"Did you not enjoy your massage?"

"What?" Jesse turned from staring out the car window.

"You've been quiet since we left the coffee shop, and I wondered if you didn't like your massage."

"It's a hot chocolate shop, and yes, the massage was fine."

Carrie peeked at him, worry furrowing her brows.

"I'm sorry. It's nothing." He flashed her a smile. "Thank you for setting it up."

In truth he'd barely even felt his massage. Instead he'd spent the entire hour playing and replaying in his head seeing Annika. In his fifteen years away, she hadn't changed a bit. Same beautiful golden brown hair, same sparkling deep blue eyes, same splatter of freckles across her nose. All of it giving her the appearance of a fresh homegrown teenaged girl. Or more precisely, farm girl. Growing up on a ranch with a single mom had made her one of the kindest, yet toughest girls he'd ever known.

He couldn't move past the fact that she'd not changed one bit. He remembered the first time he'd caught a glimpse of her across the quad. Sitting barefoot in the grass with some friends, eating a sandwich and laughing. He'd never met anyone so carefree before. And that's what she'd always been, a free spirit. Carving out her own path, living on her own terms, not caring what others thought of her choices.

Regret coursed through him at the thought of how he'd missed her over the years. No matter who he had dated, he'd never found anyone that came close to Annika.

Carrie pulled the SUV into a large driveway and the gate swung open. He was glad she'd come with him from Texas. He didn't know if he would have been able to make it on his own without her.

"Are the trees being delivered today?"

Her face lit up. "I can't wait for you to see the ones I picked out."

He nodded. "I'm sure they are perfect." Decorating had never been his strong suit. Even with all the money he had he'd always hired a decorator so his places didn't look like a bachelor pad.

"I ordered the ornaments from various websites. They're supposed to be here today as well."

"Sounds very festive."

"Do you want to help me decorate the trees?"

Honestly, he didn't feel like doing anything at all but sit in his room and think of what he was going to do next about Annika.

"I have to prepare for tomorrow's presentation at the school. There's some kind of small get together with the board members and they want me to say a few words."

Carrie pulled to a stop in front of the large mansion. "Do you need help figuring out what to say?"

"Probably." He chuckled. "But why don't you let me give it a stab first. Then I'll run it by you."

She nodded.

Jesse hopped out of the vehicle and a pain shot up his leg. He stopped and rubbed at it.

"I'll just grab the bags and then bring you up some ice for your knee and some lunch."

Jesse smiled. "Thanks." He bee lined for the large front door. Using the pillar for support he took the steps one at a time; once again cursing his arrogance into thinking he didn't need his brace anymore.

Damn. Why had he bought such a large property? Yes, he'd gotten it for a good price but man... he wasn't even two months into the purchase and already he was regretting it.

Jesse opened the front door and walked inside the spacious front hallway. The fresh paint and carpet smell still hung in the air right alongside the smell of cut lumber. He loved the open feeling of the log cabin style mansion, the dark woods against tan walls giving the feeling of being outside while still inside. But he stared at the huge wooden winding staircase with dread. This was going to hurt.

Twenty minutes later Jesse entered his bedroom, his entire leg aching from hip to toe. He breathed deep and limped to his large bed, threw himself down on it. Memories bombarded him of his two years with Annika; snuggled up watching movies, ice-skating and snowball fights in the park. Having hot chocolate and doughnuts at Showtunes. Making love under the stars while camping. The best years of his life and he'd screwed it all up.

Jesse threw his hands over his face. He'd been unprepared to see her his first week in town. Hell, he'd not even known she would still be in town. He'd expected her to have married some rich doctor or lawyer and be off in a big city living a rich and happy life. Not still in the small college town where he'd last seen her. Even laying there in bed, it was as if no time had passed at all. He wanted to call her. Talk to her. See her.

Rising from his bed he went to his huge closet and opened the doors. Every piece of clothing had been perfectly hung and categorized by Carrie. He hobbled to the back of the closet to his shoe organizer and pulled a small wooden box from one of the cubbies. He struggled to the floor and sat with the box in front of him. He stared at it for a long time before daring to lift the lid. It'd been years since he examined the contents.

Inside the wooden box lay photos, a photo book, a smaller box, and several other items. He lifted out a small, black box, and held it in his hand. Swallowing hard he lifted the lid and stared at the diamond ring so small he'd never even notice it if he went into a jewelry store now. But back then it had been more than he could afford.

Stuffed into the top of the box was a small note. He pulled it out and opened it.

I thought you might want this back. Good luck in Dallas.

A-

He blew out a harsh breath. He'd traded the best thing that had ever happened to him for fame and money. He was a jackass.

Annika pulled up to the front of the elementary school in her small, PTA approved hybrid car and tried to remember driving there. Man, she hated it when she did that. She waited with the other parents for the bell to ring. How in the world had all the years of her life melted away after one freak encounter, leaving her a stupid college freshman again? She'd not been able to concentrate on anything the rest of the day. Every place she'd passed on campus had reminded her of her time with Jesse.

Their first kiss. Their first date. Their favorite spot to laydown and study. Well, try to study. Jesse had never made it easy for her by kissing her, touching her, massaging-

"Hi mom!"

Annika snapped out of her memories as TJ hopped into the backseat of the car. He threw his Spiderman backpack in and then slid into his booster seat.

"Hey buddy, how was school?"

"Good. How was your school day?" He smiled at her from under his shaggy hair.

"Good." She spotted him in the rearview mirror. "Seatbelt please."

His face drooped. "Mom, when can I stop using this stupid booster? I'm almost nine already."

Annika pulled away from the curb. "Soon, bud."

Technically, TJ could've gotten out of the booster the year before, but Annika wasn't ready to allow him to ride without one yet.

"Anything fun happen at school?"

"Taco bar for lunch. Gilbert stuck corn up his nose and had to go to the nurse. And they did say that there was going to be an assembly on Friday though and with a big surprise. I hope it’s not one of those assemblies where they try to get us all excited to sell wrapping paper for Christmas. I hate those."

Annika turned down their street and then up in front of their small townhouse. Once again she was struck with nostalgia. So many memories of Jesse. So many things she'd buried burst forth like a ruptured damn flooding her with emotions she didn't appreciate.

"Mom, when are we going to put up the Christmas tree?"

"Uh..." She looked in the rearview mirror at him. She hated disappointing TJ but she wasn't ready to commit to putting up a tree. "Maybe this weekend."

"Can we put lights outside on the house too? It’s only two and a half weeks until Christmas. We used to have everything up before Thanksgiving."

"We’ll see. I have some work I need to finish up this weekend."

TJ's face slumped. "Yeah... Okay."

Her phone rang. She picked it up and her stomach turned. She reached back and handed it to TJ.

"It's your dad."

"Don't you want to talk to him?"

"Not today. It's for you anyway. He always calls on Wednesdays after school."

Annika hopped from the car as TJ answered the phone and got out the other side. Today of all days she couldn't handle talking to Todd.