Free Torn by Christina Brunkhorst

stretch that wide.
    Chelsea’s laugh was short. “Hardly. I came out to visit my folks after they moved here. It was my summer vacation, and I ended up staying a week longer than planned so that I could check out a powwow. Caught sight of Jake singing with a drum group and that was it. I never went back. We met and married the same night.”
    His jaw dropped, thinking of the years spent romancing Jennifer into marriage. The woman in front of him had either figured something out or was completely out of her mind. Who the hell went around marrying people they’d just met?
    She laughed at his expression. “Oh, yeah, my parents took it about the same way.” Her dark brown eyes turned glassy as her thoughts turned inward. “But as soon as I saw his smile, I knew we were meant to meet. Meant to be together.” Chelsea shook her head, brought her focus back to the gorgeous man in front of her. “Didn’t you feel that way when you saw Jennifer?”
    “Uh… No.” Tyler frowned. In fact, he couldn’t even remember how he felt when he and Jennifer first met.
    Chelsea’s gentle smile morphed into a tiny, knowing smirk. “You don’t believe in soul mates,” she stated. “That’s a shame.”
    Tyler snorted. “That’s Hollywood.” He frowned. “You honestly believe that our destiny is controlled by fate and all that stuff?”
    “I do. You’re thinking too small. The term soul mate doesn’t necessarily have to apply to romantic love. Haven’t you ever met someone at a time in your life who helped you in some way or who guided you to someone, and then just… vanished? It could have been a friend, a lover, someone…?”
    Tyler’s frown deepened as he pondered her question. He knew someone had introduced him to Julie years ago, but for the life of him, couldn’t remember who. And then, when he was still shell-shocked over Meredith... He had a hard time believing that hell had been preordained.
    “A mutual friend introduced Jen and I,” he said quietly, “and then he moved out of the country. At the time, I’d just come out of a relationship that ended… badly.”
    Her brow furrowed for only a moment at his response. “Oh. Well…” she swallowed and nervously fiddled with one of the red and white checkered cloth napkins, trying to hide her floundering composure. Tyler almost smiled. If anyone looked like they wanted to rewind the last minute of their life, it was Chelsea. Interesting that she didn’t dig for more details. Jennifer always had.
    “So,” Tyler began, taking pity on her. He reached for the bag of barbeque flavored potato chips and popped a couple in his mouth. “You and Jake hooked up. When did Faye arrive, if you don’t mind me asking?” Her face lit up at the mention of her daughter’s name, and Tyler mentally patted himself on the back. He knew that’d bring back her smile.
    Chelsea’s lips curved upwards as she retrieved a small handful of chips from the sack. “Almost a year later.”
    He did the math: Grace, three years after that. “Are you and Jake planning on having more someday?”
    Her thick lashes fluttered down, and Tyler suddenly had the sinking sensation that he’d asked a very wrong question. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business. I know that.”
    “It’s okay.” Sighing, Chelsea pushed her dark curls from her forehead, tucking a stray lock behind an ear. “ I would love to have more kids. I’ve always wanted a large family.” She grimaced, took a quick sip from her drink. “Jake on the other hand…”
    Tyler leaned back against the bench, understanding her more than she knew. “Jake doesn’t.”
    “Not so much,” she agreed. “Not that he doesn’t love his girls or isn’t a good father. Jake’s an incredible dad. And he loves his girls more than life.” Sighing, she raised the can of pop to her lips and took another sip. “He just would rather stop at two.” Or one, she thought, or none. “Population Police.” She forced a smile. “But he