The Lover by S Doyle Read Online

  The Lover

S. Doyle

Contents

Affiliate 1

Chapter two

Chapter 3

Affiliate 4

Chapter 5

Chapter half-dozen

Affiliate 7

Affiliate 8

Affiliate ix

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Affiliate 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Copyright © 2017 by S. Doyle

All rights reserved.

No part of this volume may be reproduced in any class or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the writer, except for the utilize of brief quotations in a book review.

The Bride Serial

Volume 1: The Helpmate

Book ii: The Wife

Volume 3: The Lover

I

Ellie

January

"We should probably have the talk," I said.

Jake was driving me to college. It was really happening. In another hour we would arrive at the university, and he would drop me off and caput back to the ranch. I figured information technology made sense to get things settled betwixt us.

Because we were divorced now.

Did I tell y'all that role? Brusk recap.

Jake married me to save me from a foster dwelling house after my dad died.

I fell in love with him.

He didn't fall in love with me.

We were pain each other, so I came up with a way to divorce him.

Oh… and I gave him my virginity equally a consolation prize.

Information technology was really rather generous of me, I idea.

Now it was done. I was going to go to higher, and he was going to start building his house and then that when I was done school he could become dorsum to living on Talley state.

We were both super excited about our prospects for the time to come.

Or non. Or we were both super miserable instead.

Still, it was important to me to set the record direct.

"To be clear, so in that location are no hard feelings. I'k single. You lot're single. You're free to appointment who you want, and I'm gratis to engagement who I want."

He glanced over at me. "Are you serious? I merely took your virginity a few days ago. Can we perhaps not talk about yous dating someone else right now?"

"Fair bespeak, but I wanted it on the record."

"Noted," he bit out.

I stared out the window, but there was goose egg to encounter. "I remember yous should get a dog."

"Where is this coming from?"

"I don't want y'all to exist lonely. I'll be at school with all my new friends that I'yard hopefully going to make. You'll be on the ranch. Alone until Rich comes. You demand company. Remember how much you loved Luke?"

Actually maybe information technology wasn't the all-time idea. Jake had adored that dog and information technology had nearly killed him when it was fourth dimension to put him downwards. A sure sign he got likewise close to his animals. I was convinced he liked them more than people. Well, maybe non me.

"I'll think about information technology."

More silence. Which was not helping.

"Do you actually think I'll brand friends?" I asked. I was a person well-nigh people liked. It seemed reasonable. But this was a academy, not a small boondocks in the sticks. What if people thought I was corny?

"Yes."

"It's too been a while since I had to practise schoolwork."

"You'll be fine."

He was placating me. "I don't want to practise fine, I desire to do really well."

"You lot'll do that then."

It had been like this for the entire ride. Me chatting nervously, Jake being Jake.

I had no idea what he was thinking. If he was sad, relieved… heartbroken.

I was sad. I was nervous. I wasn't heartbroken though.

I guess information technology was because I didn't really see this every bit an end. Like we weren't quite at the conclusion of our story, but still in the middle of information technology.

Was it the sex that gave me hope?

I didn't know. The sex had somehow changed us. It was there. This tangible thing that happened. That we had washed together. We were altered, and yet the same. Information technology was only that one fourth dimension. Neither one of u.s., I think, wanted to keep doing it. It would merely make leaving that much harder.

I knew leaving was necessary. I had to go, if but so nosotros could both see conspicuously what we wanted. Not going to lie, now that I was in the truck, heading away from the ranch, it was starting to dawn on me how truly hard this was going to exist.

Finally nosotros got to Missoula and then the academy. I had the address for my dorm and Jake carried up all my stuff, mumbling I had brought besides much. My scales were carefully packed in a box I kept in the back seat of the truck considering I didn't want to risk their safety.

It was the last thing to be carried upward, which I could do myself.

I set the box down next to me and waited for Jake to realize the same thing. Information technology was washed. I was here, and there was nothing left to do except say goodbye.

"I don't know how to do this, Ellie. And so I won't."

I nodded. I didn't know how to do this either. For the concluding 2 years Jake had been the center of my being. The cause of all my happiness and all my pain. The idea of saying adieu to him was unacceptable but inevitable too.

"Y'all'll phone call? Check in?"

I nodded.

He nodded back. I watched him go in his truck. I heard the engine start and realized this was happening.

"Jake!"

He rolled down the window with a look that said this had better be good, because Jake was not a guy who liked dramatic farewells.

"We've got this. Right?"

He nodded again and I smiled.

I watched as he pulled away. Stayed there the whole fourth dimension until his truck was out of sight.

And so I picked upwards my scales, looked up at my new home, and got gear up to offset my new life.

3 weeks later

It was Sun. I sat back on my bed in my dorm room and hit Jake'south name on my cell.

He answered on the beginning band.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey dorsum. How are things going?"

I took a deep jiff. "I want to come up dwelling house. I remember I made a mistake."

He sighed. I knew he was going to sigh. I too knew what he was going to say next.

"Ellie, you only got there."

"I know, but Jake, this is and then…" I struggled for the word and finally landed on, "pointless."

Another sigh. "I thought you liked your roommate."

"I do." I did. Maryanne was cool and nosotros were starting to go to know each other, merely it wasn't home. With Jake.

"You said your business class was interesting."

"Information technology is, but seriously most of it is stuff I've already taught myself over the by two years. I miss the ranch. I miss Petunia."

I missed him, just that didn't demand to be said.

"You said you wanted to do this. You said you wanted to try this new experience."

"I know," I grumbled.

"You're homesick, Ellie. Information technology volition pass."

I didn't think so, only I knew afterwards but a few weeks he wouldn't let me driblet out this shortly. He would see information technology as quitting, and he would remind me I'thousand not a quitter.

"Fine. I'll stick it out."

"That'southward my girl."

I smiled. Jake thought I was his girl.

"I got to get, Isabella is acting up. I recollect she might have an infection in a tooth."

"See? I should totally be there

for that."

"That's why I'one thousand hither, Ellie. You're where you need to be correct now."

Then I couldn't help it. I had to know. "Don't you even miss me a little bit?"

God, I hated how pathetic that sounded.

Another sigh. "This is the right matter for yous."

His answer, or should I say his non-answer, didn't surprise me.

"The correct thing blows."

"Call me next week?"

It was becoming our thing. Sunday night. One call per week. I wanted to telephone call him every day, talk to him every day. But this seemed more measured. More controlled. As if Jake was a controlled substance I had to limit my apply of in guild to stay functioning.

"Yep. Tell Petunia I miss her and tell Isabella I promise she feels better."

"I'll get right on that."

"Good day."

"Night, Ellie."

I was sitting in class the next day, listening to the TA drone on about turn a profit and loss and thinking about Jake. Nigh how he hadn't answered my question.

He had to miss me a picayune scrap. I was missable. He'd said it before when I was freezing him out over the whole Carol (which now I sort of automatically hated everyone named Carol) thing.

He didn't say he didn't miss me. That would have been awful.

Not that this was much improve.

"Who is he?"

I was startled past the guy sitting next to me.

"Who is who?" I asked him.

"Whoever it is you're mooning over?"

"How do you know I'yard mooning over anyone?"

"Because you're the but girl in the room non drooling over the TA education this class, who by the manner is HAWT."

He fanned himself with his hand. It was probably the most feminine gesture I had ever seen a man brand except for on TV.

Which prompted me like an idiot to say, "Oh my god, y'all're gay like on Television set."

Which he thought was the nearly hilarious affair he'd ever heard, to which he replied, "No honey, I'm gay like on reality Television set."

"I'm lamentable," I said immediately. "I didn't mean to be rude. I've just…"

"Never seen one in real life?"

I shook my head. Anybody in Riverbend had suspected David Tillerson, Jeff Tillerson'south older brother, was gay, but nobody ever spoke about information technology. Certainly not David Tillerson.

"When class is over, you can buy me a coffee to make upwardly for information technology and tell me all near the guy. I love a good romance."

Denny—he told me his name—walked me to the campus Starbucks. I ordered two coffees, and he looked at me like I had lost my mind. He changed the order to 2 caramel macchiatos and my life, equally I knew it, was inverse.

We sat downwards at a table and I thought I would never be able to have coffee again. Which was a shame, because I really liked coffee, but nothing would ever be as good equally a caramel macchiato.

"So… who is he?"

"He'due south merely a guy. From back dwelling house." I didn't desire to tell him the story. One of the best parts about existence here was that I didn't take to be Weird Married Ellie or Weird Divorced Ellie. At to the lowest degree for a while.

"Is he pining for you besides?"

"I don't know. I guess if he missed me more, he would come get me and bring me home."

"And exit all this?" Denny said, gesturing around with this hand. It really was and then strange to see this handsome human being utilise his hands similar that. Denny was definitely handsome, too. Blond, thin, but built. I imagined he did very well for himself with other gay guys, simply plain I wasn't going to become there.

"I don't think I'thousand cutting out for higher. I'one thousand a rancher's daughter."

No, that wasn't right. I had been a rancher's daughter. What I'd learned past coming here was that I was rancher. Period. I belonged on my land and not in a classroom.

"Well, if yous won't give me the gory details then there is nada I can do to help. Which means as your new official first gay male friend, let me take this time to tell you that the colour orangish does Non work for you."

I looked down at my shirt. I had never really given information technology much thought, only Denny seemed to know exactly what he was talking about.

Jake

Dominicus

The phone rang and I swiped to connect the call. It was Sunday and I had been waiting for her. She was a little belatedly this evening, merely that was all correct.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey back. How is it going?"

"Okay."

Okay was better than can I come dwelling. She hadn't asked it since I told her no, but I could tell each week she wanted to. This time she sounded a little unlike. This time her okay was a little less depressing.

"Okay?" I prompted.

"I made some other friend."

"What'southward her proper name?"

"His name is Denny. He's really funny."

Denny. Peachy. My paw tightened on the phone.

The suspension must accept revealed something of my… irritation?

"He'due south merely a friend, Jake. It'southward not… like that."

"Oh."

"There was a guy who asked me out, though. Which was so weird. Like he didn't know me at all. We had never talked. He just saw me in the bookstore and was like, want to get out one-time?"

Sometimes I forgot that about her. She truly didn't get it. How gorgeous she was. Of class whatsoever guy in his correct listen who saw her would be attracted to her. Why not inquire her out if he had a risk?

"What did you lot say?"

"I said I would think virtually it… but I don't know. I mean, I don't know him at all and I don't know if I feel comfy going out with a total stranger."

This was the part where I was supposed to say how are you always going to get to know him if you don't go out on a appointment with him.

Instead I said, "Get with your gut. If you don't want to get out with the guy, then don't."

"Okay. I won't. How is Isabella?"

"She's finally turning a corner. Sam thinks she's out of the woods for now." Sam was the large-beast vet in town. He'd been making weekly house calls. Probably to put my mind at ease. Everyone, I suppose, knew how I was with the animals in my care. Like an overprotective father.

"Good."

I thought to bring it up. To ask her if she was settling in better, but if she wasn't request to come home I suppose that said information technology all.

I was happy nigh that. Happy she was making more friends. I was.

I was also lonely every bit hell and missing her like crazy. Non that I could tell her that. If she saw weakness in my armor she might attack, and I couldn't take that considering I was adequately sure I might cave.

"Classes are still going skilful?"

I didn't know what else to enquire virtually. I certainly didn't want to talk most guys in her earth anymore. I merely knew I wanted her to keep talking. Considering information technology was Dominicus night and Sunday dark was Ellie night.

She rattled on and I took information technology all in, and when she finally said goodnight I got that feeling once again in my chest.

The feeling that we had gotten this all wrong.

I didn't know it at the time, merely Ellie was going to prepare that with i really stupid mistake.

Two

Ellie

Feb

"Denny, have you ever been in dear?"

We were sitting in the java house after class as usual. I had quickly become addicted every bit expected. See, that was how Starbucks did it. The great con. You drinkable 1 damn caramel macchiato, and all of a sudden the idea of paying 4 dollars for a cup of coffee doesn't seem similar a stupid thought at all.

"Of course. Similar a yard times."

I glared at him. "It couldn't take been dear if there were a one thousand dissimilar guys. Which I'm having a difficult time assertive at that place are even a grand gay guys in the unabridged land."

He tilted his head. "Okay, maybe non a k."

"Is information technology hard?" I asked, cur

ious nearly a lifestyle I knew so lilliputian about. "Being gay in Montana? People don't harass you still, practice they?"

"Some. Only it's not like information technology was years ago. Besides, beingness gay in Montana does accept its upside."

"What?"

He leaned in and wiggled his eyebrows. "Gay cowboys. Hawt!"

I laughed.

"Why are you asking me well-nigh dearest? Are we back to the guy y'all are always mooning over just won't tell me about? Sister, have I not explained the advantages of a gay BFF? You can tell me everything y'all would tell your girl friends, only I can tell yous what the guy is thinking from the male perspective. Recall just because I'yard gay, doesn't mean I don't withal think like a man."

"I told yous it's complicated."

"That'south the best kind of story!"

I idea about what I had washed this week. I knew information technology was going to be a fight. One I thought I stood a improve chance of winning over the phone.

Or not. Either fashion, this Sunday's call was not going to go well.

But I had made up my heed, and when I did that I could be really stubborn.

Denny was right. I was brooding over again. Because Jake and I were going to accept this fight first, but the next fight after that was going to be even worse.

I had to be strong.

"Oh my goodness… Speaking of hot cowboys. Yum! Delight let him exist gay, please let him be gay."

I looked over at the door that had merely opened.

Holy shit. Jake! My heart nigh flew out of my chest and up into my oral cavity. He was hither. In person. I was actually looking at him again and information technology was like this missing piece of my body suddenly reconnected.

"He'south non gay," I told Denny almost breathlessly.

"Bitch, how do you know?"

"Because that is my… ex-hubby."

Jake was looking around the coffee firm every bit if expecting to discover me here.

Denny's jaw dropped. He really shut it closed with this finger. "You lot were married."

"I told you it's complicated."

"And y'all divorced thaattt? Girlfriend, are you insane? Oh look, he saw you. He'due south coming this way. Oh my goodness, is that scowl real? Holy shit, I think I'm going to crap my pants."

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