33. Jenny
JENNY
Cole was working that morning. I didn’t even realize he had a home office until he showed me the vast room on the far side of the kitchen. We’d made plans to finally see a Thunder game that night. Cole said he’d already bought me a Thunder hoodie and that we would have thebesttime. I couldn’t wait!
With a vow to come out of his meetings for lunch, he gave me a hot kiss. Then he reluctantly headed to his desk. I headed out to the kitchen, badly needing a coffee.
I hated to be apart from Cole for the rest of the morning, but it was likely for the best. I’d slept in and woken up feeling like I’d been hit by a truck. All those rum punches, tequila shots, and emotions from vacation seemed to have caught up with me. I didn’t feel bad, especially, just tired. I had a lot on my mind. There was sifting and sorting to do, the need to figure out how Cole and I would make this work. It seemed easy enough. I’d already called Elena and quit. Next up was a call to my landlord, and then Cole and I needed to discuss whether or not he’d meant what he’d said about me moving into the Liberty.
When we first talked about our future, I’d thought he wanted to set me up in my own place. Then he’d kinda-sorta move in with me. It seemed that buying me my own condo was, in his mind, the next rational step. We’d only been dating for two weeks. We could still have some independent space if I had my own place. If I moved in with him here, we’d be officially official both internally and externally. Maybe that was too many adverbs for Coley to handle all at once.
But as soon as we’d gotten back to the Liberty, he seemed like he changed his mind. Like he wanted me to stay there and live with him full-time. Maybe hewasalready ready for more.
Was I?
The thing was, the answer seemed simple: I couldn’t imagine being away from him. Why would I want my own place if it meant he might not be there? Why would I want my own bed when I liked sharing his? It had only been a short amount of time, and yet I felt like I no longer made sense without Cole. He’d become just as much a part of me as my curls and honking laugh; I wouldn’t be me without him.
So I knew my answer, even though it scared the hell outta me.
It was yes. Yes, I was already ready for more.
I let myself sing a happy song in the shower, “Walking on Sunshine,” an oldie but a goodie. And for the first time in a long time, I didn’t berate myself for hoping. I let myself feel, once again, that perhaps my hope was meant to be. Maybe good things could happen. Even for a girl like me.
I was still humming the tune while I dressed. I heard my phone beep and lunged for it, hoping it was Audrey. I wanted to know if there was anything new with crazy-ass Celia Preston. But it was a text from an unknown number with a six-one-seven area code, someone local but unfamiliar.
Funny to be seeing you so dressed up.
The sender included a screenshot of Cole and me walking into Todd and Evie’s wedding. My head was held high. Cole was grinning, his arm around me in my special mermaid dress.
Sluts like you don’t deserve dresses like that.
You can pretend, but I know the truth.
Once a whore, always a whore.
I blinked at the messages. They were so mean. I felt like I’d been slapped in the face.
There was a girl who I used to work with, Renata, who was always picking on me—she was real jealous. Maybe this was her?
Renata, is that you, you bitch?
Don’t you think it’s time you got a life?
It’s not Renata. What kind of frickin’ name is that, anyway?
It’s Aunty Theresa. Remember me?
The one who took you in? When you had nothing? When no one else gave a shit?
You stole from me, and you lied. And I ain’t ever gonna forget about it, BITCH.
I’M GONNA MAKE YOU PAY!
You AND that billionaire of yours.
She included emojis of an eggplant, a bagful of money, and a devil face.
I didn’t put my phone down—I threw it across the room. And then I ran into the bathroom and promptly threw up.
After I cleaned myself up, I took a deep breath and picked up my phone, even though I didn’t want to. The screen was cracked, but I could still see I had a missed call. It was another local number, but it wasn’t from my Aunty Theresa, thank goodness.
My phone flashed; I had a new voicemail. With shaking hands, I pressed the Play button.
“Jennifer, this is Lewis Bryson, Cole’s father,” said a man. His voice was deep, like Cole’s, but icy. “I don’t usually leave phone messages, but this communication required special consideration. Please listen carefully, as I’m not apt to repeat myself.
“I’ve been in contact with your family, in particular, your aunt. They know all about you. They also know about Cole. You might not care about my son, but I do,” he said.
I clutched my stomach.
“Your aunt seemed very interested to hear you were dating a billionaire. She said that you owed her quite a large sum of money. She also said you’d done some things you should be ashamed of—things you might not want my son to know.”
A cold sweat broke out on the back of my neck.
“Let me make this simple for you,” Lewis Bryson said. “Leave now and don’t look back. If you do that, I’ll ensure your aunt stays where she should: at the bottom of the trash heap. But if you defy me and stay with my son, I am going to fund her smear campaign. Your choice, Jennifer. Please make the right one. If not for you, then for my son. You have until noon today to leave the Liberty. Don’t say one word to Cole. Otherwise, there’ll be hell to pay.”
I didn’t bother throwing the phone. This time, I just dropped it.
It took me a full minute to process what had happened. My Aunty Theresa had found me because Cole’s father had found her . He knew all about me. He’d listened to the terrible things she’d said. He didn’t want me anywhere near his son, and I couldn’t blame him.
There was no question in my mind about what I was going to do.
There was only one way forward. There was only one way to survive this. Run. Running was the only reason I was still alive; I knew that. Being smart was my secret weapon, and I was smart enough to have learned the lesson when it was taught to me the hard way.
I looked at the clock. At twelve, Cole would come out looking for his lunch.
At twelve, I’d be long gone.
It was for the best. I was making the best choice for the man I loved.
Your choice, Jennifer, Lewis Bryson had said .
Please make the right one. If not for you, then for my son.
I’d never in a million years thought that my Aunty Theresa would come back. I’d thought she was dead. Poor lifestyle choices, you know? But what I’d believed as a child had proven true: evil things didn’t die. They were like scenes from a scary movie or monsters in your closet; that shit could haunt you forever.
I scrawled out a note for Cole.
Hey Cole:
I’m sorry, but I have to leave. I’ve been doing some thinking and this just isn’t going to work. I’m not made for a real relationship. I can’t really picture living here in this fancy building, acting like I’m on the same level as you. Or even at the same level as Florence and Greta. They’re bitches, but they bought their own place, you know?
I didn’t do that. I won’t ever be able to do that.
I don’t belong here. I don’t belong in your world.
I’m sorry I’m missing out on the box seats at the Thunder tonight. I was really looking forward to that.
I’ll still root for your team, though.
The wedding was fun, the vacation was fun, staying at your swanky penthouse was fun. I loved every second. But you know what they say, right? All’s well that ends well. It’s better this way, Coley. You stay okay and I’ll stay okay.
Okay?
We’ll always have the seals. And Iggy the Iguana. I won’t ever forget that dressing room, either, not to mention the plunge pool.
You’re a good guy.
I know you’ll make a nice girl real happy one day.
~ Jenny
I put the note on the table and grabbed my bag.
Then, without a backward glance, I left the Liberty—and Cole, and any chance of happiness I’d ever known—far, far behind.