A Reason to Stay (Oak Hollow) by June Stevens, DJ Westerfield

living room.
     
     
Chapter Ten
     
    Her world was crashing down around her. She’d tried with all her might to look at last night with a logical mind. She’d kept telling herself that one night would be enough, that she would take the memory of their lovemaking with her and not wish for more. But, now, at this very moment, she knew her heart hadn’t been listening. Deep in her heart she’d been secretly hoping that Jake would wake up this morning having magically seen the light and fallen in love with her.
    She’d been a fool. Jake might be in love with someone, but it sure as hell wasn’t her. She was holding the proof of that in her hand.
    Ellie choked back the sobs that threatened to overtake her. The deep sadness that filled her was a bottomless pit. It was hard to believe she’d been happier than she thought possible just fifteen minutes ago.
    She had even sung in the shower. Even with the storm raging outside, the sun had been shining in her soul. Anything had seemed possible. Then she’d come downstairs to call the moving company. If only she could go back five minutes and not have opened the desk drawer, to not have found that ring box. She wished she hadn’t dropped the box while looking for a pen, and even more she wished the box hadn’t opened, spilling out its contents.
    Now she sat holding her Grandmother’s engagement ring in one hand and a note written in Grammy’s neat script in the other. The words from the note swirled in Ellie’s brain but her mind felt so fuzzy they seemed more like gibberish. She read the note again.
    “ My dearest Jake, you have always been a grandson to me. That is why I am giving you this ring. It has been passed down from generation to generation and I wanted it to stay in the family. I can see the love in your eyes and know it is time to pass this to you so that you can put it on your true love’s finger. I know she loves you as much as you do her. Treat her well, and don’t forget to cherish every day you have together. Love, Grammy. "
    "Oh, God!" Ellie groaned. How stupid could she be? Even Grammy had known Jake was in love with someone, but his best friend had been completely oblivious. No wonder Grammy had encouraged her to start dating. She’d known Jake was in love with someone else and that Ellie would always be just a friend.
    Grammy’s words echoed in her ears, "Ellie, honey, if I were going to spend as much time with a handsome young man as you do with Jake, he’d be my husband. Not just my best friend."
    Ellie couldn’t count the number of times Grammy had said those words to her in her last few weeks alive. She should have been putting all of her energy towards getting well, but instead she was trying to beat a little sense into Ellie’s thick skull. Could she have known how Ellie really felt about Jake?
    Ellie shook her head. No, she was sure Grammy hadn’t known. But she had known about Jake being in love with someone. She knew that once Jake committed to someone else there would be little room left in his life. So she’d tried to warn her granddaughter.
    Ellie had tried to heed the warnings. She’d quit her job, packed up all her stuff and was moving hundreds of miles away. But she’d been stupid. She couldn’t resist her hormones for one night, and now the pain that had been aching in her heart for so long, the pain of not having Jake, had finally exploded. The pain was so intense her body actually physically ached with it.
    "Ellie, I can explain."
    Ellie jerked around to see Jake standing a few feet away. Seeing him shot a white-hot bolt of fury through her. Yes, she’d been stupid last night. She’d risked her heart when she had known she shouldn’t. But she hadn’t known he had someone else.
    He had.
    In all of her years of knowing Jake she’d never known him to cheat, or lie, or in any other way purposely cause harm to a woman. But now he had. He’d held her in his arms. He’d touched and caressed her body, making her feel things