He flipped on the light and jumped when he realized he wasn’t alone. A naked woman lay on his bed, and it wasn’t the one he’d spent most of the day thinking of.
“It’s about time you show up, Jake,” Macy said. “You know I hate it when you keep me waiting.”
Chapter 19
Jordan took a walk, not even minding the blistering late afternoon heat, before finally stopping in the downtown plaza, where she bought a fresh-squeezed lemonade from a street vendor. Jordan tossed some spare change into the fountain—wishing only for clarity to make the right decision—before sitting down on a bench. She scrolled through her missed calls and text messages.
Two were from Jake, adding to the ones from the previous few days. He apparently wasn’t giving up without a fight. Where most women would probably be flattered, Jordan was wary. She knew she lacked the resolve to resist him for long, and feared where it would all lead.
Three were from Beth, again offering her apologies. Those went along with the text from Sarah, apologizing on behalf of Beth. Always trying to be the peacemaker, Jordan thought with a chuckle. Her friends were very predictable, right up to the call from Tracey, who hated being left out of any fun.
It was an easy decision which call to return, if any. “Hey, Trace,” she greeted when her friend answered.
“I wasn’t sure you’d call me back.”
“I wasn’t either,” Jordan admitted. “But of all the people trying to reach me, I figured you were the least likely to annoy me and the most likely to understand where I’m coming from and what I’m dealing with.”
“Thank you, I think.” Tracey laughed. “You mean most likely to understand because I have a similar track record of screwing up my life?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“No, I did,” Tracey replied. “There’s no point in denying the truth.”
There had to be a story there, and Jordan welcomed the opportunity to discuss something other than her own issues. “How’s Steve?” she asked tentatively.
“Oh, Steve’s great. Steve’s terrific,” Tracey said. “Steve’s dating a junior associate at his firm.”
“Oh.” Jordan didn’t know what else to say. The last she’d heard, Tracey’s on-again, off-again relationship with her daughter’s father was on. Had she missed an update? It was hard to keep track sometimes.
“Her name is Meredith,” Tracey said with exaggerated sweetness. “Meredith Evers. Do you know what Lindsay asked me the other day?”
“What?” Jordan braced herself, expecting it wasn’t good.
“If Daddy marries Meredith, is she supposed to call her ‘Mommy,’ too?”
“Ouch.” Jordan exhaled. “I’m sorry, Tracey.”
“Hey, it’s not like I haven’t had my chances. That door’s been open for me, and I never walked through it,” Tracey said. “Anyway, enough about me. Let’s talk about you and your sexy movie star. Do you love him?”
“Yes.” That was the easy part. “It’s more complicated than that, though.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
“Easy for you to say. Jake’s career is taking off. I can’t hold him back.”
“Who says you will?” Tracey asked.
“My life is here now,” Jordan said. “In Grande Valley. This current movie notwithstanding, it’s not exactly a film mecca, if you get my drift.” As far she knew, Border Cowboys was only the third movie to ever film in or around Grande Valley, Texas. Jake wouldn’t have much of a future if he hung around here.
“So you compromise,” Tracey suggested.
“How?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But if you love each other enough, there ought to be a way to make it work. Don’t you think you should at least talk about it and see if there is a possible solution before you just give up on a promising relationship?”
Jordan didn’t answer, instead watching two little kids splash in the fountain. She envied them how simple their life looked. Then again, Tracey made Jordan’s sound slightly less complicated than it had seemed ten minutes ago.
“Jordan?” Tracey interrupted her thoughts.
“Yeah?”
“I know this kind of thing is hard for you. It’s hard for me, too,” Tracey said gently. “But sometimes you have to just take a leap of faith.”
“Are you going to take your own advice, then?” Jordan couldn’t resist asking.
“I’m not sure I’ll have the chance again,” Tracey said after a minute. “Let’s get you taken care of first, then we’ll talk about me. Deal?”
“Deal.” Jordan smiled. “Thanks, Trace.”
“Anytime.”
***
“Macy.” Jake froze for a second. Val had warned him there was potential trouble, but he still didn’t expect to walk into his room to find Macy naked on his bed. How the hell did she get in his room, anyway? And she was naked. He turned and looked away. “How did you get in here?”
He spied a piece of clothing lying on the floor and picked it up. It was a halter top of sorts, but there wasn’t much to it. Then again, Macy wasn’t exactly known for dressing modestly. Jake tossed it at her. “Put this back on.” Please.
Macy caught it with one hand but made no move to cover herself. “Oh, Jake. You can be such a killjoy. You used to be fun.” She rolled her eyes. “What the hell happened? When did you turn into such a fucking choirboy?”
Choirboy? Did she really just call him that? Funny, Jake hadn’t felt like much of a choirboy when he was making love to Jordan in the swimming pool she shared with all the other condo owners. His mother would undoubtedly be embarrassed by his behavior, but maybe she’d give him a pass if she knew they were in love. No, probably not. Jared was right. When he introduced Jordan to his mom, he’d leave that part out. Jake closed his eyes, trying to focus. Now wasn’t the time to think about Jordan riding him to ecstasy. “You didn’t answer my question. How did you get in my room?”
“Bribed the desk clerk, then the maid. How the hell did you think?” Macy rolled her eyes again, and Jake almost wished they’d freeze in that position. “They were more than happy to pocket some cash. Jeez. Does anybody in this shithole speak English or did they all just wade across the border in search of their free ride?”
Jake winced at her words, though bigotry from Macy shouldn’t surprise him. And bribery, huh? It struck him as a little ironic, given her unwillingness to accept his own generous offer to go away quietly and never bother him again. He regretted the day he ever got involved with this shallow little twit, and silently cursed his former PR firm for thinking a tabloid romance would be just the thing to kick-start his career again.
Macy Hayes might be a famous pop star, and attractive in a vapid sort of way, but she’d never been what Jake wanted in a woman, and he wished he’d never agreed to go along with the PR stunt. Sure, things got a little tough when he was killed off General Hospital and the zombie film tanked, but Jake always believed his chance would come. He was talented enough to make it on his own. The fact that he’d earned this role in spite of the stint in the tabloids and not because of it confirmed that. He had gone along with it, though, and now Macy wouldn’t leave him alone. “You wasted your money,” Jake said firmly. “And you need to leave.”
“Not until I get what I came here for, Jake” Macy stood and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer as she unbuttoned his shirt. “You know you want me.”
***
Tracey’s words had some merit to them. Jordan couldn’t deny that. Still, she wasn’t completely sure she was ready to follow the advice, so she sought strength and solace from another source; the same source she had for the past seven years.
It wasn’t her regular meeting night at the church, but she knew another chapter of AA met at one of the local high schools. Jordan hadn’t attended a meeting at a school since she left California, but she didn’t think there was any significance to attending this one tonight. After all, churches and schools were the most popular places for m
eetings. When she got to the auditorium, she went straight to the refreshment table.
A woman who appeared to be in her late fifties, pleasantly plump with a kind face, approached. Jordan thought she looked like somebody’s grandmother, and maybe she was. Proof that recovering alcoholics came from all walks of life. “I don’t think I’ve seen you here before,” the woman said. “My name’s Bonnie. I’m the secretary for the Rio Grande Valley chapter.”
“Jordan.” She extended her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Bonnie. And no, you haven’t seen me before. I usually go to the Tuesday night meeting at the Presbyterian church,” Jordan said. “Tonight, I thought I could use a little extra strength. It’s been a difficult few days.”
Bonnie smiled kindly. “We all have times that challenge us. I’m glad you chose our group. If you have anything you’d like to share, you’re welcome to, but if you’d like to just listen tonight, that’s fine as well.”
Jordan thanked Bonnie and took a seat near the back, where she chose the second option and simply listened. Since the earliest days of her recovery, when she attended meetings in the old high school gymnasium near her apartment in Los Angeles, Jordan had been able to draw strength, clarity, and resolve from listening to the stories of others. Tonight was no exception. By the time she pulled out of the school parking lot, she knew what she needed to do and she felt the courage to do it. It was time to talk to Jake.
***
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Macy’s hands were on him, and Jake felt nothing. If Jordan got this close to him, he’d be rock hard in an instant. Jake silently thanked his dick for failing him.
“What is your problem?” Macy demanded. “You never had trouble getting it up before.”
“I’m not interested, Macy.” In truth, he never had been very interested in her. “We’re done. We’ve been done for a long time.”
“We were so good together, Jake.”
Good together? Her perception differed greatly from his. God, how could he have been so damn stupid? The knock on the door interrupted his self-flagellation. Great. She probably ordered the most expensive champagne and charged it to my room. Jake went to the door and yanked it open. “Look, this really isn’t a good...” He stopped when he saw who it was. “Jordan.”
“I’m sorry to bother you,” she said. “But I wanted to apologize for the letter I sent. I thought maybe we could talk...”
Jake tried to listen, but the words were coming so fast, and then there was Macy. He couldn’t let Jordan in his room. He stepped out in the hallway, pulling the door closed behind him. Then he remembered his shirt hung open and his pants were unbuttoned. He hastily buttoned them. “Sorry, you woke me up from a nap. What were you saying?”
“That I’m an idiot, and I got scared. I’ve never been in love before and I’m not sure how it all works. Maybe it could work, though. I mean, if two people want something bad enough, they ought to be able to make it work, right?”
She was sexy when she babbled, Jake decided. Hell, who was he kidding? Jordan was sexy all the time. “I want to make it work. I want that more than anything,” he said. “You’re right. We do need to talk. Why don’t you go down to the restaurant in the lobby?” He had to get her away from his room before Macy opened the door. “Give me a few minutes. I’ll meet you there.”
“Is something wrong, Jake?” Jordan frowned. “Am I interrupting something?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Like I said, I was just taking a—” The door opened behind him and he turned his head.
Macy stood in the doorway, no longer naked, but wearing one of his shirts. “What’s taking so long, Jakey?” She purred, placing a hand on his shoulder. She looked at Jordan. “And who the hell are you?”
Jordan’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Macy. “I was about to ask you the same question.”
“I asked first. But fine, I’m Jake’s fiancée. I’m pretty sure that trumps anything you’re about to say.”
Chapter 20
His fiancée. What? Jordan’s mouth dropped open and she figured she must look a bit like a fish. Not that she needed to worry about saving face with Jake. He wouldn’t look her way again, except maybe to laugh about what a fool he’d managed to play her for, with his flowers and fancy dinners—partially orchestrated by her friend—and declarations of love.
Then again, what business did she have falling for that? He didn’t love her, he just loved what she was doing at the time he said it. Damn it, Jordan, the voice inside her head scolded her. You should have known better. Casual sex, remember? That’s all they want from you, then they’ll move on to someone else.
“This isn’t what it looks like,” Jake insisted. His words transported Jordan back to the last time she’d heard that lame statement cross the lips of a man, when she’d been caught in only a towel, fresh from a steamy shower romp with Matt Finney.
Jordan had played the role of the other woman then, and she wondered if the look on her face now resembled Beth’s expression fifteen years ago when she discovered her boyfriend in a compromising position with her best friend. Although Matt insisted it wasn’t what it looked like, all three people involved knew it was exactly that.
The difference between then and now was that Matt’s feelings were always for Beth, never Jordan. Even though Jordan now assumed Beth’s role in the equation, the man’s feelings still lay elsewhere, not with her. Maybe it was part of her penance that she be humiliated like this?
Tears burned Jordan’s eyes, and she tried to blink them away. “Really? I may be approaching forty, but my eyesight and my hearing are still in decent shape,” she said. “It looks like a half-naked woman, wearing only your shirt, is claiming to be your fiancée. If I’ve gotten any of that wrong, I would love to know which part!”
Jake looked down at the hallway carpet, then finally lifted his head to meet her glare. She didn’t know he’d be that brave. “That’s what she said, yes, but it’s not true. At least not anymore.” He looked at her with pleading eyes. “I love you, Jordan. You have to believe me.”
She wanted desperately to believe him, but the scene kept replaying in her head. Jake, shirt open, pants undone, blocking her from his room as if he wanted to get rid of her as fast as he could. Then the woman, wearing only one of his shirts, appearing in his doorway and making her bold claim. It might be only circumstantial evidence, but it all seemed pretty damning.
“Congratulations. I wish you both luck. I hope you’ll be very happy together,” Jordan managed to say before running to the elevator. She jabbed her finger on the button repeatedly until the doors opened, then rushed inside. She sank against the wall, finally allowing herself to break down.
***
Jake took off after her, banging his hands on the elevator door as it closed. “Damn it!”
“Jake?” Macy called out. “What’s wrong? Aren’t you coming back here? You can’t possibly be interested in her.”
Except he could be and he was. Everything about Macy suddenly irritated Jake, especially her incessant whining. Well, he’d gotten himself into this mess, so he’d have to get himself out of it. Somehow. “She’s ten times the woman you’ll ever be, Macy,” he shouted as he took off for the stairwell.
Jake was out of breath by the time he reached the lobby, taking the ten flights of stairs as fast as he could. He paced in front of the elevators, afraid he’d missed her, until finally the middle elevator opened and Jordan stepped out. Tears ran down her cheeks and her bright blue eyes were rimmed with red. It cut through Jake like knife to see her this way, especially knowing he was partially responsible for those tears.
She turned away, wiping her cheek with the back of her hand. “Leave me alone, Jake. Go back upstairs to your fiancée.”
“She’s not my fiancée,” Jake insisted, darting around her to block her path. He must look like an idiot, shirt flying open as he chased around a crying woman in the lobby.
“Well, whoever she is, she was in your room, and she was naked,” Jordan
said. “I don’t see much need to argue about titles.” They approached the revolving door that led to the parking lot. “It’s been nice knowing you, Jake, and I wish you well. But if you’ve ever cared about me at all, you’ll spare me what little is left of my dignity now and let me go.”
He didn’t want to let her go, but it would be futile to follow her. She’d never let him into her car, and by the time he got to his, on the third level of the guests’ parking ramp, Jordan would be long gone and Jake would have no idea where she went. “I do love you, Jordan,” he said to himself as he pounded the elevator button. “And if you give me half a chance, I’ll prove it to you.”
He was in no hurry to return to his room, but he made the long walk down the hall, anyway. He’d hoped she would get the hint, but Macy was still there.
“Who the hell was that?” she demanded. “I hope you haven’t been cheating on me.”
“Cheating on you?” Jake repeated, incredulous. “That would mean we’re actually in a relationship, which we haven’t been for months, if ever.” Relationship was a generous term. It was more of a media stunt gone badly than anything else. Jake raked a hand through his hair. How many more time did he have to say it before it sunk in? “You’re delusional if you think we are.”
Macy’s bottom lip quivered, and Jake wondered if she was going to turn on the waterworks. Great. Twice in fifteen minutes he’d made a woman cry. Was that some kind of record? Then again, Macy’s crocodile tears shouldn’t even count. They would elicit no sympathy from him. His heart still hurt from the image of Jordan’s tear-stained face. “We were so good together,” Macy said. “I know we can be again.” She reached out, running a hand down his chest.
Jake stepped away. “Please, keep your hands to yourself. I think we have enough proof that I’m not interested in you.” The lip quivered again and Jake figured the show of tears would start soon.
His phone rang and he grabbed it from the dresser, hoping it was Jordan. The hope quickly faded when he glanced at the screen. “Hello?”
Spring Into Love Page 135
