Chapter 15
Talk To Him
Lynn
I’m annoyed with myself.Matthew and Wilson warned me it was time to move and change locations. I think the real reason I was reluctant to is Jess.
All this time I’ve felt like she’s needed me here. The truth is, I’ve needed her just as much. Now we’re stuck here in this hotel suite until Wilson, Matthew, and Elise find us a new place and a way out.
“This didn’t happen by chance. One of your employees did this. You’ve compromised the safety of my artist and her guest. I’ll be talking to your cooperate office. We will never use another of your establishments,” Matthew bellows at the hotel manager who came up to the room.
“Sir, please. I understand you’re upset. I’m already investigating the matter. Our guests’ confidentiality is very important to us. I plan to comp your room for the next few nights.” The manager looks over at Jess.
“Miss Monroe, I would like to question you when you’re available,” the manager says with heat in her eyes.
I stand, getting ready to tell her off, but Matthew steps in before I can. I have never seen him so angry. His face has turned all sorts of red.
“Why on earth would you need to question her? She was the one almost trampled because someone on your staff opened their mouth to tell that Miss Galveston is here.
“She’s a guest of Miss Galveston’s and if you ask me, it was jealousy over that fact that this stemmed from. Jess has only ever been here on her time off. She’s important to Miss Galveston, and that’s why she’s here.
“If I so much as think she’s being mistreated or reprimanded for her interaction with any of our party, I will have a lawsuit filed against y’all so fast, your successor’s head will spin. Don’t think about trying me either. I don’t make threats, I make promises.
“Now get out. You people have done enough. I have arrangements to make,” he bites out and storms off, leaving the poor woman looking lost and ready to soil her pants.
She turns to see herself out and I reclaim my seat. I’m fuming and need a moment to think. I don’t want to go to another hotel. The best thing would be to rent a property. It may be an inconvenience getting back and forth to the hospital. Although, now that it’s known I’m in Texas, I might not be able to slip in and out of the hospital as I have been, thanks to Dr. Curry.
“I think they’re still going to fire me,” Jess says quietly, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Then you’ll work for me until I return home. We’ll figure something out for after that before the time comes. Matthew is right. This was done out of jealousy toward you. I should have seen this coming sooner.”
“It’s not your fault. You have a lot on your mind.”
I lift my locket and fidget with it, running it back and forth over the chain. I need to get Jess out of this hotel and home safely. We’re all used to what happened. She was clearly in shock once we were all loaded securely in the elevator.
Her hands were shaking as she received a text on the way up to the suite. Matthew was livid as she and Maggie were almost hurt. Maggie had tried to help Jess and got caught in the crossfire. Someone had to have leaked that I was here.
People seemed to leap out of nowhere, we were surrounded so fast. Jess has been sitting in shock since we made it into the suite. I feel terrible.
“She wasn’t wrong,” Jess says from beside me.
I turn to look at her, and she’s staring at the locket in my hand. I knit my brows, wondering what she’s talking about. Her eyes light up and she fully turns toward me.
“My mama. She wasn’t crazy. Well, she is but not like I thought. She always said my daddy didn’t love her because he was in love with someone else.
“That locket, yours is the other half. When I asked him about it earlier. He said someone he loves has the other half. Not someone he loved—someone he loves.
“As in the present. Oh my God. You have to speak to him. You guys need to talk,” she pleads.
“Jess—”
“No. Listen. I don’t know what happened, but I know something did happen. I’ve been doing the math. My daddy has talked about Paris a few times to me, and I believe he let it spill that he was there with a girlfriend.
“I know that was you. I think that was the last time he was truly happy. The way his eyes light up when he talks about it.”
She pauses and moves to the floor in front of me. Getting on her knees, she grabs my hands and looks into my eyes pleadingly. I’m too stunned to say a word.
She sighs heavily. “I know you need to talk to him. I … I learned something. Something I’m not ready to share with anyone because it’s devastating, and it’s going to hurt a lot of people.
“If I’m right, my secret affects you too. No one deserves to feel like I feel. This confusion, this hurt, I don’t even know who I am. I feel like this thing used to hurt people I love,” she says through a throat clogged with emotions.
Her eyes are filled with tears. “I don’t know if I’m right. This could all be assumptions, but my gut and the trail the pieces of my daddy’s heart have made tells me I’m onto something.
“You need the truth. As hurtful as it is, I’m glad I have mine. No one deserves betrayal like this. Especially not a man like my daddy,” she says.
“Jess, some things should be left in the past. Decisions were made. People made choices and we’ve lived with those.”
“No. No, no, no. Choices were taken. You don’t understand. You have to talk to him and hear his side. I know something bad happened. If she could do this to me … please, just talk to him.”
“You’ve been hurt. I get that, but what I had with your father was years ago. Who’s to say we still feel that way?”
“Y’all do. I know my daddy does and I know you do too. He’s the man in Texas,” she says and begins to sing me my lyrics.
I close my eyes as the tears begin to spill over. I don’t think anyone else has ever figured out how personal that song is.
There’s a man in Texas.
His hair is like gold and his eyes are blue.
He’s tender when I want it
He’s rough when I need it
He’s everything, everything, everything I’ve needed.
He’s very honest
He’s overprotective
He’s right in the place where my heart will always bleed through?—
There’s a man, there’s a man, there’s a man I love?—
In Texas?—
“You were spelling my daddy’s name. You still love him, and he has always loved you. Someone has just been weaponizing the honorable man he is.”
“Oh shit. How did I miss that?” Elise gasps. “I’ve listened to that song a million times and never caught that.”
“That’s my favorite album. It’s so real. I could feel her emotions in every song.”
“They’re just songs,” I murmur.
“No, they’re not. They’re your half of the truth. Please, talk to him for me. This is all my fault. If it wasn’t for me—” She cuts off and shakes her head.
“Lynn,” Elise starts.
I hold my hand up and shake my head. “Matt, Wilson, I need you to get me and Jess out of here. I don’t need to be followed. I need to get her home and I need some time,” I call out.
I take a deep breath and look at Jess. “I need to get dressed.”
“Okay.”