Page 7 of One Weekend in Boston

The ride up in the elevator was quiet. I think Jack understood my need to put distance between us because he stood just far enough away that we weren't touching but not too far that someone would mistake us for strangers. It was the perfect balance.

I knew something was wrong before we stepped foot on my floor.

"You don't need to walk me any further. I'm just a couple of doors down."

"No can do," Jack was quick to answer. "I need to make sure you get inside safely."

I blew out a shaky breath. Maybe I was wrong. Everything looked good from the outside. As far as I could tell, no one had messed with the door.

Boy, was I wrong. That was clear as day the second the door swung open.

"What the hell?" Jack charged forward into my hotel room.

Both queen beds, that I never got the chance to sleep in, were stripped bare and their mattresses turned up on their sides. My duffel bag that held all my clothes was dumped upside down and the contents were strewn across the room. Dresser drawers were ripped open, even though nothing had been in them. Some were even taken out of the dresser completely. The toiletry bag that I had set in the bathroom was now tossed on the floor. Most of the bottles were crushed and ground into the carpet.

The room looked like a toddler threw a tantrum in it, and really, that was probably the most accurate description for my ex.

I walked over to the rolling desk chair and took a seat. The questions would come. They always did, and I didn't have it in me to make up any more excuses.

"We need to report this to management and then call the police," Jack started.

I merely nodded my head in agreement because what else was I supposed to do? I tried running. Clearly, that didn't work; I wasn't even gone one full day and he already found me. If I left without saying anything, I would be charged for the damages, even if I attempted to clean up some. There was no way I was getting everything out of the carpet and who knew what the bathroom looked like? I was almost afraid to go in and see.

"How can you be so calm?" Jack asked.

Now that made me laugh. A very sinister laugh that probably sounded more like a villain than a woman on the verge of tears. Or was it on the verge of a mental breakdown?

Based on the laugh, I would say it was more the latter in this case.

"Calm? I don't remember the last time I was calm. This"—I gestured around to the room—"has become my norm."

"This is how you live?" Jack sounded and looked completely confused by my statement. I could see why. He didn't have all the information and I wasn't making any sense.

"No, this is the reason I threw a dart at a map and got the hell out of my small town. Obviously, it didn't do any good."

I dropped my head on the desk and groaned. So much for thinking this was a brilliant plan. Not only did Inotget away as planned, now my one-night stand had a bird’s-eye view of my disastrous life. Talk about a mess.

"Do you know who did this?"

I rolled my forehead side to side on the desk. It didn't help. I couldn’t fathom why I thought it would, but it sounded like a good idea for a hot second.

Jack waited patiently for my answer and I realized this wasn't a topic he would be dropping anytime soon. So I took a deep breath, pulled up my big-girl panties—they really aren't that big and I wasn't actually wearing any—and prepared myself for the uncomfortable conversation.

"Yup." I popped the P. "I know exactly who did this. My ex and the reason I'm here this weekend." I paused. Not for dramatic effect but because I knew as soon as the name left my mouth, things would change. "Davis Jackson."

"The media mogul?"

"The one and the same."

I could see the wheels turning in Jack's mind. Things weredefinitelyabout to change.

FOUR

Jack

I tried to remember what I knew or read about Davis Jackson. It wasn't much considering social media wasn't really my thing. I used it for work but only because my secretary said I had to and offered to run it for me. Otherwise, I was probably the only thirty-one-year-old who wasn't glued to his phone and posting every move I made.

"He did this?" I tried to hide the disbelief from my voice, but I figured I hit the mark when Shannon sighed.

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