I laugh. “You remember that? You ran off so fast I didn’t even think you saw me.”
“I saw you when I was running toward you. I was trying to figure out who you were. If I’d seen you before.”
“And you wanted to kiss me? Without even knowing me?”
“I thought you were gorgeous. What guy doesn’t want to kiss a gorgeous girl?”
“When I saw you that day, I thought you were an actor.”
“Why?” he says with a laugh.
“You’re too hot to be a regular guy. And I was right. Youarean actor.”
“Was. A long time ago. And believe me, I didn’t look like this.”
“What’d you look like?”
“I was a kid. Baby face, skinny legs, skinny arms.”
I turn and smile at him. “I bet you were cute.”
“That’s what I was told but you can’t trust people in Hollywood. They all lie.”
Sinking into his arms, my eyes catch on the wastebasket where I tossed out all my stuff from Axl. Just days ago, those photos and cards meant everything to me. But now they feel like lies. I’m not even sure Axl loved me. He never held me the way Jackson is right now. He didn’t comfort me the way Jackson does. He didn’t talk to me when I needed to talk. He wouldn’t even listen.
How is it possible that Jackson, a guy I just met, treats me better than the guy I was planning to be with forever?
“He didn’t love me,” I say, a tear running down my face.
Jackson sighs. “I’m sorry.”
“You knew, didn’t you?”
“From the things you told me?” He pauses. “Yeah. I knew.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You wouldn’t have believed me. You needed to figure it out yourself.”
“I feel so alone now. My mom is gone. Axl’s gone. All I have left is my dad and I don’t know where he is.”
“Would it help if you found him?”
“It might. At least I’d feel like I have someone left. He’s not the greatest dad but he’s not horrible. He’s better than Brock.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
I turn to face him. “What do you mean?”
“I’ll see if I can find out where he is.”
“You can’t. Those places are serious about privacy. They won’t tell anyone who’s staying there.”
“I have ways of finding out.”
“How? I’m telling you, those places are really strict with the rules.”
“You give someone enough money, you can get around the rules.”
