Page 84 of Best Kept Secret

“Do you want me to come over? Maybe you shouldn’t be alone right now.”

“I’m okay. I’m at Stacy’s,” Kelsey said, but her voice broke.

“Stacy’s out of town.”

“I know. I’m house-sitting, or hiding out from Hudson, whatever you want to call it.”

“Don’t move. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Are you sure? Don’t you have a date?” Jenna had no shortage of men, although, according to her, nobody she was serious about.

“Not tonight. Sit still. I’ll be right there.”

The quiet threatened to drown Kelsey again, so she did what she’d been trying not to do all afternoon. She listened to his voicemails. There were five of them, each one longer and more apologetic than the last. The last one really got to her, though.

“I didn’t want to do this over the phone, but I can’t let you walk away without letting you know this. The last several weeks with you have been some of the best weeks of my life. I’ve enjoyed every minute we’ve spent together. Just being around you makes me happy. Your energy, your humor, your smile—I love it all. There were times when I’d look at you and couldn’t believe how lucky I was. I always thought you deserved better, and I still do. I screwed up, Kelsey, and I’ll never forgive myself for hurting you. That was never my intention. You’re probably sick of my apologies by now, assuming you listened to all my messages, or maybe you haven’t. Sorry for rambling. Anyway, I have a lot of regrets, but being with you will never be one of them.”

There was a lengthy pause, and she pulled the phone away from her ear, wondering if the battery had died. Then he started talking again, although his voice sounded strange, like his throat was constricted.

“I’d never been in love until I held my baby girl for the first time. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but I want to be a better man for Annie and for you. If you can’t forgive me, I’ll have to accept that, but know this. Annie isn’t the only girl I fell in love with. I fell in love with you too. If you give me another chance, I’ll tell you in person as often as I can for as long as you’ll let me.”

After she listened to it for the third time, tears were streaming down her face and leaving round, wet spots on her shirt. Though her vision was blurred, she read his text messages next. The first few were about him wanting to make sure she’d made it home okay, but the last one had a completely different tone to it.

I can’t sit here any longer. I’m coming to find you.

He’d sent that message over an hour ago, and there hadn’t been anything since. She’d obviously chosen a good hiding spot, since he hadn’t shown up here. Then the doorbell rang.

With her heart in her throat and a tear-stained face, she padded to the front door and peered through the peephole. Then, with a mixture of relief and disappointment, she opened the door to Jenna.

Jenna took one look at her disheveled state and pulled her in for a hug. “Ohmigod. You poor thing.”

Kelsey let Jenna take over and lead her back to the couch, where she’d left her phone open to his latest text message. Jenna took out some tissues from the box on the end table and handed them to her. She wiped her eyes with one and then blew her nose with another.

“Thanks for coming over,” she said with a teary smile.

“I’m glad I was home when you called. I see you’ve been reading his messages.”

She nodded. “He left me a bunch of voicemails too.”

“Of course he did, the dirty dog.”

She almost jumped to his defense like she’d done before, but she decided not to. She’d been touched by his messages, but she still wasn’t sure she could trust him.

“Men are all the same. They act like idiots and then send a few apology messages and think they should be forgiven.”

“He said he’s in love with me,” she blurted out. Saying it aloud felt strange, just like when she’d heard him say it. Admittedly, she’d liked hearing it even if she was still pissed at him.

“Are you in love with him too?”

Kelsey looked down at her hands with the balled-up tissues. The answer came easily, but she was almost afraid to voice it. When she looked up and met Jenna’s eyes, she saw only compassion in them. “Yes,” she admitted.

Jenna rubbed her arms and said, “I’m so sorry.”

Kelsey chuckled. “Are you sorry I’m in love or sorry he hurt me?”

“I’m pissed that he hurt you, but it seems like love and pain go hand in hand.”

It sounded like Jenna was speaking from experience, and it wasn’t the first time she’d hinted at a past heartbreak. Kelsey was tempted to probe some more, but Jenna swiftly brought the conversation back to her.