TIMELESS 16

Chapter 1

Jake stared at his oldest brother in disbelief, then shock as he sank down to sit on his bed. He heard Kit, but he couldn't focus on his brother.

"Are you sure?" Jake asked.

"Yes," Kit nodded.

Jake felt as if his world was crashing down around him. He had loved Sam with his soul and had hated her when he had found out she had cheated on him. Now he finds out she really hadn't cheated on him. She hadn't betrayed him. Sam had been drugged and then raped.

All his anger, all his misery, everything had been for nothing. Now he felt like a jerk even though he had no way of knowing.

"Why didn't she tell me?" Jake wondered.

"She'd be mad if she knew I was telling you now," Kit informed him. "You know how mad Sammy can get."

Jake's mouth twitched once. He couldn't help it. Sam always did have a temper on her and she was the most stubborn person he had ever met.

"She wants you to be happy," Kit said. "She knows you're getting married and didn't want to upset that."

Jake raised his eyes to those of his brother.

"You are still gettin' married, right?" Kit asked.

"'Course," Jake nodded. "I love Dawn."

"What about Sammy?" Kit wondered.

Jake sighed. "I've tried to hate her. I just was never able to really pull it off. She was always there in the back of my mind. Something would remind me of her and I'd get to hurtin' again."

"I was shocked to see her in Hawaii," Kit said. "From the look on her face, she never expected to see me either."

Kit shook his head.

"I just can't get over how even after all this time, she's protecting you," Kit went on. "She loves you a lot."

"We always thought we were each others' soulmates," Jake shrugged.

"And now?" Kit wondered.

Jake shrugged again.

"I'm marryin' Dawn in two days," Jake responded. "Sam's out of my life now."

Kit nodded slowly. Jake wouldn't meet his eyes as he stood up.

"Thanks Kit," Jake told him. Finally, he met Kit's dark brown eyes with his own. "How is she?"

"Not good, Jakey," Kit was honest. "Not good at all. She's lost a lot of weight and her eyes are haunted."

Jake grimaced. He hated to hear that. Sam had meant the world to him at one time. He tried not to think about her too often. It still brought an ache to his heart when he did.

His phone rang and Jake saw it was Dawn.

"I better answer this, it's Dawn," Jake told his brother.

"Okay," Kit clapped his little brother on the shoulder and left Jake's room.

"Hi," Jake said to Dawn on the phone.

"Can you meet me where we went to talk before?" Dawn asked.

"Sure," Jake was surprised. "Everything okay?"

"Yes," Dawn said, but Jake heard something in her voice.

"When?" Jake asked.

"I'll leave now and meet you there," Dawn told him.

"Are you sure everything's okay?" Jake asked again.

"See you soon," Dawn responded and hung up.

Jake rubbed the back of his neck. Something was off and Jake had a bad feeling about this. Dawn had been acting a bit strange for a couple of days, ever since she had stayed at Three Ponies.

Jake suspected she had found Sam's old engagement ring. He wasn't sure why that should matter, but he headed out to meet his fiancée.