Second Love

Chapter 11

Two weeks pass by and I refuse to call or see Peyton. But then again, he hasn't reached out either. Hilary and the kids have come to visit at my cottage or I go to their house and play. She tells me the team won their last two games so they only have two more and hope to go to the Championship game set to be in late October or early November. I look at a few local papers and see that Peyton is getting more recognition for his success as the head coach. Everyone is impressed and thrilled about his success considering he's so young.

To avoid the potential run-ins with his friends or parents I stopped volunteering for the last two weeks and instead focused on the work that Jake told me not to do. I reply to a million emails that have been automatically informed after I left that I was out of the country. I called Cassie a few times...more like a few times a day and got updates. Jake is three hours ahead of me and I don't wait to call him the day he said he would supposedly contact me.

"Jake" I firmly state.

"Yes, Hannah."

"It's almost 8 weeks since I left. I'm sure the place is falling down without me! Can I please come back?" I shout.

"Well, as far as I know. You actually didn't work until two weeks ago. I knew you wouldn't last" he snickers.

"Of course you were monitoring me" I throw up my hands while talking.

"Yes, Yes, Hannah. Come back home. I have some exciting news to tell you."

"Great. I'm on my way.

***

I arrive at JFK and I'm happy to be back. My driver helps me unload my Gucci bags and my normal doorman carries my baggage up to my place. I open the door to the apartment that I've barely slept in, in over a year, let alone lived in for the past two months.

It's cold. It's dark. And quiet. I open the curtains to let the last few rays of the setting sun in. I turn on some music and crank up the heat. I leave my baggage in the doorway and sit by the fire after pouring myself....I mean grabbing a bottle of chilled white wine.

I'm sitting here alone and I don't feel like its home anymore. In under 2 months, my life has drastically changed again and I blame Jake for starting it all. I'm pissed and tired and a little drunk at this point. I finish off a second bottle and sink down into my designer couch. It's no longer comfy but stiff and ugly. I close my eyes and I'm out.

***
I wake up to my 5am alarm. I jump in the shower and pull out black designer slacks, black boots, and a creme colored sweater. I wrap my favorite Dolce and Gabana jacket around my body and grab my lucky Kate Spade purse.

I feel like a New Yorker again and ready to get back into the game. My doorman hails me a cab and I happily jump in. I arrive at our building and hit the top floor. When the doors open its quiet and I expected it. No one is ever in the office before me, sometimes Jake, but really no one is in really in until 8am. I walk to my office and it looks exactly the same, nothing has been moved. I drop my things off and head to Jake's office. He yells at me to come in.

"I see that you wasted no time to come in."

"You said you have great news. So I couldn't wait."

"Have a seat Hannah."

I move to one of his designer chairs and stare directly at him.

"Hannah, I'm selling the business."

My heart literally skips a beat and I think my mouth just dropped.

"What the hell, Jake? This is why you sent me away" I shout.