by Reese Ryan
“Looking for a ride back to Seattle tonight?” Brooks Abbingdon approached their table and picked up his cell phone, which he’d apparently left behind when he was forced to exit the ballroom. “Since the festivities ended earlier than expected, I’m flying back tonight. Leaving in a little over an hour if you’d like to come along.”
Liam tensed. If even half of the rumors about what a playboy Brooks Abbingdon was were true, he didn’t want Teresa flying back to Seattle on the man’s private jet.
“It isn’t just me. My brother would be coming, too.” Teresa pointed to Joshua, who was just starting to stir as the men stood watch over him.
“That’s your brother?” Brooks gave a long, low whistle. “Is he gonna be a problem?”
“No, he won’t. I promise,” Teresa said. “But if you don’t feel comfortable having him on the plane, I can understand that.”
“As long as you can keep him on a short leash, I’m fine with it. Truth is, we all have family like that, now don’t we?” Brooks winked. “My car will be downstairs in a little over a half an hour. I’ll see you then.” He nodded at Liam and then walked away.
“Teresa, you don’t need to go with him. You can go with me tomorrow morning. You can both stay in my cottage tonight, if you need to.”
“No,” she whispered, her eyes filled with tears. “I won’t get you any more mixed up in this. But thank you for offering and for being a listening ear.”
She leaned down to kiss his cheek, but he turned and pressed his lips to hers instead. A kiss that sent electricity down her spine and filled her body with heat as she remembered what had happened between them earlier. And that it would never happen again.
She slipped out of Liam’s embrace and walked to the stage to collect her brother before Matt Richmond returned.
The security guy agreed to help her brother to the concierge’s office, right by the hotel entrance, where they would wait out of sight for Brooks’s car service to arrive. And he promised to stay with him until she and Josh left the property. It was less of a favor to her and more of an order from Matt Richmond, she was sure. But she appreciated it just the same.
She would need to coordinate with her remaining staff, go back to her room and pack all of her things and meet Brooks at the front door of the hotel in twenty minutes flat.
“Melva, I’ll be checking out tonight.” Teresa approached the front desk in a hurry. She apologized to the beautiful woman standing at the desk for interrupting.
“I’m so sorry, Teresa.” Melva frowned. “Under the circumstances, I hate to ask, but this woman is—”
“You’re Jessie Humphrey’s sister. Jennifer?” Teresa had seen photos of the two women together on Jessie’s Instagram account.
“Geneva.” The woman smiled warmly as she slipped her hand in Teresa’s. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I flew all the way in from Amsterdam to surprise my little sister, but both of my flights were delayed. It seems I missed both of her performances.”
“You did, I’m sorry. They were both brilliant.” Teresa nodded impatiently. She had no doubt Brooks would pull off with or without her. “What can I do for you, Geneva?”
“I wanted to surprise my sister, but she isn’t in her room and she isn’t answering her phone. Do you know where I can find her?”
“I don’t.” Teresa thought better of telling the woman that she’d last seen her sister leaving the ballroom with her ex, Gideon Johns.
“And I can’t allow her to enter Ms. Humphrey’s room without her express permission,” Melva piped. “I’m not really sure what to do with her until her sister pops up.”
“Right. Of course. And the hotel is completely booked.” Teresa thought for a minute. “I’ll tell you what...my room is paid for through Monday. You’ll just need to leave a card on file for incidentals and we can switch the room over to Mrs....”
“Ms. Humphrey.” A pained look dimmed the light in the woman’s eyes momentarily before her easy smile slid back into place. “That would be wonderful. Thank you, Teresa.”
“Give her my room number and a key,” Teresa instructed Melva. “Just give me thirty minutes and I’ll be gone. Perhaps you’ll even run into Jessie in the bar while you wait.”
Teresa said her goodbyes to both women and hurried to her room to pack as quickly as she could.
Twenty-One
Jessie collected her makeup and changed out of her Laylahni Couture ball gown in the greenroom while Gideon waited.
Her head was still spinning with all of the chaos that had ensued once the man made his way onto the stage.
She was in the midst of saying her thank-yous and had one encore song left to perform. Why couldn’t the drunk party crasher have waited until then to jump onstage?
Jessie stared in the mirror. Her eyes were puffy and red from the tears that wouldn’t seem to stop flowing once they’d started. She’d held them back until she’d entered the bathroom alone. But Gideon would know she’d been crying the moment he saw her eyes. Unless...
She dug into her leather Gregory Sylvia hobo bag and pulled out her black Bôhten shades and slid them on. She hated doing the obnoxious sunglasses-at-night celebrity thing, but right now it was more important to protect her pride.
Jessie put a satin-lined slouch hat on her head and tucked her curls beneath it. Then she emerged from the bathroom wearing a pair of GRLFRND high-waist, ripped skinny jeans, a T-shirt and kitten heels. She carried the beautiful Laylahni Couture gown over one arm in a garment bag.
“You came out just in the nick of time.” Gideon smiled softly, taking all of her bags except her purse from her. “I was just about to come in after you to make sure you were okay.”
“If that’s a pun because of the song I sang tonight...it’s too soon.”
Jessie exited through the exterior door rather than going through the lobby of the hotel. Party guests still milled around and Nicolette Ryan and her cameraman were camped out there.
Nicolette had texted her and asked her for an exclusive interview about the incident as she and Gideon made their escape to the greenroom.
She declined.
Nicolette seemed understanding and sympathetic. But Jessie had no desire to relive her performance going up in flames. All because some guy who couldn’t hold his liquor decided to be a complete ass during the biggest moment of her career.
“I wasn’t trying to be cute,” Gideon said. “What happened was no laughing matter. The guy turned out to be harmless this time. But what if he hadn’t been?” Gideon seemed especially perturbed at the possibility that something could’ve happened to her. “And I know how important that performance was to you. But, Jessie, you nailed it. Your set last night was terrific. But what you did tonight...it was brilliant. You should be damned proud of yourself.”
“Thanks.” She came to a halt at the fork in the path and turned to face him. “And thank you for not being an ass about me writing these songs about you.”
Gideon gave her a half grin. “Not everyone can say that they inspired someone to write a song. Let alone several. Especially one as good as ‘Okay.’”
“Did you really like the song or are you just being unbelievably gracious about the whole thing?” She practically held her breath waiting for his response.
“Of course I really loved the song. Every damn person in that room loved it. Everything about it was perfect. The lyrics. The music. The way you sang the song...you poured your heart out on that stage.”
“Until random drunk guy came and stomped on it.” She took a deep breath and reminded herself there was no crying in record deals. This was a tough business. If she was going to break down in tears every time things didn’t go her way, she needed to find another dream to chase.
“I know you’re bummed about what happened, but let me tell you something, Jessie. Anyone who saw that performance tonight, anyone who experien
ced it as deeply as I did...they will never, ever forget it. I can assure you of that.”
“Thanks.” Jessie’s mouth quirked involuntarily in the slightest twinge of a smile. Her cheeks heated, and her body tingled with electricity from his nearness.
“So, am I walking you back to your room?” Gideon asked.
Neither of them had moved beyond the fork in the path. Either they could take the route back to the hotel where her room was located or they could take the path that led to his cottage.
“Actually, if the invitation still stands, I could really use that nightcap you offered.” Her heart raced as she anticipated his response.
He studied her for a moment, as if he was debating the wisdom of taking her back to his cottage. “Of course it still stands.”
They turned up the path toward the private cottages.
“Chase and Dixon seemed blown away by your performance,” he noted. “I wouldn’t be surprised if both of them contact your agent, eager to work with you. You knocked them off their feet.”
“They seemed really into it when I was performing. Dixon was right there with me the whole time. He even started a standing ovation.”
“That was pretty incredible.”
“It was.” She couldn’t help smiling. “Chase didn’t really seem to get on board until I performed ‘Okay.’ But their table was among the first to be ushered out of the room.” The disappointment of not securing a meeting with either Chase or Dixon weighed on her.
Then there was the matter of Gideon.
She glanced over at him. He was handsome and tall with broad shoulders and such an incredible smile. He was still the smart, funny, determined guy she’d known back then. But he was also a successful businessman who employed members of his community and gave generously to important causes.
She’d always admired Gideon and expected great things of him, regardless of what her father and sister believed. But he’d exceeded her wildest expectations.
And she wanted to be with him more than ever. Not because of the schoolgirl crush she’d once harbored for him. But because he was exactly the kind of man she wanted in her life.
If she told Gideon that, he’d think she was still a silly, immature girl with a crush. After all, how could she know in just a few days that she wanted to be with him?
She just did.
That day when she’d shown up at Gideon’s door, she told him that he was the only person who really understood her. That he got her in a way her parents, sister and even friends didn’t. She was sure that Gideon was her soul mate. And it was her that he was meant to be with.
He’d probably thought she was a melodramatic teenager who didn’t know what she was talking about. But here they were fifteen years later and the more she got reacquainted with Gideon, the more she believed she’d been right all along.
All of her fears about her career aside, what if they really were meant to be together? Shouldn’t she at least be brave enough to give it a try?
“You’re awfully quiet, Jess.” Gideon set her bags down on the doorstep of his cottage, but he didn’t open the door. “If you’d rather I walk you back to your room, I understand. You’ve had an exhausting day. You’re probably ready to call it a night after everything that’s—”
Jessie drew in a deep breath, clutched Gideon’s tuxedo shirt and lifted onto her toes, pressing her mouth to his in a tentative kiss that built slowly. Gideon slipped his arms around her waist and hauled her body against his, the intensity of their kiss building.
Finally, she forced herself to pull away, her eyes fluttering open as they met his. “Does that answer your question?”
* * *
Gideon poured a glass of sauvignon blanc and handed it to Jessie.
She took a sip and made a purring sound that sent a shiver up his spine and made him want to cut the formalities and tell her exactly what he’d been feeling these past few days.
That he hadn’t stopped thinking about her since she’d walked through the doors of that hotel. That he wanted her in his bed.
There was something so compelling about Jessie. Compelling enough that the idea of missing out on it was stronger than the fear of what he’d be letting go.
“You’re right, this wine is fantastic.” Her words jarred him from his thoughts.
Gideon filled her wineglass and then poured himself two fingers of whiskey. He sipped his whiskey slowly, then sank onto the opposite sofa.
He crossed one ankle over his knee and assessed the woman seated across from him as she sipped her wine.
“A lot has happened tonight. I know you’re disappointed, but maybe it wasn’t as bad as you think. We should look at the live stream from the event.”
“No. Please.” Her bravado faded momentarily. “I shut my phone off for the rest of the night. I don’t want to see it. Not yet. Just let me live in my little fantasy realm where I killed it on stage tonight and everything is right with the world.”
“It isn’t a fantasy, Jess. You did kill it on stage tonight. And I’ll bet that ninety-nine percent of the people who saw your performance would agree.”
“And that one percent?” Jessie raised a brow.
“They have terrible taste in music, so they don’t count.” He grinned when she laughed. He’d always loved the joyous sound of her laugh. “Seriously, if the vast majority of listeners think you were amazing, why do you care about what an infinitesimal fraction of people think?”
“It’s the nature of the creative beast. I can’t help it.” Jessie shrugged. “Besides, I learn more from my critical reviews than I do from the glowing ones that tell me exactly what I want to hear.” She paced the floor. “Which is why I need to work with producers like Chase and Dixon. They have this uncanny ability to take a track that might seem good on the surface and turn it into something spectacular.”
“About that...” Gideon set his glass down. “I know you asked me not to interfere on this, but what if I could pull some strings and get you a meeting with one or both of them?”
Jessie folded her arms and plopped down in her seat. “I want a meeting with them, of course. But I’d like to do this on my own. The same way you built your business on your own. You didn’t rely on anyone else.”
“Not true.” He leaned forward. “I owe my success to a lot of men and women who were willing to give me opportunities and teach me what they’d learned.” Gideon shrugged. “I pay their generosity and kindness forward by doing the same.”
Jessie had kicked off her heels and padded over to the sideboard where the bottle of wine was chilling. She refilled her glass of wine, then sat on the sofa with her feet folded beneath her. “I’ve read business articles about you. They always call you a self-made billionaire.” Jessie didn’t seem convinced.
“Because it’s the more compelling story.” Gideon groaned. He gave credit to the people who had helped him every single chance he got. But the importance of those relationships was inevitably minimized in magazines and interviews.
“My assistant Landon...the guy is a work in progress, for sure.” Gideon chuckled, thinking of some of their conversations. “But he’s good at what he does, and he has a hell of a lot of potential. If I can help him get closer to his goals, even if that means leaving my company and striking out on his own, I’m going to support him any way I can. So let me do the same for you.”
Jessie drank a gulp of her wine, her eyes not meeting his. “I don’t like the idea of owing anyone anything. It gives people too much power over you.”
“You think I’d want something in return?” He had to admit that one hurt. He thought she knew him better than that. Yes, it was fifteen years ago, but did she really think he’d changed that much? “Why would you ever think that?”
“It’s happened before with someone I trusted.”
Now he understood, and he wished he could give the fucker who’
d made her feel that way a savage beatdown just to show him how it felt to be vulnerable.
“What happened?” Gideon sat on the edge of his seat, both of his feet firmly planted on the floor. “And whose ass do I need to beat?” There was a ticking in a vein in his forehead.
“Gideon, no.” Jessie moved over to sit beside him. Her warmth enveloped him and her faint floral scent calmed the anger bubbling inside him over her revelation about her mentor. “I don’t want to talk about that or the shitshow my performance turned into. Tonight, I want to talk about us.”
She’d said it. Finally gotten it out into the open where they could discuss it like two rational adults. Though he found it difficult to have a reasonable discussion when she was sitting this close.
Jessie had already shed the sunglasses. Now she slipped off the hat and tossed it onto the sofa beside her, refluffing her headful of dark curls. Her short manicured nails were painted a deeper shade of pink and every other nail was affixed with a design.
“I’d like that.” Gideon turned toward her and loosened his tie. “Spending these past few days with you has been special for me. I never stopped caring for you, Jess. The feelings I had for you then weren’t romantic, but you were incredibly important to me. The loss of our friendship hurt as much as being dumped by Geneva.”
Jessie frowned. Was it because he’d mentioned Geneva or because he’d admitted his feelings for her back then were platonic?
“One of my biggest regrets was how badly I’d bungled things between us. That my insensitivity that day hurt you.” He traced the back of her hand with his thumb.
Jessie didn’t respond to his confession, but her sensual lips spread in a slow smile. She leaned in, raised a hand to his cheek and kissed him again.
He wrapped his arms around her, his hand pressed to her back. Loving the feel of her in his arms and the taste of her warm mouth as he slid his tongue between her lips. He lost himself in her kiss. Lost all sense of time and place. Set aside his fears about what this meant for them.
