The One That Got Away

By Erika Reed

Five years after running away from the man she loved, Peyton Montgomery is coming home.

 

With nowhere to live, no money in the bank, and still stinging from being served her divorce papers, Peyton is returning to help her mother care for her father after a heart attack. Being back means eventually she'll run into the man that broke her heart and ruined her for anyone else. When they do cross paths, Peyton soon discovers she wasn't the only one that lost so much after she left.

 

Because of one drunken mistake, Jackson Holt lost the woman he loved. Now he has another shot at mending the relationship he once had with Peyton, but he has a confession he needs to get off his chest before they both can move forward and claim the life and the love they lost the night Peyton left.

 

 

Warning: The One That Got Away was previously written under the title "Shattered Hearts". It has since been revised and re-edited with new bonus material added to the story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Erika Reed
• Release date: Jan 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393463030

Book preview

The One That Got Away

By

Erika Reed

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

Copyright © January 2021 by Erika Reed ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal, except for the case of brief quotations in reviews and articles. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

AVAILABLE TITLES BY ERIKA REED

STANDALONE BOOKS:

Staking Their Claim

Worth Waiting For

Surrendering Her Heart

Protecting Lexi

Room to Love

Under Their Protection

Irresistible Twins

The One That Got Away

Goldie

Tasty Cravings

Playing the Field

Strip

The Hitman and the Nanny

More Than Enough

SONS OF SINNERS SERIES:

Down and Dirty

Tempted by Sinners

Greedy Bastards

Taking Control

Trust Us

LAST CHANCE TAVERN SERIES:

Taking Chances

Masters of Her Heart

Triple Her Pleasure

TACTICAL ENFORCERS AGENCY SERIES:

Caught

Deceived

MEN OF INFERNO SERIES:

Burning up the Sheets

Hot and Dirty

Hot for Them

ETERNITY SERIES:

Theirs to Protect

Theirs to Love

Blurb

FIVE YEARS AFTER RUNNING away from the man she loved, Peyton Montgomery is coming home.

With nowhere to live, no money in the bank, and still stinging from being served her divorce papers, Peyton is returning to help her mother care for her father after a heart attack. Being back means eventually she’ll run into the man that broke her heart and ruined her for anyone else. When they do cross paths, Peyton soon discovers she wasn’t the only one that lost so much after she left.

Because of one drunken mistake, Jackson Holt lost the woman he loved. Now he has another shot at mending the relationship he once had with Peyton, but he has a confession he needs to get off his chest before they both can move forward and claim the life and the love they lost the night Peyton left.

The One That Got Away

Prologue

PEYTON WAS EAGER TO be back in her hometown of Tanner Lake. She drove through downtown Main St., watching as a few folks smiled and waved in her direction. She drove the little Honda Civic her parents had bought for her as a graduation gift from high school. Knowing she had planned on attending University of Montana in the fall, they made sure she had a reliable car to travel back and forth with. Since the university she was attending was over two hundred miles away from home, she’d insisted on living in the student dorms on campus so she didn’t have to make a long commute.

It was spring break, and Easter was just a week away. She couldn’t wait to enjoy Easter dinner with her parents as they sat down and gave thanks while eating her mother’s sweet and juicy glazed ham that she served along with her cheesy potato casserole every year.

Spring was in the air as Peyton gazed at the patches of greenery, large overgrown trees, and the blooming, bright paisley colors that spread throughout the town.

She had missed her parents terribly since she had moved away to college. The thought of sleeping in her own bed that night made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. Peyton missed her privacy, as sharing a room with two other roommates, Whitney and Michelle, became cramped and noisy at times when she wanted to study.

When she’d last spoken to her parents about coming home for spring break, she had told them she was utterly swamped with her studies and didn’t think she could make it home for the week’s visit. As the other students, such as her roommates, would be heading off for the holiday week, blowing off some pent-up steam, Peyton decided to stick around campus, taking advantage of having the room all to herself to study.

We sure will miss you, honey. Your father and I miss you terribly and understand that your studies come first.

Mom, I just don’t want to make any promises. Since the girls are going home for the holiday, I have the room to myself and have the chance to catch up without any interruptions.

Honey, Jackson is going to be so heartbroken when you tell him that you won’t make it back like you promised.

I know. I need to call him next and break the news to him. I miss you all so much, Mom. You can’t imagine how homesick I am. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right decision on attending a college away from my loved ones.

Nonsense. We all are aware of your aspirations of becoming a veterinarian tech one day. Your father and I know how much you loved volunteering your time at the clinic with Dr. Bob. Now, if you don’t end this call with me soon, you won’t get any of your studies done like you hoped.

Thanks, Mom. Give Dad my love, and I’m going to call Jackson right now. Maybe if I work like a madman, day and night, I can still get what I want done and take the rest with me home to work on. I will work on the most important stuff first and then see where I find myself.

That would be wonderful, dear. I won’t tell your father, in case you don’t get it done. I love you, and we’ll talk soon, sweetie.

Peyton had dragged her feet long enough and knew she had to make the dreadful phone call to her boyfriend, Jackson, informing him not to expect her to come home this holiday. When she’d spoken to Jackson, he told Peyton he wished she’d reconsider her decision and mentioned he wanted to talk to her about something important. She heard by the tone of his voice that it was vital, but she still couldn’t make the trip. She remembered the conversation they had on the phone after she hung up with her mother.

Jackson, I know you expected me to come home this time, but I had some last-minute things that came up, and if I don’t get them done, I will fall behind.

Peyton, I thought we could have some alone time together. I miss you so much, and there’s been so much I want to share with you. You don’t know how hard it’s been on me not being able to see and share my feelings with you now that you’re at college. You told me things wouldn’t change between us if you went away, and now I feel lonelier than ever before. I need you, Peyton. Can’t you work on your homework here? I promise I won’t bother you. Just knowing that you are home makes me feel at ease.

Let me see what I can get done here. But I won’t make any promises to you, Jackson. As for now, I have to stay here. Now ... let me get back to my studies and we’ll talk soon.

Peyton didn’t want to let on that she had already planned to crash study for the rest of the week in order to be able to make it home like she wanted to. She missed him to pieces. Peyton found herself staring at his picture she’d brought with her on her desk every day. Jackson was the sweetest, kindest guy she had ever dated. Peyton was utterly in love with him.

Peyton had been dating Jackson Holt since their junior year in high school. She had never really paid him much notice before the day Jackson had approached her in home economics class, asking for her help with his cake they were being graded on that day. Everyone in town knew her parents owned Sweets and Treats Bakery on Main St., and something told her she should help him out. From that day on, they’d started to spend more time with one another until Jackson finally asked her to be his girl. Since that day, they had dated one another exclusively.

Peyton grabbed her cell phone that was sitting in the cup holder next to her and dialed her best friend, Samantha. While she had been away at school, Peyton hadn’t spoken with her as much as she liked to. Life had become busier with her studies. Nowadays they were lucky to send each other a little text or a quick call on the weekends. But in the past month, Peyton hadn’t heard as much from her friend as she used to. Sam answered her call on the first ring.

Hey, Sam. Guess what? she asked.

Hi, Peyton, what’s up?

After studying like a madman this week, I finally finished, and I am almost to my parents’ house now, she said enthusiastically. My mom and dad don’t know I am coming home, either. I can’t wait to surprise them. Peyton waited for her friend to scream and yell in excitement that she was back home. H-e-l-l-ooo ...are you still there, Sam? she questioned, looking at her phone to make sure she hadn’t ended the call by accident.

Uh ... yeah, I’m here. Sorry, Peyton. I was just thinking about something, and you just caught me off guard with your big news. Umm, does Jackson know you changed your mind and are home for the week?

Peyton looked in her rearview mirror and brushed her bangs off her forehead. No. I wanted to make sure that I got my studies done so I could pack and head out. No one knows I’m here. I wanted to surprise you all. Peyton could detect in Sam’s voice that something was bothering her. Sam didn’t always act this strange on the phone. What gives, Sam? Is something wrong?

Oh no, Peyton. Don’t get me wrong. I am so happy you are going to be here this week. We have a lot of catching up to do while you’re here. Maybe one night this week we can have a girls’ night at either my house or yours like we used to. We’ll watch chick flicks and stuff our faces with fattening stuff as we watch them. I know you are going to want to spend time with your parents this evening, so after you visit with them, call me and I will come by so we can talk.

Okay, Sam. I will call you after I get settled. Then I will call Jackson and make plans with him tonight.

Great. Just make sure I get to spend time with you first before you see Jackson or else I have a feeling I won’t get to see you this whole week, Sam added.

Peyton knew her friend wasn’t acting jealous. After all, Sam liked Jackson. Sam just wanted to get her girl time in with her best friend, and Samantha knew Peyton would end up spending most of her quality time with Jackson before she left at the end of the week.

When Peyton walked into the house, her mother was pleasantly surprised to see her there. Her mother told Peyton that her father was in the shower. Her father walked into the kitchen, freshly showered as he’d just gotten home from the bakery and noticed Peyton sitting at the table talking with her mom.

His smile brightened as he stalked toward her to wrap her in a fatherly embrace, which she had dearly missed. Peyton, what a surprise. I thought you weren’t coming home this week, he said against her ear as he hugged her.

She arched her neck to look her dad in the eye. At five-foot-four, she had to strain to look at her dad’s six-two stature. I was just telling Mom that I finished up my lessons and I missed everyone and wanted to come home.

After sitting and catching up with her parents about classes and teachers, she sent a text to Samantha, letting her know that she was free and for her to come over.

Sam had texted her back to meet her at the old barn on the lake. Sam and Peyton spent most of their summers on the lake as everyone else did. That was Peyton and Jackson’s