again to be his wife so that he could legally become Jamie’s father.”
“Wait…Blade asked you to marry him?” Makayla looked shocked.
“It was long ago, when I told him Jamie was his. And even when he found out Jamie wasn’t his, he stood by his offer. I was the one who said ‘no’ just to punish him. You could say I’ve acted really bitter.”
Makayla tried to keep her expression neutral though she was inwardly agreeing to that statement.
Jessica continued, “Anyway, to get to my point; soon after refusing him, I realized my mistake. As you can imagine I’ve been trying my best to get him to see that I’ve changed my mind. I wanted us to get married and be a family. But then…he fell in love with you.”
“Well, I’m not in the way anymore, am I? You have Blade all to yourself now because he has nothing stopping him from getting married to you,” Makayla muttered, unable to hide her bitterness.
Jessica regarded her shrewdly. “I knew it. You left him so that he could be with me and Jamie, right?”
Makayla couldn’t help but shrug, unable to deny it now. “What does it matter? You’ve got what you wanted. Blade’s all yours. I couldn’t stand him being torn apart by his duty to you and his love for me. But don’t take me out to be some saint, because I’m not. I just wanted what’s best for Jamie.”
“Thank you,” Jessica said calmly. “Looks like everyone has been doing stuff in Jamie’s interest. Except me.”
Makayla looked at her quizzically, and Jessica continued, “I realized I’ve been as manipulative as Blade once accused me of. I got pregnant and tried to pin it on him. And when the real father died, I kept Blade on a guilt trip just so I could have him around. But not anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
“Jamie will always have Blade,” Jessica said with a deep sigh and a smile. “Even I know that. Whatever happens, Blade will never turn away from Thomas’s son. I’m happy just knowing that. What I couldn’t stand was Jamie growing up and some day realizing the kind of woman I was, conniving and deceptive. Each time Blade did something selfless for Jamie or me, it made me hate myself more. When I found out he lost you, probably because of me, I suddenly realized how low I’d sunk.” She let out another sigh, and this time her eyes had a glint of moisture. “I don’t want to be that woman anymore. And I don’t want to stand in the way of Blade’s happiness anymore either.”
Makayla didn’t know want to say, shocked by Jessica’s change of heart. “Now, don’t take me for a saint either,” Jessica said with a shaky smile. “But for once, I’m thinking of someone besides myself. Jamie’s getting healthier every day. I’m also choosier now about the kind of men I date so Blade doesn’t have to worry I’ll be with some loser who’ll put Jamie or me in danger. Blade will always be a part of Jamie’s life. I’m happy knowing that Jamie has a mother he can one day be proud of.”
Makayla nodded, her heart swelling at the tremulous look on Jessica’s face. “I’m sure he will be.”
“Yeah, thanks. So how do you plan on getting Blade back?”
Makayla’s eyes widened, even as a stone the weight of a ton settled on her chest. “I can’t.” Makayla’s tone was factual. “I blew it. I know that. He’s never going to want me back.”
Jessica shook her head. “He will, if you explain that it was to keep him from being caught in the middle,” Jessica said sensibly. “I knew in a flash that you were using that new promotion of yours as a ruse. If you’d told him you’d left him for me he’d never have let you go.”
Makayla sighed raggedly. “Be that as it may. I wasn’t joking about the job. I did get the promotion and I fully intended to leave for London after Gina’s wedding. Gina’s his stepsister and my roommate.”
“I know,” Jessica said with a nod. “And Blade’s going to be at the wedding. I’m thinking that’s a
“Wait…Blade asked you to marry him?” Makayla looked shocked.
“It was long ago, when I told him Jamie was his. And even when he found out Jamie wasn’t his, he stood by his offer. I was the one who said ‘no’ just to punish him. You could say I’ve acted really bitter.”
Makayla tried to keep her expression neutral though she was inwardly agreeing to that statement.
Jessica continued, “Anyway, to get to my point; soon after refusing him, I realized my mistake. As you can imagine I’ve been trying my best to get him to see that I’ve changed my mind. I wanted us to get married and be a family. But then…he fell in love with you.”
“Well, I’m not in the way anymore, am I? You have Blade all to yourself now because he has nothing stopping him from getting married to you,” Makayla muttered, unable to hide her bitterness.
Jessica regarded her shrewdly. “I knew it. You left him so that he could be with me and Jamie, right?”
Makayla couldn’t help but shrug, unable to deny it now. “What does it matter? You’ve got what you wanted. Blade’s all yours. I couldn’t stand him being torn apart by his duty to you and his love for me. But don’t take me out to be some saint, because I’m not. I just wanted what’s best for Jamie.”
“Thank you,” Jessica said calmly. “Looks like everyone has been doing stuff in Jamie’s interest. Except me.”
Makayla looked at her quizzically, and Jessica continued, “I realized I’ve been as manipulative as Blade once accused me of. I got pregnant and tried to pin it on him. And when the real father died, I kept Blade on a guilt trip just so I could have him around. But not anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
“Jamie will always have Blade,” Jessica said with a deep sigh and a smile. “Even I know that. Whatever happens, Blade will never turn away from Thomas’s son. I’m happy just knowing that. What I couldn’t stand was Jamie growing up and some day realizing the kind of woman I was, conniving and deceptive. Each time Blade did something selfless for Jamie or me, it made me hate myself more. When I found out he lost you, probably because of me, I suddenly realized how low I’d sunk.” She let out another sigh, and this time her eyes had a glint of moisture. “I don’t want to be that woman anymore. And I don’t want to stand in the way of Blade’s happiness anymore either.”
Makayla didn’t know want to say, shocked by Jessica’s change of heart. “Now, don’t take me for a saint either,” Jessica said with a shaky smile. “But for once, I’m thinking of someone besides myself. Jamie’s getting healthier every day. I’m also choosier now about the kind of men I date so Blade doesn’t have to worry I’ll be with some loser who’ll put Jamie or me in danger. Blade will always be a part of Jamie’s life. I’m happy knowing that Jamie has a mother he can one day be proud of.”
Makayla nodded, her heart swelling at the tremulous look on Jessica’s face. “I’m sure he will be.”
“Yeah, thanks. So how do you plan on getting Blade back?”
Makayla’s eyes widened, even as a stone the weight of a ton settled on her chest. “I can’t.” Makayla’s tone was factual. “I blew it. I know that. He’s never going to want me back.”
Jessica shook her head. “He will, if you explain that it was to keep him from being caught in the middle,” Jessica said sensibly. “I knew in a flash that you were using that new promotion of yours as a ruse. If you’d told him you’d left him for me he’d never have let you go.”
Makayla sighed raggedly. “Be that as it may. I wasn’t joking about the job. I did get the promotion and I fully intended to leave for London after Gina’s wedding. Gina’s his stepsister and my roommate.”
“I know,” Jessica said with a nod. “And Blade’s going to be at the wedding. I’m thinking that’s a
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