Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
“Just a beer? Nothing more?”
When I nodded, she turned and closed her car door, then followed me back to the party. I grabbed us a couple of beers, then led her over to the bonfire. Once I’d found a spot away from everyone, I grabbed two chairs and placed them next to the fire. Without saying a word, we both sat down and stared at the fire as we sipped our beers. As much as I wanted to push her to talk, I didn’t.
I just sat there with her and watched the fire as it popped and crackled, hoping in time she’d finally break the silence. It took her some time, but eventually, she said, “His name was James. I was twenty-two when we met, and I was smitten from the start. He was handsome, sweet, and charming, and he had the most adorable smile.”
She continued to look forward, her eyes trained on the fire, as she let out a defeated sigh. After a couple deep breaths, she finally continued. “We started dating, and it wasn’t long before I started to fall for him. He made it easy. He was very attentive and kind. As crazy as it sounds, I felt safe with him. I thought I would spend the rest of my life with him, but things changed after we got married.”
I glanced over at Jules, and just like before, she was still staring straight ahead. Her face was void of expression, but there were tears pooling in the corner of her eyes. “The things I loved the most about him ended up being the very things that tore us apart. His attentive nature turned into jealousy and the need to control me. He questioned my every move, and when he thought I’d done something wrong, he lost it.”
My mind was racing with questions. Jules was a smart, beautiful, determined woman. It was hard to believe that anyone would ever hurt her. It gutted me to even think about it. The knot in my stomach grew even more intense when she rocked her head from side to side and muttered, “And when he lost it, he really lost it... It was like he wasn’t even the same person. I tried everything... from trying to reason with him to just nodding silently, hoping and praying I could calm him down, but once the rage set in, there was no escaping his wrath.”
“You saying he hurt you?” She was being too vague. I had to know exactly what she meant, so I asked, “He put his hands on you?”
“Yeah, he did, but it’s not all his fault.” Tears started to stream down her cheek as she admitted, “I knew he had a temper. I knew he’d been in fights in bars and in high school, but I never thought that he’d be like that with me.”
“Knowing he had a temper doesn’t make what he did your fault, Jules. It was his fault and his alone.”
“You don’t understand,” she argued. “I should’ve known better. I should’ve seen the signs and never got involved with him.”
“But how could you have known?”
She lowered her head with shame as she confessed, “Because my father was just like him.”
“Wait. He hurt you, too?” When she nodded, it was all I could do to keep my composure. “Ah, for fucks sake, Jules.”
“I know.” Her eyes skirted over to me, then over to the fire. “I guess I’m a glutton for punishment.”
“No, you were just a kid who fell in love.”
“That’s a copout, and you know it.” She shook her head with regret as she told me, “I should’ve known better. I saw the signs and ignored them. That’s on me.”
“But you didn’t stay. You got away.”
“Yeah, well, even the strongest of oaks can only take so much before they finally break.” She stood and looked down at me with a pained expression. “And once they are broken, they’re broken. There’s no going back.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she turned and started walking back to her car. This time, I didn’t stop her.
Not because I didn’t want to.
I did.
I just had no idea what to say to her. She’d been to hell and back, and the last thing she needed was me to say something that could make her feel worse. Even though it was hard, I remained planted in my seat, and as I sat there studying that fire, I went back over everything she’d said. It was tough to think of her in such a fucked-up situation. It was even harder to know that it had happened with both her ex and her father.
I’d never understood how a man could put his hands on a woman. It just made no sense to me. At least now I finally understood why she’d been so intent on pushing me away.