“Thanks and thanks again Wes.”
Wes laid his phone down and fell back into an easy sleep.
The next morning was Sunday and Wes had huge grin on his face as he left his condo to meet with Leena. So far, so good. He didn’t want to be deceptive with Jo but he needed her to be safe. He loved how her voice pitched into a giggle when she described winning the money. She may not be too happy with the ruse to give her cash in hand, but if he had tried to give her the money that morning she would have thrown it back at him. He’d tell her, someday.
Chapter 19
Wes
“Wes, thank God you're back!” Leena said when he walked into Ginger's suite. Ginger came running out of her bedroom.
“Oh Wes I am so glad you’re back.” Ginger tried to throw her arms around him and Wes caught her arms in mid air.
“Ginger I want you to keep your hands off me.” He said so sternly that even his two security men stilled.
Ginger pouted. “But Wes friends hug.”
Wes sighed. “We are not friends Ginger. You are an assignment.”
“Are you still mad about the video?” She whined.
“Yes Ginger I’m still mad about the video.”
Leena chuckled. “You’re probably the only man in the world not happy to be romantically linked with Ginger.”
Ginger smiled. “I thought you knew about it Wes.”
“You know I didn’t. So let’s be clear. We will continue security for you, but you are not to do anything to bring me, or any of my team into the spotlight. Are we clear?”
“But Leena said...”
“Ginger, do you understand what I'm saying?” Wes was adamant that he got a direct response from her.
“Yes, but I still think that maybe you and I…”
“Christ Stop!” Wes said brusquely. “There is no you and me. It will never happen! Tell me you understand this!”
Leena put her hand on Ginger’s shoulder.
Ginger had tears in her eyes. Wes knew she was not used to not getting her way. It just confirmed what a spoiled young lady she was.
“Okay I understand. I do.” Her voice was soft and full of sadness and it had absolutely no effect on Wes. He knew her too well.
“Now, show me the napkin.” He said swiftly slipping into work mode.
Leena brought it to him. It was the hotels brand and in pen block letters wrote out:u r mine don’t toy with me u will feel my pain
Leena explained how Ginger had received the note the night before. Wes took the napkin and motioned for one of his security guards to follow him.
They walked into the hall where they met up with the other guard.
“So did anyone question the bartender or waiter or waitress?”
“Yeah, John did. He was on last night.”
“And?”
“We got nothing. The bartender and waitress had no idea how it got to her table. There's no video camera in the bar either."
"Okay, thanks guys I’ll give him a call. Needless to say we will have to be extra vigilant now that there is an actual threat.”
The men nodded and Wes and the one guard returned to Ginger's suite.
Ginger and Leena were sitting on the couch talking and Wes joined them.
“Ginger we need to take this threat seriously.” Wes told her gravely. Ginger nodded.
“You have one week left here. We need you to lay low. You go to the movie set and come right back here. That’s what I recommend.”
“But Leena…” Ginger whined.
Leena held up her hand to Ginger to stop her from speaking.
“Wes I promised Ginger she could attend the opening of a new club on Monday night.”
“That’s tomorrow Leena.”
“Yes I know but it’s a great PR opportunity.”
“Leena she’s just received a viable threat.”
“Come on Wes. If you’re with me I’ll be safe. I won’t leave your side.” Ginger pleaded.
“Ginger I know how you are at a club and there is no way you won’t be dancing.”
“So you can dance with me.”
“That’s not happening.”
“Well then one of your men will. How about that Jace guy?”
Wes had to laugh at her audacity. “You are unbelievable.”
“Make this happen Wes.” Leena said. “Her limo arrives tomorrow at 10pm.” Leena said.
Ginger stood up and said to no one in particular,
“I have a ‘to die for’ outfit picked out! I can’t wait!” before she sashayed back to her room.
“Leena she better not pull any crap. I don’t know if I can get Jace to come and I’m not dancing with her.”
“Did the video really personally hurt you Wes, or did you just not like how it was sprung on you?”
“She orchestrated it Leena. You know she did, and yes it has touched my personal life and I’m hoping I can fix it.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were dating anyone.”
“It’s not something anyone needs to know Leena. My private life and my team's private lives have nothing to do with this job.”
“I know, but it’s hard not to get friendly with you guys. You’re with us all the time.”
Wes didn’t answer that statement. He knew it was always an issue when guarding someone closely. The person being guarded is sometimes so closed off to other people that they form a connection with their security guards. They mistake the protection for affection.
“I’ll get back to you about tomorrow night Leena.”
Wes left and headed for T.U.F.’s. When he arrived Betty greeted him warmly.
“Hey boss I haven’t seen you in awhile. I saw the news I bet you hated that.”
“You have no idea Betty. Why are you here on a Sunday?”
"I took Wednesday off, just making it up."
"Good deal, Betty. Thank you."
Wes walked down the hall and for once Jace wasn’t smoking.
“Hey.” Jace said looking up from the laptop on his desk. “You look rested.”
“Yeah, I finally got some sleep.”
“How’s Jo?’
Wes smiled. “She accepted the phone I got her and she called me last night.”
“That’s good man.”
“We aren’t in the same spot we were last Saturday but baby steps are better than no steps, you know?”
“Yeah, I hear ya.”
“So Jace, are you busy tomorrow night? I need some help.”
“Doing?”
“Ginger is attending a new nightclub opening and she needs security. You know she received that threat.”
“Yeah but why do you need me? Just pull in more people.”
“I will be pulling in more guys but she’s going to want to dance. You dance.”
“Oh come on Wes really!” Jace was laughing as he said it.
“Really she can’t dance with strangers especially now with this threat out there. I’ll owe you.”
“You will owe me big Wes. I guess I don’t need to ask why you aren’t going to be her dance partner.”
“No that would be like putting a burnt steak back on the grill.”
Jace laughed at the analogy. “So I’ll ride with her to the club and you meet us there. This way your whole night isn’t shot, okay?”
“Yeah, no problem, bro.”
Wes left Jace and went into his office now he needed to do a little PI work to find out exactly what had happened to Jo. He called his contact in the Summit police department.
“Don it’s Wes.”
“Hi Wes, sorry to see it didn’t work out for you and Ginger. Gotta say man I was impressed you had landed such a babe.” Don was chuckling at his joke.
“I guess I’m going to hear a lot of those jokes aren’t I?” Wes said wearily.
“Get use to them my man.”
“So Don I need a little something.”
“Always do. What’s up?”
“Any report regarding last Tuesday
involving B.J. Ross?”
“Let me see.” Wes waited while Don scanned the reports.
“Yeah, there is.”
“Can you send it to me?”
“Yeah just keep a lid on it okay?”
“Always do.” Wes repeated Don’s words back to him.
“Okay it’s sent. Gotta go.”
“Thanks man.”
Wes retrieved the email and attachment and read through the file.
The police report had no first hand account of what had happened from Jo, just what the Ranger and the man who had found her was recorded. According to the report the man found Jo lying on rocks, thankfully on her back or she would have drowned, in the small stream below a footbridge on a trail in the nearby National Park.
The report said Jo was taken by the Ranger to meet with an ambulance to the hospital. That was all it stated. Wes realized Jo was never questioned by the police or reported that anything had even happened.
Wes left the office and got in his Porsche. He headed out to the trail to see where the ‘accident’ happened. He parked and walked in wishing he had changed first. He still had on his suit and dress shoes and they weren’t made for dirt path walking.
Wes arrived at the footbridge. It matched the description in the report. He saw that it was made of wood and the only siding was a six-inch high railroad tie. It was a simple bridge made for hikers and bicyclers to get over the rocky waters that were six feet below.
Wes walked over the bridge and looked left and right. Both ends were close to the thick tree line. Wes looked at the bridge itself and did not see any unlevel boards. There was no way she just tripped. She was too athletic. Wes figured Jo had her ear buds in and probably didn’t even hear someone approaching her. He noticed the rocks protruding from the foamy water and knew Jo had gotten very lucky. His stomach tightened realizing that Jo was probably not supposed to have survived this accident. He also had a feeling she was hiding a few more bruises other than the one on her face.
He made his way back to his car putting together different scenarios. The one that worried him the most was that Jo had to be under surveillance for them to know where she was. This wasn’t her normal running path.
He got in his Porsche and called her. She answered right away.
“Hi Wes. I’ve been downloading some music. This phone is awesome.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“So what’s up?”
“Well, and I don’t want you to get mad at me.”
“Wes…. What now?” Wes cringed when she added the ‘now.’
“I just walked to the footbridge where you had your accident.”
“Oh.” Jo said quietly.
“Will you please talk to me Jo? You didn’t talk to the police.”
“Wes talking to the police wouldn’t have done any good. Officer Cook told me to call him, but they aren’t going to do anything about it. I’m B.J. Ross, cop career killer, remember?”
“Jo you didn’t just fall off that bridge.”
“No, I was pushed, but I didn’t see anyone.”
Wes contemplated his next sentence carefully.
“I wish you’d tell me what you’re working on.”
“Well to be honest I haven’t worked on anything since the accident, so technically I’m not working on anything right now.”
“Jo.” Wes was exasperated. “Maybe I can help you, you know, with research.”
“I don’t know Wes. Let me think about it, okay?”
“Okay that’s fair. Do you know when you’re coming home?”
“I think I’ll stay up here for a little while longer. What’s happening with you?”
Wes told her how he had pulled his men from Gingers security detail because of her stupid antics, but his lawyer told him now that it had been retracted he needed to fulfill the contract. He told Jo how Ginger had received a threatening note and that even after he suggest she lay low she still wanted to go to the opening of a nightclub tomorrow. He explained that her publicist said her fans needed to see that there were no hard feelings between him and Ginger. He then told her that he was dreading it already.
“I thought you weren’t supposed to tell anyone that stuff?” Jo said.
“We aren’t, but just in case there are photographers at this Club, and you see me in a picture I wanted you to know. I am just there as head of security, I'm still pretty mad at her. I am actually bringing Jace with me so he can dance with her.”
Jo was quiet for a few seconds. Wes wished he could see her face. Her facial expressions and her eyes were such a window to what she was thinking.
“Jo?”
“Wes.” She sighed heavily and he knew he wasn’t going to like what she was going to say next. “You and I, I don’t know. I’ve accepted this phone and you said no strings. Right now, we’re friends. You can do what you want, with who you want.”
Now Wes was quiet. “Is that what you want Jo? Nothing more?”
The silence on the line was deafening.
“Right now, I think so." She answered quietly. "Do you want the phone back?”
“No, I bought it for you. When you come home will you let me see you?”
“I like you Wes, you know I do. Let’s just see how things progress.”
“I’m not going to date anyone Jo. I’ll wait.”
“I’m not in the market for anyone else either. I just need time.”
“I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it.”
“Thanks Wes.”
“Okay my Jo I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay later Wes.”
Wes wasn’t as happy with that phone call but he had to work and she was in the Poconos so calls and texts were going to have to suffice for now.
Jo hung up with Wes and although she had pushed him away, again, she didn’t feel better for it. Auggie was napping on her couch while she’d been playing with her phone.
“Was that Wes?” He asked.
“Yeah. I thought you were asleep? Did I wake you?”
“No, I was just dozing.”
“Want to go to the Candlelight for dinner?” She asked nudging his foot. Auggie spent much of his summer vacation at his lake house, but Griff only got away when his store was closed so it was just the two of them.
“Sounds good. Wake me in an hour.”
“God, you nap a lot!” Jo teased.
Jo lay down on the other end of the curved couch staring at the silly selfie Wes had sent her. She was trying to hold him at bay but the truth was that she really liked him. She liked everything about him. He was kind and ridiculously handsome, and had a body that she could spend hours exploring, but aside from his all around general hunkiness, Wes was smart. She liked his wit and how adorable he looked when he laughed. He was romantic and when they were together he was so attentive. She adored his manners and that he anticipated her needs and even knew what she was thinking before she even said anything. It was a little unnerving, but something about it felt right. He felt right.
Jo picked up her phone and texted him.
I do miss you Wes.
It was over a minute before her phone pinged.
Is this my Jo, the one that just said she didn’t want anything more between us?
She typed back. LOL I know. I just wanted you to know.
I miss you too Jo.
Jo pulled a throw from the couch over her body and fell asleep holding the phone next to her chest. It was a good thing she was two hours away because her self imposed get-her-head-together hiatus from Wes would be shot to hell. She knew if he walked up to her door right then that she’d kiss him silly.
Chapter 20
Wes
Ginger was totally decked out when Wes arrived to accompany her to the Club the next night. He had talked to Jo one more time the night before and he had sent her a corny text right before he went to bed that she had responded to with a kissy lips emoticon. During their phone conversation Wes had told Jo everything that had transpired after
he had left her house the previous Saturday morning. He was relieved that the anger she was verbalizing was now directed at Ginger and her antics instead of him. In return Jo told Wes everything she'd been feeling, including how hurt she was that they had shared what she thought had been something special that morning, and then had not heard from him. She also described, in detail, her accident and that had ended with her in the hospital. She told him how she had seen him with Ginger on TV and then how Nick came to collect her and how he saw the news as he was wheeling her out. Wes told her about seeing Nick when he got home and how Nick had really gone ballistic.
Before they ended their conversation they both agreed that they had endured a tough week.
Wes fell asleep that night thankful that Jo was talking to him again, and returning his texts, he considered that progress. It also allowed him to concentrate and focus on tomorrow nights Club appearance that was going to be a difficult evening for him and his team that was guarding her, especially with the new threat that had come to light. Wes couldn't help but wonder if Ginger had written the threatening note herself; he wouldn't have put it past her. She probably hoped to take the heat off of herself and what she had done involving the video, which she still claimed to be uninvolved in. He was secretly worried that she might try some other stunt tonight and he was glad he had told Jo about it in case she did.
Wes rode in the front seat with the limo driver, with Ginger and two of her friends, Patty and Beth partying in the back of the white stretch. Wes had men already at the club stationed strategically. He had a female, who was set up at a table, near the women's restroom, and a car with two more men was following the limo that they were in. All of Gingers security for the evening was well trained, hyper-vigilant, and were dressed so that they blended into the fancy club scene. Wes couldn’t wait for this night to end. It had been a logistical nightmare to prepare for.
The Club was hosting its grand opening Premier Party tonight and it was filled to capacity. Ginger showing up was a huge boost for the Club, and Wes had learned in return for her showing up, they would donate a percentage of that night's profits to a charity that Ginger supported. At least she gave back, Wes thought.
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