Chapter 23
Francesca
The next morning, I wake up to an empty bed. I replay the night and our conversation, and I wonder if it was real. Did we really confess all that we did? Did he mean it?
I stretch, emotion runs through my body, and a smile crosses my face. I roll to grab my phone off the bedside table to check the time, seeing a few text messages.
Jackson: Good morning, beautiful. I wanted to be there when you woke up, but I figured it’d be best if I wasn’t found naked in your bed.
With our family, you never know who may wander in.
I also thought you might need a minute to let this sink in, but don’t think for one minute I didn’t want to stay wrapped up in you. I’ll be back for that tonight
Smiling, I think ‘how presumptuous of you, Gage.’
Jackson: Practice with the boys. Have coffee on, I’ll be back afterwards <3
I raise a brow at the heart emoji. This man is surprising at every turn.
But now what? I guess we’re together, for real, but still faking for our family?
Britt: Bishhhh! You better call me! What the hell happened last night? TMZ is blowing you up.
Oh god, the event. The fight. I forgot all about it after getting caught up with Jackson last night. Now I need to do damage control. Looking through my phone, I see more notifications of press releases.
KNIGHT IN SHINING… HELMET?
JACKSON GAGE, FRANCESCA CASANOVA AND NICK GOLDMAN IN A LOVE TRIANGLE?
VIDEO OBTAINED FROM ONLOOKERS LAST NIGHT, SHOWS GOLDMAN APPROACHED GAGE IN A HEATED EXCHANGE.
ALTHOUGH IT IS UNCLEAR WHAT IS BEING SAID, AN EYEWITNESS WHO WAS AT THE EVENT SAYS GOLDMAN HAD SOME POOR CHOICE WORDS TO DESCRIBE EX GIRLFRIEND CASANOVA, TO WHICH GAGE PROMPTLY REMINDED HIM WHY HE IS AN EX AND GAGE IS CURRENT. MORE TO COME ON THIS DEVELOPING STORY.
Britt: Also, why did I see my brother leaving your house in the early morning light?
She sends me the raised brow emoji and I sigh. This is going to start a ripple effect now.
Climbing from my bed, I throw on my robe, seeing my dress and under garments strewn around the room. I’m sore as I walk to the bathroom, but a good sore. God, I knew he’d be perfect in bed. I also know he was holding back. I felt him being careful with me. As if he thought I might break.
Or make a break for it.
Either way, I hope this means I get more of him. I will be pushing him over the edge next time.
I throw my Keurig on and send Britt a text. In a matter of minutes, she’s flying through my front door just like I knew she would be.
“Girl, you better tell me everything.”
“I will, I will. But you’re going to need coffee.”
“Am I going to need a shot of Baileys in that coffee?”
I laugh. “Probably! I think we both might. Ugh, I should really watch what they’re putting out about Jackson. What did TMZ release?”
“They’re blasting my brother. But with the video released, I can see why. Jackson turned his back on Nick when Nick approached him, but then he just turned around and swung, Chess! I mean, it shows Nick walking up behind him, but then he just starts pummeling him! Why was he even there?”
I cringe. I knew it would be bad. What I saw when I was coming back from the bathroom was not good.
“I don’t know why he was there, but it felt like he was there specifically for us.
Jackson said he made some comments about me and that set him off.
No one called the cops, but I got us out of there pretty fast. Nick was screaming he was going to sue.
I’ll have to see if anything has been filed with the local courts. ”
Oh god, this is bad. This is the exact reputation we were trying to disparage.
“Was Jackson hurt? It didn’t look like Nick even touched him.”
“Which is going to make it even worse.”
“Well, no, it just looks like he was defending himself.”
“Not if he swung first!” I groan again, laying my head on the island. I can’t even begin to pick up my phone right now.
“You’re going to help him, right?” Britt asks.
I snap up. “Of course, I will! This is my fault he got into this; I’ll make sure it’s cleaned up. We just have more work to do, that’s all.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make it sound like you did this. I just know he was really hoping to get his life straightened out.”
It’s what I promised him and now my drama has just caused more harm.
“He’s your brother, I get it. I’d be upset too.
And I am upset for him. I won’t lie, this doesn’t look good, but he made some good contacts last night.
We just need to put out a statement toning this down immediately and hopefully it will blow over.
Though, knowing Nick, he’s going to take it and run with it. ”
Britt gets a smirk on her face. “Speaking of running, why did I see my brother sneaking across the street at five in the morning?” She raises a brow, waiting for my explanation.
I smother my smile, but my eyes give me away.
“You fucked!” She slaps the island and I jump.
“Jesus, Britt! Not so loud!”
“It’s about time! I want to shout it to the world!” She’s laughing and so am I, but I want to smother her.
“Stop, it wasn’t like that. It was… it was right. And so good,” I groan. “Britt, I know you don’t want to hear this about your brother, but he is something else.”
She moves around in her seat. “Its fine, I knew he’d be hot in bed, I mean, I am, and we’re related so it’s a given,” she laughs then shrugs. “Trust me, I’ve heard worse, the guys talk openly.”
“I’m not just saying the physical act, but his heart, his mind.
Britt, the Jackson I was with last night, was the Jackson I fell in love with as a kid.
He was saying all the right things, and we were on the same page.
It was so good, but I don’t know now. Today is a new day.
Things look different in the daylight after a pot of coffee.
The night and champagne have a way of making things happen, but the daylight is when you have to deal with those happenings.
I’m afraid of what that light has uncovered for him today. ”
She grabs my hand. “No way. I know my brother, and I know what I’ve been seeing since you’ve been back. He’s different. Happy. And even after the mess on TMZ, I don’t think he’s going to run.”
There’s a knock on the door, and I perk up, hoping it’s Jackson. But then I see my brother Tom walk through the door, in uniform.
“Oh no, what’s going on?” I ask.
Toms’ expression is tight. He never gives much away. He’s reserved, but he’d lay down his life for those he loves. His whole life is about what he can do for others, rather than what they can do for him.
“Morning Chessy, hi Britt.” He walks in and I stand to give him a quick hug.
“Coffee?”
“No, I already stopped at Farrah’s.” His eyes flare at the end and he pauses a single second too long, enough to make me wonder if he stopped at Farrah’s coffee shop, or her home.
He continues quickly, “I’m afraid I’m not here for fun.
Francesca, Nick filed charges against Jackson.
I need him to come down to the station.”
“What! No, it didn’t happen in this town. Can he do that?”
“It’s usually jurisdiction specific, but because this didn’t happen in this county, our DA may dismiss the charges.
Nick isn’t very knowledgeable if he thinks he’s going to press charges here for a crime that happened out of county.
He could always refile in the correct one, but it would look bad for him.
It would look like he was just out to defame Jackson instead of actually looking for compensation for the assault. ”
“Why would he do that? Why come all the way here to press charges?” Britt asks.
“Just what Tom said. Nick is looking to cause trouble. And it proves that he was only there to stir shit up last night. If he was seriously hurt, he would have called the cops right there and then.” I turn to Tom. “What time did he file?”
“He just left the station about an hour ago. I saw him there; heard the disruption he was causing. I approached my sergeant; told him I’d deliver the paperwork and get Gage to come down willingly.”
“See? This fight happened last night at nine! Why wait twelve hours later before filing?”
“Tom, why did you come here first? Jackson is at the field practicing.”
He gives me a knowing look, then says, “Just figured you should be the one to know since you’re his PR rep. I’ll go meet him at the field.”
“I’m coming with you,” I say as I run to my room, quickly throwing on some jeans and a t-shirt and sneakers.