Short Stop to Love

by A. M. Williams

  She sighed, already done with the day and it was barely 9 o’clock in the morning. There was a light tap on her door.

  “Come in,” she called, straightening up to look at Lisa as she walked in with a small arrangement of tulips.

  “Good morning, Keri,” Lisa said cheerily as she placed the tulips on Keri’s desk. “These came a little before you arrived.”

  Keri smiled and pulled the card off the arrangement. They were from Jeremy.

  Beautiful flowers for a beautiful girl. I can’t wait to see you Wednesday. Jeremy

  She placed the card back on its holder and turned to face Lisa. “Thank you for accepting the arrangement for me.”

  Lisa grinned as she settled into the chair across from Keri. “Are they from Jeremy?”

  Keri nodded, blushing. She then cleared her throat, asking, “What does my schedule look like for today?”

  Lisa gave her a rundown of her meetings. After asking for her morning tea, Keri settled at her desk and began wading through several hundred emails. She blanched at the realization it would take her a while to get through them. By the time Lisa returned with her tea, Keri was already developing a headache.

  By the end of the day, she was beat. The makings for spaghetti at home were calling her name. She wanted something easy and comforting. Spaghetti was one of the few things her father could make well and she used his recipe. It didn’t taste quite the same, but making it allowed her to feel closer to him.

  Shutting everything down, her phone pinged as she was about to walk out of the office and get Gabriel. She pulled it out and saw she had an alert for Jeremy. Her eyes widened in horror as she read the headline, not quite believing what she was reading.

  Trouble in Paradise?

  Earlier today, we caught Jeremy Glass talking to a blonde bombshell in a cafe in San Diego. Pictured below, they look awfully cozy to just be acquaintances. What does this mean for Glass and Keri Robson? Is there already trouble in paradise looming?

  Keri’s eyes flicked to the picture and her heart stopped. It was obviously Jeremy in the photo. She’d know him anywhere. He was seated in a coffee shop with said blonde, but she didn’t recognize her. Keri’s palms started to sweat and she thought she might be sick at the thought of Jeremy with another woman. They were holding hands and looked very cozy. She felt sick.

  She closed her news app and tossed her phone into her purse before slowly gathering her things. As she got ready to leave, she just went through the motions, unaware of anyone around her. The office was empty when she stepped out, something she was grateful for.

  Gabriel sat in a chair to the left of Keri’s door and stood when she stepped out. “Ready to go?”

  Keri nodded and followed closely behind him. She slipped her sunglasses on and braced herself for the onslaught. A wall of sound met her when the door opened.

  “What are your thoughts about Mr. Glass pictured with that blonde?”

  “Are you and Mr. Glass still an item?”

  “Who is the blonde woman?”

  It was hard, but Keri pushed her way through the crowd. She sighed in relief as they left them behind. At the parking garage, she glanced over her shoulder. No one followed her and she breathed easier.

  Gabriel escorted her to her car and watched her leave. The drive home passed in a blur of building and changing traffic lights, her mind consumed with the picture. Jeremy hadn’t made her think he wasn’t faithful, so why was she worried? She had nothing to worry about, right? She jumped to a conclusion about the picture based on the caption. The smart thing would be to call Jeremy. Talk to him. Find out the real story.

  She did none of those things. She instead turned off her phone. Refused to get on her computer. She didn’t talk to anyone and let herself stew.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Jeremy

  Jeremy had just enough time to slip out of the hotel for a quick walk and bite to eat before he needed to be back for a team meeting. He stepped into the hall and walked to the elevator, glad he was alone. He pressed the button to call the elevator and watched the numbers on panel change as it moved closer.

  The doors opened to reveal an empty elevator. He selected the lobby and leaned against the back of the car. As the doors were just about to close, a hand shot out and blocked them. A blonde woman stepped in and he stifled a groan. It wasn’t just any blonde woman. It was his ex-girlfriend. His hands tightened on the railing.

  “Jeremy!” Heather exclaimed, smiling at him.

  “Heather.”

  “Small world, right?”

  Jeremy shrugged, but remained silent.

  “How have you been?” she continued.

  “Good.”

  “I’ve been doing well. I’ve been following you and I’ve been impressed with your career.”

  Jeremy smiled tightly, but still didn’t say anything. His eyes flicked to the panel that told them what floor they were on. The elevator seemed to be taking its sweet time to get to the lobby.

  “I’m glad I’ve run into you, actually. I’ve been trying to catch up with you.”

  Jeremy slowly blinked at her, still not speaking. Her brow furrowed briefly before smoothing again, hiding what little bit of discomfort her expression revealed. She shifted her weight and cleared her throat. “I really need to talk to you. It’s something I think you can help me with.”

  Jeremy cocked a brow at her, not believing her for a second. “What can I help you with?”

  “That’s why I want to talk to you. What do you say we head back to your room and talk?”

  Jeremy cringed at the thought of being alone with Heather. As he looked at her, he struggled to remember what he saw in her all those years ago. While at one point she was all that he wanted, she was now just a sad reminder of their shared past.

  “Why don’t we go to a coffee shop instead?”

  He hoped to be able to get her to mention whatever it was quickly and move on with his day. The doors opened on the lobby. He walked briskly through, not checking to see if Heather was following. Once outside, he squinted against the harsh sunlight. He scanned the area around the hotel once his vision cleared. He spotted a coffee shop across the street and wasted no time crossing.

  It was mid-afternoon and the shop wasn’t too busy. Jeremy’s eyes roamed the space and found a table a little apart from the others. It wasn’t much, but it gave them some privacy. As he sat, he checked his watch, cataloguing how much time he had before he needed to be back.

  Heather slid in across from him. She smiled and tossed her cornsilk blonde hair over her shoulder, leaning forward slightly to give him a glimpse of the cleavage in her gray v-neck shirt. He studiously kept his eyes on her face.

  “Well?”

  “Always so eager to get down to business,” she said, reaching across the table and dancing her fingers across his knuckles. “You never were one to beat around the bush.”

  Jeremy pulled his hand from hers. “You wanted to talk, so talk.”

  Heather huffed. “Can’t a girl ask how a boy is doing?”

  “In this instance, no.”

  Heather rolled her eyes. “I see you still haven’t lightened up.”

  “And I see you still don’t like to get to the point.”

  Spending time with Heather was bringing up memories from their relationship’s end. She was like this before they broke up, coquettish when she wanted to get her way and she thought he was gullible. Fortunately, he had grown up since then and he knew a lot more about her ways because of how they ended. He wouldn’t be drawn in.

  “You have five seconds to spit whatever it is out or I walk out that door.”

  Heather’s eyes widened and her eyes darted back and forth, searching for something. His gaze slid lower and he noticed her heartbeat flickering fast on her neck. If he wasn’t suspicious before, he was now certain she was up to something.

  As inconspicuously as possible, his eyes slid over the coffee shop, taking stock of the people within it. No one raised his su
spicions. When he started to turn, however, Heather panicked.

  “Jeremy!”

  Ignoring her, he turned in his seat. He noticed the photographer immediately. He was outside the front window with a zoom lens trained on them. Anger boiled over.

  “Of course. I should have known.”

  Jeremy stood and threw a disgusted look at Heather who was pale.

  “Stop contacting me.”

  Jeremy walked through the shop and out the door, scanning the crowd for the photographer who had vanished. He cursed when he realized the photographer was gone. He sent a quick text to Allison to let her know about the incident and checked the time. With a muffled curse, he jogged back to the hotel. The team meeting was due to start soon and he couldn’t be late.

  He paused outside the conference room and pulled his phone out to send a quick text to Keri, but the manager stuck his head out.

  “Glass! Get your ass in here. We need to get started.”

  Jeremy sighed as he slipped the phone back into his pocket. He’d have to text Keri later.

  Jeremy huffed in frustration as his call went to Keri’s voicemail once again. Desperation clawing at his chest and frustration tightening his jaw, he resisted the urge to throw his phone. He’d been trying since he returned to the hotel, but Keri wouldn’t respond to his texts or answer his phone calls. Unsure what else to do and needing to know what was going on, he dialed his brother.

  “What’s up, asshole? I saw you pictured with Heather.”

  Jeremy groaned. He didn’t need another tongue lashing, he’d already gotten a hefty earful from his mother. “It was a set-up. Have you talked to Keri?”

  “No, why would I?”

  “I don’t know…because you’re dating her best friend and roommate?”

  Troy snorted. “Dude, if you haven’t realized they’ve circled the wagons, then you’re pretty stupid.”

  “Troy!”

  “What?!”

  “I’m serious. I need to talk to her. She won’t answer my calls or texts and I’m starting to go a little crazy.”

  Troy sighed on the other end. “I’ll call Joann and see if I can get some information for you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m not making promises. I’m related to you, so I might be persona non grata for the time being.”

  Feeling slightly better, Jeremy hung up and sank into the armchair in his room. He sighed and tugged his shirt collar away from his overheated skin as if it strangled him. If he didn’t have a press conference the following morning, he would have chartered a flight back to Seattle. He didn’t know what she was thinking, which meant he didn’t know how to make it better.

  His phone rang and he answered it before the second ring. “Troy?”

  “Yeah. Man…it’s not looking good.”

  “What is it? Spit it out!” Jeremy huffed, impatience rising.

  “She refuses to talk about it. All Joann would tell me is that she’s going on about asshole men constantly ruining her life.”

  Jeremy winced. “Anything else?”

  “Nope. She got me off the phone quickly so she could go back to Keri.”

  Jeremy sighed. “Thanks, Troy, I appreciate you calling her.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  Jeremy shrugged. “I don’t know yet. I need to talk to her. Allison already issued a retraction. The photo meant nothing!”

  “Why did you even meet with her?”

  Jeremy ran a hand through his hair and leaned forward, the weight of the world pressing against him. “She ambushed me in the elevator. When she asked to talk, I thought it would be better to meet in public. I was wrong.”

  “Ya think?” Troy snorted.

  “Thanks for your understanding.” Jeremy shook his head.

  “What I’m here for.”

  Jeremy closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead with his fingertips

  Troy sighed. “You’re going to have to talk to her somehow.”

  “How can I when she won’t talk to me?”

  “She’s not going to work tomorrow. It might be the perfect chance.”

  Jeremy scrubbed his hand over his face and stared at his feet.He mulled over his few options. He didn’t want to surprise her when she was angry at him, but he saw no other way. After he thanked his brother, they hung up.

  Thankfully he didn’t see the picture until after playing one of the best games of his life. He wanted nothing more than to celebrate it with Keri. But then everything went to hell when that damn picture came out. Allison and his Mom called incessantly, leaving messages and texts for him to wade through. Keri just ignored him. Of the three, Keri was the only one he cared about talking to.

  Nothing could be done about it now but keep trying to get up with her. He would plan and prepare for the worst on the flight.

  He didn’t reach Keri’s apartment until midday. The press conference in San Diego ran over and the team was late leaving to return home. Sighing and hoping for the best, he pressed the buzzer. He waited several moments before pressing it again. He knew she was home; Troy verified it again with Joann.

  He was about to press the buzzer a third time when Keri’s voice came through.

  “Yes?”

  “It’s me. Please let me up.”

  Silence reigned. He fidgeted with his coat sleeve as he waited for her response.

  “I really don’t have anything to say to you.”

  Jeremy rolled his eyes as he pressed the buzzer again. “I have a lot to tell you.”

  “Please leave me alone.”

  “Not until you listen to me. Go look online and you’ll see a retraction was printed.”

  He propped his forearm against the building, hoping to hear the lock click open. Nothing happened and he dropped his forehead against the intercom. With a grunt, he pushed away from the door. Running a finger through his hair, he paced back and forth, trying to figure out what to do. A dull buzz and the sound of the door unlocking startled him to stillness. He blinked and then jumped to pull it open..

  She waited for him by her open door, wordlessly moving out of the way so he could step in. He eyed her as he stepped through the entry. She was wearing her robe and looked disheveled, like she hadn’t slept well. He probably looked similar. He waited while she shut and locked the door behind him and followed her into the living room. He sat on the couch while she took the loveseat.

  “You said you have something to say,” she said, her voice and her face blank.

  Jeremy swallowed thickly. He rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans and tried to calm the rapid rhythm of his heart. He cleared his throat. “Did you see the retraction?”

  “I did.”

  He waited for her to say something else. When she didn’t, he plowed on. “It was issued because the photo was a set-up.”

  He paused again, but she still didn’t speak. “The woman in the picture was my ex, Heather. She joined me on the elevator at the hotel and wanted to speak with me. I should have said no like I usually do, but since she was in my face, I thought I should see what she wanted.”

  “And what did she want?”

  Jeremy tried to decipher Keri’s facial expression and tone. There wasn’t much to go on. Her face showed no glimpse into her emotional state and her tone held no inflection.

  “She went on about how she needed help and I was the only person that could help her.”

  Keri was silent while she looked at him. He still couldn’t tell what she was thinking. His leg bounced as he waited to see what she’d say. “How did the picture happen?”

  “She hired a photographer to wait across the street and take the photo.”

  “You had no idea?”

  “I didn’t. As soon as I realized, I told her to leave me alone and tried to find the guy, but he was already gone.”

  They lapsed back into silence.

  “I still don’t understand why you’d agree to meet with her and why you didn’t tell me you had,” she finally said.


  Jeremy shrugged, knowing he didn’t have a good reason. “I don’t know what to tell you. She’s been trying to get in contact with me for a while, but I haven’t agreed to meet. Since she was in my face, I thought it might be better to get it out of the way.”

  “And not telling me?”

  Jeremy looked sheepish and refused to meet her eyes. “I pulled my phone out to text you, but my manager pulled me into a meeting. I forgot to sent it later.”

  “You forgot?”

  Jeremy nodded. Keri barked out a laugh and crossed her arms.

  “You forgot to text me, the woman you’re dating, about this?”

  “Yes?”

  “That seems typical.”

  Jeremy’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Typical?”

  “Yes, typical. You didn’t even consider me in this, did you?”

  Jeremy worked to tamp down the anger that was quickly rising at her accusation. “Now, wait a minute! I told you I planned to text you and forgot. It was a simple mistake.”

  “Please. It takes five seconds to send a text.”

  Jeremy stood and paced the small open area in her living room. Of all the ways he thought this conversation would go, he didn’t think it would devolve into an argument.

  “It might take five seconds to send a text, but I’m a busy man. I’m sorry I didn’t send one right away, but I tried last night and you wouldn’t answer!”

  Keri scoffed. “Don’t pin this on me! I’m not the one that met with an ex.”

  Jeremy reared back and regarded Keri. Her arms were still crossed and her shoulders were bunched around her ears. He ground his teeth and worked to calm himself. Arguing wouldn’t achieve anything.

  He counted to five and said, “You’re angry that I didn’t tell you I met with an ex?”