Page 51 of Love Medley (Med Wreck Romance #1)

Chapter forty

Lucy

W hen I get to Bill’s the next afternoon, Trix is typing furiously on her laptop and Ian is scanning through his phone beside her, but Jake instantly glances up at me.

It’s only been days, but it feels like longer. My heart stumbles the moment I see him—messy hair, guarded smile, the ache in his eyes mirroring mine. I want to touch him, but I can't. At least not yet.

Trix stops typing. “Hey, Lucy.”

Ian gives me a wave.

But I have eyes only for Jake.

“Hey, guys. Thanks so much for doing this. I really appreciate your help,” I say, trying to remain calm when I’m anything but. What is Jake thinking? Does he miss me as much as I miss him? Is it possible he could forgive me for what I said to him?

“So, you want to know about Weston Ashcroft,” Trix says, closing her laptop.

Ian puts his phone to the side, and I slide in next to Jake, the heat from him addictively enticing.

I want to touch him so badly, but I try to concentrate.

I feel his gaze raking over me, and I barely refrain from pressing my leg into his.

“Weston is a complete douchebag, which is likely a surprise to no one,” Trix continues. “In high school, he beat up his girlfriend, and the subsequent lawsuit was dropped abruptly for no apparent reason. But then I found a payout of $100,000 to the family—an 'anonymous' donation.”

My eyebrows go up. Weston has a history of physical assault, after all. I shiver at the growing awareness that I escaped him by the skin of my teeth. While I had my suspicions, it’s different hearing cold, hard facts about his brutal past.

Beside me, I sense Jake stiffen. I guess this information is as much of a surprise to him as it is to me. Trix must have waited to tell us all at the same time.

“Fast forward to college. Weston cheated on a couple of exams, and Daddy bailed him out by donating a new wing to a building. He got in a couple of bar fights, and once again attacked a woman. This time, he wasn’t even dating her, but he stalked her and wouldn’t leave her alone.

She brought her issues to the school administration, but lo and behold, the girl abruptly drops out of the school and is never heard from again. ”

Wow. I had no idea Weston was this awful. Why did I assume I was the first woman he terrorized? Of course he has a history of violence.

And I’m not surprised he cheated on exams in college. His reactions to my scores were way out of proportion. He probably would have done anything to boost his own grades, even cheat.

Finally, the stalking. I remember now how he had memorized my outfit from the first day of medical school, and I didn’t even recall meeting him that day. He probably targeted me then—the realization sends chills down my spine.

“I found all the parties in question, and they’re ready to fight back. So let me know what you want to do.” Trix gives me a sly smile. “I have an idea of how to wreak havoc on Weston, but I won’t do anything without your say-so.”

Unable to help myself, I glance quickly at Jake, who gives me a smile so mixed with sadness and hope that my heart squeezes painfully. Once more I’m struck by how Jake helped me even after I treated him badly. He still put me first, stepping up as always to help me out.

Before now, I thought there was no way to fight back against Weston, since I didn’t have any concrete evidence of his behavior.

Not to mention, the Ashcrofts are ungodly rich, and I was no match against their money and influence.

But now? I have every faith that Trix means what she says.

She doesn’t seem like the type of person to make claims she can’t back up. And most importantly, Jake trusts her.

It’s simultaneously terrifying and liberating to think that I, Lucy Chang, have the power to fight back against Weston. Me, the girl who barely had a mind of her own and allowed everyone else to direct her path. Do I have the courage to take this step forward?

If Jake can reach out first with no safety net, so can I.

Suddenly, I’m filled with fierce determination. This stage of my life, this passive limbo where I don’t take charge of my own trajectory, is over. It’s my life, and I make my own choices. Not anyone else. Not my parents, not Weston, not Peter. Not even my friends and Jake.

Me .

“Weston in a position of power is a bad idea.” I say in a confident tone that is unrecognizable even to me.

I discover that I enjoy how it sounds—forceful and firm.

“He doesn’t feel any remorse for what he’s done and instead perpetuates his bad behavior.

If there is a legal way to fight back, I’d like to pursue that. ”

At the edge of my vision, I see Jake’s hand twitch as if he wants to touch me, an impulse I share. But I can’t focus on him just yet.

“And that,” Trix says with a grin, “is where Ian comes in.”

Ian clears his throat. “First of all, Lucy, I’m so sorry about this asshole. No woman should ever endure what he put you through.”

“Thanks, Ian,” I say. It’s good to know that there are guys like Ian and Jake who respect women.

Ian shakes his head. “Please don’t thank me. Treating you like an equal should be the bare minimum. Anyway. I’m not really the one that can help. But my sister Sophia can. She’s the lead reporter at the Blackwell Times , and she’d love to write a story on this.”

And that’s when I know: I can ruin Weston’s life. Ironically, he threatened the same to me the night I hid in my bathroom. It’s fitting we are coming full circle.

It isn’t a decision I take lightly, but if I can help other women in my situation, I’ll do it. I know Weston and his dad will put up a fight, but I’ve got to try.

“Let’s take this bastard down,” I say.

After we figure out when to meet at Sophia’s office, I tap Jake’s shoulder. “Would you go for a walk with me?”

He nods, his gray eyes serious.

As we exit into the sunlit day, we speak at the same time.

“I’m so sorry—” I say.

“I shouldn’t have—” he says.

And then we both stop and laugh awkwardly. “You first,” I say.

Jake says, “I wish I could have a redo.”

Wait, does he think our fight was his fault? “I don’t think you’re the one who needs the redo.”

Jake shakes his head. “You were…stressed, and I only added to it. I wouldn't be surprised if you were upset because of all the combined pressures on you—your mom, Weston, Peter, me—it was a perfect storm. ”

Oh, Jake. This man understands me deeply in a way no one ever has before.

The realization hits hard and makes it even more clear how ridiculously stupid it was to push him away.

Not only that, he's shouldering the blame when he’s not the one at fault.

“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said any of the things I did.

You’re right, I was overwhelmed, but that doesn’t excuse my behavior. ”

Jake gives me a wry smile. “Didn’t you say I was first?”

My lips quirk upwards, an automatic reflex when I’m around this man. “Fair.”

“I was thinking about our conversation about Sam. When I was explaining why she and I weren't a good fit, did you think I was talking about you too?”

My heart clenches. He's right, he's always right.

He sees me to my very core, even the places I'm scared to show. “I was worried I was just like Sam,” I admit. “Because we both put our parents ahead of everyone else. Whereas you decided on your own path, and you followed it, even though your dad disapproved. That’s amazing. As for me? I was just trying to maintain the status quo, playing it safe instead of going after what I wanted.”

Jake shakes his head. “I just want to make something crystal clear. While I’m glad you’re learning to stand up for yourself, it’s because it’s good for you .

The way I feel about you doesn’t hinge on how you deal with your parents.

You just get me, Lucy. When I told you about my dad for the first time, you just…

understood. But Sam never did—she just kept pushing me to reconcile.

In her own way, I think she was trying to help, but it only drove us farther ap art.

And that’s okay, because frankly, we were a terrible fit. ”

I huff. “That’s what pisses me off so much about the people in your life. Your dad, Sterling, Sam–they don’t understand how wonderful you are. They keep trying to change you! Don’t they understand that you don’t need to change? You’re perfect the way you are.”

“Then it’s a good thing your opinion matters more than theirs.” Jake’s eyes are soft, and all I want to do is close the distance between us. “I feel so lucky to know you, Lucy. No matter what happens, my life is better with you in it.”

We both stop on the sidewalk, staring at each other. I’m tracing his features with my eyes and wish more than anything that I was in his arms.

In my head, I whisper: I choose you.

Just as I decide to reach for him, I hear a harsh, unwelcome voice.

“I thought you’d figure out by now that Lucy is way too good for you.”