Eve of Passion by A.C. Arthur

Author:A.C. Arthur
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

“Jack and I were the perfect couple,” Janelle said as she sat on the deep-cushioned sloped-back sage-green couch.

Ballard had asked her to spend the night with him and she’d agreed. Just like that. She hadn’t thought about the implications, hadn’t given herself a moment to wonder if it was the right decision or not. After they’d said their final good-nights at the hall and waited for the last of the vendors to vacate the building, she’d simply asked him to take her to her house, where she’d packed an overnight bag and left. Her father still wasn’t home and she’d thought about leaving him a note but refrained. It had been almost a week since she’d seen him because he’d had more campaign stops to make throughout the state, and because she hadn’t completed the task he’d asked of her, she hadn’t really minded.

They’d arrived at Ballard’s condo on the waterfront just after midnight. The hour-long drive had proceeded in silence as Ballard held Janelle’s hand and she looked out the window at the passing night skyline. Once inside, he’d taken her bag and brought them each a glass of wine. Now they were sitting on his couch, which was strategically placed in the living room to face the ceiling-to-floor window that boasted a breathtaking view of Boston’s waterfront.

“We dated all through college,” she continued, cupping the half-full glass of wine with the palms of both hands. “My parents were ecstatic. His family felt the same way. Valentine’s Day of our senior year, Jack proposed and I accepted. It was everything it was supposed to be—romantic and sweet and like a scene written in a novel. The next day it was in all the papers, local and international. My mother called me crying with joy and my father, of all people, began talking wedding dates.”

She sighed, then sat back, taking a sip from her glass. “From that point on, everything we did or said was in the papers. Pictures were snapped as I walked from class to class or simply sat in the local pub for a drink with my friends. Our graduation was featured on some cable channel as a look into the simple life of rich and privileged college sweethearts.”

Ballard sipped from his glass but otherwise remained perfectly still and quiet.

“Immediately following graduation we took our first big trip together to Europe. Again we had paparazzi following us around as if they were on our personal payroll. About halfway through the trip, Jack began receiving business calls. For four days he had to travel back to the States while I stayed in Europe alone. When he returned, he was like another person entirely. He was distant and mean and we argued constantly.”

Janelle sucked in a huge breath, released it slowly and let the worst admission of her life flow free.

“We’d had dinner at a restaurant. When we were finished, I wanted to go back to the room for some quiet time—since we’d managed to go an entire day without arguing.

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