It Was Always You

Chapter Thirty Six

Mila froze. His fiancé? She didn't even know Jared had a girlfriend. He was getting married?? Why didn't he mention about it before? She just stood there in shock and well...a little panicky.

"Hi, so you're the Mila everyone has been talking about. Its finally nice to meet you." Stacy says warmly.

Mila snaps out of her frozen state and smiles. "It's nice to meet you too Stacy, although this is the first time I've heard of you I'm afraid."

She shakes her hand. Stacy laughs. "It's alright, from all the stories I've heard from pretty much everyone here I feel like I know you."

Mila quickly lets her hand go and gave her a weak smile. She couldn't bear to look at Jared, who was staring at her with a deep frown. "We should get together sometime and get to know each other. I'm going to be a part of the soon. It will be nice to have another friend to back me up from that little hellion."

She laughs as did everyone else but Mila and Jared. He didn't know what was going on in her head, but he knew something was wrong. He could see she was trying to hide it, and she was doing a good job at it, but she wasn't fooling him. He was afraid to introduce Stacy to her, afraid to mention her at all. He didn't think the two women wouldn't like each other; it was her reaction that had him nervous. He hated himself for thinking it, but he wanted her to be well.. jealous.

But that wasn't what he got, instead he registered something different. It lasted only a second, but he saw it. Panic. Why was she frightened for? She's never met Stacy before, but he also noticed she wouldn't look at him. What was wrong with her?

"Well I really want to see my grandpa..." she says timidly.

Then without another word she turns on her heels and walks away. Everyone decided to follow her, and Evan came back to Jared's side.

"Go on Stacy I'll catch up in a moment." He tells her and she walks away.

"I made Kristan go home, told her I was going to take Shasta home with me. She started mumbling about the zoo or something, I don't know." Evan shakes his head in puzzlement making Jared scowl at his words.

So Kristan wasn't going to mention to Evan on the outing after all even when he told her he wasn't going with her unless he was along. Too many times Kristan found ways to get them alone together and he was getting sick of it.

He has told her off so many times but it's like he was talking to a brick wall when it comes to that woman. He had hoped that getting engaged to Stacy would stop and show her that he will never be interested in her but apparently is hasn't. Honestly he didn't know why he did propose to Stacy, other than it was her idea to get married in the first place. She mentioned it, then one moment later they were going out buying rings.

She was funny, sassy, loved kids, she was polite to people, even loved to join charities but he knew deep down he wasn't in love with her. He cared for her a great deal and she would make a great wife and mother but maybe he hadn't thought this through. He was only twenty three years old. He knew he was thinking this way because of Mila's return. He just couldn't seem to get over her.

"How did it go with Mila?" he asks Evan, feeling a bit anxious as they started walking back towards the rooms where Cale was at.

"It went okay I guess; she doesn't hate me so that's something. She agreed to go on a walk with me later on today, thought maybe I'd take Shasta with us." he tells him.

Jared tenses at that. "That's good." Was all he was able to say.

"Yeah I just want to take it slow, build that trust back up."

Jared stops and looks at him. "What are you saying Evan?"

Evan turns to him with a comprehensive look on his face. "I still love her Jared; I don't think it ever stopped. I made a mistake and if there is anyway she'll have me back then I'm going to take it."