This Can't Be Real

Chapter 28

The sound of doors banging shut and shouting from downstairs has my eyes fluttering open the next morning. The sunlight is spilling into the bedroom from the opened curtains that I forgot to close over last night. I was too drained of energy to be bothered to shut the curtains last night. Those were the last things on mind.

After the police left yesterday, all I did was think about the things that have happened to me since the last time I saw Jess. The red roses I got were Jess's favourite roses which only Thom would know about - if she told him that is. That should have flagged up as something being wrong but it didn't. Thinking about it now, the black Porsche Cayenne that almost ran me off the road is the last car I remembered Jess having when I lost my memory. No one would have known that unless they had seen Jess before hand or she had told them.

The two things that have happened to me so far are connections to Jess and I'm only now putting them together now I know she's been reported missing. What kind of best friend am I if I didn't piece together the most obvious clues that were connected to her! I've practically known her my whole life and this is how I act when she needs me most.

I'm a terrible friend.

"You should have still contacted me regardless of what she said! I have a right to know when my wife is being targeted by some random stranger who gets a kick out of scaring her half to death!"

My sleepy state is long forgotten at the sound of Joe's angry voice echoing through the house. He sounds so pissed off, I dread to think what he's going to be like with me when we come face to face in the coming moments.

"Just leave me alone with her for the time being. I want to be there for her and talk to her without anyone around us."

My eyes quickly close back over at the sound of hurried footsteps coming up the stairs. I grip the quilt tightly in my right hand and pull it up higher over my chest till it sits just bellow my chin. I grip the pillow softly with my left hand and sigh quietly. I feel relaxed the now, but my acting will be put to the test and it'll show me if Joe knows me as well as what he says he does.

The footsteps become lighter as they walk along the hall, through the walk-in wardrobe, and come to a stop by the end of the bed. I can hear Joe breathing deeply like he's trying to calm himself down.

"Leigh, I know you're awake." He announces calmly.

Damn. I turn my upper body so I can look at him briefly before turning back round and getting comfortable again. "You didn't need to come back early," I mutter.

"I did, actually." He moves round the bed and kneels down on front of me so I can see him. "Thanks to my dad for calling me, I explained the circumstances to the manager and he allowed me to come home. I got on the first flight back to the UK and here I am."

He reaches for my hand and holds it in his.

"I'm sorry I didn't call and tell you about the car situation," I whisper.

"Judging by the look on your face, I can tell that what you told my parents isn't what actually happened. Or isn't the full story I should say."

"It was scary, Joe." I'm close to breaking down but I want to hold it together for as long as possible. "I didn't know what to do and when we did return home, it was sitting at the gate revving it's engine." Tears begin to fall freely from my eyes and I sniff. "I thought it would have came through the gate. I was so scared, I didn't know what to do."

"Baby," he mutters, coming as close to me as he can get. His forehead rests against mine and he holds me to him as be as he can. "If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have left. I would have gave preseason a miss if it meant you didn't have to feel this way. I'm so sorry, baby."