Cole & Jamie

Chapter 29

"This is nice!"

Jackson whistled as we entered the suite. "Much bigger than my place," he exhaled. "How much do you think this place runs a night?"

"I was told not to ask!" I yelled from the bedroom.

While he marveled at the contents of the not-so-mini bar, I went into the bedroom to pack my things. It didn't take long considering nothing had been touched for the last four days. And the reminder did nothing but piss me off all over again.

The sheets were rumpled on one side only. Cole had left a bottle of Advil and a half-full glass of water on the bedside table. Looks like I'm not the only one who's had a rough couple of days.

Good.

I pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes to keep from crying...again.

All he had to do was tell the damn truth and we wouldn't be in this mess!

Sure hearing that he was in a relationship would not have been preferred, but if he would have said, "I'm seeing someone back in New York, but I'm planning to end things. Can we put things on ice for a while," I would have been okay with that–mostly. That would have been the mature, honest thing to do. But I guess that would have made too much sense.

And to make matters worse, I still have to find a way to frame this in a way where Trish won't want to murder him, and Mom and Harriet won't completely disown him. I should just tell them the truth and let him hang out to dry.

Struggling to get my suitcase over the threshold, I called into the living room. "Jackie, have you called the Uber!"

It took him a moment to answer. "Uh, no, James I haven't yet."

"Well, why not? We have to go–" I came to a halt in the living room. Cole stood in the living room his eyes moving between Jackson and I. He looked rough. Not that I looked too hot myself, but he looked wrung out.

Stubble covered his jaw and his under eyes were so dark, it looked like he hadn't slept in days. It was unsettling to see him look so worn down. Not even seeing him in that state was enough to dampen the anger I felt towards him, even now I struggled to hold it back.

"Jackson, will you take my things downstairs." There was bound to be an argument between Cole and I and I didn't want him to have to witness it.

"I'll see what I can do about that Uber." Jackson gladly took my bags and got on the elevator to the lobby.

"Now I know why you wouldn't tell me where you were," he laughed, mirthlessly, "Good to see you were being well taken care of."

That was all it took. The rage that I'd tried so hard to keep at bay ran white hot through my blood. "How dare you accuse me of something like that after what you've done?" 

And once I got going I couldn't seem to stop. "Jackson is my old roommate from college the one you were supposed to meet on this trip, you know before I met your secret girlfriend?! I'm the one that should be concerned with who you were with while I wasn't here."

"I'm sorry for assuming but you have to understand I've been worried sick," Cole replied, some of the wind leaving his sails. "And then I come back and you're here with some guy I've never met. Of course, I'm going to make assumptions."

I folded my arms across my chest a feeble attempt not to get hurt any worse than I already have been. "There was no need to worry. I told you I was safe."

"Please, don't leave," he begged. "Stay, let's talk about this."

The look on his face was almost enough to make my resolve shatter to pieces, but there was still Trish and the baby, and I needed to get to them. "I can't stay," I replied, quietly. "I have to go."