Cherished

  Copyright © 2013 by Kelly Elliott

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Designer: Angie Fields, i love it design studio

  Editor and Interior Designer: Jovana Shirley, Unforeseen Editing

  Photography by Angela King-Belleville

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Visit my website at http://www.authorkellyelliott.blogspot.com

  ISBN-13: 978-0-9913096-0-3

  This book is dedicated to my husband, Darrin, and my daughter, Lauren.

  Thank you both for loving me and letting me live out my dreams.

  Prologue: Scott

  Chapter 1: Jessie

  Chapter 2: Scott

  Chapter 3: Jessie

  Chapter 4: Scott

  Chapter 5: Jessie

  Chapter 6: Gunner

  Chapter 7: Ellie

  Chapter 8: Ari

  Chapter 9: Jeff

  Chapter 10: Scott

  Chapter 11: Jessie

  Chapter 12: Scott

  Chapter 13: Jessie

  Chapter 14: Heather

  Chapter 15: Josh

  Chapter 16: Scott

  Chapter 17: Jessie

  Chapter 18: Scott

  Chapter 19: Jessie

  Chapter 20: Heather

  Chapter 21: Scott

  Chapter 22: Jessie

  Chapter 23: Josh

  Chapter 24: Scott

  Chapter 25: Jessie

  Chapter 26: Lark

  Chapter 27: Scott

  Chapter 28: Jeff

  Chapter 29: Ari

  Chapter 30: Ellie

  Chapter 31: Scott

  Chapter 32: Jessie

  Chapter 33: Scott

  Chapter 34: Gunner

  Chapter 35: Jessie

  Chapter 36: Scott

  Chapter 37: Jessie

  Chapter 38: Jeff

  Chapter 39: Ari

  Chapter 40: Jessie

  Chapter 41: Josh

  Chapter 42: Scott

  Chapter 43: Jessie

  Chapter 44: Scott

  Chapter 45: Scott

  Chapter 46: Jessie

  Epilogue: Jessie

  Seven Years Later: Alex

  Unconditional Love

  Thank You

  Playlist

  High School

  I’d gotten tackled four fucking times during football practice because I couldn’t take my eyes off of Jessie Rhodes sitting in the bleachers.

  Damn it. Why does she affect me the way she does? I could have any girl in this school. Why Jess?

  Dewey walked up to me and hit me on the shoulder. “Hey, asshole. Stop eye-fucking my sister, or I’m going to kick your ass,” Dew said before he started laughing.

  “Fuck off, dickhead.” I put my helmet back on and tried to forget that Jessie was sitting there, watching me.

  I looked up a few minutes later to see Michael Smith talking to her on the sideline. I instantly felt anger building inside me. That asshole only wants to get into Jessie’s pants. She is way too good for him. Stupid-ass baseball player doesn’t even deserve a second look from her.

  Jessie pulled her beautiful blonde hair back into a ponytail before turning and sitting back down with her friends. Once coach got done talking, I stalled for as long as I could until I saw Dew heading into the locker room. Jessie was standing up to leave, so I ran over toward her, calling out her name.

  “Jess! Jessie, hold up. Hey, can I talk to you for a minute before you go?” I flashed her the smile that I knew made all the girls melt—well, all the girls except for Jessie Rhodes. I could never read her—ever.

  She turned and nodded her head. As she made her way down the bleachers, I walked under them to meet her on the other side. She walked up to me, and she gave me that sweet smile of hers that made my stomach do all sorts of messed-up shit.

  “Hey,” she said.

  “Hey, I, um…I wanted to ask…do you have the notes for the history test next week?”

  I watched as her expression fell for a second. Shit. Was she expecting something else? Could Jessie actually like me? Shit, just do what you’ve wanted to do for the last three years.

  “Um…yeah, I have them. Did you want to borrow them? Or are you gonna try to cheat off my paper again?” she said with a wink.

  I watched her lips as she talked, and I instantly felt my dick jumping in my pants. I’ve had a crush on this girl for as long as I can remember. I looked up into her eyes, and I swore they turned gray. I moved my eyes down to watch her chew on her lower lip. She had the most beautiful bee-stung lips, and I had to fight the urge to stare at them every time she talked.

  “Scott? Are you okay? If you want the notes, they’re at home, so you’ll have to swing by my house.”

  I didn’t even know what she was saying. I couldn’t pull my eyes from her mouth.

  “Scott?” She walked up to me and snapped her fingers in my face.

  I shook my head and tried to calm my beating heart. What in the hell is this girl doing to me? I can’t even think when I’m around her.

  I quickly glanced back to her eyes. They seemed so different, and I couldn’t really pinpoint what her eyes were trying to say.

  “Jessie…I…”

  She looked at me and tilted her head. “You, what?” She let out a giggle. “Scott, what’s wrong with you? Did you get hit too many times out there today?”

  Nothing came out. I couldn’t talk.

  “Okay…well, I’m going to take off. You know where the notes are if you need them.”

  I watched as she turned to leave. Fuck. It’s now or never. I ran after her and grabbed her by the arm. I turned her around and slowly backed her up against the bleachers. I dropped my helmet and cupped her face with my hands as I leaned down and lightly brushed my lips against hers. She let out a soft, sweet moan, and my whole body shivered.

  Oh God…what would she taste like?

  I slammed my lips to hers and kissed her with as much passion as I could. When she reached up and ran her hands through my hair, something instantly happened. I wasn’t really sure what it was, but it scared the shit out of me.

  I pulled back and looked into her eyes. What is that look in her eyes? It almost seems like…love?

  She smiled slightly, and then it hit me full force. I felt things for Jessie that I’d never felt before.

  What is happening to me? My hands started shaking, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

  I looked up and saw Chelsea Mason walking by. She licked her lips with her tongue, and she smiled. She’d been trying to get me to sleep with her for the last few weeks, but I hadn’t been the least bit interested…until now.

  I quickly glanced back down at Jessie, who was just about to say something.

  I smiled and said, “Thanks for the kiss, Tiny.” I backed away from her as I reached down and grabbed my helmet before turning and walking toward Chelsea. “Hey, Chels, wait up.”

  As I turned away from Jessie, I felt sick to my stomach. I’d seen the look in her eyes after I kissed her. She liked me just as much as I liked her, and she must have felt the same connection I had. She’d smiled that sweet smile, and I’d just walked away, like a prick.

  I tried to clear my head. What did I just do? What am I so scared of?

  Chelsea skipped up to me and gla
nced over my shoulder. “You and, um…Jessie Rhodes got something going on?”

  I quickly turned back and looked at Jessie standing there. Oh shit. Are those tears rolling down her face? Oh god…Jessie. I started to head back over there when Chelsea grabbed my arm and pulled me to her.

  She leaned up and whispered in my ear, “I’m not wearing any panties under this skirt.”

  I snapped my eyes down to her, and she wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

  Last thing I’m going to do is sleep with Chelsea.

  I glanced back to see Jessie walking away as fast as she could. Motherfucker. I just hurt the one girl I didn’t ever want to hurt.

  I watched as Jessie walked up to Michael. They’d been talking earlier, and the way he’d kept touching her arm had driven me mad. After she said something in his ear, he reached out, grabbed her, and spun her around. He set her down, and she gave him a weak smile before they walked away together with his arm draped over her shoulders.

  What in the fuck? Is she leaving with him?

  I quickly turned back to look at Chelsea, and I smiled. “Let’s go. My parents are out of town for two days.” I grabbed her hand and practically pulled her to my truck.

  It didn’t take me long to get Chelsea back to my house and up to my room where I fucked her hard and fast.

  I’ll do anything to forget how I just hurt the girl of my dreams.

  After we were done, Chelsea quickly got up and gave me a full-on smile. She said, “That was so worth the wait. I think I’ll go take a shower. Feel free to join me if you’d like.”

  I smiled, but then I got up and began to get dressed.

  I walked down to the barn and sat on a hay bale where I cried for the first time since I was six years old.

  What did I do?

  Oh god…what did I just do?

  I pulled over on the side of the road and jumped out of my car. I couldn’t even see enough to drive because I was crying so hard. I frantically wiped the tears away as I looked up to the black sky and screamed, “Why?”

  Oh my god. How could he do this to me? I thought we were happy? I was going to move in with him. We talked about marriage and new puppies and babies.

  “Oh god! How stupid are you?” I screamed out to no one.

  I felt my legs slowly giving out on me, and I fell to the ground. I pulled my knees up to my chest and cried. I closed my eyes, and all I could see was Chelsea fucking Scott. I shook my head as fast as I could. I’d never be able to erase that image from my head. Never.

  Then, my phone went off. I pulled it out of my pocket.

  Scott. How dare he call me!

  Then, a text message came through…and another…and another. I opened the first one.

  Scott: Jessie! It’s Bryce. I NEED to talk to you. Please let me explain.

  Ugh. He had his brother send me a text message?

  I backed out of it before I read any more.

  My phone started ringing again. I stood up and looked out into the open field before tossing my phone as far and as hard as I could.

  Fuck you, Scott Reynolds. I hate you. I’ll never forgive you for this. Ever.

  I stood up taller and wiped the tears from my face. I slowly turned and walked back to my car. I got in and made my way to Aaron and Jenny’s house. They were expecting their first child, so there was no way I was going to let them know what was going on. I wasn’t even sure if they were home yet. They had gone to the hospital to be with Emma and Jack.

  As I pulled up, I saw Aaron’s truck. I took a deep breath and walked into the house. All the lights but one were turned off. I quietly made my way to my room and reached under the bed for my suitcase. I threw it on the bed and started packing up my clothes.

  I stopped packing and looked all around my room. Where in the hell am I going to go?

  Away—as far away from Scott Reynolds as I can get.

  I walked to my closet and reached up for my old shoebox. I had been saving money since I was fourteen years old, so I could start my own veterinary clinic one day. Every spare dime had gone into this shoebox. I brought it over to my bed, sat down, and opened it up. I felt a tear roll down my face. So much for buying the local vet clinic in Mason.

  There was no way I was staying in this town now. I shook my head as I got up and placed the shoebox in my suitcase.

  I reached in my pocket for my cell and closed my eyes as I whispered, “Fuck!”

  I hadn’t even thought that I’d had everyone’s numbers on that stupid phone. I knew the number to the vet clinic by heart, and I silently said a prayer that I had backed all the numbers up on my Google Contacts. I reached for the landline and waited for the clinic’s answering machine to pick up. By the time I was done leaving my message, I was in tears again. All my dreams were gone because of one guy—one guy who I’d thought loved me with his heart and soul.

  I quickly wrote a note to Aaron and Jenny. I told them the truth. I was leaving because Scott was an asshole and a cheating bastard. I didn’t tell them where I was going because I had no clue where I was going. I left the note on the kitchen table and looked around one more time before I walked out the door and to my car.

  As I drove toward Austin, I cried off and on. One minute, I was so pissed-off, and the next, I felt like curling up into a ball and just crying.

  I found myself pulling into Brad and Amanda’s driveway at five thirty in the morning. A light was on, so I got out of my car, walked up to the front door, and lightly knocked. I was just about to turn away when Amanda opened the door.

  “Jessie! What in the hell are you doing here this early in the morning?”

  I tried to talk, but I broke down, crying. Amanda immediately pulled me into her arms.

  “Oh my god! Gramps!” Amanda called out.

  I pulled back and shook my head. “Oh god, no! I’m so sorry. No, Amanda, this has nothing to do with Gramps. When I left last night, he was in stable condition and doing well. He was even kidding around with Gunner, saying he had just tripped,” I said with a small giggle.

  Amanda grabbed my arm and pulled me into her living room. “What is going on then, Jessie?”

  I shook my head. “I can’t talk about it right now, but I need a favor.” I looked up to see Brad standing there.

  “Jessie, we’re here for you, sweetheart. You know that,” Brad said with a smile.

  I took a deep breath and looked between the two of them. “Can I leave my car here for a few weeks? And can y’all drive me to the airport?”

  Amanda snapped her head over toward Brad and back at me. “Why? Jessie, you’re really scaring me. Please tell me what’s going on.”

  “Scott…well, he…” I shook my head as I wiped the tears away. “He doesn’t love me. He doesn’t want to be with me.” I let out a laugh. “History is repeating itself really. I was just stupid enough to think he loved me.”

  Amanda grabbed my hands. “Jessie, he does love you, baby. I know for a fact that he loves you very much.”

  I started shaking my head. “No, Amanda, he doesn’t. He cheated on me. I can’t…I just…”

  I began crying again as Amanda pulled me into her arms.

  “I just need a few weeks away to clear my head. Please. Please just do this for me,” I said with pleading eyes as I looked between Brad and Amanda.

  Brad nodded and reached for his keys. “I’m heading into Austin this morning anyway. Let’s move your car into the garage.”

  I smiled as I hugged Amanda. Then, I walked over to Brad and whispered, “Thank you.”

  Brad pulled up to the Austin-Bergstrom Airport and jumped out to help me with my bag. “Do you even have a ticket, Jessie? Where are you going?”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “Will you do me a favor? I know I’m asking a lot of you.”

  Brad nodded.

  “Please don’t tell anyone you brought me to the airport—at least not for a few days.”

  Brad’s mouth dropped open. He slowly shook his head. “Jessie, I can’t make you th
at kind of a promise. If people ask, Amanda and I are going to have to tell them that I brought you to the airport. I mean, if I don’t know where you’re going, then I can’t really tell them any more than that.”

  I nodded. “That’s fair enough. Hell, at this point, I don’t even know where I’m going.” I gave Brad a weak smile and thanked him for the ride.

  “Jessie, Amanda said you threw your phone in a field. Will you please buy a new phone? Then, let us know when you get to where you’re going. Please.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh at my own stupidity. I nodded. “I’ll buy another phone and get in touch with y’all, I promise.”

  “You better. Your father and brothers are going to freak the fuck out when they find out you’ve just up and left without any word on where you’re going.”

  I laughed as I hugged Brad good-bye.

  I turned and walked into the airport with the worst feeling I’d ever felt. Something was telling me that I was making the biggest mistake of my life. At first, I didn’t even try to stop the tears. I finally got them under control as I walked up to the ticket counter.

  I sat down in my seat on the United flight that was taking me to Houston and then on to Ambergris Caye, Belize. I asked the flight attendant for a drink before takeoff.

  “What would you like, dear?”

  I just stared at her. “I don’t care. Something to make me forget a guy.”

  She winked and nodded. “Oh, I know just the thing.”

  As the plane took off, I grabbed the arms of my seat and closed my eyes.

  Never will you make me feel like a fool again, Scott. I’ll never waste another tear on you for as long as I live.

  Jesus H. Christ. I woke up to damn horses sniffing around my face. Where in the fuck am I? I tried to stand up, and immediately, I fell back down to my ass. Holy hell, my head is pounding. How much did I have to drink last night? I slowly stood up and looked around. I was in Gunner’s stable. Why in the hell am I in here?

  I couldn’t even remember anything that had happened last night. All I remembered was playing tag football and drinking. Yep, I did a lot of drinking.

  Oh shit!

  I reached down into my jeans pocket and let out a sigh of relief when I felt the ring box in there. I reached in and pulled out the box. I opened it up and smiled at the engagement ring I had bought two days ago. I was going to ask Jessie to marry me at my parents’ anniversary party on Christmas Eve. That was the whole reason I’d drunk my ass off last night. Gunner had said it was nerves.