“What do you want?”
“Hey! Is that the way to speak to someone you were with for three years?”
“Enough of that, Jess. What do you want?”
“Aren’t I allowed to talk to you anymore?”
Why did Jessica sound like she was whining all the time? Gregory hadn’t really noticed until he found out what she was up to when she was supposed to be at the part-time job that she claimed was all she could do. Now all of what she said sounded like whining.
It gave him a headache.
“Jess, we broke up because you messed around. God only knows how many guys you slept with during our relationship…”
“I only made a mistake once! I swear!”
“Once is one time too many. I don’t want to get into it, and I’m very busy, so stop calling me.”
Jessica huffed.
“I tried going to your office to speak to you, but the office was closed. How else am I supposed to get hold of you?”
“Send a letter or an email. Or, better yet, don’t contact me which is what I asked in the first place!” Gregory snapped. He shuddered as the wind whipped around him. He wished that he had brought his coat with him; it was far too cold now. “I caught you; I told you we were done, and that’s it. Stop contacting me.”
“But Greg….”
“You’re an adult, Jessica. You screwed up, our relationship is done. That’s it. Why do you have to keep contacting me?”
“Because I’ve got something to say to you!” Jessica protested. “It’s important!”
“I don’t think it is. Now, I’ve had to step out of a funeral to deal with your fucking tantrum. Stop calling me right now and leave me alone!”
Jessica was still protesting as Gregory hung up. Never did he think that a funeral would be a good excuse to get away from his ex-girlfriend.
Maybe this was useful, after all, if Jessica had gone by the office. He didn’t really want to hear what she had to say. Jessica had messed around with someone else, and she got found out. Gregory did not care for cheaters at all, and she knew it.
Yet she did it anyway.
Gregory had put his heart and soul into their relationship, and he thought things were great. There was nothing to indicate that there was anything wrong with their relationship. And then he had to walk into his condo and catch Jessica grinding away on another guy like she was riding a bucking bronco.
Eight months since that had happened, and Gregory was still recovering from that betrayal. And his mother wondered why he didn’t want a girlfriend right now.
Unless she happens to look like the gorgeous girl you ran into earlier.
Just the mere thought of her had something stirring in Gregory. It had been a while since anyone had made him react like that. Even now, he could see her looking at him with those fiery dark eyes. He growled and pushed it away. God, not her. She was a member of this church and seemed to be very set in her ways.
Pursuing her in anything would be a bad idea if they had different ideas about things. Gregory didn’t think he could be with someone religious when he didn’t care too much. Sure, he could respect it if anyone else chose to follow a religion, but it just wasn’t for him.
And that difference would get in the way eventually. That was a mess Gregory didn’t want to get involved with. It was getting even colder now, reminding Gregory that he needed to get back inside.
He couldn’t stand outside the church that had central heating when it was freezing out. Idaho normally had snow at this time of year, but thankfully there was none right now.
If he stayed outside any longer, though, he would more than likely freeze and end up as an early snowman.
Gregory went back into the church, slipping into the chapel. Everyone was singing, both the choir and the congregation. Even his mother was singing, although she was a bit more subdued about it.
Staying just out of sight, Gregory cast an eye over everyone. He wasn’t a singer; that was something he left to everyone else. That was fine by him, mostly because nobody would want to hear his wailing.
His gaze was drawn up to the stage, and he spied the girl he had bumped into immediately. She was at the front of the choir, in the middle of the row. From the smock she was wearing, it looked like she was important compared to the others.
Lead singer, maybe?
It felt like everything faded away, and he could hear just her singing. And it was beautiful. So melodious and smooth. Gregory had never heard anything like it. A beautiful woman with a beautiful voice. It seemed like a perfect combination.
He had noticed that she didn’t have a wedding ring on earlier, so she wasn’t married. Did she have a boyfriend? If she was single, Gregory would be very surprised.
But if she was…
You just said you wouldn’t have anything to do with her due to your differences. Why are you changing your mind now? Because she can sing?
I don’t think I would be able to walk away if I tried.