Page 52 of Houston, We Have a Problem
Why is she fighting this so much? Growling, I step between her and Darcy’s door, not sure who I’m protecting more. “You know nothing about me. Either I’m coming inside with you, or I am personally seeing to it that you make it back to your hotel.”
I’m overstepping, and I know it, but it’s been a long day and I’ve lost my ability to keep to my own business. I care aboutTamlin too much to back down, and she has to see that. Besides, I’m desperate to check on Darcy, though maybe not quite as thoroughly as I was before. Having both these women in the same place has my heart pounding wildly in my chest, leaving me slightly dizzy.
Tamlin must see that this is a battle she can’t win because she sighs heavily and loops her arm through mine. “Fine. But let me do all the talking. This guy seemed pretty skittish.”
She knocks, and we only have to wait a few seconds before the door swings open to reveal the hulking Jesse. He scowls at me first—still doesn’t like me, apparently—and when his dark eyes take in Tamlin, they double in size.
“Hi,” she says loudly, holding out her hand. “I’m Tamlin Park. You had something to tell me?”
Chapter Twenty
Darcy
This is my literal nightmare.Okay, so I’ve never actually dreamed of Houston insisting on keeping an eye on Tamlin while I pretend to be a stranger questioning a man who has seen way too much of me to ever act like he doesn’t know me. Maybe if Jesse wasn’t practiced in sticking adhesive boobs to my non-existent ones we might be able to pull this off, but he and my chest are well acquainted.
“Do you have somewhere we can talk privately?” I ask Jesse after he lets us into the house.
I can see the wheels turning, and he’s so lost right now. Poor guy was probably deep into an episode ofThe Great British Baking Show, maybe even half asleep as he waited for me to make it home.
“Sure,” he grunts and gestures to the kitchen.
Houston makes a sound of protest in his throat that makes me ache to slide back into his safe hold and never leave. “Tam, you shouldn’t—”
“I’ll be fine,” I tell him. “I’ll scream twice if I need you.”
“That isn’t funny,” he grumbles but plops down onto the couch anyway.
As long as he stays there, maybe I can make this work.
When we get to the kitchen, Jesse gives me a sharp look.
“I know,” I whisper, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I thought he’d already gone up to bed, and then I couldn’t shake him. I told him you have a story for me.”
Though he says nothing, I can read Jesse’s expression pretty well.How do we get rid of him?
I could spend a few minutes in here with Jesse and then call a ride and have the driver circle the block a few times before bringing me back. Easy.
What if he doesn’t leave?Jesse’s eyes ask.
That’s a valid problem, but my brain feels mushy after the night I’ve had. I’m not on my game, and I’m lucky I thought of the gambling story as quickly as I did. “I don’t know what to do,” I admit, hoping Jesse has a solution.
His eyes snap behind me, alerting me to Houston’s presence right before Houston says, “Sorry to interrupt, but I was thinking maybe I could check on Darcy while I wait? She said she was sick.”
Oh, this is bad. Of course he would want to check on Darcy! But what’s he going to do when he finds out she’s not here? He’s going to realize she lied to him, maybe even realize Darcy isn’t here because Darcy is me. Not only am I going to be out a big story—assuming it exists, like Connor insists—but I’m going to lose this precious, wonderful man before I’m ready to give him up.
Since I can’t answer Houston’s question, Jesse mumbles something that even I can’t understand until he gets to the last two words: “Lady time.”
Houston pinks. “Oh.”
Jesse, you’re a genius. “Okay,” I say, pulling both their attention to me. “I have a feeling you’re not going to leave until you know this girl is okay,” I tell Houston, “but I can’t in good conscience let you invade her space. I’ll go talk to her, woman to woman.” I point at Jesse. “Take me to wherever she is, and I’ll see if she’s up for some company for a minute.”
Jesse grunts and leads the way, but Houston is so close on my heels that I spin at the bottom of the stairs and put my hand on his chest. “Don’t you be following me, Briggs. No woman wants a handsome man to see her when she’s indisposed.”
“I really need to talk to her,” Houston says. “Will you tell her that?”
He sounds so desperate that I find myself nodding, even though I have no intention of bringing “Darcy” downstairs. “I’ll tell her.”
My phone buzzes before Jesse and I make it to my bedroom.
