One Day

Part 42 - Rain

The rest of our shift together is pretty uneventful. The rain picked up throughout the day and as it nears the end of our shift, it is pouring. The crummy weather keeps everyone at home.

Benson and I are sitting at the front counter watching the rain and the clock when Jace pulls in. It's nearing closing time so I'm surprised when both he and Mason jump out of the Jeep and run inside.

"What are y'all doing here?" I ask as I watch them shake the rain from their heads and walk towards the room where we store customers' bows. It's easier for them to leave them here than try to transport everything home and back each time they come to shoot.

They disappear into the room as Benson speaks to me. "I can't stay late tonight, Lay. My mom needs help at home and I told her I would be there."

"I'll just see if Mason will close up. I don't want to stay late either." Mason works with us, as well, and, like the rest of us, spends most of his off hours hanging out at the store. "I was actually hoping that Jace would be home when I got off work so we could talk but I guess that's not going to happen."

Benson looks at me with regret. "Are you going to tell him that Jacob came by today?"

I hadn't really thought about it until he brought it up. "Probably not. Nothing happened and there's no reason to rock that boat any more than I have to. Having a talk with him about our relationship will probably end badly enough. Let's not add fuel to that fire." I smile at Benson letting him know that everything will be okay.

"Well since they are here, do you care if I step out a little early?" Benson smiles back at me sweetly and I hit his arm.

"Quit trying to suck up to me and go home." He wraps me in his arms.

"Call me if you need me," he whispers as he squeezes me a little harder.

"Don't make me be second guessing your friendship," Jace says as he walks towards the counter watching Benson release me from his hug. He keeps his left arm around my waist as he turns towards Jace.

"You know I love her as much you do. You just happen to have her heart."

Benson and Jace exchange knowing smiles and I'm thankful at this moment that Jace normally isn't a jealous person. My friendship with Benson is just that, a friendship, and I'd hate to lose him because Jace couldn't handle us being friends.

Benson squeezes my waist and walks around the counter speaking to Jace. "Don't stay around too late tonight. I believe you owe our girl an explanation for last night." Benson slaps Jace on the back and is out the door before I get the chance to throw something at him.

"You know at some point he's going to have to be a little less involved in our relationship," Jace says as he looks over at me. He isn't angry, just stating a fact.

I change the subject. "How long are you staying? Do you think Mason will lock up so I can go on home?"

Mason is at the archery counter making adjustments to his bow and overhears our conversation. "I don't mind to lock up, Lay. Just leave me your key. I didn't bring mine."

I reach into my purse and pull my keys out as Jace leans closer to me over the counter. "Are we okay?"

I nod. "Yeah, but we really do need to talk. I can't handle you avoiding that it happened or acting like everything is fine. We really do need to talk about this."

He nods and takes the store key from me pushing it into his pocket. I turn to the computer and start counting down the register. Jace doesn't move from his spot as he watches me close up everything and put the money in the safe. I walk around the counter yelling my goodbyes to Mason.

When I make it to Jace he wraps his arms around me. "I love you, you know?"

"I know," I sigh. "I'm just tired of fighting, Jace. I feel like that's all we do. If we aren't fighting about you never being home, we are fighting about our pasts or our future together. It's exhausting."

I pause waiting for a response but he doesn't give me one. "I've said it a million times and I'll say it again. I deserve to be number one in your life. I've fought for that, I hope that I'm worth that to you. I'm not really asking a lot here – it's really common sense. I love you. I love you more than anything else on this planet. But if I don't start seeing some of that in return, I'm not sure how much longer I can be walked on and not appreciated."

I stand on my toes and kiss him gently. He releases me without a word and I walk out the door.

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