Chapter 42

Jay was leaning against the wall opposite the bedroom door. It was a wide curving hallway with several wooden doors and alcoves with vases of flowers. He took my hand. The contact with his skin sent the familiar spark of electricity through me. I squeezed his hand, needing reassurance.

“Wow, your house is amazing,” I commented as we came to a large, sweeping staircase.

He looked at me and smiled, then led me down the stairs, through a huge landing and into a living area. Georgian-style windows spread across one wall, and an elegant white fireplace was in the center of the opposite wall.

I sat on the sofa, already tired from walking the short distance, and Jay sat in the adjacent armchair. He stared straight into my eyes the way he used to. I shifted in my seat.

Rosie walked in carrying a tray with a pot of tea, a pot of coffee and some cups. Without saying anything, she placed the items on the low table and left us.

“Tea or coffee?” Jay asked. He hadn’t taken his eyes off me when Rosie came in. And now, like then, he continued to stare into me.

“Tea, please.” I fixed my gaze on my mug, keeping my eyes away from his.

Jay picked up the teapot and poured me a cup, then poured himself one. He then picked up my cup and passed it to me.

“Thank you,” I said. I’d said thank you to him so many times in the past few minutes. And I did have many things to thank him for. I could almost feel my body warm, but then I remembered the email. Not so much the photo. But the words James McAllister screaming out from the text.

“Would you like any food?”

“Uh, yes please, James,” I tried the name out on my tongue. He visibly flinched when I said it but quickly regained his normal composure. He took something from his pocket, a small plastic oval with three buttons on it. He pushed the blue button.

“The blue button is for Rosie,” he said, handing it to me. “You’ll keep this while you’re here, and she will come to you.”

“Yes?” Rosie asked as she entered the room.

“Abbie and I will have lunch soon, in the dining room.”

“Yes, sir.” She turned and left the room as quickly as she had entered it.

We finished our tea and I followed him into the dining room. I gawked at the room as we entered. The table sat twenty and original artwork graced the walls.

We talked through our meal, the easy flow of conversation still between us. I realized how famished I was after hardly eating for three days, and lapped up all the chicken soup placed in front of me.

“Did you get enough to eat?”

“Yes, thank you.” That phrase again. Thank you for everything Jay, except for being a liar.

“Come, you should get some rest.” He stood and without protest I followed him back to my room.

“Where’s your room?” I asked as we approached my door.

“Down the hall.” He didn’t indicate which way down the hall.

I stepped into my room and he closed the door, with him on the other side.

Tired and confused, I climbed back into bed and fell asleep.

When I woke, my eyes blinked at the weak sunlight. I wish I knew the time, but I didn’t have my phone and couldn’t see a clock in the room. I pushed the blue button, and Rosie appeared soon after.

“Yes?”

“Do you know the time?”

“It’s a little after four. Is that everything?”

“Is it okay if I go downstairs?”

“Of course. I’ll let Mr. McAllister know.”

Once she left, I got out of bed and went back to the dresser with the robes in it. I pulled the top drawer open and ran my fingers over the contrasting fabrics. With Sam’s voice in my head, I closed the drawer and opened the one underneath. It was full of underwear, bras and socks, of all fabrics and colors, all of them my size.

I opened the next drawer, full of casual tops, all my size. The drawer underneath that was full of pants. My heart raced at the sight. I shut the drawers and went to the closet, the walk-in closet. Inside every rail was covered in dresses, skirts, blouses, smart pants. Every one of them my size.

I staggered backwards until I bumped into the closet door frame.

There was a soft knock at the bedroom door, and I rushed over to open it.

“Jay.”

“Is something the matter?”

“All the clothes, why are they here?”

“So you’d have something to wear when you felt a little better.”

“But Jay… James. There’s enough here to wear something new every day for a year.”

“I didn’t know what style you’d want, so I got an assortment.” Assortment. Unbelievable. The hair on the back of my neck prickled. Why did he do all that?

“Oh, okay.”

“Do you want to get dressed? We can watch a movie afterwards.”

He flashed his beautiful smile at me, but more than that, his words were something to get me out of my isolation. I pushed my worries to the back of my mind.

“I would love to watch a movie. A romance?” I said hopefully.

“Sure, you can pick it. I’ll wait out here for you while you get ready.” He ducked back out the door and shut it behind him.

I went back to the dresser and looked for something comfortable. Jeans and a T-shirt plus an oversized cardigan. All Gucci. Of course. I shook my head, and opened the door to find Jay waiting in the same spot as before.

“You look beautiful.”

“Thanks,” I said laughing. Jeans and a T-shirt after several days with no shower. Yeah, real beautiful.

We retraced our last route, but went past the living area we’d sat in, down a long passageway and through a set of double doors. I blinked twice to make sure I wasn’t seeing things, and then realized of course, someone who spends three thousand dollars on lingerie is going to have a home cinema.

The smell of popcorn and butter tempted my taste buds. Rosie stood to the side at an old-fashioned looking popcorn cart and scooped some of the popcorn into tubs for us.

I turned around, looking for a place to sit. There were both sofas and high-backed single seats, enough to seat twenty people. I wasn’t sure which to pick, so hung back to follow Jay’s lead. He chose a single seat, and I sat in the one beside him.

“What movie do you want to watch? Any one you want.”

I was going to say Gone With The Wind or Breakfast At Tiffany’s. But a thought struck me, and I said, “Fatal Attraction.”

He looked away from me, his head angled up, before turning back. “Okay.”

* * *

The movie reflected my anger. And hurt. Being lied to, then lied to again. But when Alex got that kitchen knife, I realized it was Matt I was so angry at. He had caused my hurt and pain. He had broken me, not Jay. Jay had saved me.

I shook my head. Jay had saved me. But he also hurt me. He also lied. But he saved me. I was in his house. He didn’t want money from me. He didn’t seem to want anything from me. I had been there for days and he’d done nothing but take care of me.

I became lost in my thoughts and didn’t see the rest of the movie. Why did my heart want Jay when my brain knew better?

After the movie, we returned to the dining room for dinner. My body was still in need of restoration, and I ate all my roast chicken with mashed potatoes and vegetables.

“You look tired,” Jay said from across the table.

“I am exhausted.”

“That’s normal. The doctor said to expect that.”

I smiled at him. At all he’d done for me. Was it enough to make up for the lie? I didn’t know. After all, Jenny did say his motivation for lying was different from Matt’s, and understandable.

“I think I’m going to go to bed.”

“Of course, I’ll walk you up.”

He took my hand, and I followed him back to my room. He let go of my hand and opened the door. I looked at him, my heart fluttering the way it had on that first night after D’Angelo’s.

I searched his eyes, looking for a clue. Something, anything of what he was thinking. I only saw warmth.

“Good night,” he said, and he kissed my forehead.

* * *

In the morning I felt much better again. Almost normal. Almost. I got out of bed and had a shower. Washed the days of filth off me. The water cleared my head as I held the diamond pendent in my fingers, which I had not taken off my neck once.

Jay was so easy to spend time with. His touch was electric. And he saved me. His behavior during my time here had been nothing but that of a good old-fashioned gentleman.

But he lied. Maybe if I could make him understand how Matt hurt me, I could understand the reason he lied.

I tied my wet hair back, pulled on another Gucci jeans and T-shirt outfit, and went searching for Jay.

“Abbie, you’re up. I hope that means you’re feeling better.”

“Yes, thank you. I’m feeling a little more normal.”

He came over to me and clasped my hands in his. He looked straight into my eyes, and said, “Stop thanking me.” I blushed. I had so much to thank him for.

I took a deep breath. “Can we talk?”

“Of course, come with me to the breakfast room and Rosie will get us some coffee.”