First Crush, Last Love by Elizabeth McKenna

Author:Elizabeth McKenna
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: suspense, high school, divorce, happily ever after, abuse, infidelity, reunion, stalking, second chance
Publisher: Elizabeth McKenna

Chapter 25 – August 1990

Jessie woke up from her nap on the couch to find college football blaring from the television and Billy gone from the recliner. She thumbed the mute button on the remote and stretched. Her stomach rumbled to remind her it was almost suppertime. As she debated what to cook, her eyelids drooped and she drifted off again.

She awoke to Billy’s deep laugh, though it took her a full moment to put a name to the muffled noise. For the past month and a half, the only sounds the walls in their house had heard were tense words or seething silence. She padded down the short hall to their bedroom and stopped at the closed door. Her hand fell away from the knob when she heard him laugh again.

“Sure, I can do that,” he said, “but is that all you need?”

Jessie pressed her ear against the door.

“That shouldn’t be a problem, either.” His playful tone reminded her of when they used to spend Sundays in bed and alternated between making love and catnapping. Billy always threw in a tickle fight to wake her up.

“Great, I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

The door popped opened, and she took a startled step backward.

Surprise, guilt, and annoyance flashed in succession across Billy’s face. “I’m going out for a while.”

“You don’t want supper?”

“No.” He brushed past her to get to the bathroom.

“Where are you going?”

He squirted toothpaste onto his toothbrush and scrubbed his teeth. He spit into the sink and wiped his chin with the back of his hand. “Max needs help with his cycle.”

“Oh.” She frowned. It hadn’t sounded like he was talking to another guy.

“Don’t wait up.” He brushed past her again and grabbed his coat off a dining room chair.

She waited until the sound of his motorcycle faded before picking up the bedroom phone and hitting the redial button.

“Hello,” a cheery feminine voice said.

Jessie’s fingers tightened around the phone. Her lips moved, but no sound followed.

“Billy? Is that you?” The voice giggled. “Quit messing around and get over here.”

Jessie pressed the off button and flung the phone against the wall.

Lying son of a bitch. She sank to the floor and leaned against the wall. Her brain searched for an explanation that didn’t involve another woman, but nothing else fit. Billy had his faults—drinking to excess and being a stubborn, self-centered ass came to mind—but she had never worried he’d break their wedding vows.

While they were still dating, he had said the only acceptable reason for divorce was adultery. She had argued if a person was miserable in a marriage despite earnest efforts to save it, then it wasn’t fair to either person to stay together. Life was too short and unpredictable to waste it in a loveless marriage. Neither had been able to convince the other, and they ended up going to bed angry.

Jessie rested her forehead on her knees. She was miserable, and he was an adulterer. Divorce was now an option.

*****

The restaurant was subdued for a Saturday night, though the quiet did nothing to soothe Jessie’s troubled mood.

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