Forgiven by J. B. McGee Page B

told you this was a bad idea.”
    I decide to let her go get herself together while I finish up my shower. I can tell she’s a little frustrated with me, and I can’t blame her. What is my problem? I don’t even recognize myself today. Actually, I do. This is the guy who I was before her. The guy I couldn’t stand during those three months that I reflected back on my actions and inactions. Following her and then trying to act cool and in control to make myself feel better. Typical playboy Bradley Banks. No wonder she’s irritated. Did I actually think this would help our situation?
    My mind goes into a planning frenzy. I have to make this up to her, and I have to find a way to tell her what I’ve done today. I can’t stand the way this is eating at me. It will have to wait until after tomorrow, though. I have every intention of going back tomorrow and finding out who he is, and why he seems so fixated on my fiancée.

It’s been eating me up all night and all day today that I snuck behind Gabby’s back yesterday. When I was growing up and my parents made me go to Sunday School and church, I was taught that you can’t expect to be forgiven when you continuously commit the same sin over and over again. It’s one thing to do something wrong once and ask to be forgiven after you repent, but if you commit the same sin over and over again, then you must have never truly repented.
    These lessons have been on overdrive in my mind. I can hear Preacher Rivers in his southern, deep voice preaching the sermon like it was yesterday. I know that if I am having this feeling over and over again that it is my gut telling me to let this go, but I can’t.
    I also have a part of my gut gnawing at me that this guy I saw yesterday is bad news. I would rather have to ask for forgiveness later if I get caught as opposed to asking for permission or having to give an explanation as to why I’m checking up on her now.
    I did decide that the charade from yesterday was ridiculous. I mean, borrowing Sharon’s car was a bit much. I decided that if I’m going to do this, I’m not going to hide. Besides, she usually only has tutoring sessions with Emmi on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So she shouldn’t even be here today.
    If she happens to be here and sees me, thus outing me, then I’ll just tell her I was in the area. That won’t be a lie. It’s error by omission, even if it is on purpose. Skirting the truth is something my father taught me how to do well. It makes me cringe to think I’d need to use any of those shady skills, especially on the woman I love. I remind myself this is to protect her. It wasn’t originally, but it is now. Everything happens for a reason. Maybe the things that led up to me following her yesterday happened so I would see him. So I would be able to protect her from him.
    Gabby is so naïve, I’m sure she has no clue he’s even a problem. She has a tendency to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume people are good. I chuckle because she sure as hell wasn’t that way with me when we met.
    I have never had to work so hard in my life at anything as I did trying to win her. Those three months made me realize she had pegged me pretty accurately. I think that aside from wanting her, that was what drove me to change the most.
    Hearing her call me out on all of those things hurt for the first time. In the past, I’d been almost proud of being the way I was. I still can’t wrap my mind around what it still is about her. Love at first sight seems silly, but that’s all I’ve got. I think I loved her even then.
    When I arrive, there is no sign of Gabby, which is a very good thing for me. I breathe a sigh of relief as I cut the engine. I skim the parking lot once more as I get out and jog towards the door. When I go inside, I get in line so that I can order something just to complain so I can try to talk to this guy.
    She can’t be in college, she’s surely just a teenager. I feel bad having to be a jerk to