Cherished (Wanted) by Kelly Elliott

eyes, and all I could see was Jessie’s smiling face. No. I won’t do this. I can’t do this. I love Jessie. I’ll always love Jessie.
    I pulled my hand away from her and took a few steps back. “Um…I’m sorry, Karen. I’m in love with someone else, and I won’t be unfaithful to her, no matter what.”
    Karen’s face dropped. “What? You’re gonna feel me up and then tell me you’re in love with someone else? What would she think if she knew you were about to fuck me?”
    I shrugged my shoulders. “Probably nothing since she’s fucking someone to forget about me.” I turned and walked away.
    I saw Jeff and Gunner walking in with Josh following close behind. I smiled, knowing they were only here to check up on me.
    Thank God I came to my senses with Karen before they walked in and saw us.
    I walked up and shook Josh’s hand. “Dude, what in the hell are you doing in Mason?” I asked.
    Josh gave me a quick hug. “Heather and I decided to take Gunner’s offer to stay with him and Ellie, so we could celebrate Christmas morning with the Mathews.”
    I smiled as I nodded. Gunner and Ellie had invited me to stay with them, but I’d turned them down.
    “Scott, are you sure you don’t want to stay with us tonight? Ellie and Heather are in a baking mood, and I swear that we have enough baked goods to feed a small army,” Gunner said with a laugh.
    I shook my head. “I appreciate it, Gunner, but I think I’ll just head home and go to bed. I was planning on asking Jessie to marry me on Christmas Eve at my parents’ anniversary party tonight, so I kind of just want to be alone.”
    Jeff hit me on the back and smiled. “Come on, dude. Let’s settle up your bill, and I’ll drive you home.”

    “Did you get a new phone yet?” Gunner asked as we walked out to the parking lot.
    “Yeah, I got it, but I haven’t turned it on. I’m not in any real rush to use it.”
    “I am. I’ve been getting a ton of calls about a horse you wanted. I guess you gave them my number, Scott, and I knew nothing about it,” Jeff said.
    “Damn…sorry, Jeff. It’s just…I can’t think about anything. I can’t eat, I can’t sleep. She’s gone, and she’s using some fucker she met to forget about me.”
    Gunner let out a long sigh. “Scott, you don’t know that. She’s gonna call Drake tomorrow, and then we can get this whole damn thing settled. Just hang tight, dude. One more day is all you’ve got to wait, and then Jessie will know the truth.”
    I shook my head. It felt like I had a hundred pounds sitting on my chest. I just needed to get home and go to bed. I felt so tired for some reason.
    I held my hand out to shake Josh’s and then Gunner’s hands. “Thanks, guys. Thanks for having my back. I really do appreciate each of you and your friendship. I don’t know how I would have done this if I hadn’t had your support.”
    “Always, Scott. We’re always here for you,” Josh said.
    Gunner told Jeff he would follow him to my house since Jeff was driving my truck for me.
    As I made my way to the passenger side of my truck, I felt sick to my stomach. It didn’t even matter that she was calling home tomorrow. In my heart, I felt like she was already gone. She’d met someone else.
    He’s helping me get over Scott.
    “Scott, she’s gonna call. She wouldn’t let her dad down by not calling, and I know she still loves you. It’s almost over, dude. It’s almost over,” Jeff said with a weak smile.
    I leaned my head back against the headrest and tried to smile. “I hope you’re right, but I have this sick feeling that everyone is wrong. Jessie has spent the last five weeks moving on. I feel her in my heart, but she’s slowly fading away.”
    I looked over toward Jeff. He was just staring at me. He turned and started the truck before pulling out of the lot to take me home.
    I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath as I pictured her in the arms of another man.
    Jessie…please come back to me, baby.

Trey