Free His to Possess #3: Perfect Storm by Opal Carew

 
     
    At the end of Part 2:
     
    “Is something wrong, Mom? You seem distracted. Are you and Dad okay?”
    “Oh, no, sweetie. We’re fine. I just know you’re doing so well at your new job, and you sound so happy. I don’t want to upset you.”
    She sat forward in her chair. “Well it’s too late. Now you’ve really got me worried. Is it a health concern?”
    “Oh, no, nothing like that. Sweetie, I know how hurt you were when Storm walked out on you to go on tour. I know you were in love with him and it broke your heart. But he came to see me and … he told me he wants to talk to you.” Her mother hesitated. “Jess, I think he’s still in love with you. He wants to find you.”
    “Oh, Mom, you didn’t give him my number, did you?”
    “Of course not. I wouldn’t do that, but…”
    Jessica gritted her teeth at her mother’s hesitation.
    “Unfortunately, your dad did.”
    Jessica’s stomach clenched.
    “And, honey, I’m pretty sure Storm’s coming to find you.”
     
    Jessica gripped the phone tightly, her other hand balling into a fist.
    Damn it! She had just gotten over Storm, or at least gotten to a point where she didn’t ache inside every time she thought about him. And a big part of that was because Dane was such a major distraction.
    Her hand slipped into her jeans pocket and she stroked the flat stone Dane had given her.
    But Dane was more than just a distraction. When he hadn’t even known her, he’d helped her out, given her advice and confidence. He’d given her a job.
    “Mom, did Dad give him my address, too? Or tell him where I work?”
    “No, I don’t think so. Well … maybe.”
    “Oh, Mom.” Jessica put her face in her palm. “Why would he do that?”
    “Sweetie, you know he really likes Storm, and he’d love to have him as a son-in-law. I’m sure he thought that you would be happy to see him. He just wants you to be happy. And so do I.”
    “I know, Mom. “
    “You know, I was just wondering. Would it be such a bad thing if he found you?”
    Her mother had always liked Storm. Well, of course she did. Mom wanted her to be happy, and she’d never been happier than during her time with Storm.
    When she still thought he loved her.
    Did he still love her? Even in spite of all he’d done, her heart leapt at the thought.
    But all Mom had said was that she thought Storm still loved her. That could so easily be wishful thinking on her part. When Storm had walked out on Jessica, she knew that her mother had been in almost as much pain as she had been. Because that’s how mothers were with their kids. They wanted to protect them and make things right. Her mother would have given anything to make things right again so Jessica would be happy.
    So Mom was probably only seeing what she wanted to see. Storm likely didn’t want to come here to find her at all. Probably the only reason Storm wanted to talk to her was because he had left something behind that he wanted back. For instance, she remembered finding a copy of one of the demo CDs he’d made of him playing with the band. She remembered when she’d noticed the plain white CD, labeled with a black Sharpie, sitting on her dresser. It included the song he’d written for her. She’d played it over and over again, her only tangible link to him and the love they’d shared. Remembering the way he’d played it for her in the nude. They’d both been lying entwined on his bed after making love when he stood up, retrieved his guitar and began playing a song so heartbreakingly tender it had brought tears to her eyes. But as the reality hit her that he really had walked away from her, and their love, she’d tucked it away in a drawer, like any dream that was destined never to come true.
    He probably only wanted to retrieve that CD.
    “I really don’t want to see him. I have a new life here.”
    “I know, but … are you sure? Because if he wants you back, then maybe you could work things out.”
    “Even if he does want me