Jayson: A New Adult / Coming of Age Romance Read Online Free Page B

remind myself, pulling myself out of the memories so I can focus on the work at hand. I close out the spreadsheet and go back to the advertising website, filling out the necessary online forms to get Zephyr Brothers Construction some publicity. The phone rings, and I answer it absently, staring at the screen. “Zephyr Brothers, this is Jayson.”
    “Jay! Honey, please tell me you miss me as much as I miss you. How many times do I have to say I’m sorry? That guy from work meant nothing to me!” I instantly grimace at the sultry, whiny female on the other end. The very sound of my ex-girlfriend’s voice fills my head with visions of her tongue-kissing a coworker in the parking lot of her condo the night I had paid her a surprise visit.
    “Nadia,” I sigh. “I accepted your apology the first time you cheated. You can say it however many more times you feel the need, but I’m no longer interested in hearing it every time you screw me over with some other guy. I’m sure Chad, or Merrill, or one of the others you got caught up with would be happy to get a booty call from you, though. As for me, I’m done.”
    “Aww, don’t be like that,” she giggles nervously. “We both made some mistakes, but let’s let bygones be bygones. Tell me you want to see me tonight. You know the drink specials are the best on Thursdays. I’m wearing that sexy little red dress you like,” she coos. The prospect of her gym-honed body in a red dress set off by her crimson curls and a devilish smile on her striking Mediterranean face might be tempting to someone who doesn’t know her as well as I do.
    I take a moment to be completely frank with her. “Nadia, it wasn’t you being a lying, cheating floozy the entire six months we dated that ruined us, although you really should work on that before you catch yourself getting serious with anybody else. In our case, I understand why you sought solace outside of me. I didn’t have time for you. I’m sorry that my need to support the woman who brought me into the world was such a problem for you; had to be real inconvenient that my mom was living with me, but her back injury makes it unsafe for her to live alone. And I’m sorry running this business so I could afford your materialistic ass took up even more of my schedule. It wasn’t you. I’ll take the blame. No hard feelings. Now, stop calling my phone!”
    “You fucking prick! You want to turn this all around on me? The truth is you didn’t have time for me because you didn’t prioritize me, and I did seek attention elsewhere. I don’t even know why I called you. I guess I just forgot what a pig you are!”
    Suddenly the dial tone is bleeping in my ear, and I chuckle without humor as I slam the cordless back into the cradle. There had been a brief moment when I’d first met the redhead when I honestly saw a promising future ahead of us, but she hadn’t taken long to show her true colors. We’d only made it to the six-month mark because I was not interested enough in her to be bothered that she was sleeping around. Hell, I wasn’t sleeping with her by then myself. Too busy with work.
    While it would be great to have a steady piece, after the fiasco with Nadia, I had sworn off love. Romance doesn’t fit into my lifestyle. Not now, anyway. Maybe in a few years…
    I glare at the computer, trying to pick up where I left off after the phone call interrupted my flow. I muscle through the Nadia-inspired ire and take the time to at least finish the advertisement submission. After that, with an exhausted exhale, I decide it’s probably best I go ahead and close shop. I’ve been between the office and two open job sites since about seven in the morning, and it’s going on fourteen hours of steady work. I need a break… and Nadia has me thinking I should’ve taken Castiel up on his offer to go to the bar.
    I hop up from the desk and stretch, nearly touching the ceiling, and suck in a deep inhale that expands my chest as I run a