Chapter 88

Jesse

Jesse was filled with anxiety as she watched Hal pace across the room, growling to himself, and she flinched as he snatched up the phone from the bedside table, roughly tapping on the screen before pressing it to his ear.

“Adam,” Hal barked into the phone, “your pilot tipped off the press about my trip to the cabin. He’s fired, and I want him taken care of.”

With that, Hal hung up the phone, slammed it back down on the side table and stood with his hands on his hips, his eyes distant as he stared down at the ground. Jesse noticed he was flexing his injured hand, and it seemed as though he would combust at any moment.

Jesse couldn’t fight the fear and anxiety that had peaked within her at this point. Hal had hardly said a word to her, and she had no idea how much of his anger was directed at her or what thoughts were going through his head just now.

Jesse couldn’t remain silent any longer. She slowly knelt on the bed and looked up at him hesitantly.

“Hal?” she spoke softly and jumped a little as he looked sharply up at her. “I’m … I’m really sorry. I had no idea that this blog had anything to do with Elaine. And I … I don’t want you to think I did any of it on purpose.”

Hal’s face softened a little. Jesse was still apprehensive as Hal sat down on the bed and turned his head to face her.

“I’m sorry that all this is happening to you, Jess,” Hal said softly, remorse in his eyes. “I know that none of this is your fault.”

Jesse felt an overwhelming sense of relief at his words, and she let out a breath that she had been holding for what seemed like forever.

“I know how much your reputation means to you,” he went on, looking down at the bed as he spoke. “And I’m sorry that I was careless in taking you out to the cabin without making sure that we were absolutely alone first.”

Jesse hardly heard what he was saying past the relief she felt that he wasn’t angry with her; all she could do was shake her head.

“I don’t care about any of that, Hal,” she said softly, looking up at him. “I don’t care about Elaine, or the photographs, or any of it. All I care about is you and what you think of me. I don’t ever want you to think that I would just use you to write an article and then just pretend that none of this ever happened.”

Jesse felt tears welling up in her eyes as she spoke, and Hal lifted his uninjured hand to wipe away the tears that had trickled down her cheeks.

“Jess, I love you,” he said softly. “I know that as long as we’re together people are going to manipulate you and try to get information about me from you. I know that wherever you get a job, especially as a journalist, people are going to hound you for stories about me. I know that it’s a lot to have to deal with.”

Hal’s voice grew sadder the longer he spoke, and Jesse shook her head.

“I don’t care,” Jesse said. “I won’t be a journalist, then. I’m never going to have you think that I would do anything to betray you. I promise,” Jesse insisted, using one of her hands to press his against her cheek and nuzzling her face into it.

Hal looked over at her carefully, and his eyes searched her face. Jesse hoped that he could see her honesty as he looked her over, and her heart beat as she waited for him to respond to her. Finally, he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

“I know,” he said softly. “And I love you. And I would do anything to protect you from what people are going to say about us, from the scrutiny that we’re going to be under. But I can’t protect you from everything.”

“I don’t need you to,” Jesse immediately protested. “I knew this was a risk from the beginning. I’m a big girl; I can handle a few rumors.”

Jesse looked up at Hal and saw a smile flicker across his face before his eyes fell once more to look down at the bed. Jesse frowned as long moments of silence passed between them. For a while, she was too anxious to say anything. Finally, though, she gathered up the courage to gently cup his cheek in her hand and tilt it so that he was looking at her.

“Hal?” she said softly, running her thumb along his cheekbone. “What’s the matter?”

Hal looked up at her, his eyes a little pained, and he released a long huff of air through his nose. He nuzzled his face into her palm, and she allowed him to. Finally, he opened his mouth, and Jesse waited patiently for him to say what he needed to.

“Jess, I love you,” he said softly. “And I am so grateful for everything that you’ve already put yourself through for us and for the things that you may have to give up.”

Jesse opened her mouth as if to speak, but Hal held up his hand, stopping her. He took another long moment, and she heard him take a deep breath.

“But …” he said, his voice wary. “There’s something that I haven’t been completely honest with you about …”

Jesse frowned and dropped her hand from his face, a feeling of trepidation growing quickly in her stomach.

“What are you talking about?” Jesse asked, her voice soft, not knowing if she was going to like wherever this conversation was headed.

Hal took a deep breath before he spoke again, and Jesse clenched her teeth in anxiety.

“It’s about …” he said, and then stopped for a moment. “There’s more to my story that I didn’t tell you, and that you need to know. About what happened in my past.”