Two Thousand Miles from Me

3. Arkansas

Jase rubbed at his eyes and checked the clock, it was noon, he should call the ranch soon to let them know he'd be gone for a few days but he didn't want to risk waking Tessa up. She had taken enough time to shower and change at the house before they had left, and within the first 30 minutes on the road she'd been curled up asleep. He knew they would need to stop for her pain killers when she woke up, he was surprised she was even asleep without them.

He glanced over at her again, it was easier to get a good look at her when she was sleeping. Her short blonde hair was dry now, her face was clean and she was wrapped in the blanket his mom had given her for Christmas a few years back. She looked better than when he'd first entered the hospital room, but she still didn't look like herself, not the Tessa he'd known and loved. That Tessa had glowed, and people had gravitated to her because of it. This woman sitting next to him was angry and small— and it was no wonder. Jase shook his head as he remembered the state of the house, unzipping Tessa's dress to reveal bruises in all different stages of healing, varying in size. How did someone get like that? How could a warm, loving woman become the victim of something so ugly? And why had she stayed?

Jase glanced at her one more time, how could a woman who had been so cherished settle for so much abuse? He couldn't wrap his mind around it. He knew what her life on the ranch had been— she'd been his partner in everything, running her own shop, taking care of her horses, competing, and being a part of a family— his family— had been what she wanted. And then compared to her life with Graham. Jase couldn't make it add up. He laughed at himself; he hadn't been able to make sense of her leaving him in the first place, so what made it possible for him to suddenly understand her now?

He had once though, he believed that; what they used to have had been real, even if she had left and changed now. That's why he was here, driving the 2,000 miles to Maine—for the Tessa he remembered, and the life he'd built with her. He could be here for her now because he had loved her then. And she had loved him.

Jase was smiling to himself when he heard her stir awake in the seat next to him.

"Morning, Sunshine," he said, and smiled when she glared at him. Tessa sat up in the seat but kept the blanket around her shoulders.

"Where are we?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"We're in the middle of Arkansas," he answered. She ran a hand through her hair and he could see her wincing as she readjusted in the seat. "Only 27 hours to go," he encouraged.

"I'm going to miss Texas," she said quietly, he glanced over again but she was looking out the window.

"Any friends you need to call? Work? Someone you should let know where you, what happened?" he asked.

"No," she answered quickly, "No one who really needs to know."

"Where do you work?" he shot back.

"I don't," she answered darkly. Jase just nodded. "Graham wanted me to be able to focus on the campaign," she added.

"Any friends who will be worried about you?" he asked one more time.

"You mean that aren't bloodthirsty gossips, or aren't married to your friends? Or aren't both? No. There's no one I need to call," she snapped. Jase felt regret over making her upset the moment she was awake.

"You should call Heidi," he countered gently.

"Why? Did you already alert her as well as my mom?"

"Actually, I haven't heard from Heidi since she called to chew me out after you left, so that was about a year ago," he waited a minute before adding, "But I talk to Nash every couple of weeks." He gave her a chance to respond but she just kept her eyes on the road, this time he looked over at her when he spoke, "You haven't called Heidi in months. You called to tell her you were engaged and then nothing, for months. We all wondered why, but I guess...now I know," he turned his eyes back on the road, "Call Heidi," he finished.