His dog continued to sniff the ground and pull him along the boardwalk. As they neared the trees where he’d found Riley and Colby, Sir Barks began to go crazy, barking and pulling hard on the leash. Jalen tugged him back. “Settle down, boy.”
His dog would not be deterred. He continued to want to go behind the trees, barking at something. “Did you find something?” Jalen asked, slowly making his way over the sand. Maybe it was a rabbit. Did they have rabbits on the beach?
But as he neared the trees, he could see it wasn’t a rabbit. It was Riley. She stood there, her back pressed up against the tree, her eyes closed as if she wanted to be invisible. Only, Sir Barks was making it very difficult for her to hide. She had ditched the fake glasses, and her hair was down, spilling over her shoulders. Pain rose in his chest at the sight of her, but he couldn’t ignore her. Not with Sir Barks making such a fuss. “Riley?”
Her eyes flew open, and she blanched. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to see me.”
“I could tell.”
Riley ducked her head. “I didn’t mean to run into you. I probably should have left the island, but…” She bit her lower lip.
Jalen didn’t want to talk to Riley. It hurt his heart just looking at her, but he was curious what she was going to say. “But?”
Her gaze connected with his. “I was worried about you.”
Ouch. Daggers stabbed at his chest. Did she know what her words were doing to him? He wanted to believe those words, but how could he? His gaze traveled over her, and he worked his jaw. “So, is this the real you?” He picked up a strand of her hair and flicked it over her shoulder.
It was mean, and he knew it. She flinched, and he instantly regretted it. She didn’t answer his question. There really was nothing she could say, anyway.
Several seconds stretched between them before she cleared her throat. “Are you…really going to quit singing?”
“I don’t know.” It was an honest answer. He’d thought for sure that his career was over, but tonight hadn’t gone as badly as it could have. Maybe he could find a way to make it work.
She looked down at her hands, which were twisted up together. “I know this doesn’t erase what I did, but I want you to know I didn’t mean to send the article in. I wrote it late at night, after finding out some terrible news, and I thought it was the only way out of my situation. I didn’t mean to save it to the shared drive. I thought for sure I hadn’t—” Her words cut off as tears welled in her eyes.
Dread pooled in his stomach as he realized what she was saying. She hadn’t saved the document. He was the one who did that.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered as she ducked her head and walked away from him.
Jalen stared after her, his thoughts reeling. Riley had not stabbed him in the back. Not like he’d thought. She wasn’t the one who had ruined his career. He did that. It was his own fault the article came out.
The shock of the situation wore off, and he suddenly snapped out of his stupor. Riley. He needed to talk to her. He ran after her, but the concert had just gotten done, and he couldn’t see her amid the throngs of people walking and mingling on the beach. He stood back, searching the crowd for her. A few seconds later, he spotted her making her way back to her room. He watched as she stepped onto her deck and slipped inside.
Guilt rose in his throat as he thought about the situation. He’d treated her badly. And in the end, it wasn’t her fault. She wrote the article, but she hadn’t submitted it. And she deserved to know the truth.
He tugged on Sir Bark’s leash, guiding him in the direction of the resort. His dog sniffed the ground as they made their way to Riley’s room. He stepped up onto the deck, nerves coursing through him. What was he going to say to her?
He knocked on her glass door. The blinds were drawn, and he couldn’t see in, but her light was still on. After a moment, she peeked out. Surprise registered on her face before she opened the door a crack. “What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk.”
Chapter 27
Pain sliced through Riley as she stared through the glass at Jalen. What could he possibly want from her? Did he want to yell at her some more? Or tell her how much he hated her? She almost said no, but the look on his face seemed sad, and she couldn’t leave him standing out on her deck. “All right.”
She slid open the door and let them into her room. Jalen stepped in, then looked down at the carpet. She waited for him to say something, but he didn’t. Sir Barks, on the other hand, was jumping on her and screaming for attention, so she crouched down and scratched behind his ears. She really did love that little dog. She’d miss him.
Finally, Jalen spoke. “I owe you an apology.”
Riley couldn’t have been more surprised. He came to apologize? She was so stunned that she almost fell over backwards. “Whatever for?”
He let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. “I did something I’m not proud of.”
She frowned and stood up, folding her arms. “I think we’re both in that boat.”
“Yeah, well, I fear my boat might be a lot bigger than yours.” He cringed.
Riley had no idea what he was saying. Was he not making sense on purpose? Maybe he’d been drinking. “What are you talking about?”
“I broke into your room and found the article you wrote,” he blurted out. “I’m sorry,” he tacked on, after he looked at her face.
A buzzing noise started in her ears. She couldn’t believe what he was saying. “You broke into my room? When?”
“This morning. After I sent you for skin cream.” A guilty look crossed his face. “I think I was the one who accidentally turned your article in.” He stared at the floor.
Wait, was she hearing this right? Her mouth dropped open. “What?”
“I think this whole thing was my fault.” He sighed, and his shoulders slumped.
Riley couldn’t believe it. She hadn’t been the one who turned in the article. What a relief. She’d thought she was going crazy. She’d been so sure she hadn’t saved it. But why had he been on her computer in the first place? It didn’t make any sense.
“Wait a minute,” she said. “Why did you break into my room?”
“My head of security called me. They checked into you and found out you were a reporter.” He avoided her gaze. “I wanted to confirm what they said, because part of me didn’t believe it.”
She shoved his shoulder. “And you saved my article to the shared drive? Why?”
“It was an accident!”
“Well, that sucks.” If he hadn’t been messing with her article, it would have never come out. This whole thing wouldn’t have happened.
He looked pretty miserable. “I know.”
She leaned against the desk. “I guess that solves the mystery of how the article got published.” She gave him the once-over. At least he’d come clean to her. She had to give him props for that. Still, if she hadn’t written the darn thing, it wouldn’t have been leaked.
She sighed. “It’s still not your fault. I was the one who wrote it. I was the one who came here to expose you.”
He grimaced, like her words physically hurt him.
Guilt ripped through her. It was horrible of her, and she knew it. She was here to find a story. That was it. “I just didn’t plan on falling in love with you,” she said, quietly.
His gaze snapped to hers. Seconds melted into each other as he stared at her, processing what she’d said. He took a step toward her. “Why did you write the article?”
She fidgeted and looked down at the carpet. Should she tell the truth? No point in lying to him anymore. “I needed the money.”
He slowly nodded. “I see.”
But she’d thought about it all day, and she’d decided to give the money back. It didn’t feel right to keep it. She straightened, wanting him to know. “But I decided not to take it. I’m giving the money back. I don’t want to benefit from your pain. I’m quitting my job and—”
“How does
not taking the money help? The story is already out.” He took another step toward her. He was close now. Close enough she could touch him, if she reached out.
“I can’t take the money,” she whispered, closing her eyes. “I feel too guilty.”
“Then how will you live?”
Tears welled in her eyes. She didn’t know. That was the scary part. “I’ll think of something.”
His gaze softened. “Did you mean what you said? About falling in love with me?”
She gazed up at him. All of him. It suddenly hit her that he was standing before her without his mask on. Was he feeling self-conscious about his scars? She didn’t want him to feel this way. She reached up and gently touched the side of his face. “Yes,” she whispered, tears sliding down her cheeks.
She let her fingers graze over his perfect skin, then slowly, she reached his scars. They were part of him, and to her, they were beautiful. She gently touched them, hoping to tell him she accepted him. Every part of him. She loved him, unconditionally.
“Please don’t cry,” he said softly as he brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek, catching a teardrop. “I can’t stand it.”
“I’m just so sorry. For everything.” Her heart broke every time she thought of how painful it had to be for him to know her betrayal. She couldn’t bear it.
“I know.” He pulled her to him, and she snuggled into him. “I just don’t want you to feel sorry anymore. I love you, Riley.”
A sob broke out, and she buried her face into his chest. He loved her? Even after what she did? How could he still love her? “Can you ever forgive me?”
He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “I forgive you. For everything.” He lowered until his lips brushed against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.
When he finally pulled back, she touched the side of his face and looked into his eyes. “Thank you. For having enough faith in me to look past my worst mistakes.”
He smiled. “And thank you, for loving me.” After a couple of more kisses, he gave her a quizzical look. “Can I ask you something?”
“Yes.”
“When did you find out? What was it that told you who was under the mask?”
She paused, her gaze traveling to his shoulder. “I saw your scars, after the reporter ripped your shirt. But I had suspicions before then. You had Jalen’s phone. And who would fly off the island and leave his dog with someone else?”
Jalen laughed. “I never even thought about Sir Barks giving it away.”
“Can I ask you something?” she said, tentatively.
“Go ahead.”
“Do they hurt? Your scars?”
“Sometimes.”
She bit her lower lip. “How much of your skin…” She couldn’t finish the question.
Jalen understood and pulled back from her. “My shoulder, and down part of my back. I’ve had several skin grafts over the years, which has left my skin looking pretty bad. I don’t go swimming. It scares the children.”
Tears welled again in her eyes, and she cupped his face. “I’m so sorry.”
He stared down at her, his gaze intense. “Do you want to…see them?”
She nodded. “Only if you’re not uncomfortable.”
He slowly unbuttoned his shirt. “Not with you.”
She waited until he’d finished unbuttoning before she carefully slid his shirt over his shoulder, exposing the scarred skin. She ran her fingers lightly over the marks, her tears brimming. “Do you really use special skin cream?” she asked, touching his back where the patches of skin from the grafts could be seen.
“Yes. I am sorry about that, by the way. I knew you wouldn’t find it on the island.”
She placed a soft kiss on his skin. Then she turned him back around and brought his shirt up over his shoulders. “Let’s not say we’re sorry anymore.” She leaned forward and kissed his lips. “Let’s just start fresh from here.”
He smiled at her, his thumbs grazing over her cheeks, wiping at her tears. “I like the sound of that.”
She wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his chest. Somehow, she’d become the luckiest woman in the world, to have found a man like Jalen. Her heart burst with happiness at the thought. She’d come to the island to unmask him. She hadn’t realized she would complete her mission and fall in love with him in the process.
Epilogue
One Year Later
Riley watched Jalen pace the floor backstage, his fingers twitching. “Calm down. You’re going to be fine.” She handed him a cold water bottle from out of her bag.
He unscrewed the cap and took a long drink before handing it back to her. “Thank you. You always know just what I need.”
She pulled him to her and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You need to be confident. You’re going to go out there and kill it.”
He cringed. “I’ve never walked out on stage without my mask before.”
“You took your mask off in front of everyone last year, at this very resort. That had to be difficult.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Yes. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”
“Only one of the hardest things?”
“Yes,” he said, grinning. “The hardest was when I had to confess to you that I was actually the one that had sent off that article.”
She laughed and shoved his chest. “I’m glad you confessed. We might not be here had you decided not to.”
He pulled her to him and lifted her hand to his lips. “I would have sought you out eventually. I was smitten with you the first day I met you.”
She made a face. “Even though I’m not a famous novelist?”
“I much prefer you as a famous reporter.” He placed his hands on her hips, and she felt the same attraction she’d had when they’d first met. Only, this time she had a respectable job, working for a Los Angeles news station.
“Good. Because I’m not giving up my job.”
He leaned down and pulled her closer. “Are you nervous about the wedding tomorrow?”
Riley grinned. “Not at all.” How could she be nervous? She was marrying the man of her dreams in a double wedding with her father. She couldn’t wait to see her father and Mrs. Lewis finally tie the knot. They’d been flirting with each other forever. “Do you think Dad is?”
“Absolutely. I don’t think he would have proposed had you not pressured him.”
“Well, it was about time. With the transplant out of the way, he was needlessly dragging his feet.” She joked about it, but inside, she was so relieved. It had been such a stress to wait on the transplant list. And the surgery was a whole other worry. She was so glad to have that all behind them. The doctors said he couldn’t have had a better reaction to the new heart.
“Do you think your mother will show up at the wedding?”
Riley closed her eyes, unable to stop the wash of pain over her. “I don’t know.”
“It’s a good sign that she checked herself into that center.” Jalen caressed her cheek. “Maybe she will come.”
“Maybe.” Riley still had so many mixed feelings about her mother to sort through. It was good that she sought out help, though. It did give her hope.
Someone came on the loudspeaker. Riley looked up at Jalen. “I think that means it’s almost time for you to go on.”
“I think you’re right.”
She gave him a kiss. “You’re going to rock this.”
“Thank you for always being there for me.”
Emotion swelled in Riley. She couldn’t imagine life without Jalen by her side. He was her rock. Her everything. She loved him with all of her heart and soul. He was her best friend and her confidant. She gave him a gentle shove toward the stage. “Stop dawdling. Get out there.”
He gave her a small wave and blew her a kiss before picking up his guitar and heading out on the stage. The crowd cheered, louder than she’d heard before. This was going to be good. She knew it.
>
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Here’s a Sneak Peek at her next book, A Necessary Nudge Out of the Friend Zone.
Sneak Peek: A Necessary Nudge Out of the Friend Zone
Chapter 1
Remi picked up the electric tea kettle and poured hot water over the contents of the Swiss Miss packet that sat in the bottom of her Harry Potter mug. So what if it was July? Sometimes hot chocolate was needed, and this was definitely one of those times. She stirred the chocolate, the small white marshmallows swirling in the middle. They never added enough marshmallows. Why was that? Were they too expensive? Was there some global marshmallow shortage?
She sat down at her kitchen table and opened her scrapbook. Her super-secret, super embarrassing crush book. It was full of photos of Colton Drake, her childhood best friend. All the early pages were filled with photos from middle school and high school. Pictures she’d snuck of Colton, or selfies with him. All the later pages were filled with Colton’s studio shots or movie poster images.
She hadn’t spoken to him for five years. Not since his career took off, and he got too busy for her. She pulled out the package of stickers she’d purchased from Amazon. Tonight she would add two more pages to her crush book and try to forget about the events of the day. The horrible, terrible, awful events of the day.
A Deception of Massive Proportion: A Romantic Comedy (The Billionaire Club Book 3) Page 16
