The Rejected (Book 3)

Chapter 10: Home

With every day that passed, the closer I got to home, the closer I got to Cecelia. I could see her in my mind perfectly. Her smile, her eyes, the crinkle in her nose. I couldn't wait to see her again, hold her in my arms once more, hear her melodic voice.

Did I like her?

I had been asking my question the whole time.

"What is the first thing you are going to do when you get back?" I asked the men curiously. I knew that I was going to go find Cecelia.

Missing her was driving me insane.

Did I like her?

"I am going to hug my son," Devon answered. I could hear the longing in his voice. His son was training with Angelo to join the guard. He was one of the good kids.

Peter had a sweet smile on his face. "I am going to see my sister, she always worries too much when I leave."

I had learned that Peter's parents had passed when he was young and he had been taking care of his siblings this whole time. He had a sister a few years younger than him as well as two younger brothers. He said I reminded him of one of his brothers, that was probably why he was the fastest from the men to open up to me.

Harrison smiled. "I am going to see my wife."

His eyes were twinkling. I wondered if I looked like that when I thought of Cecelia as the men claimed I did.

Did I like her?

With the way my body was aching at the thought of her, maybe they were right. Maybe I did have feelings for her. I did not know if my feelings were love for family or more than that. All I knew was that I loved her and I couldn't wait to see her again.

Maybe I liked her...

"How did you know that your wife was the one? How did you know you love loved her?" I asked Harrison curiously.

He shrugged his shoulders. "When you're with her you just know. You can't imagine your life without her, it just seems dull."

That did not help at all. I have always seen Cecelia like that. Without her in my life I was completely alone. "But there has to be more? How is it different from loving your mother or your sister?"

Peter laughed at that. "Oh trust me, there is a major difference. You do not feel attracted to your family. There is something about holding that person close, feeling their skin against yours, your whole body feels like it is set on fire in the best way. You will know the difference, so will your little friend."

The men all laughed at Peter's description. I frowned and crossed my arms. "I will let you know that my friend is quite big. You know what they say about us redheads in--"

"Okay, okay--" Devon put his hands up to stop this conversation. "Jasper, think of how you feel towards Angelo..." I felt warmth, like I had seen him grow up, like I want to be there for him when he needed me. "Now think of how you feel towards Cecelia." I felt like the luckiest person alive. That I would gladly lay my life for her. That she had all of me in the palm of her hand. "If there is a difference then that is your answer."

Wait-- he knew I was talking about Cecelia this whole time? Did he say all this to mess with my mind?

I did feel a major difference. What I felt towards Cecelia and Angelo were completely different. Angelo stirred something in my heart, but Cecelia... she moved all of me in a way that only she can. God... I think I actually had feelings for my best friend. I've felt these feelings for so long I thought they were only normal. How could I have not noticed? What if this was just my longing heart that was speaking? What if being away from her for this long was what made me confused? Maybe I didn't have these feelings I thought I had?