Chapter 41 – Phoenix
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Tell me who hurt you
Phoenix
“Ms. McNamara is here to see you,” Charlotte says, peeking her head into my office.
I can’t help the goofy smile that takes over my face. “Send her in, and hold my calls, please.”
Jordie’s never stopped by unannounced, but I’m happy she did. Standing, I remove my suit jacket and hang it on the back of my chair.
My goddess storms into the room, and my eyes widen. She looks angry and sad and freaked out all at the same time.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” I ask, rushing to her, but she pushes past me, dropping her bag on the floor as she sprints to my office restroom. I follow, finding her on her knees, vomiting into the toilet.
Kneeling beside her, I hold her ponytail, which is sticking out the back of her cap. “It’s okay,” I croon, rubbing her back. “Get it all up.”
Dread seeps into my skin and all the way to my bones. I know what it means when a woman vomits unexpectedly. I’ve gotten my girl pregnant, and now she’s going to leave me.
It’s a jump of logic, but that’s automatically where my mind goes, and I have to shove my panic way down deep so I can take care of her. A few minutes later, Jordie’s brushed her teeth with my spare toothbrush, and that’s when the panic re-emerges.
I lean against the restroom wall and slide down until my butt hits the ground.
Tears fill my eyes, and I lower my face, covering the back of my head with my hands.
And I sob. My body shakes with the storm of my emotion.
I didn’t feel anything like this with Beatrice, only anger topped with a little bit of hurt, but there wasn’t this deep despair I feel now.
A gentle hand rubs my back, just as I did for her a few minutes ago, and I finally look up to find her kneeling beside me. She speaks softly. “It’s okay. I feel better now. I was just upset, but I promise I’m all right.”
I can’t hold it in any longer. “Please don’t leave me,” I beg as tears stream down my face. “Please, Jordie. I’ll do anything. I’ll raise the baby. I’ll quit my job. Just please don’t—” The rest of the desperate words won’t come because it feels like someone’s taken a hammer to my voice box.
My beautiful girl’s face is a mask of confusion and concern. “What baby are you talking about?”
I look down at her stomach, like I can see something growing inside her. “You’re pregnant.”
Jordie’s brow creases, her voice rising. “I am?”
“Aren’t you?”
“Not that I know of, though it’s not for a lack of trying.”
Her dry response eases something inside me. “But you threw up.”
Jordie’s shoulders sag, and she breathes out a sympathetic sigh before climbing onto my lap and burrowing against me, her hand cradling the side of my face. “Oh, you poor thing. You thought I was pregnant and going to pull a Beatrice.”
My head bobs in a nod. “I’m sorry. I freaked out and went to the worst-case scenario.”
She kisses my cheek sweetly. “I’m not pregnant, and I’m not leaving you. Even if I did accidentally get pregnant, there’s no way you’re getting rid of me, Phoenix.” Her eyes latch onto mine. “I’m not her.”
I feel ashamed and try to duck my head, but she won’t let me, holding me firm with a thumb beneath my chin. “I’m so sorry. You’re nothing like her but…”
“But you’ve been burned in the past, and sometimes that can affect your thought processes,” Jordie finishes, so damn wise for her years.
“Yeah.” I crack a smile. “I thought we were in a Laurel and Hardy situation there for a minute.”
Her head tilts. “Laurel and Hardy? Are they obstetricians or something?”
I bark out a laugh and wrap my arms around her, remembering that something upset her enough to make her puke. “Tell me who hurt you.”
I am fucking furious.
By the time she’s done recounting her story, my entire body is brimming with anger, and I want to punch something.
Or someone. I’ve never hit a woman, but if Jordie’s goddamn egg donor was in front of me right now, I’m not making any promises.
Maybe I’d just hold her down and let Jordie beat the shit out of her.
“Show me the pictures,” I say, rising from the floor with my woman in my arms. “I’ll fix this.”
We retrieve the envelope from her bag and settle on my office couch.
I flip through the photos. There’s nothing about them that’s obscene in nature, some kissing and hugging, but they do paint a portrait of a couple.
One with an age gap that some might find distasteful.
One that might affect Jordie’s contracts.
I set them down and turn to face her on the couch, taking her hands. “We’ve known this was going to come out at some point. I think it’s going to have to be sooner rather than later.”
She nods. “I know, and I’m not ashamed to be with you. I know we’re not doing anything wrong because we love each other, but if they release this to the press, they’re going to put a salacious spin on it. You know they will.”
“I’m aware. I work in marketing, so I know all about spin.
The key is that we get our spin out there first and that cuts off their leverage.
” A muscle tics in Jordie’s jaw, and I continue, “I know you think the press has no place in a relationship, but when you’re famous, it’s something you have to deal with.
People are interested in what you do, who you date.
There’s only so much we can do in this situation. ”
“So we have to control the narrative.”
A small smile slides across my face. “That’s what I’m saying. Everyone was going to find out anyway. It was inevitable. Marriage certificates are public records.”
“M-marriage?”
I raise one eyebrow. “You didn’t think I was going to live in sin with you forever, did you?”
Jordie snorts. “I didn’t realize you were such a paragon of virtue, Mr. Hale.”
I tug on her hands, meeting her halfway for a soft kiss. “I’m an angel,” I tease.
“Okay, now you’re pushing it.” She gnaws on her bottom lip. “I’m assuming you have a plan?”
“I do. First of all, we’re going to have to tell our families about us. Soon.”
She nods agreeably. “Okay, I was getting tired of sneaking around anyway. I can drive up to Pine Tree Falls and talk to them.” She seems to be relaxing into the idea.
“I’m going with you.”
Jordie eyes me skeptically. “Are you sure you want to do that?”
“I am doing that,” I say with finality. “Then we’ll have to have a press conference. I’ll do all the talking if you want.”
She lifts her chin. “No, it’s my mess so I’ll handle it.”
“Atta girl. There’s my fierce Jordie-pie.”
“Oh my god, don’t call me that,” she orders, smacking me in the arm.
“Okay, Jordie-pie,” I say. “I need to get started making some phone calls.”
Her eyebrows press together. “Who are you calling?”
“First of all, my family’s attorneys. And then someone who has a par-tic-ular set of skills.” I deliver that last sentence with maximum mysteriousness.
With wide eyes, she whispers, “Like Liam Neeson in that Taken movie? Are you going to have them snuffed out?”
“Don’t fucking tempt me,” I growl, standing and pulling her toward my desk. She perches on the edge while I make a phone call with my cell on speaker, her gaze narrowing when I say. “Tank, it’s Phoenix. Got a little job for you.”
“What’s up?”
“Someone’s trying to hurt Jordie.”
I hear the squeak of leather like he just stood up out of his chair. “On my way. How many men do I need to bring, and do I need a rocket launcher or just firearms?”
I smile at my goddess’s wide-eyed look. “Not that kind of job,” I say. “Though I appreciate it. I need your computer skills.” By the sound of it, he settles back into his chair.
“What am I looking for?”
Between Jordie and I, we fill him in, drawing curses and mumbles of, “Fuck around and find out,” from him as his fingers click across his keyboard.
“On it,” he says. “I’ll have something for you in a couple days.”
“Okay, buddy. Send me a bill.”
When I hang up, Jordie looks at me questioningly. “What are you expecting him to find?”
I lean back in my chair and tap my lips with steepled fingers. “I have no fucking clue, but if there’s anything out there, Tank will find it.”