Secret Words(37)

Jasmine smiled gratefully at her friends but her heart was being ripped to shreds. It was really going to happen. The four of them couldn't see any other way.

She would have to say goodbye to the love of her life.





*******





"Hi, Kane," Jasmine said, her whole body breaking in sweat and her heart pounding painfully in her chest.

"Hi, baby!" Kane replied cheerfully. "I was just about to call you. How are you feeling?"

"A bit better, thanks," she responded flatly.

"Your voice sounds a bit better but you're still not well, are you?"

She could imagine him scowling hard and a bittersweet smile formed on her face. She inhaled deeply, willing herself to get on with it.

"Kane, I'm not moving to Sydney."

"What did you say?"

"I'm staying here in Melbourne. After coming back here, I realised this is where I want to be," she replied in a calm voice.

"Is it because you won't enjoy the role they have for you in Sydney? You prefer your job there?"

"Partly," she lied.

"Okay, I suppose that means I'll be flying a lot to Melbourne then," he said cautiously.

"Kane, I don't think you should come." She tried to ignore the lancing pain in her heart.

"What?" he asked in a low voice after a long, uncomfortable silence.

"I don't think we should see each other anymore." She bit her lower lip to keep from bursting into tears.

"Jasmine, what are you saying?" he asked in a panicky tone.

Be strong, she urged herself.

"I've thought about it and it's just too hard, Kane. You'll be away from home a lot and I have my work that would prevent me from going with you. Sooner or later, we'd hate the fact that we're not together often enough. I think it's better that we don't let our relationship develop any further and end things now, before we're in too deep."

"No, you don't mean that."

She heard his voice crack and a tear fell down her face. She picked up the printout of the malevolent email she had received and read it, gathering courage from the fact she was doing this because she loved him.

"I do mean it, Kane," she said quietly.

"But we can work it out, Jaz. You love writing, right? Why don't you quit your job and travel with me? You'll be able to write more books quicker. Please, think about this," he begged, his distress evident.

She shut her eyes tight. Oh, how she would love to do that! But unless the danger of George's ill will had gone, it would do Kane more harm than good if she went with him.

"I've already made up my mind, Kane."

"No, you couldn't have. Just last week you were telling me how much you were going to miss me, how you couldn't wait for the two weeks before we see each other again, how much you loved me!"

"I'm fickle, Kane. That's one thing you didn't know about me."

"Jasmine, I don't believe you."

"You have to!" she said with force.

"But why? Did I do something wrong? If I did, I'm sorry. Whatever it is, I'll make it up to you. I promise. I love you," he said brokenly.

"Kane, please. It's over," she whispered, tears running down her face unchecked.

"Why?"

"It just is."

Her heart shattered at the soft sobbing on the other end of the line.

"I'm sorry," she choked and ended their call.





*******





Jasmine re-arranged the contents of her mother's very full pantry, urging her mind to concentrate on the task she had volunteered to do. She had to keep herself busy while they waited for Jessa and Rob to arrive for their first visit to their parents after their honeymoon. Either that or cry quietly in a corner.

A Google Alert had notified her earlier that day of a news snippet on Kane. It was a picture of him in a magazine taken from a black tie event he attended three nights ago—with a very pretty brunette as his date. She had her hand on his arm as he escorted her through the entrance of the gallery. They were smiling at each other. Sweetly.

You should be happy, Jasmine. Kane should now be safe from George's spiteful intentions.

Mindlessly, she moved cans and jars around as her mind played back the pleading messages Kane had left on her phone when she didn't pick up his calls. He had begged her to reconsider, saying multiple times he loved her. It killed her that she had hurt him badly but she still couldn't see any resolution to the problem he didn't even know existed.

Fearing she would eventually cave in if he kept on sending those kinds of messages, she texted him:

*Please stop. Please stay away.*

It worked because she hadn't heard anything from him in the last two weeks.

She knew she was in for some dark and gloomy moments, but she never expected the intensity of the physical pain that clutched her heart and spread throughout her body at the thought that Kane might have moved on. Who was the woman in the picture? If, through some miracle, George turned up today and said he had decided to leave them alone, would Kane be prepared to take her back if she explained everything to him? Or had he reached a point of no return concerning her?