Kiss and Make Up (gxg)

Chapter 29

I raised my hand to flag down the bartender, and she came over quickly. "Sorry, I haven't had a chance to wipe this down!" she apologized. I wasn't worried about that. I could see that she was already out of breath, and I was sure that she'd been swamped all night. She took a wet rag and started cleaning up the bar, tossing a few napkins and putting the glasses in the nearby sink, before holding out a folded up piece of paper. "Is this yours?"

"Nope!" replied Ruby with a shake of her head.

I almost said the same before I noticed that my name was written on the outside of the fold in familiar handwriting. But, how? "Wait!" I reached out, pulling the paper, and unfolding it. The paper was worn and had a few blotchy ink stains on it. It was also taped together, as though ripped up and repaired. I didn't need to read it to know exactly what this was. It was the letter from the envelope that Shiloh had given to Harper at the courthouse, hoping that I'd read it. But how the hell did it get here? "The person that was sitting here, was she blonde with green eyes?"

The bartender paused her wiping, then nodded. "Blonde for sure, and I think you might be right about the eyes, but I couldn't see too well, too busy."

"That bitch was waiting on you? Ha!" a man sitting next to me crowed.

"Do you have a problem, asshole?" I turned to look at him and couldn't help but sneer.

"Nope. But she did. Wouldn't let us have that seat all night, said she was waiting on someone. Then you show up with another woman, that's so damned funny! I hope she's a miserable cow tonight!" He lifted his beer much to his lips to take a big swig, and I may have 'accidentally' nudged his arm, causing it to spill all over him.

"Oh, sorry about that!" I apologized quickly.

"Fuck!" he cried out, standing up and racing for the men's room. A nearby woman moved in and snapped up his seat.

I looked beyond the bar and noticed that this vantage had a perfect view of the entry, and quickly realized what must have happened. Shiloh somehow figured out where I was going to be tonight, and staked it out to wait for me, even going so far as to save a seat for me. But why did she leave? I mentally groaned as I remembered the flash of blond right after Ruby leaned into my ear to talk, and the fact that we'd been holding hands. What a fucking shitty coincidence that was! She must have left in a hurry and left the paper by accident!

I pulled out my phone, and then opened my conversation with Harper, telling her to send me Shiloh's number as soon as possible. If I'd been smart, I would have already asked, because I had no idea what condition she'd be in tonight.

"What is that?" Ruby asked as she took in my panicked expression.

"This is a letter that the girl I was telling you wanted me to read a few months ago, but I never did. I think she was here and saw us together, and assumed it was a date."

"Well, are you going to read it?" she wondered.

That was a good question. Was I? She'd obviously given it to Harper at the trial for just that purpose and gone as far as taping it together again and brought it here so I still could. She wouldn't have done all that if it wasn't important, right? "Yes, I am." With trembling hands, I looked at the letter, and started to read.

Kenley,

By the time you read this, you'll probably be hating me, and I would more than understand why. But I have to tell you why I did what I did, and how all of it was influenced by you and your kindness. When I first went to the interview with Blake, I turned him down immediately. I thought he was a pig, and I wanted nothing to do with what he proposed. I was so upset, because I really did need the job for my mom's medical expenses, and I'd had such high hopes in thinking that it was an actual job interview. But instead, I left his office crying and humiliated that the job I was offered was to seduce you and get pictures for him. Of course, I didn't know you at the time, and once I did, that changed everything.

When I got on that elevator, and you were so nice, telling me to stand up to him and not to give up, I knew I had to take the job. Not because I wanted to get in your pants, or that it would be easy to get the pictures and the money, but because I knew that he'd keep trying to find someone else who would take the job, and they might actually do what he wanted. A person who treated me like you did that day didn't deserve that. If I took the job, I could protect you. You barely knew me, and yet you'd been so kind, and were so beautiful. How could I not try to be kind in return?

Yes, I got money, and I won't deny that I needed it. But I was prepared to forfeit the rest of it and say I couldn't get the pictures he wanted. I'd fallen for you, you see. I was crazy for the woman I'd met in the elevator, and every day I spent with you made me realize how much I craved you. But then two things happened on the same day. One, I heard Blake talking to his lawyer about pushing back the hearing so I could get more time to get the pictures, which made me realize that he wasn't going to give up. In fact, he might even replace me. Second, I met Nina, the girl who he impregnated.

I met her when she was leaving his office in tears after he demanded she terminate her pregnancy, and then I befriended her, and as we talked she realized that he was horrible and should pay for what he was doing. When she agreed, I knew that we could do it. All I needed to do was make him think that the pictures I took of us were real, and not tell him I knew about Nina and got her to testify. But I fucked up. I knew the NDA I signed prevented me from talking to you, and I couldn't risk that. But I should have told Harper. I should have told her to make sure you weren't completely blindsided. I'm so sorry. I wish I had thought it through more, but I truly did it all for you because you're such an amazing person.

I know you might not want to talk to me. I know I may never earn your forgiveness. I know that after the hearing you may want to slap me, and I'd deserve it. But if you ever do want to give me a chance, you'll find me more than happy to show you just how deep my feelings truly run.

Shiloh

In ink, she'd added what I assume was her phone number, but the bartender cleaning the bar had smudged it with the damp rag. But it also had the room number of the Days Inn up on Main Street, and that was still legible. I knew where that was, I'd driven past it a lot as I'd run my errands here in town.

"Damn, I have to go!" I said, folding up the letter and tucking it into my purse. I couldn't let her feel like I didn't want her! I knew the hurt that she was feeling right now, because I was sure it was similar to what I'd felt at the trial, and both had explanations. I had made the mistake of not getting one, and I had to make sure she didn't make the same mistake. I needed Shiloh in my life too!

Ruby just gave me a rueful grin and made a little shooing motion, so that I knew she wasn't upset. I hoped she'd be okay, but I really had to run! I left as fast as the crowd would let me, and finally squeezed out the door, walking quickly to my SUV. I got it started, and then drove carefully on the darkened streets towards the hotel. I knew it was one of those places that had the doors on the outside, so she could just park in front of her room, and the room number on the paper had been 112, so it should be on the first floor. Hopefully I could get there before she left, because I had little doubt that she would leave, just as I had.

If I weren't so upset, I'd probably laugh at the parallels to what had happened before. But I was too damned scared to lose her to do that. I knew the inn wasn't too far, and yet the drive seemed to take forever. When at last it came into view, I could dimly see a person tossing a suitcase into a car and knew that it had to be Shiloh. Nobody else would be leaving the hotel at this time of night on New Year's Eve. I turned into the parking lot, and pulled up right behind her, putting on my high beams to make sure she saw me.

As soon as the SUV was parked, I got out and started running towards the other car. I got there just as Shiloh got out, and I plowed into her, wrapping her smaller frame up in my arms. "Please don't leave!" I sobbed. 

For once, we had a chance to get on the same page.