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Jess swallowed back the bile she felt rising in her throat. “How could you do this to me? To our kids?”
“It’s not something I did. It’s not even something I wanted to do. It’s who I am.”
“You know what, Spence—you’re a coward. You’ve lied to me for years. You led me on. You let me believe that you loved me… that we were in this together. But the truth was you were never really in it to begin with.”
Spencer studied her face and then looked away. “I did love you, Jessica. I mean, I do love you. Just not in the way that you need…”
She brushed the hair away from her face. “That’s a fucking understatement if I’ve ever heard one.”
He shifted. “About the money—the thing is, I made some bad investments. All of the money in our shared accounts is gone…” Her husband eyed her sullenly before looking away. “I’m sorry, and I promise to pay every penny of your portion back to you. But… I didn’t touch your inheritance… your dad put some pretty thick red tape in place around that.”
Jess shook her head. “Well, thank God for that.”
Spencer swallowed hard. “And that’s in part why I came… I’m...” He paused to run his hand through his hair and then continued. “I’m in trouble, Jess. That’s why I’m here. Well, partly… why I’m here.”
She frowned. “What kind of trouble?”
Her husband brushed her off with the wave of his hand. “Nothing major. Just made a few bad deals, is all.” He paused and slowed his pace. “Listen, I need to borrow some money from your trust. I need you to talk to our accountant and have them transfer it over… I swear to you I’ll pay you back in full with interest.”
Jess rubbed at her temples. “I don’t—”
She was cut off when a firm hand grabbed her shoulder. Jess turned to see Myles towering over her. Spencer stood abruptly and held out his hand. Myles glared at his hand until Spencer retracted it and promptly stuffed it in his pocket. Spencer studied Jessica and then looked back at Myles. “Well, hey, I guess I’d better be going and let you two get on with it.”
He nodded at Myles then turned to his wife. “Well, have a safe flight—I’ll give you a ring once you’ve landed. The accountant will probably be calling too, just a heads up.”
Jessica stood and tried to steady herself. She shifted her weight from one leg to another.
Myles cleared his throat and placed his hand firmly on the small of Jess’s back.
Spencer leaned in then and kissed Jessica’s cheek. She didn’t move to resist. “Give the kids my love. I’ll call them here in a bit.”
Jess nodded then watched him stride out of the hotel lobby and make his way out through the automatic doors. Tears silently ran down her cheeks as she watched the man she’d loved for so long, the man she’d committed her life to, the man who held her hand nervously as she pushed their children out into the world, walk as confidently as ever right out of her life without even once looking back.
Myles eyed her from head to toe, and back up again stopping at her leg. “You hurting?”
“Something like that.”
He straightened his back and then knelt down. “Climb on.”
Jess wiped her tears with both hands before getting what he was asking of her. “I’m not getting on your back!” she scoffed.
Myles stood and turned, his eyes pouring into her. “Fine… but just so you know... you’re passing up one of the best piggyback rides you would have ever received… that’s a lot to pass up.”
She shot him a look of skepticism and hesitated. She looked around the lobby not yet bustling with people and then back at him. “Fine,” she relented.
Myles knelt down once more and let her climb on. He stood, adjusted her position, and headed toward the elevator. He surprised her when he turned for the stairwell. “I wasn’t wrong, was I?”
Jess furrowed her brow. “Why are we taking the stairs?”
“I could use the energy expenditure I refrained from letting out on your husband’s face.”
“That’s not very nice,” she huffed.
“Yeah, well…”
Jess inhaled deeply then laid her cheek against his shoulder and exhaled. “I’m not saying you were right… but you weren’t exactly wrong either.”
She smiled to herself. It hurt like hell, both her leg and the situation. But there was something other than the pain this time. She wouldn’t exactly say it was hope, but perhaps the longing for something more. What a ride this life is, she considered. And to think she hadn’t even taken her pills yet.
