Whispers of the Sea

Chapter Four

**Jake POV**

“Armstrong Auto, this is Jake,” I say into the receiver as I grab my notepad.

“Hey Jake. This is Zoey Thompson. My car just broke down at the stoplight at Clearwater and Pine,” Zoey says on the other end of the phone.

“Alright, Ms. Thompson. I’ll grab the truck and tow it back to the shop. Be there in fifteen minutes,” I say before disconnecting the call.

“I’ll be back, Dad. Ms. Thompson broke down again,” I say popping my head out the door leading to the bay where he’s changing the oil on his truck.

“Alright, I’ll be here,” he hollers from under the truck. I close the door and grab the keys, heading off to tow this car for the third time this month.

I get to the intersection in no time, finding her car pushed off to the side so she’s not blocking traffic. She smiles brightly and waves as I pull the truck in front of her car. I make quick work of hooking it up and offer her a ride back to the shop to wait for her.

“Thanks so much for this, Jake,” she says sweetly.

“It’s my job. Wouldn’t be much of a repair shop if I didn’t do my job,” I say politely.

“How is Zach? I haven’t seen him around much,” I say, mentioning her husband to get her eyes off of me. She’s been trying to get my attention since Tillie left. It didn’t matter that she got married. It didn’t matter that I got married. She was relentless.

“Oh, I don’t know how he is or what he’s doing. We separated a couple weeks ago,” she says bitterly.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” I say honestly and she shrugs.

“He felt like his coworker was better at… “fulfilling his needs, so he left me,” she says looking out the window.

“That’s shitty, Zoey. I’m sorry he did that to you,” I say, trying to comfort her. Before she can speak, my cell phone starts ringing.

“Armstrong Auto, this is Jake,” I say as always when I answer.

“Where are you? I called the shop and your dad said you weren’t there,” Brielle, my wife of a year, says harshly.

“Ms. Thompson’s car broke down. I had to come out to tow it back to the shop,” I say, already knowing what is coming.

“Zoey? Again? That skank is doing this on purpose. You’re MY husband Jake,” she snaps at me.

“This is my job, Brielle. I own the only auto body shop in Brookhaven. That means sometimes I’m gonna have to help females,” I say, rolling my eyes at her jealousy.

Tillie was never like this. Anytime a girl would hit on me she would laugh and encourage them claiming that it was nice watching girls try knowing she had me locked in. It’s been six and a half years since I saw her last and I still regret letting her go. Brielle and I had a shot-gun wedding because I accidentally got her pregnant.

“Don’t give me that bullshit attitude, Jake. All the hussies in this town want a chance with you but you’re my husband. I’m the one that gave you kids. Don’t forget it either,” she screams at me.

“I didn’t forget that you gave me kids, Bri. I’m just doing my job. This is exhausting. We will talk later,” I say, hanging up the phone before she can scream again.

“She’s certainly jealous, isn’t she,” Zoey says, startling me. I had forgotten she was in the truck.

“Yeah, I think it’s those hormones. She’s eight months pregnant with my son. Tessa is almost two years old now and Tyler is due right around the same time. She’s just stressed,” I lie, making excuses for the awful woman I married.

“Well, I’m sorry I caused you so much trouble,” she says, squeezing my forearm before putting her hands in her lap. I sigh, shaking my head at the awkwardness in the truck.

As we pull up to the shop, Zoey gets out and goes to the lobby while I back the truck up to the bay to unload the car. When I walk in the bay to talk to my dad I hear screaming and he points to the door.

“The longer you’re married to her, the more I regret Dennis and I not letting you and Tillie work s**t out,” he says, shaking his head as he wipes the grease from his fingers.

“I hope you do. This is your punishment. Could have had a perfect daughter in law, but now we have this. All because you and Dennis couldn’t mind your own damn business,” I growl before walking away to the office door.

My dad had told me about a year after Tillie left what he and Dennis did. To say I was angry is absolutely an understatement. I wanted Tillie to chase her dreams, so I accepted that I couldn’t call and beg her to stay or anything. I didn’t know she came to the house to talk until he came clean about everything either. I spiraled for a few years after that. I never reached out to Tillie because she doesn’t know they got in the way. She thinks I hate her and probably hates me.

“What the hell is going on in here,” I shout as I open the office door.

“I was just telling this w***e to keep her eyes off my man. You won’t demand these girls respect your wife, so I will,” Brielle says, bobbing her head and snapping her fingers. I drag my hand down my face and let out a deep breath.

“Brielle. This is my place of business. No one was disrespecting you. You’re bordering psychotic with this jealousy. Please go home and we will talk later,” I say as calmly as I can. She storms out of the building, almost breaking the glass in the door as she slams it.

“I’m gonna go out here and look at your car. Please try not to find trouble while I’m gone,” I say to Zoey and she laughs.

“All I did was walk in here and she lost her mind,” she says with a shrug.

“I’m sorry. She’s…. A lot,” I reply and turn to walk out.

“Hey Jake,” she says softly.

“Yes?”

“Be careful. People that are that psychotic about their partners are usually the ones being unfaithful. Just … don’t let her hurt you,” she says, genuinely concerned.

“Don’t worry. She can’t hurt me,” I say with a smile and walk out to the bay.

She can’t hurt me because I don’t love her. I don’t think I can love anyone else. Tillie took my heart with her when she left. I turn to walk to the bay, but the dinging of the door stops me. I turn to find Maggie madder than hell but right behind her is Brielle.

“Where is your dad?” Maggie snaps with unbridled rage but before I can respond Brielle opens her mouth.

“I told you not to talk to my husband! Go talk to your boyfriend, w***e,” Brielle screams at Maggie. Maggie’s head snaps in her direction, making Brielle stumble back when she sees the fire in Maggie’s eyes.

“b***h, if you don’t shut your mouth right now, that baby won’t save you from the ass beating I give you,” Maggie snaps and Brielle manages to keep her mouth shut.

“He’s in the bay,” I say flatly, watching as she storms past me.

“I told you to go home. Go. Now,” I say through gritted teeth before walking out the door to find Maggie screaming at my dad.

“HOW DARE YOU KEEP THEM FROM FIXING s**t! THEY BELONGED TOGETHER YOU STUPID OLD MAN,” she screams, smacking him with a rolled up newspaper like a misbehaving puppy.

“Maggie, what the hell is going on,” I ask in confusion.

“DID YOU KNOW, JACOB TYLER, AND DON’T YOU DARE LIE TO ME,” turning her rage to me as she points her newspaper at me. I raise my hands in surrender, not knowing what the answer to her question is. What did I know or not know?

“He didn’t know until a year after she left, Maggie. Your problems are with me and Dennis,” my dad says and it finally clicks.

“How did you find out,” I ask her curiously and she stumbles with her words for a second.

“I was in Newhurst for Tillie’s graduation. Her dad told her yesterday. She cut him out of her life,” she says breathing heavily.

“Is she doing okay,” I breathe out as I run my hand through my hair.

“Don’t. You have a family now, even if it is with that... Creature. You leave Tillie alone,” she says before looking back at my dad.

“I hope you can live with all the lives you two wrecked. I hope she never speaks to him again. Count your blessings that Jake didn’t cut you out of his life,” the pain and anger in her voice is enough to scare anyone right now. My dad just looks down at his hands as she storms out of the shop.

“She’s right…” my dad says quietly.

“I know she is but there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m married with kids. It should have been Tillie and you ruined that for me,” I say bitterly and he sighs.

“I wasn’t trying to ruin anything. I just didn’t want you to hold her back,” the words bringing about the rage from when I found out.

“That wasn’t your choice, Robert. It was her’s. It was mine. But not yours. I gotta go deal with Brielle. Close up the damn shop after you look at Zoey’s car,” I snap before walking out of the bay to my truck, throwing gravel as I speed out of the parking lot.

“Why was she there? I told you that friendship was over months ago,” Brielle says as I open the door.

“She was there to talk to my dad,” I say coldly, walking past her to get a beer from the fridge.

“Don’t ignore me, Jake,” she shrieks, smacking the beer out of my hand, the glass bottle shattering against the wall.

“WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, BRIELLE? I TOLD YOU SHE WAS THERE TO TALK TO MY DAD. LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE,” I shout at her as I slam the fridge closed.

“I’M YOUR WIFE AND YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THAT,” she screams, raising her hand to slap me in the face, but I catch her wrist.

“I don’t think you’ll be my wife much longer,” I snap, shoving her wrist away from me and tears fill her eyes.

“Don’t say that, Jake. I’m sorry. It’s just the hormones. I’ll change,” she backpedals while trying to pull me to her.

“You’ll never change enough to be what I want,” I say as I walk past her to the front door.

“Hi Daddy,” I hear my little girl squeal as she runs toward me. I reach down and pick her up, kissing her squishy cheeks as she giggles.

“Give me my daughter,” Brielle says, trying to take Tessa from me.

“She’s my daughter too. My aversion to you has nothing to do with her or Tyler,” I say with an icy stare.

“If you can’t respect her mother, you don’t get to be in her life,” she says, making me turn to face her.

“You wanna go to court and find out how much I’ll get to be in their lives,” I say in a dangerously low tone.

“It’s time for her to go to bed,” she says a little less confidently.

“I got it. Go do something with yourself,” I say, walking to the bathroom to give Tessa a bath. I dress her in cute pink dinosaur footie pajamas and give her a sippy cup of water as I rock her to sleep. She falls asleep within ten minutes so I lay her on her back in her crib.

“I love you so much, Tessa Anne. You have no idea,” I whisper as I run the back of my fingers down her cheek. I walk out of the room quietly, turning the light off before I close the door.

“I’ll be back,” I say coldly as I walk down the hallway toward the front door.

“And where are you going,” Brielle says bitterly with her arms crossed on the couch.

“You broke my last beer. I’m going to get a drink. I’ll be back,” I snap, closing the front door behind me and rushing to my truck. I take a deep breath before starting the car and driving across our small town to Black Leaf Saloon, hoping to drink myself unconscious.

“Hey Jake, the usual?” Tom, the old bartender asks as I walk in the door.

“You got it,” I say, sitting on a bar stool as he pours me a glass of whiskey. I throw it back in one drink, slamming the glass on the table and waving him to pour more.

“That kind of night, huh?” he asks, pouring more in my glass.

“Just leave the bottle. Here’s a hundred for the bottle and a tip,” I say, trading him the bottle of whisky for the hundred dollar bill.

“Give me your keys, Jake. You’re not driving home if you’re drinking like that,” he says sternly. I toss him the keys and head to a table in the far corner of the bar to drink alone.

“Funny finding you here,” a familiar female voice says, making me look up from the bottle.

“What can I do for you, Zoey,” taking another swig before she can answer me.

“Misery loves company. Can I join you? I have my own drink,” she says, holding her glass up. I gesture to the chair across from me and she sits immediately, as if I will change my mind.

“What’s on your mind, Jake?” she questions me gently.

“I hate my wife. I still love Tillie and I wish it was her that I was starting a family with,” I answer honestly, her eyes widening in surprise at my candor.

“You hate your wife,” the mock surprise on her face making me laugh out loud.

“You see who I’m married to. You saw what she did in my shop today. Yes. I hate her,” I say without hesitation.

“Would you be interested in having some revenge s*x,” her boldness rendering me speechless as I stare at her. “Don’t look so shocked. You know I have a thing for you. I know you don’t have a thing for me, but I want to get back at my husband and you hate your wife. Why not help each other out?” she asks with a shrug, swirling her drink around in her cup.

“I’m not drunk enough for this conversation, Zoey,” making her laugh, but she just leans back in the chair.

“Drink up. I’ll wait,” staring at me intently.

“You’re bold. No shame whatsoever,” I say in response to her stare.

“I can make you feel good, Jake. She doesn’t make you feel good and Tillie isn’t here but you don’t have to love me to let me make you feel good for one night,” she says, the idea sounding better and better the more I drink.

“We can’t go to my place,” my words come out in a slur, the alcohol heavily affecting my ability to think at all.

“Come on. I got you,” she says, helping me out of the bar.

“I’m taking Jake home, Tom. I’ll bring him to get his truck in the morning,” she hollers. I hear the sound of keys being thrown and she helps me out to her tiny car. I doze off on the ride to her house and only wake up when she’s trying to pull me out of the car to go in her house.

“Come on, Jake. Let’s go inside,” she says sweetly, guiding my stumbling self into her house and, ultimately, her bedroom.

“I’m not so drunk that I won’t remember this,” I say waving my finger at her, making her laugh at me.

“I’m glad you’ll remember. No strings attached though. I need this as much as you do,” she says, crawling on top of me and unbuttoning my shirt, revealing my snug undershirt, before moving on to my boots and pants.

“Why am I the only one getting naked,” I ask stupidly, a seductive smirk playing on Zoey’s lips.

“Do you want me naked, Jake,” she teases.

“We are having s*x, right? I know I’m drunk but I really thought that’s what we were doing,” I slur out in my drunk confusion. Without warning her clothes start coming off and she’s climbing on top of me, grinding her hips against me.

“God, Tillie, that feels so good,” I moan out by mistake, but before I can apologize Zoey places her finger on my lips.

“I’ll be whoever you need me to be tonight, Jake. Talk all you want,” she says, continuing her work on my body. The release gives me chills just before I slip into a deep alcohol-induced coma.

The morning sunlight pours in the window, waking me instantly with a migraine. Zoey lying beside me with her hair strewn across the bed. I grab my phone from the bedside table and turn it back on, setting it back down to sit up. I stretch my body out, groaning as everything creaks and cracks.

I pick my phone up to find thirty-seven voicemails and one hundred and fifteen texts from Brielle, my dad, and Maggie. I scroll through the messages and my eyes go wide.

“s**t,” I yell, making Zoey jump and scream as she wakes up.

“What? What’s wrong,” she says in a sleepy panic.

“Brielle went into labor last night. Tyler was born while I was here. I gotta go,” I say walking out of the bedroom.

“Jake! Your truck is at the bar! Give me a second,” she shouts from the room.

Five minutes later she comes out in pajama pants and a tank top, both of us running to the car. We make it to the bar in seven minutes and I speed to the hospital without a thank you or goodbye to Zoey. As I walk in the room, I’m met with Brielle’s tears.

“Where were you? I called. I texted. I left messages,” she whisperes through her tears.

“I got too drunk and Tom took my keys. I passed out at the bar,” I lie through my teeth. The taste of the words bitter as they leave my lips.

“I’m sorry things got so bad last night,” she says softly as she reaches for my hand.

“Me too,” I say, taking her hand and sitting in the chair beside her bed.

“I’m sorry I missed this. How did everything go,” I say genuinely.

“He’s early so he’ll be in the NICU for a little while. He still had six weeks until his due date but everything went pretty easily,” she says, recounting the event.

“I love you, Jake. I’m sorry I was so crazy yesterday,” she says, shocking me with the apology.

“I love you, too. I’m sorry I left like that,” I force out, knowing I don’t love her but I love my kids.

“You’re here now. That’s all that matters,” she says with a soft smile.

“I’ll always regret not being here when he was born,” I state honestly, covering my face with my hands.

“Can we make a deal,” she says quietly.

“What kind of deal,” looking at her suspiciously. Whoever this is, it isn’t the woman I’ve been married to this last year.

“Let’s work to be better for each other and the kids. Both of us,” she says and I nod. I have no interest in being better for her but I don’t want my kids to grow up in a house where their mom and dad are screaming at each other to the point their dad leaves to get drunk.

“Deal,” I agree and she smiles widely, tugging at my shirt for a kiss. I lean up and place my lips on hers in a gentle kiss, wishing with all of my heart that it was Tillie instead.