TWISTED FATES BOOK 1: THE FIRST TWIST by Jacklyn Rogers (read after TXT) 📕

the picture during our sophomore year of college, we even indoctrinated her into our promise of marital bliss. Of course, we’d need to move to Utah, where polygamy was still legal, but we’d cross that bridge when and if it ever came. The pledge behind our oath was simply meant to express that we’d always be there for each other unconditionally no matter what.

Unfortunately, our promise was something that would never come to pass. I had lost Jay not too long after I met Devon. A month later, to be more precise. Jay had passed away in his sleep, peacefully, I always hoped, due to a brain aneurysm that neither Dasha nor I saw coming.

If Jay was aware of his affliction, not once had he ever given any indication that something was wrong with his health. Jay’s demeanor never slipped past the joyful façade he had always graced us with.

So, of course, when I saw Jay again, my heart literally melted into a giant puddle of goo.

“Jay!” I cried in a raspy voice, barely above a whisper that I hardly even recognized as my own. I immediately wrapped my arms tightly around his neck. Taking in his familiar scent of citrus and musk, choking back my tears, I quietly muttered into his taut chest.

“I … missed you.”

Not that Jay would understand why I was acting so intense with my emotions, but I didn’t care. I held on to Jay for a long time. It was as if some part of me believed that if I held on tight enough, he couldn’t be taken from me again.

“Please don’t leave me again, Jay … it was so hard the first time.”

I whispered into his chest, trying to keep myself from tearing up even further. I know it makes no sense, but the scale of my emotional balance had been unmistakably tipped every which way. After a minute or two, Jay let out a deep sigh and gently removed my arms from around his neck while gently placing my trembling hands in his own.

“I’m so sorry, Sammie. I never meant to abandon you. I love you so much; please believe me. I will always keep you safe from harm. I’ve always been watching over you. No matter what happens, you will always have me by your side. Even if you can’t see me ... I’m there.” His words didn’t sound like Jay from this timeline, but rather words that were originating from some distant place that only he understood. He stared at me, looking troubled but then gave a slight smile that never quite reached his eyes. Somehow, I just knew that he was aware of what had upset me. He released my hands and ever so lovingly, with his thumb, wiped away the one tear that had managed to escape the confines of my lashes and placed a soft, gentle kiss on my forehead. After which, he placed both of his arms on my shoulders, reintroducing space between us.

Then as if some sort of switch had been flipped, Jay’s entire demeanor reverted back to the carefree entity that he was just before my emotional breakdown. I looked at him, examining his face for any telltale signs, but there was nothing to the contrary. He seemed as if the events that conspired between us during the last few minutes had never even transpired.

Curious …

Our conversation's focal point, or rather Jay’s, was his ogling of the men a few feet away from us. His carefree words seamlessly jumped back to the point of our interaction as it had initially transpired three years prior.

Chapter 5

Sammie's POV

Events from 3 Years ago

“Hottie Alert straight ahead! Whoop Whoop! “Jay excitedly pointed and pretended to blow an invisible train whistle; one of his many animated signals that a very eye-catching male was within our visual vicinity.

“Oh. My. God Sammie!” Jay exclaimed, emphasizing every single word with zeal, as he grabbed my left hand and shook it enthusiastically.

“Have you EVER seen a more gorgeous group of men in your entire fucking life? I think I just died and went to heaven!” Jay declared as he placed the back of his left hand over his forehead in proper drama queen form and gasped.

Luckily, he didn’t notice me shudder, as his analogy of him dying had reverberated throughout my brain, making me cringe.

“Dasha is sooo going to wish she came tonight, girl. This is like the Haley’s Comet of the bar scene. We Ain’t Ev-ah gonna see this many delectable looking male specimens up close for at least another 75 years. You know I’m right, girl, so we may as well bask in the hotness while we can. Damn Sammie! You don’t think just maybe one of them would take a swing in my direction ... do you?” Jay jokingly leaned over and proclaimed in my ear as he gave me another light nudge at my side.

Gently giving his chest a light shove back, I giggled at his oh so fanatical regard of the men he was eyeballing. I remembered this entire conversation like it was yesterday, save the brief interaction where I held Jay tightly. That was an event that the future me made happen.

That was … new.

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I, with much persistence on Jay’s part, Goddess he could be so pushy, reluctantly looked over at the group of people that had so clearly caught his abiding attention. I know I had been postponing it, but I couldn’t delay the inevitable forever. That wasn’t supposed to be how everything played out. I indulged myself with a quick shot of some fruity mixed shooter that Jay handed me. Or as I like to think of as liquid courage, thank you. I set the shot glass down on the bar and stealthily peered over my shoulder to see them.

To see him.

Oh, My Goddess! There he was, looking every BIT as beautiful as I remembered.

Don’t get me wrong, the other guys that accompanied Devon would definitely give your eyes a cavity or two. But Michael and Aiden, whom I would later