Page 60 of Protecting Jess

“Yes, there’s been something else.” She relayed what’d had been done to her hotel room. “Finn has a friend who is looking into it, because he didn’t think the police would take it seriously. They might now, considering I’m here.”

“This is a lot to take in.” Her mom leaned back in her chair, a stunned look stamped on her face.

Perhaps it would’ve been better to not lay everything on her all at once, but Jess couldn’t take the words back. “I know. I’m sorry I just landed it all on you,” she whispered.

“It’s fine. I asked.” Her mom took hold of her hand. “You know, we’ll need to tell your dad about this. This isn’t something I can keep from him.”

Jess sighed again, wishing things could be different. That her mom and dad didn’t have the type of relationship they had, where there were no secrets between them. How selfish was that?

There were plenty of people whose parents had no relationship at all. She should be glad that her parents had such a strong one.

“I know. It’s just… I know he’s going to be mad at me for not saying something,” she admitted.

“I’m not going to lie. He will be mad, and he’ll feel disappointed you felt you couldn’t come to us. But it will pass because he loves you and can see that you are okay.”

“I hope so.”

“I know your father. Trust me, he will.” Mom grinned cheekily at her. “Now, what’s going on with you and Finn?”

Now Jess wished she didn’t have such a good relationship with her mom.

In the past, Jess hadn’t talked much about her boyfriends. And, considering she’d done most of her dating in New York, her parents hadn’t met the guys she’d dated.

She hadn’t taken any home. None of the relationships had been serious enough for that step. Which didn’t say a lot about her choice in men, but she wasn’t going to dwell on that.

Also, she couldn’t lie and tell her mom that nothing was happening when it was clear to everyone whenever Finn was in her room that things had changed between the two of them.

“We’re together,” Jess said simply. It was the truth, and she could feel the smile tug at the corners of her mouth as she said the words.

“I can see that. When did it happen?”

As much as she loved her mom, she wasn’t going to get into the specifics. And she most especially wasn’t going to tell her about the kiss they’d shared in New York years ago or the way Finn had ghosted her after it.

“He came and saw me perform here. He was with one of his teammates, Oak, and Oak’s girlfriend. Although they broke up that night, and now, he and Kaley seem to be together. But that’s another story.”

“Whoa, that’s a lot to digest. Did you know he was coming to your performance?” Mom seemed riveted, hanging on her every word.

“No, and to be honest, I don’t think he knew that I was going to be dancing. It was a happy coincidence. We haven’t been apart since that night.” Her cheeks flamed at the implication of her words. She’d basically announced to her mom that she and Finn were sleeping together.

While she and her mom were close, Jess never talked about her sex life with her. There had to be some boundaries in their mother-daughter relationship.

“What’s going to happen when his leave finishes?”

Trust Mom to get straight to the point. Prior to her stabbing, they’d had a plan. Well, not a plan, as such, but an idea of what they were going to do. Now, though, everything was up in the air, and she and Finn hadn’t had a chance to talk, just the two of them, to work out what they were going to do. “I’m not sure.”

Mom patted her hand. “Well, whatever it is, I hope you’ll think about coming home to us for a little while. I know that your recovery is going to take time.”

“I know.” So far there hadn’t been any response to the email she’d sent Madame Baxter about her stabbing and the time she was going to be away from the dance company.

Jess wouldn’t be surprised if she received an email soon advising her that due to the circumstances, they were rescinding their offer and were letting her go so that another dancer could fill her spot.

Would they offer to give the principal dancer’s position back to Benita, or would they promote someone new?

How, in a matter of seconds, had her life turned upside down?

And why?

Who was doing this to her?

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