The Second Time Around Read Free Page B

with it more thoughts of Jabarie surfaced. Leaning back, she took a deep breath, trying again to wipe him from her thoughts. Seeing him today shouldn’t have been so difficult. After all, five years had passed. Five long painful years, which as far as she was concerned, was long enough to have gotten him out of her heart.
    She could still see him standing outside the bookstore window staring at her. Her breath had caught in her throat, startling her so, she had dropped a handful of books. He was the only man who had ever made her feel that way. Vulnerable, weak, and so madly in love. Brenna groaned inwardly. Oh, what a fool she had been. Young and so naive to have thought she could have had it all.
    Nothing about their relationship had ever been easy, first her mother, then his uppity parents, and then the wedding that never happened. Brenna closed her eyes and tipped her face into the cool breeze while her hair blew about her face. This was exactly what she needed to calm her thoughts and cool the desire blazing within, only it wasn’t working. She couldn’t stop thinking about Jabarie, and what if things had been different.
    She shook her head then convinced herself that things would have never worked between them. They were from two different worlds. Although to Jabarie that never seemed to matter, or at least that was what she had thought. It still pained her to think about the hurt, the betrayal. The night before her wedding was supposed to have been the happiest time of her life. And in a matter of seconds her heart had been torn from her chest.
    Brenna took a deep breath of the crisp salted air and reminded herself that was all in the past. She now had a wonderful new life in Dallas and was the owner of her own Cornerstone Bookstore. If nothing else, she had Jabarie to thank for seeing her dream come true. The check he had pawned her off with had provided her the means to start over.
    One thing she could say for sure, was that she had gotten over some of her anger. Even when she saw him today, being angry was the last thing on her mind. Let bygones be bygones she’d always said. She had forgiven him years ago; her problem was forgetting. There was still a small piece of her hurting from his betrayal even after all these years. Because of him she had never had another successful relationship. Because of him, she was afraid to trust another man. Only she couldn’t keep going on like this. Not if she hoped to someday have a family of her own.
    It’s time to let go.
    Opening her eyes, she stared up at the starlit sky. The salty air, the sandy shore, Sheraton Beach was home to her past. It had been easy pushing Jabarie to the corner of her mind while living in Dallas. The distance was a perfect barrier. But being back was something altogether different. Inside, a part of her was aching for him and what could have been if they had gotten married. But that time in her life was over and it was time for her to let go and move on. If nothing else, she needed to find closure so that when she left Sheraton Beach for good this time, she could finally get on with her life.

Chapter 3
    T he following morning Brenna walked to work, glad for the opportunity to clear her head after a night of tossing and turning. Jabarie had invaded her dreams. Somehow she was going to have to find a way to close that chapter in her life before she returned to Dallas.
    She arrived at the bookstore shortly after nine to find a pretty teenager waiting on the front steps. Since long before Brenna was even tall enough to reach the cash register, Aunt Nellie had offered part-time employment to students who had proved themselves academically during the school year.
    â€œYou must me Rachel,” she greeted with a wide friendly smile.
    The blonde pushed her glasses up over her nose and nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
    Brenna frowned playfully as she stuck her key in the door. “We won’t have any of that. I’m Brenna,