Colliding With You

by Kelli McCracken

  The guy rubbed his temples. The longer he remained silent, the more convinced Jesse became that the stranger was buying his story. He had to. No way was Jesse letting Cori leave with this douchebag.

  “This all seems farfetched. How do I know you’re not some stalker?”

  Jesse raised his hand as if he were swearing the god’s honest truth. “Come on, man. It’s hard enough admitting this . . . Do you want to see pictures of our son? He has his momma’s red hair.”

  The stranger seemed unmoved. He kept a straight face and rigid posture. “I don’t need to see pictures.”

  Good, because Jesse wasn’t sure how he was going to pull off that one. Hopefully, the man believed the rest of his story. He was running out of time. Cori would be back any second.

  “Maybe this will convince you. Did she tell you her name is Cee Cee?”

  The man glanced away. “Are you insinuating it isn’t her real name?”

  It was official. Jesse had the guy. He didn’t know for certain Cori had used the same name she used on Theo, but his instincts were right.

  “No. It’s not her real name. She hasn’t been working this job long, but this isn’t the first time she’s used an alias.”

  The stranger shook his head. “Wow. This whole situation sounds like it belongs on one of those scandalous talk shows. It’s nuts.”

  Jesse nodded. “I know. It’s not easy to live it. I don’t understand why she keeps doing this to me.”

  “I don’t know, but I didn’t sign up for this. Tell Cee Cee, or whatever her name is, that I’m out.”

  The stranger stood from his stool, downed the rest of his drink, then placed a tip for the bartender under the glass. He regarded Jesse one more time and said, “Good luck with your family.”

  A deep sigh of relief left Jesse’s mouth. He hated lying to people. To know he did it this time floored him, but Cori needed his protection. He just hoped she saw it that way.

  He didn’t realize how soon he’d find out. As soon he finished off his third beer and lowered his bottle, he spotted Cori walking away from the ladies’ room. When she glanced his way, he faced the bar.

  Had she recognized him? It didn’t matter. She would return to her seat either way. Then she would want to know where her date was.

  Date. That wasn’t the proper word. The man had been Cori’s client.

  Her sweet perfume hit his nose the moment he sensed her presence. Was she looking at him or for her date? The only way he’d know for sure would be to face her, and—

  “Jesse?”

  Guess he had his answer. When he turned toward her, a million more questions filled his mind. Was she on to him? Was she genuinely surprised? Did she know how gorgeous she was? Could she tell what her presence did to him?

  “Hey, Cor.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I dropped my mom off at my aunt’s house. You remember me telling you this, don’t you?”

  “I remember plenty from that day.” When her bitter response caused him to flinch, Cori’s face softened. “I thought you were going straight back to Savannah to help your dad.”

  “I decided I needed some downtime. The last few months have been crazy.”

  Compassion played in her eyes. For a moment, Jesse thought she would comfort him with a pat on the shoulder. Instead, she surveyed the room. She had to be looking for him, the asshole who brought her here.

  “Something wrong, Cor?”

  “No.” She made one last sweep of the room before concentrating on him. “Why do you ask?”

  “You don’t seem like yourself. Hell, you barely look like yourself. What’s got you all dolled up in a Miami club, baby girl?”

  A crimson color flooded Cori’s cheeks. She grabbed her glass from the bar and downed her drink. “I just needed time away from Savannah.”

  Was she really going to lie to him?

  “Are you alone?” he inquired.

  “Are you?” She spun the spotlight back to him, but he didn’t take the bait.

  “I asked you first.”

  It was a childish response. He knew it as soon as he said it. Cori didn’t seem the least bit amused. “Why all the questions, Jesse? Does my sister have you spying on me or something?”

  He wasn’t expecting her response. There was no witty comeback to dish her. Nothing but pure confusion barreled through him. “Of course not. I told you, I had to bring my mom—”

  “You also said you were going right back home. It’s been a week since I saw you, Jesse. The same goes for my sister. Hell, I haven’t seen or talked to any of my family for the last week. Yet, for some reason, you’re here.”

  He knew what she was insinuating, but it was a complete coincidence. Or maybe it was fate. He was supposed to run into Cori to help her out of harm’s way. He still didn’t have any proof that she was in danger and he couldn’t tell her his gut instincts were impeccable. All he could do was tell her the truth, no matter how farfetched it seemed.

  “Cori, I swear to you, I had no idea. After what happened last weekend, I haven’t spoken to anyone either. I had no clue that I’d run into you here, but to be honest, I’m glad I did.”

  Before Cori responded, she thanked the bartender when he brought her another drink. She took a few sips of it, then a longer one. A moment later, she lowered the glass.

  “Why are you glad you showed up?”

  Did he keep telling the truth here or play it off as something stupid? She already had enough reasons to dislike him after what happened with her dad. If he told her what he’d discovered, would she be livid? More importantly, would she quit her job?

  “Cor, I know who you’re searching for.”

  “Who said I was searching for anyone?”

  Jesse rubbed the back of his neck and exhaled. “I met your date, or should I say, your client. He left a few minutes ago.”

  The rosy cheeks he loved turned pale. Cori stared at him, unmoving and silent, for what felt like an eternity. He couldn’t gauge her emotions, which worried him even more. Was she shocked, in denial, or straight up pissed the fuck off?

  “I’m not following you, Jesse.”

  “The guy you came here with. I talked to him. He showed me this.” He whipped out the business card and flashed it in her direction. Her brows rose just as her mouth parted. Still, no words escaped.

  Fine. He had plenty to say.

  “Girl, what are you doing? Why are you working as—”

  “It’s none of your business.” She downed the rest of her drink then moved closer. “But if you really want to know, then I’ll explain. My father froze the bank account he opened for me. I have no money to pay the rest of my tuition, living expenses, or gas for my car. I can’t even look for a job now, and I’ve missed my last two dance classes. I need money. This was the quickest way to get it.”

  Guilt ate him alive. He was the reason she was doing this. If he hadn’t revealed her secret to her father, she wouldn’t be scrambling to find money. She wouldn’t be working for an escort service.

  He screwed it up. He had to fix it.

  “Listen, I’m not going to say anything to anyone, so don’t worry. What I want you to do is hear me out. Don’t do this again, Cori. It’s dangerous. You don’t realize how much. If you need money, I’ll loan you some. I’ll even help you find a job.”

  When she stared in the distance, he questioned if she was shocked or considering his offer. Maybe she thought he was bluffing. He wasn’t. His last few advances were sitting in the bank, barely touched. Their brief stint on the road didn’t leave him with many expenses other than his party funds. When the band was home, he stayed at his parents’ house. If giving her money got her out of this situation, he’d do it in a heartbeat.

  She had no clue what he’d do for her.

  Yet, the look on her face said she didn’t care. “I’m not taking money from you, Jesse. I don’t need anyone’s help.”

  “Don’t be stubborn. I can help you. Let me do it. We’ll dr
ive home tonight.”

  “No,” she grumbled and nosed closer. “All you want to do is clear your conscience for outing me to my dad. I’m not giving you the satisfaction. I don’t need your help, Jesse. Butt out of my life.”

  She stepped away, took some money out of her purse to pay for her drink, then began to leave. Jesse gripped her arm before she got far. When she glared at him, he stood. His body towered over hers as he gazed down.

  “Your client left. Do you have a way back to Savannah?”

  “Yes. My employer sent security with me. In fact, he’s staring a hole through you from across the room. I’d suggest you release my arm.”

  He assumed she was the one bluffing this time until he caught a glimpse of a guy in a suit standing near the main entrance. The man wasn’t so big that Jesse couldn’t take him. He knew how to handle himself in a fight. What he didn’t want was to cause Cori more grief.

  Relaxing his fingers, he lowered his hand back to his side. “Are you sure you’re safe to go home with him?”

  “I’ll be fine. Goodbye, Jesse.”

  All he could do was nod and watch as she walked away. Anything else would only cause more problems between them. He didn’t want that. If she really wasn’t speaking to her family, then she needed someone in her life that wouldn’t judge her.

  He’d give her time to get home and settle in, but this conversation was far from over. One way or another, she would accept his help. He refused to take no for an answer.

  Chapter 9

  Cori entered the antique shop as she clung to the oversized bag on her shoulder. The sign above the door was proof that she’d come to the right place. Various items sat about the building, collecting dust for the most part. Some appeared so old that the slightest touch might damage them. Perhaps they were original items the store began its business with.

  Keeping her stride slow, she paid little attention to the rest of the antiques. She hadn’t come to make a purchase. Quite the opposite.

  As she hugged the bag to her side, she advanced toward the counter, noting an older woman standing behind it. The lady hadn’t glanced her way. Her attention was on something inside the case beneath the counter.

  Cori studied the silver strands of hair piled atop the woman’s head. She had it secured with a clip, but a few wisps curled around her face. At the end of her nose, she balanced a pair of thin gold-framed glasses. A strand of beads was attached to each end to keep them around her neck if she chose to remove them.

  By the time Cori approached the register, the older woman had glanced up. “Hey there, sugar. Welcome to Mystique Antiques. I’ll be with you in just a second.”

  “No rush.”

  There was no need to hurry. A smidgen of guilt pulsed through Cori for being here in the first place. Whether she could go through with this was yet to be seen. Her reason was valid. Still, the catch in her chest spoke of reasons why she should turn around and walk back out the door.

  Once the woman adjusted a bracelet inside the case, she closed the doors and locked them. Then she made her way to the register where Cori stood. She removed the glasses from the end of her nose and smiled.

  “Hello, my dear. My name is Twila. How can I help you?”

  Swallowing didn’t remove the lump that formed in Cori’s throat. There didn’t seem to be any right words to explain what she was doing there. Guess her guilt was getting the best of her.

  “Hi, I, uh . . . I was wondering what your return policy is.”

  “Return policy? Well, I don’t know. I’ve never had anyone return for a refund. Most of the items that leave this store never come back. The few things that have returned were donated.”

  Great. Maybe this was a sign from the universe. Cori shouldn’t be here doing this.

  “May I see the item?”

  Loosening the straps on her shoulder, Cori opened the large bag she was carrying and reached inside. Her heart pinched when she lifted the jewelry box out. As she placed it on the counter, Twila drew in a deep breath.

  “Oh, I remember this beauty.” She slipped on her glasses again and picked up the box. Music played when she opened the lid. Admiring it a moment, she shut it back, ending the song. “Such an exquisite piece. Is there a reason you’re returning it?”

  “Nothing is wrong with it if that’s what you mean. I just . . . The item was purchased as a gift for me. As much as I love it, I—”

  The words caught in Cori’s throat. For the first time in her life, she knew what it felt like to be poor. Her family was never wealthy, but they lived comfortably. Now she had nothing. That reality is what brought her to the antique store.

  “I’m a college student in between jobs. As much as I love this gift, I need money more.”

  “That’s such a pity. Did you know that every item in my store has a unique history attached to it?”

  “No, I wasn’t aware.”

  “It’s true. In fact, the jewelry box you received comes with a legend. They say whoever owns it will have good luck in fortune, fertility, and fortitude.”

  Cori bit the inside of her cheek. She didn’t want to hear about myths or any other hocus pocus involved with the jewelry box. Although fortune and fortitude were two things she needed, she couldn’t base her life decisions on legends.

  What she needed was to collect the money Cassie spent on the box and head back to her dorm. Then she could figure out how to make it stretch between food and gas. She had to find a job as fast as she could.

  Her next tuition payment was due in January. She would need new books again, and she still had two more installments to pay for her dance course. Under these circumstances, she would have to forget about the Dancing Divas contest.

  Twila set the jewelry box on the counter and faced Cori. “This item was once gifted to the daughter of one of Savannah’s wealthiest aristocrats. He gave it to her on her sixteenth birthday. Right after she opened it, he told her he was arranging her marriage to the son of one of his friends. It was a common practice back then, but the daughter was opposed to it.”

  A father running his daughter’s life . . . It sounded familiar.

  Cori thought about her father. He wanted a different life for her as well. While he wasn’t arranging her marriage, he was trying to control what she did with her life.

  “What happened to the daughter?”

  “She made arrangements to go to her aunt’s house in New York. Her father was out of town at the time, which allowed her to leave unquestioned. She took the jewelry box with her, knowing she could sell it if she ran into hard times.”

  That too sounded familiar to Cori. It’s exactly what she was doing now. “Did she make it to her aunt’s house?”

  Nodding, Twila ran her fingers over the top of the box. “To make a long story short, the girl was able to pursue her dream of teaching. It was in New York that she found the money to provide for herself, and eventually, it’s where she met her husband.”

  At least the story ended well for the young woman. Cori couldn’t say the same for herself. She didn’t want to be dependent on anyone, but it was her father who promised to help her get her education. Now he’d gone back on his word.

  “I wish I could keep the box, but I really need the money. I had to take the bus here, and I don’t have enough money to get back to my dorm.”

  Twila nodded. She went to the register as if she would refund the money Cassie had spent on the gift. Then she seemed to change her mind.

  “I really want you to keep the jewelry box. Call me an old kook if you’d like, but I think there’s something special about the box. It brought its former owner good fortune. It could do the same for you.”

  If the little old woman could guarantee what she believed, it would be a different story. She couldn’t though. It was a jewelry box, not a lamp that would summon a genie if she rubbed it. She couldn’t afford to believe in something so unbelievable.

  Before she could explain this, Twila raised her hand and signaled her to wait. “Humor
an old lady, if you will. I’ll even make you a deal. Keep the jewelry box one more day. If good luck doesn’t strike you before tomorrow evening, bring the box back and I’ll give you a full refund. Until then, I’ll pay your bus fare for today and even tomorrow, should you return. Do we have a deal?”

  Why was Twila so insistent about Cori keeping the gift? It didn’t make sense, other than the fact that the shopkeeper would be out money if she did a refund. If Cori took her on her word, would she honor her promise tomorrow evening? No way would Cori get a lucky break before tomorrow. It wasn’t how life worked.

  Still, she wanted to keep the jewelry box too. It was a gift from her sister. Even though part of her resented Cassie for more things than she cared to admit, she still loved her. Returning the jewelry box would hurt them both.

  “Okay, fine. You have a deal.”

  Twila’s eyes twinkled in the light above them as her lips stretched into a smile. She kneeled down long enough to rifle through something under the counter. When she stood again, she had money in her hand.

  “Take this for your bus fare. If you don’t come back, I won’t be out much money for the return trip. To me, it’s worth it.”

  “Thank you.”

  As much as Cori didn’t want to take the money from Twila, she wasn’t about to walk from downtown Savannah back to campus. Without a refund, she had no other choice. It was depressing to know that her life had been reduced to this. What hurt worse was knowing that sometime tomorrow, she would have to return the gift her sister gave her, because one thing was for sure.

  No good luck would come her way. She didn’t believe in legends.

  The third-story view of downtown Savannah held Jesse’s attention as different thoughts raced through his mind. He had no clue why his manager and agent asked to meet with him in their hotel suite or why they hadn’t requested to meet with the rest of the band. Now he knew they’d singled him out for a reason.

  He should have known their conversation would turn in the direction it had. It wasn’t the first time Joel had brought it up. Still, if they were going to complain to him about all the women who followed their band, why hadn’t they brought Allen into this meeting? He was just as guilty as Jesse for the hoards of women who made life on the road more difficult than it was.