile but then she realized Taylor hadn’t talked about Jake in a while and that wasn’t like her. Maybe the silence wasn’t just for Elle.

“That was so good!” Elle said as she sat back on the dining room chair after they finished their dinner and dessert. “I missed this.”

“It really was. Missed what?” Taylor said looking at Elle.

“Having a nice time and being able to actually eat something. My nerves have been all over so I haven’t been able to eat much; this is probably the first I’ve eaten more than a yogurt in a week.”

“Still nothing from Trevor?” Taylor asked.

“No nothing yet. I don’t know if he is going to come around. I mean he feels like he can’t trust me, there seems to be no coming back from that and I don’t know if I can blame him.” Elle said with a defeated voice.

“No you can’t blame him but give him time.” Taylor said as she squeezed Elle’s hand.

“I’m not trying to pry but you haven’t mentioned Jake, did something happen with you guys?” Elle was curious that his name hadn’t come up and she wanted to think about something other than her own misery.

Taylor stood to start clearing their plates, avoiding eye contact with Elle. “No nothing happened but he did cancel the dinner we were going to have at his place last week.” Taylor said like it was no big deal, but Elle knew that it was a big deal to Taylor.

“He did? Why did he do that?”

“Well he said that maybe its best we keep things the way they are now.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Beats me, I’ve been trying to think of what happened or what he means but I’ve got nothing.”

“Do you want to keep things the way they are?” Elle asked.

“The way they are now? What with us sexually frustrated and not going anywhere, cause that sounds like a lot of fun?!” Taylor said as she rolled her eyes and came back to sit down.

Elle gave a short laugh then said, “Okay I take that as a no.”

“Men.” Was all Taylor said as she sank down further in her chair.

“I hear that one!” They leaned across the table and toasted their glasses and took a long swig.

As Elle sat with Taylor she realized that there was a reason she had such crappy relationships in the past, none of
them was Trevor. Their love wasn’t insanely intense but it was magical nonetheless and more than she could have ever dreamt. Being vulnerable in a relationship is good but insecure is NOT good. She wasn’t sure when it happened but at some point it all just fell away, her fears, doubts and insecurities. With Trevor she had found complete confidence. She had always had confidence when it came to her education and in business, but when it came to men and relationships she had been very insecure, until Trevor came along.

Trevor and Jake ended up at Jake’s place that night because Trevor didn’t feel like going out but Jake insisted they do something. Their friends, Sam and Drew, said they couldn’t make it when Jake asked them. Trevor knew his friends were married and busy but surprised that they rarely made it to hang out anymore. He didn’t want him and Jake to end up like that when they each settled down, if they ever settled down. Trevor’s mind went right to Elle at the thought of settling down. Shit.

“Hey, what’s up?” Trevor said as he walked into Jake’s place.

“Not much, you? What should we order?” Jake said as he handed Trevor a stack of menus.

“What about cheese steaks?” Trevor said as he picked up the first menu in his hand.

“Works for me,” Jake said as he took the menu and went to call in the food.

“They said half hour.” He paused for a minute than added, “I think we’re getting to old to order out all the time.”

Trevor laughed at what Jake said but a part of him knew it was true. “You think?”

Jake frowned and said, “The problem is I can’t cook and ordering is easy.”

They each grabbed a beer and sat down to watch the Phillies game. When the food came they didn’t even bother eating in the kitchen, they both just sat on the couch in front of the TV.

“Okay now this
is
pathetic.” Trevor said as he gestured towards them eating on the couch.

“What, you don’t like my paper plates?” Jake joked.

“You know what I mean.”

“Yeah I do, that we’re both too lazy to eat at a table and walk away from the game. I know.” Jake said with his usual smirk

They finished eating their sandwiches and watching the game, except for the occasional exclamation of “How’d he miss that?” “What was he trying to catch?” “How was that a strike?” or “He was safe, what did that ump see?” They didn’t talk.

When the game was over and the Phillies won they were both pretty happy until Jake brought up Elle, then Trevor wasn’t so happy anymore.

“So have you decided what you’re gonna do yet? You know you’re crazy if you let her go? I’ve seen how different you are with her and when you talk about her, you’ve never been like that before. I saw it in her too when I talked to her.”

“No I haven’t but I know I am not just letting it go. She means everything to me and I’ll be damned if I let this be the end.” Trevor raked a hand through his hair then said, “She’s being so stubborn.”

“Well I’m glad to hear you say it because you were driving me nuts talking about her all week and acting like you weren’t going to fight for her. Just so you know I do get that you’re not totally wrong but neither was Elle, and obviously you love each other so you need to make it work or you’ll both be miserable and so will the people around you.”

“Well thanks for that Dr. Phil, but I know you’re right.”

“Damned right!” Jake said triumphantly with a smile.

“So what happened at your dinner with Taylor? You said you were going out but I never heard how it went.”

“Aw hell,” Jake said as he raked his hand through his hair. “It’s not the right time for us to start anything so we didn’t do the dinner. I told her I couldn’t do dinner at my place like we planned.”

“What do you mean it’s not the right time? When is it ever the ‘right time’?” Trevor asked with a confused tone in his voice.

“I just don’t know if now is the right time for me to start something that could become permanent; we both know Taylor is the kind of woman who is looking for permanent. I don’t want to hurt her.” Jake explained.

“Well I get the not wanting to hurt her part but not the ‘right time’ part, or not even finding out if she could be worth doing permanent.” Trevor said practically staring at Jake while waiting for more of an explanation.

“I just have a lot going on and need to wait it out a little while.”

“Listen man, I know we’re not girls but I’m here for ya’…you’ve been there for me a million times and a lot
of them since I met Elle,” Trevor said, teasing a bit but knowing there was something Jake was leaving out.

“No I’m good for now but thanks man.”

“Not to sound like an ass but don’t you think you probably hurt her already?” Trevor asked.

“Yeah I know and that kills me but I stopped it before I could do anymore damage.”

“You know you should take your own advice once in a while and get your head out of your ass. You do know that the longer you make Taylor wait the more of a chance she’ll be over it or find someone else right?”

“I know, she’s gorgeous and amazing and that’s what makes this even harder but I need to cool it for right now.” Jake said with a voice that sounded so gravelly rough.

“All right, well do what you need to do, but take care of yourself.” Trevor knew if Jake is this convinced he must mean it for some good reason.

“Always do.” Was all Jake said.

revor decided it was finally time to go and talk to Elle. He went to her house on Saturday afternoon and saw her car in the driveway. He hoped she was home since it was Memorial Day weekend; she may have had plans with Taylor or her family. Trevor hoped like hell she would listen to him. He sat in his car for a while trying to decide the right thing to say but couldn’t think of anything good enough, so he decided that he would just have to wing it. She was right the whole thing boiled down to trust and yesterday it hit him like a ton of bricks; he trusted her, no doubt and there wasn’t anything that could change that…not even Rob. Now all he had to do was convince her and win her back! Feeling more nervous than he ever remembered feeling in his life, he got out of his truck and walked to the front door.

He knocked on the door and waited for a few minutes but there was no answer, he figured that she wasn’t home but knocked once more just in case. He turned around
towards his truck, when he heard the front door open and Elle say, “Hello?”

Trevor turned around, “Hi”

“Hi, were you waiting out here long? I was cleaning and had music on so I wasn’t sure I heard the door.”

“Only a few minutes.” Trevor said shifting uncomfortably.

“Do you want to come in?” Elle said hesitantly.

“Sure that sounds good,” he walked back towards her front door.

Elle stuck out a hand and said, “Wait, before you come in let me say this. If you’re gonna fight with me then you shouldn’t come in. I don’t have the energy for that again.”

Trevor raked his hand through his already messed up hair and said, “I’m not here to fight. I’m here to talk and to apologize.”

Elle looked shocked but opened the door for him.

She couldn’t believe Trevor was at her house. She could only hope that he had come to say he wanted them to start over and try again but her pride wouldn’t let her show that so she put on her poker face. The only problem, she was terrible at poker; her facial expressions gave everything away long before her eyes did.

Trevor followed her in. They went to the kitchen; he waited until they were both sitting at the table before he said anything.

Trevor sat there waiting for Elle to say something but she just sat across from him with an unsure look on her face and staying stone silent. Well, here goes everything….

“You were right.” That’s how he started off. Elle just sat there waiting for him to keep going so he did.

“This was about trust. I shouldn’t have let it bother me so much and you’re right I wasn’t over it, even after we made up the last time, I guess I couldn’t forget it that easily. But I swear I am over it and maybe I can’t completely forget but it will never be brought up again. I can let it go and get past it especially if it means the difference in you being in my life or not being in my life. I trust you. I don’t think there is anyone I trust more, there is no question in my mind, I know it completely. I know you would do anything for me and I would do it for you too. I need you to forgive me too because I want to talk to you every day, I want you to be the person I bounce things off of, I want to have a future with you and I never want anything to come between us again. I think what threw me is that I haven’t felt like this before, this relationship is challenging me in a way I have never been before. I need you and I felt vulnerable and it scared me when I thought you weren’t siding with me I acted on the fear. I know you were doing what you thought was right because that’s the person you are and that’s the person I love. I love that you would help anybody. I do wish that person wasn’t Rob but he’s not the issue anymore. We’re probably going to have fights again, couples do that but I don’t want to be without you again ever. So when we do fight we’re gonna stay and work it out, we’re gonna put each other first and not give up so easily just because we get mad or get our feelings hurt. I know what I just said sounds like a line men say, but I swear to you it’s how I feel.” Trevor said as he looked into Elle’s
eyes. Her face was blank but she had tears rolling down her cheeks, were they happy or sad tears?