“And as soon as Janey’s cool with everything, I’m hoping Jesse will move in with me.” He was gazing down at me with so much love in his eyes.
I smiled up at him and hoped I could fulfill that wish for him. “One day at a time, remember,” I said softly. He nodded, reassuring me. I closed my eyes, content to be near him and listen to the rumble of his voice in his chest.
I must have dozed off because I felt Danny shake me a little. “Jesse, honey, the guys are going home. Let me get you to bed.” I stretched a little and opened my eyes. The guys were dressed and in the kitchen. Danny was trying unsuccessfully to get up.
“Oh! I’m sorry. Did I fall asleep?” I sat up and he stood, taking my hand.
He pulled me up gently and put an arm around my waist. “It’s ok. Let’s just say goodnight to them and I’ll tuck you in.” I liked the sound of that.
We said our goodbyes. I got a hug from Alex but the other two just shook my hand awkwardly.
“So can we come watch you teach,” asked Julian.
Alex was nodding.
I raised my hands. “I don’t see why not. I teach on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Talk to Danny I guess, let me know.”
They looked excited and were making plans as they made their way down the driveway. Bronson and Danny were confirming plans to get together later in the week to listen to what the other had written so far.
“I’ll call you,” Bronson said and they hugged.
He waved to me as Danny closed the door. When he turned to me he frowned.
“I need to get you a key and give you the security codes. I don’t want you knocking on the door.”
I laughed and reached for his hand. “Let’s talk about it in the morning. I need to be naked with you right now.”
His eyes flared and he hurried over to me, untying my top and pulling down my pants in a flash. Then he backed me down the hallway stepping out of his trunks.
I giggled. “Thank goodness Nora is gone. I doubt she’d approve of our disrobing all over the house.”
Chapter Nineteen
I was dreaming I was on stage with Danny and we were acting out the final scene of Romeo and Juliet. Danny was saying his lines
Eyes, look your last!
Arms, take your last embrace! and, lips, O you
The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss
A dateless bargain to engrossing death!
Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide!
Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on
The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark!
Here's to my love!
I was lying there asleep, and when Romeo was supposed to end himself, I woke with a start.
“Baby, tell me what’s wrong,” I heard Danny saying. I thrashed around in the bed trying to find him. He was sitting on the edge on the phone. “Baby, I can’t understand you. What happened, Janey?”
I crawled over to him and put my hand on his back. He was so tense. He was rubbing his hands over the top of his head.
“Where’s your mom, baby? Let me talk to your mom.... What do you mean she’s not there? Who’s there with you? Are you fucking kidding me?! Ok, baby, sit tight. I’m coming, ok? I’ll call FlexJet and get there as soon as I can. You stay where you are and do not fucking answer the door for anyone but your mother or me, do you understand? Not even someone who works at the hotel. You keep the chain latch, the deadbolt or whatever the fuck they have on that door locked... I love you, too, and I’ll be there as soon as I can....Yes, baby, I’m going to come get you... I have to hang up to call for the plane, but I’ll call you as soon as I have my information. Just hold on.”
He jumped out of bed and started pacing and cursing. “That fucking BITCH! I can’t fucking believe this!”
“Danny, what happened?” He was trying to dial the phone, but he was having trouble and I stepped up to him and I put my hands on his. “Let me help you.” His eyes met mine and I could see in the dim light that his eyes were wide with fear.
“Patricia. She can arrange the plane. Please, Jesse. She fucking left Janey alone at the hotel.”
I took the phone from him and looked through his contacts finding Patricia. I dialed and then looked at the time. It was 4:26 a.m.
“Danny? What’s wrong?” I obviously woke her up. “Hi Patricia, it’s actually Jesse Martin.” Patricia gasped. “Oh my God, what happened to Danny?”
“He’s fine, he’s ok. He asked me to call you and have you get a flight for him to New York. It seems there’s a problem with Jane and he needs to get there as soon as possible.”
“Oh no! Ok, hold on Jesse, let me call.”
Danny was throwing clothes into an overnight bag and searching frantically for his wallet. “Fuck! Where the fuck is it?!”
I walked over to Danny’s hamper and searched for the jeans he was wearing yesterday. When I found them I, handed him his wallet and he slammed it on his dresser. He started dressing and Patricia came back on the line.
“Ok, Jesse. They are getting a plane ready for him at the Burbank airport. They’ll wait for him.” She paused, “Will you be joining him?”
“I’m not sure. If he wants me to. Thank you, Patricia. I’ll have him call you as soon as he knows something.” She thanked me and we disconnected.
“Let me throw on some clothes and I’ll drive you to the airport, Danny.” He was standing with his bag in his hand just staring at me. “Are you ok, baby?”
He didn’t say anything. I walked to him and put his phone in his hand. I placed my hands on the sides of his face and tried to get him to focus on me.
“She’ll be ok. You’ll be there in five hours. She’ll follow your instructions.”
He nodded and then he dropped his bag and grabbed me into a hug. “Jesus, Jesse I was so scared. Her voice,” he said, his voice a gravelly mess.
“I know. Let me get dressed.” I pulled on a pair of jeans and a bra and then grabbed one of his shirts and a hoodie from his closet. I turned to face him.
“Danny? Do you want me to come with you or would you rather I stay here? I’ll do whatever you need me to do.” He looked at me in a daze. I slid on my cowboy boots and grabbed my purse, to hell with brushing my teeth. I waited for him to answer me. He was frozen. “Let’s get you to the airport.” I reached for his bag, but he grabbed my arms again.
“I need you,” he whispered.
I smiled at him and handed him his bag. I walked across the room to where my bag was sitting on the floor and slung it over my shoulder. “Let’s go get her.”
At this time of the morning there was no traffic. Danny was frantically texting in the seat next to me.
“I need to let Nora know and Alex. I need to find the email with the hotel information Brooke sent me. I’m going to fucking kill her.”
I put my hand on his thigh and squeezed. He covered my hand with his and took some deep breaths.
He directed me where to go once we reached the airport. The jet was not at the main terminal. He told me to park at the hangar. He jumped out of the car when we arrived and grabbed both of our bags. The captain met us at the stairs and introduced herself.
“Your manager said you might have a companion. I take it this is she?”
Danny nodded and asked, “What’s the flight time?”
The captain told us four hours and thirty minutes and showed us inside the cabin. She took down my information and checked my ID for the flight plan. She pointed out where the refreshments were and briefly went over the safety spiel. Then the doors were closed and we were readying for takeoff.
I was in almost as much shock as Danny, but for different reasons. I’d never flown in a private jet before! I had so many questions, but Danny was a wreck. He was rubbing his palms on his jeans and his legs were shaking. I ran my fingernails over his head and he stilled for a moment. He offered a weak smile and I leaned in to kiss him gently on the lips.
“I’m so fucking scared, Jesse. She better be ok when I get there.”<
br />
He had called her as we were leaving to let her know he was on his way and would be there in about six hours depending on flight time and traffic getting to the hotel. He tried unsuccessfully to reach Brooke and grew increasingly angry with her.
“I feel so helpless. I should have known better than to let her go.”
“Has Brooke ever given you a reason to worry like this before?”
He shook his head. “No, but she’s just gone off the fucking deep end! I’m never letting her take Janey anywhere again. I can’t trust her anymore. I don’t care if I have to go back to court.” He was shaking he was so angry.
“I’m so sorry, Danny. What can I do? I want to help you relax a little.”
He pulled me in for a hug and just held on. “Just hold me, please.”
I did, for a long time. Eventually he put his head in my lap and stretched out on the seats and I just ran my fingers through his now two-inch long hair. I loved the colors in it, dark reds, burnt orange, blonde. He hadn’t shaved in two days, so he had a lot of stubble, which was darker red than his hair. His eyelashes had blonde mixed in, too.
“I wish you could read to me,” he said.
“Well, if we can use the Internet, I can download a book for us.”
He sat up and grabbed for his phone. He stepped up to the cockpit and knocked on the door. The captain opened and told him he could use the Internet and gave him a wireless password. He thanked her and she closed the door.
“Ok! What are you in the mood for?”
He frowned, lying back down in my lap. “Something that has nothing to do with mothers and daughters.”
I laughed. “How about the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?”
He shrugged. “Sounds like it has nothing to do with mothers or daughters.”
I was able to get the book downloaded onto Danny’s phone and I started reading. He closed his eyes on and off, but stayed awake. His body seemed to relax a bit, still not his usual resting state when I would read to him, but it was an improvement. About two hours into the flight I started yawning and could hardly get the words out any longer.
Danny sat up and said, “Hey, why don’t we switch places. I’ll read the ending and you can get some rest. We’ve still got about two hours left.”
I smiled at him. “You sure you’ll be ok?”
He nodded. “I’m about as rested as I’ll get until I have Janey. You get some rest now so you can tame the beast when I’m through with Brooke.”
I blew out a breath. “Or before you deal with her. As angry as you are, my advice still stands from before. I know she’s really blown it, but I don’t want there to be any question about your actions.”
He nodded, rubbing his head again. “You’re right. Ok, I’ll keep Dr. Jekyll in control.”
I laughed and kissed him lightly, but he grabbed me and deepened the kiss. He pulled my hair out of the quick ponytail I’d thrown it into and tangled his hands in it.
We finally came up for air and the look of vulnerability in Danny’s eyes was breaking my heart. I was getting more and more angry with Brooke myself. Will she ever stop hurting him?
He smiled thinly and urged me to lie across his lap. I handed him the phone and he started to read aloud. I loved the sound of his voice, though I could hear the strain behind his words. I closed my eyes and just concentrated on resting my body. I needed to be prepared for what we were headed into. At least one of us had to have a clear head.
Danny shook me awake when we were making our descent. He liked the story.
“Thanks for making me read. I’m glad you got some rest. I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”
I sat up and shook my head, placing my hand against his cheek. “I’m here for you, Danny. I told you, whatever you need.”
Patricia had arranged a car for us and the driver was waiting on the tarmac. It was a balmy afternoon when we arrived in New York City. The ride to the hotel took about a half an hour. I continued to talk Danny down and made him keep taking deep cleansing breaths. When we arrived at the hotel, Danny instructed the driver to stay close, that he would call him when we were ready to leave for the airport. The plan was that we would go up to the room and if Brooke was there, we would tell her we were taking Jane. If she wasn’t, we would collect Jane and stay long enough to find Brooke, or at least contact her manager.
Danny took my hand and we walked into the lobby of the Ritz. Brooke had given him the room number in an email, so we took the elevator to the 14th floor and went to room 1422. Danny knocked on the door and after a moment a very tired looking Brooke answered.
Danny narrowed his eyes at her and pushed past her. “Janey? Janey, where are you?”
Jane came out of the bathroom and walked slowly to her father, hugging him weakly. She looked afraid.
“Do you have your things packed?” Jane nodded to him. “Jesse? Would you take Jane down to the lobby and wait for me? I’d like to have a word with Brooke.” He sounded flat.
Jane grabbed her bag and took my hand. She walked to Brooke and said, “Bye, Mommy,” in the smallest little girl voice I’d ever heard. Brooke offered her a weak smile and a pat on the head. We stepped out the door and Brooke closed it behind us.
We took the elevator down to the lobby and made our way over to some couches. Jane sat down next to me and had the same blank look I’d seen on Danny earlier. She and I hadn’t spent a whole lot of time alone together, but I was pretty sure she felt comfortable with me. I reached over and straightened a lock of her hair.
“Have you eaten today, Jane?” She shook her head. I looked around for options. “Would you like to go have some lunch in the restaurant?” She looked at me, wide-eyed, and nodded. I texted Danny to tell him where we were, and we walked across the lobby.
The restaurant was basically a bistro and Jane ordered a grilled cheese sandwich. I ordered a salad and soup and we waited quietly. When the food came Jane smiled at the server and tore into her sandwich with gusto.
“This is so good! I haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday,” she said with her mouth full.
I blew on my soup and watched her eat. “Jane, do you want to tell me what happened?”
She looked up from her French fries. “Yesterday afternoon Mommy and I went shopping and then came back to the hotel room. We were supposed to have dinner, but she told me she had to see her producer. He came to the room and she told me they would be down in the lobby, told me to order room service. I was tired, so I just took a shower and then crawled into bed. I haven’t been sleeping much. Anyway, I woke up this morning early because I had to go pee, and she wasn’t here. I waited for an hour, tried to call her and everything. I didn’t know what to do, so I called Daddy.”
I reached over and touched her hand. “You did the right thing, Jane. I’m just glad you’re ok.”
She nodded and took a long drink of water. “Mommy hasn’t been acting normal since we came. I feel like I’m in the way. Can I come home with you guys?”
I smiled. “I think that’s what your father is planning. I know he wants you home. Let’s see what they decide.”
She nodded.
I waited until she finished her lunch and said, “Did you get to see anything interesting while you were here?”
She shook her head. “I went to the set with Mommy and then we came back here. Shopping was the only other thing we did.” She was so quiet. How scary for her to wake up and not find her mother here!
I asked her if she wanted dessert and she shook her head. “I just want to go home.”
I ordered a sandwich to go for Danny and paid the bill. We stood together and I put an arm around her to head back to the lobby. We had only just sat down when Danny came out of the elevator.
He hugged Janey tight to him and said, “Are you ready to come home?”
She smiled sadly and nodded. “Is Mommy ok,” she asked.
“She will be. But what she did was wrong, Janey. She should never have left you alone. I’m sorry you ha
d to go through this, but I will never let this happen again, do you understand me?”
She smiled a little bigger and wrapped her arms around him. The pained look on his face told me just how well things went upstairs. He called the driver who said he’d arrive in ten minutes.
We loaded Jane’s bags in the car when he pulled up and drove straight to the airport. I couldn’t help but look around and think, ‘hey, I’m in New York,’ for a millisecond before the weight of our situation settled back on me. Danny and Jane held hands the entire trip and I made an effort to not touch him. I did make eye contact with him and he just looked like he’d seen a ghost and shook his head slowly. I offered a smile and he mouthed, ‘Thank you.’
It was now close to four p.m. Eastern time and we were boarding the plane once again. Danny sat next to Jane and I sat across from them. I wished I could hold him as I did on our way here, but he seemed to be doing ok with Jane by his side.
Less than a half hour into the flight, Jane was asleep and Danny turned to me, whispering, “Brooke is really not well. I don’t know if she’s having a mental breakdown or if she’s using, but I made her call her manager and her mother. Her manager met me at her room and her mother is on her way from L.A. She didn’t question me taking Jane. Hell, she didn’t say much of anything, just said she was tired.”
I shook my head. Who knows what she’s been like to Jane? “I’m so sorry for all this. Let’s get her home and you guys can get settled. I’ll either go home or maybe I could stay at Nora’s.”
He blinked hard and sucked in a breath. “Can you stay at Nora’s, please? I don’t know what to do for her, Jesse.”
“She just needs her daddy right now to love her and be there. That will go a long way to making her feel better.” He smiled. “Why don’t you eat the sandwich I got for you?” He nodded. I stood and walked to the back of the plane to get him a drink. He took it from me, but grabbed my hand with his other one.
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