Chapter 42

Jocelyn stood to the side of the window, watching Caden, fighting the urge to go to him. But she couldn't do that to Mallory. She shook her head, knowing that she had just betrayed her sister.
Her bedroom door flew open, slamming hard against the wall. "How could you?" Mallory demanded as she marched into her room. "How could you do this to me?"
"Mallory, drop the martyr act." Jocelyn took a step closer. "You never cared about him."
"He was in love with me!"
"But you never loved him!" Jocelyn yelled, clenching her fists at her sides. "You never cared about anyone but yourself!"
"I did to!"
"Mallory, you broke up with Caden because he wouldn't take you with him! You wouldn't even wait for him!" Jocelyn couldn't stop herself as the years of enduring her sister's unwitting torture came flooding out. "And look at you! For the past eight years, you've talked of nothing else but leaving- but you're still here! Why?"
"I'm trying!" Mallory yelled back. "I'm trying to go to California to be a star!"
"Then why haven't you done it yet?" Jocelyn asked, trying to calm herself. "Is it because you're reasonably known here, and you'll have to start over when you get to California?"
Mallory folded her arms over her chest. "Unless a producer takes me."
"Then what do you want with Caden?" Jocelyn threw her hands up in disbelief.
Mallory shrugged. "He might take me with him when he leaves."
"You're unbelievable." Jocelyn scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "You do know that he's thinking of leaving the SEALs, right?
Mallory's eyes opened wide, but she quickly recovered herself. "Then I'll talk him into taking me to California when he gets out."
"So, you'll use him?" Jocelyn took a step toward her. "You may be my sister, but I can't let you do that. Not to Caden."
Mallory's eyebrows narrowed. "What do you care? You don't care about him!"
"I've been in love with him since I was twelve years old!" Jocelyn blurted out. Then she caught herself, unable to believe that she had just betrayed herself like that. All these years, she had kept her secret and now-. But in a way, it felt good to finally admit it aloud.
Mallory took a step toward her, but Jocelyn stood her ground. "You mean to tell me that you were in love with him when Caden and I were together?"
"I was thirteen when he left!" Jocelyn sighed, trying to calm herself. "But I would have never stood in your way. If you loved each other, I would have never said anything." Jocelyn walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, exhausted. "And I was way too young back then."
"But you're not anymore. Well, we'll see about that." Mallory's eyes were filled with hate as she took a step closer to her. "I want you to stay away from him."
Jocelyn's eyes flared. "I was trying, but he came after me. At first, it was just as friends, like we always had been. But now, it's something more." She let out a deep breath as the realization set in. "He kept coming for me because you were too busy for him."
"Well, I'm not too busy anymore." Mallory folded her arms over her chest.
"You don't have to worry," Jocelyn replied, defeated. "I'd never do anything to hurt you. I won't stand in your way."
"See that you don't." Mallory stormed out, slamming the door closed behind her.
As Jocelyn sat on the edge of her bed, she wondered if she had just been a stand-in for Mallory when she was galivanting. After all, if she hadn't been so busy, would this have happened? Tears rolled down Jocelyn's face as she laid back on the bed, wondering if she had really been in love with him, or just the memory of him.
***
The next day, Caden couldn't get Jocelyn out of his mind. He hardly slept when he got home the night before. Luckily, his parents were already in bed.
He quickly showered, knowing he had to make it right with Jocelyn. He would deal with Mallory later, but right now, Jocelyn was the only thing on his mind. After he dressed for the day, he walked out, and his mother had left the coffee pot on for him. He poured himself a cup and sat down at the dining room table. Unable to resist, he picked up his cell phone and texted Jocelyn.
What are you doing?
There was no answer.
Are you working today?
A moment later, she texted back. Yes.
Caden smiled, glad that she had texted him, even though it was just one word. Do I have to come to your work and get you like I did the other day?
Caden, no. I have to go to work or I'll lose my job. A moment later, Caden received another text. Don't come. Enjoy your day with Mallory.
What the hell? he texted back.
Nothing.
Jocelyn, don't do this.
Nothing.
Caden stared at the phone and then threw it down onto the table. He had done this. He should have spoken to Mallory the day he took her to the giftwrapping booth. Suddenly, his phone rang.
"Jocelyn-." Caden hurried across the room to his phone, but when he picked it up, he saw that it was Mallory. He sighed and clicked on the phone. "Hello?"
"Hi! It's Mallory." Her sickening-sweet voice was like syrup seeping through the phone.
"What do you want?" he asked flatly.
She paused for a minute and then continued, "I have some time off from the pageant today and I was wondering if you'd like to come over to help decorate the Christmas tree with me."
"Mallory, we need to talk."
"Well, then," she continued, "come on over and we can talk while we decorate the tree."
"We should wait for Jocelyn."
Mallory let out a deep breath on the other end. "Well, Jocelyn is at work and busy, too. And the way things are going, the tree might not get decorated." Her voice turned extra syrupy. "So, will you help me, please?"
Caden let out a deep breath. "Sure. Why not?" It would give him a chance to talk to her alone, too.
"Good! I'll see you in five."
"You'll see me when I get there." With that, Caden clicked off the phone.