My phone rings.
Jayden.
“I miss you, too, buddy, but honestly, you don’t need to call me every few hours.”I say, grinning, as I answer.
“Is Jessie with you?”His tone is terse.
My smile fades.“No.Savannah took her on a tour.”He’s quiet, and I go on full alert.“Jay?”
“Mom phoned looking for Jessie.”
What?
“Today?”
“No.Well, yes.She said Jessie took off.Never told anyone she was coming to LA.”
I change lanes and wait for him to explain as I try to piece that bit of information together with what we know.
Jessie isn’t super close with her mom, but she most certainly would tell her parents if she was making a big change like moving states.
Or visiting.
I’m still not clear on her plans.
“That is weird.You told her she was staying with us, right?That she’s safe.”
Jayden sighs.“Yeah, but apparently her boss was trying to reach her.That’s how Mom knew she’d left the state.She gave her roomie three days’ notice, and just up and left.”
“Jesus.”
That gets my attention.Jessie may act like she’s a free spirit, but she’s very meticulous and organized.I figured she had this planned and landed on our doorstep so we couldn’t turn her away.
So she could see me.
What an arrogant fuck I am.
To be fair, it’s the sort of thing she does.
“Has she been acting weird?”Jayden asks.“You don’t think it's drugs or a guy?”
I rub my forehead as I drive down the highway.
Define weird.
Running down the hall naked after wearing a stupid duvet dress to breakfast and getting stuck under my kitchen table isn’t normal.
Falling into my arms while nearly peeing herself?That likely fits in the weird category.
“No,” I say instead.
But honestly, they are probably Class Jess.It’s the bruises I keep thinking about.
“I don’t even know if she was dating anyone.Do you think some guy hurt her?”Jayden asks, and my temper ramps up.
Did she leave Texas because some boyfriend was being too rough with her?Rubbing the scruff on my jaw, I twist my neck, trying to release the tension.
“You know something?Fucking tell me if you do,” Jayden growls through the phone.
