Jake

jake

T he hairs on the back of ’s neck stood on end when he noticed Jenna sneaking away from the party. Was she using the restroom excuse to ditch Dr. Angel, like she’d blown off so many of her SoulSync dates? But why? Was there trouble in her relationship with Gabe? Did the good doctor say something to upset her? Or was she realizing he wasn’t her soulmate after all?

resisted the temptation to go after her. Tonight was a milestone in their relationship, like so many previous milestones they’d encountered. They would either move forward as a couple or they would travel separate paths into the future. Either way, their friendship would forever be altered.

didn’t regret kissing Jenna. And she had reacted just as he’d expected—responding at first, but then pulling away as the powerful connection scared her. Now, she needed time to process, to wrap her mind around his confession of love. Walking out on Dr. Angel was a positive sign. The adrenaline coursed through ’s veins, each heartbeat fueling the hope that maybe, just maybe, Jenna felt the same way.

The festive mood at the party was contagious, and stayed later and drank more than usual. Around midnight, when everyone was more than a little tipsy, Felicia dragged him off to a secluded corner on the top floor.

“So what’s going on with you and Jenna?” she asked. “And don’t tell me you’re just friends, because I can tell by the way you look at her there’s something more.”

stared down at his empty beer bottle. “We’re truly just friends. But we have history.” He recounted his brief affair with Jenna in college and the betrayal that ended it. “Earlier tonight, I summoned the courage to tell her I love her, that I never stopped loving her. Now it’s up to her to make the next move.”

Felicia listened with rapt attention. “Wow! This is incredible. Everything about you two suddenly makes so much more sense. Did you kiss after you confessed earlier?” she asked, mischief twinkling in her green eyes as she drained her pink martini.

felt heat creep up his neck. “I’ll never tell.”

“So you did!” Felicia nudged him. “And? Did she kiss you back?”

nodded. “She started to, then she freaked out and pushed me away.”

“I could tell something was off about her tonight. I take that as a good sign.”

’s shoulders slumped as he let out a heavy sigh. “I wish I shared your confidence.”

Felicia patted his arm. “Give her some time, honey. She’ll come around.”

He thumbed the rim of his beer bottle. “And if she doesn’t?”

Felicia’s face fell. “Then you have a problem. Your feelings for her obviously aren’t going anywhere, and your lives are so intertwined. Seeing her every day will be torture. You may have to result to drastic measures.”

“You mean like switching hospitals?”

Felicia hunched a boney shoulder. “Or moving to a different state.”

’s heart sank. She wasn’t kidding when she said drastic . Unfortunately, she was probably right. He would never be able to move on with his life or find someone new while living in the same city with Jenna.

Felicia palmed his cheek. “I don’t mean to burst your bubble. Keep the faith, . Hopefully, it won’t come to that.”

He nodded, not trusting his voice to speak. When she walked away, he headed in the opposite direction toward the stairs. Had he been overly optimistic about his chances with Jenna? The likelihood of her giving him a second chance now felt slim. The thought of moving to a strange city where he knew no one held little appeal, but a fresh start might be his only hope for getting Jenna out of his head—and his heart.