Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 30055 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30055 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
“I’d be willing to change my flight, but…” I look over my shoulder and lower my voice. “Jameson is here, so…”
Her smile fades. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I shrug. “I’ll be fine. It’s one step toward getting over him, and I can’t be afraid to ever see him in person, so—”
“Shit. I need to tell you something.” She cuts me off, pulling me off to the side.
She looks around and then pulls me away again into a small closet.
“What the hell is going on?” I ask.
“Your boyfriend—”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Whatever.” She places her hands on my shoulders. “He’s been sending me stuff every week—flowers and gift cards with ‘Tell me where Scarlett is or else’ notes.”
“What does he mean by the ‘or else’ part?”
“I haven’t found out.”
“Why are you just now telling me this?”
“You said you never wanted to hear his name or discuss anything about him.”
True… “So, you didn’t tell him I was going to be here tonight, did you?”
“Hell no.” She scoffs. “I just want you to know that he’s been trying to reach you…And there’s this lady that’s been watching me here and there, too. I think she’s stalking me for him. Maybe?”
“Definitely,” I say, knowing that the woman is probably Rachel.
“I promise I haven’t said a word to him.” She looks genuine. “I don’t know how he knew you’d be here.”
“It’s my fault.” I shake my head, realizing he probably put two and two together when I texted him out of anger a few days ago.
“Nothing to worry about, though.” I force a smile and pull out a small red gift box from my purse. “Here’s your lucky Broadway debut gift. Open it when you’re by yourself.”
“Will do.” She hugs me again. “Would you like me to show you to the back alley?”
“Please.”
She smiles and opens the closet door, escorting me through the backstage area.
“Let me know when you’re back in L.A., okay?” She squeezes my hand. “And I’ll attend your first show whenever you land a major role, too.”
“I’ll let you know for sure.” I zip up my coat and slip into the cold, walking toward the street.
I take out my phone to order an Uber back to the airport, but as I’m setting my location, a text crosses my screen.
American Airlines
Flight Alert: 1716 with service to Los Angeles has been rescheduled for tomorrow afternoon at 3:07 p.m. due to a security issue.
Stay tuned for further updates.
What the…
I consider going to the airport anyway and spending the night there, but I know it’ll be miserable.
Jeneva’s place is an option, but I’m pretty sure her boyfriend has plans for whenever she returns.
As I’m scrolling through the classmates and former associates I’ve left behind, a familiar deep voice clears his throat.
“You were really going to leave this city without telling me goodbye?” Jameson asks.
“Yes.” I look at him and immediately regret it.
My skin heats at the sight of him, as if he’s somehow become more gorgeous between now and fifteen minutes ago.
“I have a flight to catch,” I say. “Maybe we can reconnect next time.”
“All flights are canceled until tomorrow.” A slow smirk crosses his lips. “That includes yours.”
“How do you know that?”
“I got an alert,” he says, stepping closer. “Apparently someone called in a bomb threat.”
“Someone or you?”
“Do I seem like I’m that desperate to talk to you?”
“Yes.” I narrow my eyes. “Was it you?”
“We should talk in my car,” he says. “You’re more than welcome to come to my place if you need a place to stay tonight.”
“I don’t. I just made a hotel reservation.”
“At which one?”
“I…” I hold back a sigh. I can’t afford to waste any of my money on a hotel for one night. “The Waldorf Astoria.”
“You have a reservation there already?”
“No,” I say, “but I’ll just mention my father’s name if they try to kick me off the lobby’s couch.”
He pulls out his phone and taps the screen. “I’ll get you a room at the Four Seasons.”
“No, that’s okay.” I shake my head. “I don’t want to owe you anything.”
“The only thing you owe me is a conversation.”
“Then I get to decide when I give it to you.”
“Fine.” He groans and puts his phone away. “My car is across the street. I’ll drive you.”
“I’d rather take an Uber.”
He gives me a blank stare.
“You can follow it, if you like, but—”
“We may not be together, Scarlett,” he interrupts me, “but you’re out of your mind if you think I’ll let you get into another man’s car tonight.”
“I’ll request a woman.”
“You’ll agree to come with me or I’ll pick you up and carry you.”
The look in his eyes lets me know he’s dead serious.
“Fine,” I say. “But I’m sitting in the backseat.”
“You’ll sit in the front seat, with me.” He gestures for me to follow him, and I allow myself to oblige.
It’s only a twenty-minute drive, Scarlett. Just twenty minutes.