“Oh, no worries. You’ve been so kind already. I’ll just call the cab driver who left me his business card. I’m sure he’d be happy to bring me up there to get my credit card.”
“Oh no, don’t be silly. It’s no big deal at all. I’d love to drive you up there. I bet it’s a gorgeous drive.” She seems committed.
I sigh. “Okay. If you’re sure…”
“Oh yes, definitely.”
Thirty minutes later, Kelly and I are headed north. The two-lane road winds through throngs of snowcapped evergreens as the mountains loom in the distance. My nerves are on edge, I’m not sure what the next step is if my card doesn’t arrive today, but I’ve decided I can’t think about that until I have to. Jesika hasn’t posted on social media since our night on the Riverwalk, and it’s got my brain buzzing with the reasons why. Maybe she’s sick or not feeling well again. I’ve flirted with the idea that the worst has happened, but after searching news articles and police reports from that night and the next, I’ve come up empty-handed. Because of this, I’ve started to assume she’s fine, has made a full recovery from her fall, and that she and Dean are probably on the mend right now. I have to think that, because the alternative is far darker than I’m willing to handle. My memory is hazy of that night, but I know that anything that unfolded was an accident—pure and simple.
I’ve even started to tell myself that soon enough, Dean will realize that staying with Jesika is hazardous—they’re not meant to be. He and I are connected in ways I never knew possible. We’re forged in fire, and our bonds can’t be severed so easily.
“Well, isn’t this fancy.” Kelly’s words pull me from my thoughts. “I should have booked here.”
Her rental car is pulling into the cobblestone drive of the sprawling mountain lodge. Flagstone and hand-hewn logs anchor the oversized entryway. A valet pushes through the doors and bows quickly as we pull to a stop.
“Is the restaurant open for brunch?” she asks him through the window.
“It is, ma’am.”
“Perfect. I’ll let you park the car, and we’ll go grab some brunch while we wait for your mail to arrive.”
“Okay.” I’m hardly paying attention to her words, my heart is pounding so loudly in my ears.
Kelly hands the valet her keys, and he passes her a pink valet ticket. She tucks it into her ragged Louis bag and then gestures for me to enter the hotel.
“Excuse me,” I breathe as soon as I see the concierge. “Do you know if the mail has been delivered?”
“Yes, I believe it has, ma’am.”
“Perfect.”
“Should be behind the check-in desk.” He nods to the woman in the matching blue-collared uniform behind a mahogany desk.
“Thank you.” I cross the lobby and greet her kindly before asking if the mail has arrived for the day. She nods and smiles, patting the stack of mail next to her. “Do you have something addressed to Shae Halston?”
The woman takes a long moment to unwrap the rubber band from the handful of white envelopes. She reads the address of each one carefully, putting one envelope on the desk beside her as she moves to the next. Soon, she reaches the end and then turns to me with a frown.
“I’m sorry. Nothing here for that name.” She smiles, and it raises the hair on the back of my neck.
“Can you check again, please?”
Her eyes darken, and then she catches herself and forces the cheerful grin again. “Of course.”
She holds the stack again, moving through each one slowly until I get so agitated I snatch the remaining envelopes from her hand and spread them out on the desk in front of me.
“Miss!” She moves to snatch them back, but I block her, using my arms to cover the various white envelopes. I refuse to give her back a single one until I’ve seen them all for myself. “Miss, don’t make me call security.”
“This is very important. Please,” I plead, passing her back an envelope that I’ve confirmed isn’t addressed to me.It has to be here.“I can’t believe it’s not here.”
“I have to ask you to please leave, before I call?—”
“I’m leaving.” I wave her off, already backing away.
“Shae?” Kelly is watching me, head cocked to the side.Shit.She’s just seen everything unfold.Double shit.I definitely look unhinged. But wouldn’t anyone after being denied access to all their money? Dean managed to lock down every credit card in both of our names, and I was the fool who failed to ever establish credit on my own with a separate account and card. Everything we have is shared.
“I don’t know what to do,” I sob, covering my face in my hands and bursting into tears.
Kelly comes closer, wrapping me in her arms and stroking my back. “We’ll figure it out, honey. I promise.”
