The ping-pong of emotions made her a bit nauseous but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but getting to the man she’d given herself to years ago. Nothing mattered but him.
She shoved the latch aside, unlocked the door and yanked it open.
Her smile died on her face as Wes stared back at her.
“I know something’s wrong and couldn’t just leave when you were upset. Did Michael already get here?” He leaned to the side to look around the room.
She tried to think of something to say.
Tried to come up with anything to hide her devastation because Michael wasn’t there.
Instead, she buried her face in the blanket. The emotions she’d kept at bay hauled her beneath the black surface of fear and swallowed her whole.
Chapter Nine
Wesley
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Tabby Cat, What’s wrong?” He shut the door behind him and scooped her up.
She tucked her head into his neck and cried. She tried to speak but could only sob.
His heart squeezed in his chest at how upset she was.
A heart he’d long thought immune to sentiment.
He’d never seen her anything but happy and bubbly. The difference was startling and he wanted to nuke whatever had brought her to tears.
To his car to put his bag inside was as far as he’d made it. Leaving her, knowing she was upset by something, just hadn’t worked for him. So he’d come back up. By the looks of her, it was good he had.
Sitting in one of the side chairs, he held her close and let her cry it out. He whispered to her, telling her it would be okay. And he believed every word. Because if it was in his power, he’d fix it, whatever it was. Tabitha was a rare kind of person.
Genuine.
What people saw was what people got. Including him.
Growing up the way he did, with the family name he had, and the amount of wealth preceding him, he tended to get a lot of hangers-on. So when people like Tabitha came into his life and cared about him, he wanted to hold on as hard as he could.
When her tears finally slowed, she blew out one big breath.
He grabbed a tissue from a side table next to them and lifted her chin to dry below her eyes.
“I must look horrible,” she grumbled and tried to take the Kleenex.
“Beautiful as always.” He didn’t rush and he wouldn’t let her pull away until he was finished drying her cheeks. “Let’s get you under some covers and then you’re going to tell me what’s going on. And only because you’re so upset am I going to let that facial expression go without a punishment, so don’t get used to it.”
She attempted a smile but she didn’t get very far.
Picking her up, he then set her on the bed. Soon, he had her beneath the covers, so he grabbed her glass of water and sat on the edge of the mattress.
After she took a drink, he set the glass on the nightstand then stared at her. “What’s going on? And don’t try to tell me anything other than the truth because I’m not leaving until I know what has you so upset.”
She rubbed her lips together. “I don’t want to talk about it. I just want everything to go back to the way it was.” More tears slipped over her lashes and she quickly brushed them away.
“The way what was?”
“My marriage.”
Dread dropped into the pit of Wes’ stomach. “He was supposed to be here, wasn’t he?”
She nodded and glanced at the clock. “Two hours ago. He was supposed to be here two hours ago. He knew about the date and promised he would be here to put me back together. He promised but he got held up at work. Again.”
Anger lit inside Wes, though he had no right to dictate who she wanted with her for aftercare. He tamped down the urge to growl since he wasn’t her man. His best friend was her man and he damn well knew it.
He’d never wanted to be anyone’s man, so the feeling was more than a bit foreign.
“And where is he now?”
She shrugged. “Still at the office, I guess.” She shrugged. “I didn’t text him back right after we got done. Didn’t know what I wanted to say.”
Sadness or something close to despair clung to her as if it were a heavy blanket, and he wasn’t certain she could bear the weight of it.
He’d never seen her sad before. Ever.
Scared? Sure. She was a nervous little thing when she didn’t know what he had planned for her.
But sad? Never.
It was a travesty. Creatures such as her should never be sad, and for once he was pissed he wasn’t the one to be able to fix it for her.
“I tried to call, but it went right to voicemail.”
“I did, too, when I was on the way back up here.”
“Phone probably died and he doesn’t have the extra charger with him. I keep telling him to take to the office.”
Her voice. So quiet.
Lost.
“Is this the first time he’s missed something?”
She glanced up at him then down to her hands in her lap as she shook her head. “He missed a dinner earlier this week. Forgot.”
“Forgot? That doesn’t sound like Michael.”
“I know. That’s why I want my marriage back to what it was. Lately…” She shrugged again. “It hasn’t been perfect.”
Wes figured that was quite an understatement if she’d been reduced to tears that just wouldn’t abate. Not to mention subdrop probably being a factor, but that wasn’t anything he’d ever faced with her before.
“I’m sure he’s probably on his way,” she offered quietly. She didn’t sound as if she believed it.
“Have you talked to him about all of this?”
She wiped another tear but a new one took its place. “I was going to talk to him tonight. After he got here. Finally got my nerve up to tell him this isn’t working and we have to do something about it. How’s that for irony?”
Wes grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Want me to hang out until he gets here? You being alone right now doesn’t really sound like a great idea.”
“You don’t need to stay. I’ll be fine. I’m just gonna wait here for him. Maybe grab food.”
Which was probably a total lie, since she never ate when she was upset over anything.
She wiped her eyes and looked away. “Really, I’m fine.”
“Don’t hide from me, Tabby Cat.”
“You seeing me upset is not one of my kinks.”
“I’m pretty sure I can handle it.” He brushed a tear away and fought the impulse to shed his clothing and crawl into bed next to her. But that reeked of a relationship, which they didn’t have. Crossing that line when she was hurt and vulnerable would have made him the biggest asshole around. And he certainly wasn’t going to complicate her life any more by developing some kind of romantic feelings for her.
Lustful? Hell, yes.
Plus, she was most definitely his friend, too, and that he could do something about. Namely, by going to talk some sense into her husband.
“Are you all right? Want me to draw you a bath before I go?”
“That would actually be really nice.” A soft smile lifted her lips. “I’m sure my sore ass would second the notion.”
He turned on the water and added soap to get her some bubbles. He flexed his hand. Talking to her over the water, he called out, “My palm might actually be a bit sore. I’ll definitely have to switch my grip more next time.” No answer came. Adjusting the water temperature, he stayed for just a few more seconds then glanced out to the bedroom. She had her phone to her ear. “Tabitha?”
She was quiet for a second and closed her eyes, pulling the phone away and pushing a button. “He called from work and left a message a few minutes ago. He still hadn’t even left yet. The clients just walked out. He’s sorry. Again.” She shook her head and tossed her phone onto the mattress. Climbing out of bed, she brushed another tear away. “Thank you very much for being awesome.” She approached him and when she was close enough she got up on her ti
ptoes and kissed his cheek.
“But get out?” He filled in what she was probably too nice to say.
Trying to smile didn’t come close when it couldn’t reach her eyes. “That would be it. I don’t think I’m going to be very good company.” She took a step toward the bathroom but he caught her arm gently and pulled her close.
He hugged her tightly and rubbed her back softly. “You need me, you call me, understand?”
A mumbled answer came from her mouth but it wasn’t coherent.
Pulling back a bit, he lifted her chin and stared into her wet eyes. “Understand, Tabby Cat? Doesn’t matter the time of day or night. I’ll take you over my knee before I go if you need a reminder of how I normally handle such matters.”
A small smile softened her gaze for a moment. “No reminder needed. I’ll call if I need to.”
“Good girl.” He kissed her forehead and let her pull away.
“Thanks for tonight, Wes. For everything.”
“Always my pleasure. Before you get in the bath, lock the door behind me.” Both of them headed toward the door and he made sure she was safely behind it before he opened it.
He felt the need to say something else, but there really wasn’t anything to add. Not yet. Not until he got to Michael’s office and figured out what was going on with him. He palmed Tabitha’s cheek one last time and stepped through the open door. He waited long enough to hear the lock snick into place then he headed off down the hallway.
Poking his nose into other people’s business wasn’t something he made a habit of unless it was really important.
For Tabitha it was.
* * * *
Twenty minutes later, he walked into his best friend’s office space, where he’d spent countless hours over the last two years poring over plans, designs and contracts.
Talk about a very different reason for opening the door. “You here?” Wes hoped Michael didn’t answer. Hoped he was already on the way to the hotel. Or already there.
“In here,” Michael called out from the direction of his office.
“Damn,” Wes cursed under his breath. He stepped around the empty reception desk and toward the back. “I tried to call you,” Wes said by way of greeting.
“Phone crapped out.” He picked it up and tossed it back onto his desk. “I never got any response from Tabitha. Is she okay?” Wes could tell Michael already knew the answer.
“No.”
“Fuck.” He ran his hands through his hair and stared down at whatever he’d been working on.
“What was so important it couldn’t wait until Monday? Or even tomorrow?” Wes tried to keep the anger out of his voice as he headed farther into Michael’s office and took a seat.
“The museum deal. They could only meet today and I couldn’t say no. A meeting that should have taken less than a couple hours turned into six because they want me to do two other buildings along with the main one now.”
“That’s great for business.” And it was. Wes tried not to growl at the end.
“I broke a promise tonight.”
He didn’t hide stuff and he didn’t pull punches. Another reason Wes liked doing business with him and trusted him with more than just his bottom line. “I wondered if it was something like that. Tabitha is…” This is so not my forte. “Super hurt. She counted on you and you weren’t there. I’m not trying to bust your balls but I care about her. I’ve never seen her like that. You’re my best friend, but, damn, man. Just…damn.”
Michael hung his head. “It’s like I have an angel and a devil on my shoulders lately. Both telling me what I need to be doing, but I just don’t have enough hours in the day.”
“One’s not good and the other bad. Tabitha or work. Work or Tabitha. There’s a happy medium in there. You just have to find it. Trust me. I know a lot about getting lost in work and everything else disappearing.”
“My shitty father beat it into me. That I was worthless. Never going to amount to anything. I've pushed and pushed to prove him wrong. And to make Tabitha proud. To provide for us. Our future.” He shook his head. “I really fucked up tonight.”
They’d talked before about shitty fathers. Which was probably another reason why they were so close now. “Have you told her that?”
“What, that I fucked up? Yeah. Unfortunately, I’ve told her that a lot lately. A lot.”
“No. That you’re doing what you’re doing so that she’s proud of you. That she’s still at the forefront of your mind even with all the late nights and early mornings.”
“I’m sure she knows.”
“Are you sure? Because if you haven’t told her, I bet she doesn’t have any clue why she’s alone at your hotel right now wondering where you are. And that’s just how I see it, looking in from the outside. Take it with a grain of whatever, but if I were you?” He pointed to his desk. “There is nothing more important than the woman I just left who is waiting for you.”
“You’re right. Completely right. And I really appreciate you coming all this way to say it to my face. A lot, man. I’ve had my head in the sand for a while, assuming everything would find its place again. It just isn’t.”
Wes nodded. “Life isn’t that easy, unfortunately. Leaving to get to her at the hotel?” He glanced at his watch, knowing Michael still had a twenty-minute drive to get to the hotel if he left then.
“One last thing to send off and then I’m out. Then I don’t have to come in tomorrow at all.”
Wes stared at him as he flipped back and forth between two plans. He and Michael were very much alike when it came to business. Strong work ethic. Passionate. A belief that if one put the hours in then the clients would come, and it had worked for both of them. It make it harder because he understood Michael’s need to finish what he’d started. To put everything to bed, so he could go fix his relationship with his wife.
He sure as hell wasn’t going to judge the man for setting a goal and achieving it. But he wondered at what price he was willing to pay to make it happen. A very steep price if he really didn’t get out of the office. And fast.
“Then I’ll let you be so you can get done.” He turned to go but stopped at the door. “One more thing.” Apparently, he wasn’t completely finished sharing the wisdom he could see so clearly from the outside looking in.
Michael raised his head and waited.
“Monogamy and I aren’t on speaking terms. Never have been. But Tabitha? She’d make any man contemplate marriage.” He smirked. “As much as anyone with our predilections can.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Michael’s eyebrows dipped and he made a fist.
Wes shrugged. “Just what I said. You have a jewel among women in your possession. And I use the word possession very specifically. You don’t have a collar around her throat but I believe the thoughts and feelings behind it are there. Don’t lose what you have, reaching for something else. It won’t be any good if you don’t have her to share it with.”
Wes opened the door and headed out. As it was closing, he heard Michael mumble, “I’ll fix this. I have to.”
He hoped he did, for all their sakes.
Chapter Ten
Michael
Less than thirty minutes later, Michael stood at the hotel door with flowers. Hyacinths. Tabitha’s favorite.
Knock, knock, knock.
Regret roared through him. He’d fucked up. Bad. And he knew it.
On the way there, he reflected he should have called the hotel from his office phone but he hadn’t thought of it soon enough.
Waiting for her to answer the door seemed to take forever. He looked up and down the hall but never saw anything or anyone else.
Never heard anything inside the room, either.
Nothing.
He checked the room number on the wall again. 420. Definitely the right one.
Knock, knock, knock, knock. “Tabitha? You in there?” he called out and tried the door. Locked of course.
Another minute went by, still noth
ing.
She might be in the bath. Could be. It was more than plausible. Yet apprehension filled his chest.
He took the elevator back down, heading to the front desk, where a woman in a suit did something on a computer. She looked up with a smile as he approached. “How can I help you?”
“I have a reservation for Graves. My wife already checked into room 420 but we need another key.”
“No problem. Can I see some ID?”
Juggling the flowers made him very aware of them. He dug out his wallet and handed over his driver’s license. Thankfully, Tabitha always put the room under both of their names.
She pushed more buttons on the computer.
“Give me just a second, Mr. Graves.” She handed back his license. “Let me just key another card for you and you’ll be all set.”
“Thanks.” He wanted to ask if she’d seen Tabitha leave. He needed to ask if his wife had already checked out. He yearned to ask if she had a cell phone charger he could buy, but he didn’t voice any of those questions.
He stood there and silently urged her to go faster.
What was either thirty seconds or three hours later, she slid the card into its little hotel-card condom and handed it over. “Enjoy your stay and let us know if you need anything else.”
Out of habit, he called, “Thank you,” over his shoulder as he walked away.
Retracing his footsteps back up to the room didn’t take long. After sliding the card in and the little light above the handle blinked green twice, Michael twisted the handle and pushed it open. He called for her. “Tabitha? You here? I’m so sorry I’m so late. I know I fucked up. Tabitha?”
An eerie quiet was his only greeting.
Dread punched him in the gut when none of her stuff was on the luggage stand. Nothing beside the bed or in the bathroom.
Fuck.
Just nothing.
One of the beds looked as if it hadn’t been touched. The other had definitely been used. He ground his teeth together. His wife had needed him and he hadn’t been here.
In exasperation, he tossed the flowers down on the closest bed and they rustled a small piece of paper he’d missed on his first look around off the corner of the mattress.
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