The Perfect Game(85)
“I changed my mind. Get out of my house now. I’ll set your things on fire and mail you the ashes.” I grabbed her by the arm, forcefully removing her from the premises before engaging the dead bolt on the door behind her.
“Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!!” she screamed as she pounded her fists against the door. For a bitty thing, she could sure make a lot of noise.
“You’re dead to me,” I shouted through the door before turning around and heading upstairs to pack.
TWENTY
CASSIE
We need to talk.
I stared at the text message from Jack for nearly twenty minutes before putting the phone down on my dresser and walking out of my room.
“Melis?” I asked, poking my head through her doorway.
She was sprawled out across her bed reading. “Yeeessssss?” she responded, dropping her electronic reader to her side.
“Jack just sent me a text.”
She adjusted her body to an upright position before crossing her legs Indian style. “Say what? What’d he say? Did you text him back?”
“It just said we need to talk. What do we need to talk about? And why now? Do you think he knows I’m leaving?” My eyes darted around the room, pausing at the various photos of us on the walls.
“It’s possible. I’m sure Dean told him. But why would he need to talk to you about that?” she asked, patting the spot next to her for me to sit down.
“I have no idea.”
“Are you gonna text him back?”
“Should I?”
“Hell yeah, you should. You should be like, ‘What do we need to talk about? I’m all talked out from spilling the entire contents of my heart to you the night before your wedding. I think we’re done talking,’” she finished with a sassy head gyration and my jaw dropped.
“I’m not saying that!” I leaned back into her mountain of fluffy pillows.
“I know. I’m just kidding. Just be super casual and ask him what’s up. Give me your phone, I’ll do it for you.” She reached for me and I fell backward onto the other side of the bed, typing quickly.
What’s up?
“There. Sent.” I pretended like my insides weren’t doing somersaults.
“Now we’ll just wait for his—” Melissa’s voice was drowned out by the sound of Jack’s ringtone. I’d forgotten to change it. I shot her a horrified look before she whispered, “Answer it! Just answer it.”
“Why are you whispering?”
“I don’t know! Answer it!” she screamed.
“Hello?” I answered, scooting my body from her mattress.
“Hey, Kitten.” His familiar voice sent chills racing up and down my spine.
“Hi.” I didn’t protest at the nickname. I was too busy being caught up in the sound of his voice. I never realized how much I’d missed it until it was beaming into my eardrums, the comfortable familiarity forcing nervous energy to ping throughout my insides.
“I have to tell you some stuff,” he started to say and my legs immediately gave out, the words a reminder of the heartache I’d experienced not that long ago.
“What do you possibly have to tell me now, Jack?” I snapped at him, hoping to mask the pain I still carried, as Melissa gave me a thumbs-up of support.
“Chrystle lost the baby.” His voice relayed the unfathomable information and I fell to the floor, my back sliding against the wall in Melissa’s room.
“What?” My breath hitched and a lone tear rolled down my cheek.
“I mean, she didn’t lose the baby. Well, that’s what she told me, but she was really never pregnant. She lied.” He paused to take a breath, then let out a sigh. “About everything.”
“Oh my God, Jack, I’m so sorry. That’s…insane. How’d you find out?”
“I overheard her on the phone telling her best friend how stupid and gullible I was. And that she’d try to get pregnant for real.” His voice lowered.
“That little bitch.” The words escaped my lips as my mind drifted back to the night in the parking lot.
“Cass, I left her. I’m annulling the marriage and I got called up tonight. I leave for Arizona in an hour.” His tone changed and I recognized the joy in his voice.
“Jack.” I smiled, my eyes meeting Melissa’s. “That’s incredible! Congratulations.”
“Thank you. But, Cassie?” He paused. “I’m really sorry. I should have listened to you. I never should have married her.”
“You didn’t know she was lying, Jack. And you were just trying to do the right thing…no matter how misguided. Your heart was in the right place. I was just devastated that it wasn’t with me.”