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Tears streamed down her face as she watched Jalen disappear behind the stage. This was it. He wasn’t going to perform anymore. He was done.
And it was all her fault.
Chapter 26
The sound of Colby King’s song faded as Jalen walked the path back to the resort. Taking off his mask in front of all those people had been incredibly difficult. He hadn’t realized how dependent he’d become on it. But singing without it had been freeing in some ways. The crowd still went wild when he sang his hit songs. They clapped and cheered for him. At least, most of them did. He hadn’t thought it possible.
He reached his room and unlocked his door. Sir Barks was ready for him, sounding out a happy greeting. If he was depressed, his dog always knew how to cheer him up. He reached down and scratched behind his ears.
For a split second, he wondered if Riley was still in the room next door, but he shook his head and scoffed. Why would he want to know that? She was the one who lied to him, got close to him, and exposed him to the world. He should hate her.
He sighed and plopped down on his bed. Even though she’d lied and pretended to be someone else, he still missed her. He should have his head examined. How could you miss someone who didn’t actually exist? She’d been a phantom. A made-up persona.
Sir Barks curled up on the bed beside him. Jalen laid back and petted his dog’s soft fur and tried not to think about how Riley’s nose wrinkled when she laughed. Or how her lips curved down when she was sad. Or how they felt pressed up against his own.
Sir Barks jumped down from the bed and went to the sliding glass door. He whined and wagged his tail. Jalen sat up and looked at him. “Really? You want me to take you for a walk on the beach right now? Everyone is there for the concert. There won’t be any room for us.”
He wiggled his butt and barked, and Jalen sighed. “When you gotta go, you gotta go.” He clipped on the leash and slid open the door. Sir Barks ran out and down the deck stairs. Maybe if he stuck to the shadows, he wouldn’t be accosted.
It was dark now, the bright lights from the resort fading as he walked further away from the stage and the buildings. A woman approached him and waved as she grew closer. He could see she wore a shirt with the resort logo on it, and as he neared, he recognized her as the owner, Kay.
“Jalen, so nice to see you. How was everything?” She brushed a strand of red hair from her face.
“The resort was fantastic, as always.”
“And…how did it go tonight? I wasn’t able to catch your performance.”
Even Kay had read the article, apparently. “I guess it went well. I had some hecklers, but I guess that was to be expected.”
“Will you come back next year?”
He shook his head, dread pooling in his stomach. “No. I’m retiring. I think that’s probably the best thing right now, with everything that happened.”
Kay’s eyebrows pulled together. “Why? You’re very talented. I don’t think you should retire.”
Sir Barks tugged on the leash, but when he didn’t move, he began sniffing the sand. Jalen stared at Kay. “It’s not really my choice.”
“Of course it is. Your talent should be shared with the world. Sure, you might have some people who turn against you, because some people are shallow. But you might be surprised at how many people will want to hear you sing, with or without a mask.”
He had been surprised that he didn’t get completely booed off stage tonight. “Maybe.”
“How’s everything going with that young woman you were with? I thought I saw you two getting close.”
He let out a bitter chuckle. “Yeah, she was just using me to get a story. She was the one who wrote the article.”
Kay squinted at him. “Really? I’m sorry. I thought you two looked good together.”
He shrugged, unable to think of something to say in response. He’d thought they looked good together too. Unfortunately, she ripped out his heart and stomped on it.
“I saw her just a few moments ago, and she looked pretty distraught.”
Riley was still at the resort? The hole in his chest grew at the mention of her. Pain stabbed through him. “She wasn’t who I thought she was.”
Even as he said the words, he knew they weren’t really true. He’d seen her true personality come through. There were many moments when he knew she was being real with him. When she’d let her guard down and had told him things. Intimate things. The kisses they’d shared. When she wouldn’t turn around and look at him after his mask was ripped off. All of these things were real. He hadn’t thought about it until now.
Riley had been telling the truth. Not everything had been a lie.
Kay slowly nodded, sympathy in her gaze. “Maybe things aren’t exactly black and white. I hope you don’t think I’m being too forward, but I kind of have a sixth sense about these things. I hope you consider giving her a chance to tell you her side of things.”
