Jake

jake

A s the elevator doors closed, felt a part of him leave with Jenna—the part that would always belong to her. Instead of continuing up to his floor, he pressed the button for the lobby. He kept his head down as he walked through the lobby, hiding his tears and praying he wouldn’t run into anyone he knew, swallowing words he didn’t trust himself to say.

He exited the building into the bleak midwinter night. As he meandered along the Rail Trail, the biting cold cut through him, serving as a harsh reality check. Seeing Jenna's hair cut short had stirred memories of their brief college romance—before his mistake shattered their future.

He’d lied when Jenna asked if their relationship would survive the friendship timeout. They were dating other people now, embarking on separate journeys that would lead them further and further apart until their only communication was an annual Christmas card.

had an uneasy feeling about the direction his relationship with Eleanor had taken. Earlier in the evening, before running into Jenna in the lobby, he had picked up Henry from his after-school program for the third time that week. Eleanor was beginning to take him for granted. Worse, he couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that she envisioned him as a future househusband, managing the household and caring for the children while she prioritized her career. With her trajectory toward partnership, there would be a substantial income in their future. But 's twelve-hour nursing shifts didn't align with the demands of a stay-at-home dad, and he was unwilling to abandon his profession. Quitting his career would mean losing his identity, and his pride wouldn't allow that.

wasn’t in love with Eleanor anyway. He was using her to make the woman he truly loved jealous. The absurd True Love Contest had been his way of stepping outside his comfort zone, of trying to find someone new. But deep down, it had always been about Jenna. He’d reached a breaking point—he loved her too much to keep pretending they could stay just friends.

As he continued north toward the twinkling lights of the city’s center, his thoughts drifted back to their college days. For the sake of their friendship, Jenna had reluctantly forgiven his indiscretion, but she firmly refused to continue their relationship, insisting she could never trust him to be faithful again. That was nearly a decade ago, and while Jenna rarely mentioned their brief affair, it lingered constantly in ’s mind.

All these years, had resisted the temptation to profess his love to Jenna, mostly because he feared she didn’t feel the same. But it was becoming increasingly clear that if he didn’t, he would always wonder what might have been.

What would Jenna think when she met his beautiful and successful new girlfriend? Was that a hint of jealousy he’d detected earlier when he mentioned he’d found someone? Maybe when she saw what an attentive boyfriend was to Eleanor, she’d realize what she’d been missing.

Come to think of it, he didn’t get the sense that Jenna was head over heels for her doctor either. She spoke of him with hesitation, as if uncertain about their relationship. She’d had crushes on doctors before—was this one of them or someone new?

seldom paid attention to his co-workers’ lunch table gossip, but the next day, he listened intently as they swooned over the hot new ER doctor, Gabriel Rossi, with the brooding dark eyes and Italian good looks. The nurses had nicknamed him Dr. Angel , a nod to the archangel Gabriel and his role as a healer. He had captivated all the nurses—and even some doctors.

That afternoon, ’s curiosity got the better of him, and he sneaked down to the first floor during his break to catch a glimpse of Dr. Angel. Spotting him wasn’t difficult—he was, indeed, an attractive man. His commanding presence in the emergency room was unmistakable as nurses bustled around him, eager to fulfill his every request. Among them was Jenna, her doe eyes fixed lovingly on him as they worked across from each other over the patient.

had been wrong about Jenna’s feelings for the doctor—she was clearly love struck. But the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach wasn’t jealousy. It was pity. Even from the distance, he could see that Dr. Angel was all wrong for Jenna. Whatever was happening between them felt like a train wreck waiting to happen, and knew he’d be the one left picking up the pieces.