“I always have your back.” He kisses my forehead then lets me go and reaches around to open the door. “Let’s go… before you’re late.”
“Yeah.” I sigh, stepping out the door with a tiny flame of excitement in my belly because after today, I will be getting a little of my life back.
I get into Jamie’s Escalade that is parked in front of his building and hear my phone beep in my purse. After finding it, I pull up my messages, expecting to see something from Kathy, the woman who hired me two weeks ago to be an on air host with IMG one of the biggest home shopping television production companies in the US. Instead, I see a message from Troy asking me to call him.
“Who is it?”
Startled, I look over at Jamie, whose eyes are fixed on the phone in my hand.
“Troy, he wants me to call him,” I explain as the phone begins to feel heavy in my palm.
“Fuck him. You need to change your number.”
“I’m not changing my number.” I sigh, hoping he’ll drop it. I don’t want to talk to Troy, but after spending four years of my life with him, I feel like I owe him something, which is stupid, considering what he did.
If someone would have told me Troy was cheating on me, I would have laughed and told them they were crazy. I thought he loved me. I thought he was going to be the man I spent the rest of my life with. I had no idea that when I was planning a wedding and getting ready to spend the rest of my life with him, he was searching for something else.
“Do you need me to show you the pictures again?” Jamie asks, bringing me out of my thoughts as the city moves by swiftly.
“No.” I don’t need to see them again; the images are burned into my brain. I still have no idea who sent me the photos of Troy and his colleague together, but I’m thankful to them, grateful I found out the truth about who he is.
Four months ago, I had gone home and checked the mail like I always did, and tucked between bridal magazines and junk mail was a plain envelope with my name scrawled across the front in black permanent marker. No address or any other identifying information, just my name. That envelope sat on the counter for a few hours before I opened it. I had no idea the contents were going to change my life.
Someone had taken multiple pictures of Troy and a woman he worked with in different locations. In some, they were out in public, but most of the pictures were grainy, like they were taken at night, and the two of them were intimately intertwined in the throes of ecstasy.
When I saw the photos, I called Jamie and explained to him what I had received, and even though he may be my little brother, he has never acted like it. He showed up an hour later with boxes and all of his bandmates. They packed up everything that was mine and took my two suitcases to Jamie’s apartment and everything else to one of their storage units. When Troy came home the next day, I was already gone, but I did leave the pictures along with my engagement ring on the counter for him.
“We’re here,” Jamie says, giving my leg a pat, and I turn to look out the window, my eyes traveling up… and up. The building with black glossy windows looks intimidating against the backdrop of the dark, cloud-covered Seattle sky. I open my door and follow Jamie out, knowing I wouldn’t be able to afford this place if it weren’t included as part of my job package.
“So this is where you’re going to live?” Jamie asks as the doorman opens the door for us to walk into the building.
“Yeah, crazy, right?” I look around. The lobby is beautiful with sleek lines and modern furniture. It looks like part of a set from a movie. “The CEO of IMG owns this building, where he houses most of the employees, he also owns a building down the block where the offices and the sets for filming are located.”
“I’m proud of you, you worked your ass off to get this.” He takes hold of my bicep to pull me out of the way of someone walking toward us as I look up at him.
“Thanks,” I tell him quietly, looking around a little overwhelmed.
“Don’t get that look. This isn’t the time or place for tears,” he says and I try not to smile, because he really cannot stand when I cry—something I can admit I’ve done a time or two on purpose to make him see things my way.
“I’m not going to cry.” I grab his arm when I see the sign for the leasing office and pull him with me toward it. The automatic doors open for us, and we stop at the desk with a high counter where an older woman is on the phone. She smiles and holds up a finger telling me it will be just a moment, so I smile back.
“How can I help you two?” she asks, looking between us as she puts the phone back in the cradle.
“Hi, I’m Dakota Newton. I’m here to pick up the keys for my apartment.”
“Dakota, I have your envelope in the back. Give me a moment and I’ll be right back.” She gets up and heads through a doorway. When she comes back a minute later, she’s carrying a folder and a large yellow envelope that she places in front of me on the counter, pulling out a few sheets of paper and looking them over. “Okay, so it looks like all the paperwork has been filled out online, so I just need you to sign your lease then I can take you up to your apartment.”
I take the pen she holds out to me and scribble my name across the bottom of the document she turns my way. When I’m done, she dumps the contents out of the envelope.
“This—” She hands me three brochures. “—is all the information you’ll need for the building. The app to download which will give you access to your apartment so you don’t have to use your key card. When the garbage is picked up, the hours laundry service is available, info for the gym and pool, along with how to schedule the use of the freight elevator, which you will need to do when you move in. Now, if you’re ready, I’ll show you your new home.”
“I’m ready when you are,” I say, feeling anxious, and she smiles at me.
An hour later, I get into Jamie’s SUV with a smile on my face. The furnished studio apartment I was given is beyond amazing and nicer than anything I’ve ever lived in before. It’s even nicer than the apartment I shared with Troy.
Honestly, when Melissa opened the door, I thought it was some kind of fluke, especially with the space being loaded down with high-end furniture. I had no idea the space came furnished, but I can admit I’m relieved I won’t have to buy anything except new bedding and linens. She did say that if I wanted to trade out the furniture for some of my own, they would pack it up and move it out for me. It’s not needed. Most of the stuff I have in storage is kitchen crap and clothes I will probably never wear.
“So, are you coming to my show tonight?” Jamie asks, pulling me from my thoughts, and I turn to look at him.
“If you promise to talk the guys into helping me move my stuff out of storage on Sunday, no matter how much they drink Saturday night.”
“You know they’d do anything for you.”
I do know that. I know Jamie’s friends have become mine. Actually, they’re like honorary brothers who didn’t give me much of a choice but to accept them.
“Then yes, I’m coming to the show.” I catch him grinning out the corner of my eye. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“It’s something,” I insist, watching him closely.