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“It made me think of Jack. The bad stuff.”
“So of course, that made you think of me,” she said, snickering.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. That stuff is all in the past, Ryan. He’s dead. He can’t hurt you anymore.Remember, you’re still alive. Brent is dead. Jack didn’t kill him, but I think he’s responsible for what led up to the murder. The things my brother was exposed to that somehow I was shielded from. You have the rest of your life ahead of you.”
“Okay. I’ll try to remember that. Jack’s dead.”
“He only has power over you if you allow it. I just thought maybe it’s a good thing you left to get away from his influence. My mother still wields a powerful impact.”
“Yes, she does. Thanks. I’d better get going.”
“How’s Jolene?” Lisa asked, cackling.
“I don’t know. I’m not home yet.”
“Right. Goodbye, Ryan.”
“Kiss the kids for me.”
“I will.”
He ended the call and pulled away from the curb.
Jolene was walking up the street from the train when he pulled up in front of the apartment.
“You can help me haul this loot inside,” he said.
“You went a little nutty.”
“Now we don’t have to cook all week.”
“We are invited to a party this weekend,” she said.
“I’m going to Las Vegas,” Ryan replied. “I’ll tell you about it inside. I need to get some shirts cleaned. Does this building have a laundry service?”
That night, Ryan lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The conversation with Lisa had sifted through his mind, how she’d zeroed in on what was bothering him and then offered a solution. He turned onto his side.Move on.Maybe going to Las Vegas for a weekend would be just the elixir he needed. Why had he thought working at his father’s business would be good?
All it did was conjure up memories. Peter had asked him to sign a contract, and Ryan was dragging his feet. If things didn’t work out, he didn’t want to have to finish the season working at a job that was pounding him into the ground emotionally.
That day on the set could be described in one word: boring. The taping done on location was tedious. Maybe this wasn’t what he really wanted to do for another year.
A tap on the door ended that speculation. He wasn’t in the mood to schmooze in the middle of the night. Jolene had hinted about having sex, and he wasn’t into it. So he put the pillow over his head and ignored her.
Wednesday, the next morning, she let him have it. “I really thought we were going to try to be together.”
“You did? I thought we were going to take it slow. I’ve only been here a week.”
“Stick your laundry outside the door. I texted an order in.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“Can you take anyone with you this weekend?”
“To Las Vegas? No, it’s all work. I supposed I could take a guest at my expense, but I’m still sort of on probation, so I’d better play it cool.”
“Gotcha.”
