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Going to Seth’s Enclave hotel was out of the question. The Old West Town hotel was fully booked. She pulled over to the side of the road and called Isabelle. After a brief tear-filled conversation, she was headed to her friend’s new apartment to hide out until the two men who’d just broken her heart left town so she didn’t have to talk to them while her feelings were planted firmly on her sleeve.
Luckily, this was Isabelle’s day off. Her friend greeted her warmly, showing her into a spare bedroom with a single bed, several boxes, and not much else.
Isabelle—being the good friend that she was—left her alone as Jessica poured out a river of tears from her broken heart and soul into the borrowed pillowcase.
Tomorrow was soon enough to decide what she’d do next.
She only knew any plan wouldn’t include Seth or Garrett, breaking her heart even more.
Chapter Twenty-Two
One week later
Seth arrived home late after an agonizingly long week away from home, and Jessica. The conference hotel had been nice, but because it was located in a remote area, getting a signal for his cell phone had been impossible.
He’d sent out countless messages to Jessica, only finding out three days in that none had gone through. Frustrating, since he missed her so much. He also hadn’t heard from Garrett, although he hadn’t expected to.
His friend was eyeballs deep in a bank audit, owing to the fact the previous owners of the Miser Montana bank had been brought up on criminal charges right before he took over. Extra audits were expected, but Seth was fairly certain Garrett was sick to death of them. His friend wasn’t due home until late tonight, perhaps even past midnight.
Seth planned to spend the next several hours naked and attached to Jessica, if she’d allow it. He glanced at his watch as he stepped through the front door. As a final insult to injury, his flight out had been delayed twice. He was supposed to be here four hours ago. He’d left an itinerary behind on the dining room table, which he could see was where he’d left it a week ago. Hopefully, Jessica wasn’t too upset he was late.
He climbed the stairway, heading to his room to deposit his suitcase, calling out her name as he went along. No response. Odd.
Seth went to her room, finding the door ajar, and the room completely empty. Shit. Had she already left for Chicago? He called Garrett, but it went straight to messages. Garrett had told him not to expect any communication until he returned.
He looked around for a note, but didn’t find one in her room or next to his itinerary on the dining room table. He went to his office, checking all over the surface and also several drawers. He noted quickly that the hiding place for the Jessica’s engagement ring was empty and his heart skipped a beat before remembering he’d moved the box to the glove compartment of his car.
They’d meant to give it to her at the restaurant at dinner the night before they left, but their plans had changed. Noting the time again, Seth knew it was past time for her to be off work, but perhaps things had been busy. Maybe she was working late. The grand opening had only been a week ago. He needed to check in with Gray anyway, especially since he’d been so off grid all week during the conference.
Seth got back in his car, heading straight to Old West Town next, and the latest hotel he’d built. The initial soft launch had been very successful. He hoped the hard opening had been doing just as well.
His biggest part was done. He still owned it. He still had to be available on occasion, but for the most part Gray was in charge, and that suited him fine, especially once they moved to Chicago.
Gray would probably kick his ass for telling Jessica she should take her old job back. Had she already given notice? He’d meant to ask her about her more specific plans while he’d been at the conference, but that hadn’t worked out when he couldn’t get a cell phone signal. They’d have to hurry and discuss everything in a week.
Once inside the Old West Town hotel, Seth noticed things seemed to be in order. Good. He went to his office, surprised by how few messages he had waiting.
Actually, he was surprised Gray hadn’t left fifty messages on his business line berating him for Jessica leaving or left a voodoo doll nailed to his office door in angry effigy. He exited to go find Gray and get this over with.
