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ChapterNineteen
“Come on. Let’s get upstairs and see what everyone is up to,” Rhys said as they headed toward the stairs.
As soon as they entered the apartment, it was apparent no one was home. There was no noise from the television, no smell of dinner cooking, none of Jasper’s sweet chatter.
Tony pulled his cell phone from his pocket to text, but Rhys held up his hand when his gaze landed on an envelope on the table by the front door. It was in Jess’s writing and had both their names written on it.
Tony reached for it, ripping it open impatiently. Money fell out, and Rhys sighed. Jess was a stickler for paying her share. Something he intended to put a stop to after they’d settled this thing between them.
However, the money wasn’t the worst thing in the envelope.
He spotted her apartment key.
Tony’s eyes scanned the words of the note quickly before his fist closed around the paper, wrinkling it up. “Fuck!”
Rhys pried the paper from his grip, reading it with the same sense of…disappointment? Anger? Sadness?
Rhys couldn’t sort out the emotions that hit him all at once.
Dear Tony and Rhys,
Mere words cannot express how much the past couple of months have meant to me. You found me at my lowest point and raised me up, helped me…saved me.
I’ve found a good apartment for Jasper and me, a safe home, something that wouldn’t have been possible without your generous offer of a place to stay while we got our feet back under us.
Our time together was truly the happiest of my life. I’m not sure what the future holds, but please know that I wouldn’t change a single second of what we shared. You are amazing men, and the best mistake I ever made was parking my car in front of your home that night.
Jasper and I will visit very soon, and I’ll offer these same words of thanks in person. I didn’t intend to leave without talking to you first, but this apartment came up quickly and I knew it was time to move on.
Enclosed is the rent I owe you. Jasper drew you a picture and insisted it be displayed. It’s on the refrigerator.
With love,
Jess
Rhys turned and walked to the kitchen without saying a word. There, as promised, was the drawing. It reminded him of the drawing Jasper had given them the day after they’d first arrived. Jess had left that picture behind with a thank-you note as well. That drawing had depicted Jess and Jasper smiling and waving as they stood next to their car, intent on driving away.
In this one, the family had gotten larger. It was a picture of all of them standing before this building. Rhys stood next to Jess and Aunt Berta, while Jasper was on Tony’s shoulders. All of them had big, wide, red crayon smiles.
Tony stepped up behind him, looking at the picture. “We’re getting her back. They belonghere.”
Rhys appreciated the confidence in Tony’s tone…and he hoped they managed to do just that.
“Why the fuck would she leave like this?” Tony asked.
Rhys knew why. Knew it the second he’d seen the envelope. “We never told her how we felt, Tony. Never even alluded to it. Sex and friendship. That’s all we gave her. I watched her at your family’s party. I’ve never seen such a longing to belong on someone’s face, such a strong desire to be a part of something like that. Jess has spent a lifetime being tossed aside. She left to protect herself, to ensureshewas the one walking away this time. It’s probably the bravest thing she’s ever done.”
Tony grunted, clearly unhappy with Rhys’s observations. “We have to fix this.”
Rhys pulled the picture from the refrigerator, smiling. “Quite the family portrait.”
Tony looked at it again over his shoulder. “We’re dragging her ass back here and tying her to the bed until we convince her this is real. This is forever.”
Rhys chuckled. “Knowing our girl, she’ll probably test us just so wewilltie her to the bed.”
“Come on. We have to find her.” Tony opened his phone, but before he could send the text to Jess demanding an address, the door to the apartment opened.
“Jess?” Rhys called out, walking out of the kitchen, Tony following.
