Tryst - Forbidden Hearts Series

18| Stalkers, Santa, and Scotch

Ten days. Ten fucking says. Two-hundred-forty hours. Fourteen-thousand-four-hundred minutes. And eight-hundred-sixty-four-thousand seconds. Give or take.

That's how long it's been since I've spoken to, seen, or fucked the love of my life. And I was going bat-shit crazy. I missed her more than I thought humanly possible. I dreamed about her every damn night. Then there was the few times I almost went against her wishes and showed up at her -- no, our -- place. I didn't care if I wasn't sleeping there currently. It was still the home that I shared with her until she said she was through with me. Or not. I had no fucking idea.

I didn't know if she wanted to be with me at this point or not. Was she missing me? Was she thinking about me? Was she okay? I've been getting reports from Lanie and Karma that she was 'doing well'. They refused to break the girl code and give me any details, but they at least eased my mind in the terms of her safety and mental status. I asked Lanie if Harper had someone to talk to, and she explained that Harper had been spending a lot of time with Jamie.

At least she was talking to someone. Although, I had the sinking feeling that she should be talking to me. What the hell was bothering her? I mean, besides the obvious. I was hoping maybe my desire to have a baby with her would go away. I tried to talk myself out of it over the past week. Delusions of grandeur, I told myself. But that didn't bloody work. I still longed to have a son or daughter with Harper. To have a real family.

As much as I loved my mother, I wondered what my life would have been like had she and my father stayed together. Luckily, I had Ryan. Even though we didn't see each other much, and eventually grew estranged, he was my brother. He was the only family I had since. . . since my mum passed. I didn't think of Damien Hale as my father. He never really earned that title where I was concerned.

Then there was Harper. I considered her family, too. More so than Ryan. But even that was on shaky ground. If I went this crazy without her for just ten days, how was I going to be if she ended it with me? Who would I be?

"Hey, Jackson! Someone's asking for you!" Jake yelled through my office door.

I got up from my desk and dragged my feet to the door. I opened it and met his tired expression with one of my own. "Do you know who it is?" I didn't feel like dealing with an annoyed customer. Or any customers. I just wanted to stay in my office tonight and work on paperwork.

Jake shook his head. "No. Mya just told me to come get you."

"Alright. Thanks."

I walked down the hallway until I got to the bar. Before I could even step behind it, someone blocked my path.

"Hey there, handsome."

Oh. . . fuck. "Jenn. Sorry, but I can't talk. I need to help a customer."

I tried to side-step the red-head who seemed to be obsessed with me. "I'm the one who asked for you, Jackson. You've been cooped up in that dusty office and I was hoping we could have a drink together."

What the fuck was wrong with this woman? Every time she came in here, she tried to hit on me. I repeatedly told her that I was off limits and she needed to stop. If she kept this up, I was going to have to ban her from the bar.

"Jenn, you seem like a nice girl, but I'm with Harper." I tried to turn away from her and go back to my office, but she reached for my arm.

"No, you're not."

I turned to her with an arched brow. "Excuse me?"

She stepped closer to me. "I know you guys aren't together. You haven't been for a little while now. Which means, you are available."