Right As Rain (Complete)

Chapter 23

Hudson

It would be easy to blame Jessica for ruining the plan. We were supposed to have a laid back, fun, productive, all-nighter. Noah and I were going to write, we were going to make Maelee laugh as much as possible, and we were going to force her into going out with me.

Well, that's all gone to hell. As much as I want to divert blame, I know it's not fair. This isn't Jessica's fault; it's mine. I should have known better than to give Susan Noah's room number, no matter her reasoning. Still, Jessica isn't blameless. She's the one who announced my feelings for Maelee. Susan is going to have a blast with that information.

"You happy?" I snap at Jessica as I enter Noah's room. She is sitting in the same chair she always does. Noah has moved from his bed to the couch.

Jessica's eyebrows rise with sarcasm at my abrupt entrance, she doesn't seem too surprised that I'm angry. "Happy that bitch is gone?" she asks. "Yes. Happy I threw a shoe at your face? Yes."

"Happy Maelee will have a front page spread tomorrow morning?" I ask, sitting on the couch, beside Noah.

Jessica looks down at her hands and shakes her head. She knows what she has done. Very rarely are authentic emotions shown by the award-winning actress, especially sad ones. However, tonight, there are tears brimming in her eyes.

"What were you thinking having her here?" Noah asks me. "If you want Maelee to take you seriously, this is the exact shit you can't be pulling!"

I don't blame him for being angry. Rather or not I wanted anything to do with Susan is irrelevant. She was here, and she shouldn't have been. Maelee didn't come in for his nightly check. Based on Ashley's hateful remarks and closed off stance, I knew Maelee was upset. Noah didn't realize the nurse's bitterness was intentionally projected at me until Susan brought up seeing Maelee in the hallway. That's when it all clicked for him. I was hoping he wouldn't find out until I smoothed it all over, but no such luck. His compassion and tolerance went downhill fast.

"I didn't know she was coming," I explain. "She said she was sending you a gift and asked for the room number; I didn't know she was sending herself."

Noah knows I care about Maelee. He also knows I would never intentionally put him in harm's way. What he didn't know was how or why Susan came to believe she had a right to be here.

"I called her off," I tell him. "I told her it was done."

Noah is surprised. "Did you really?" he asks. I'm sure he thought I made out with the dimwitted model in the parking lot. As my best friend, he knows me better than most. His insinuation, though incorrect, isn't far-fetched from my normal behavior. "How did she take it?"

"Not well," I tell him. "I don't know what to do."

All I've wanted to do is convince Maelee I'm worth a chance. Instead, I'm responsible for the potential downfall of her reputation. I look at him and Jessica, who is remaining obscurely silent, for help.

"Is that what took you so long?" Noah asks.

"No, I went to see Maelee. I wanted to apologize."

Jessica snaps her head up, pulling her attention away from her phone. "You what?" she yells. Based on the response of Maelee's guard dog best friend, I would say she knows what happened. "Do you ever think of anyone but yourself?"

"You already know," I accuse.

Jessica's jaw clenches and she grits her teeth. "I already know what?"