Page 34 of Free to Run
I hand the bellman my laundry and a large tip, knowing it is well worth whatever cost I’ll see on the bill in the morning, knowing I will wake up to dry and pressed clothes for my trip home. After he leaves, I waste no time in calling room service. While I’m in no mood to eat, I know the bottle of wine I plan to consume will go down better with something on my stomach.
After my order is delivered and set up, I pour myself a glass of pale, gold Sancerre, grab some cheese and crackers, and make my way into the bath. After filling the tub with water slightly cooler than scalding, I drop in a bath bomb. Watching it fizzle and sink, I find it an appropriate analogy for my relationship with my family. Even if it were to be pulled out now, it would never be the same.
I sink into the fragrant water, knowing I can’t avoid my family forever. I work with them. We live on top of each other. As much as I hurt, I know I’ll forgive them, because while the steadfastness of their love may have changed, they did save me from life decisions I wasn’t ready to make at sixteen.
I sigh. I know I need to call Corinna.
I reach on the side of the tub and pick up my phone. Not surprisingly, I find eleven missed calls and six messages. Ignoring them for the moment, I scroll to Corinna in my favorite numbers and press Send.
It barely rings once before she picks up.
“All tucked in safe?” she queries. The noise in the background when she first picks up dies down immediately.
“I’m fine. You’re at the farm?”
“We all are. Have you heard from Keene? He was supposed to call Cassidy, and he hasn’t. Of course, she’s freaking out,” Corinna says.
“What do you mean you haven’t heard from Keene? He followed me into Jared’s office for God’s sake!” I snap.
“What? Hold on. I’m putting you on speaker.” Before I can tell her not to, Corinna’s already hit the button and announces, “It’s Ali.”
Cassidy immediately asks, “Have you heard from Keene?”
Suddenly, the organ in my body I swore was a stone earlier tonight begins to crack and seep blood, hearing the worry in her voice. My sister, Keene’s sister—does it matter? All that matters is I left him a few hours ago, pissed off, and no one has heard from him.
“I’ll apologize in advance because we exchanged words.” My voice is empty, even to my own ears. There’s a hush on the other end of the line. “He wanted me to go to his condo with him, and I refused. However, as his lack of communication is likely my fault since I last saw him at Jared’s office, I’ll begin looking for him immediately.” I stand up out of the tub. The water sluices from my body, the splash echoing inside the tiled room. Holding on to my phone with one hand, I step from my bath and reach for my robe with the other.
Right then, the en suite phone rings.
“I have a phone call, I’ll call you back,” I tell my family. Disconnecting them, I answer, “Alison Freeman.”
“Ms. Freeman, this is Thomas, the bellman, with your requested items.”
“Yes, Thomas. I’d like to request a few more things.” I’m already imagining going out into the storm to find out if Keene is home.
“That’s fine, Ms. Freeman. The problem is that I went to deliver the items and there’s a man sitting outside your door.”
I tie the robe tightly around me. “Can you describe him?”
“I didn’t get a good look, ma’am, but he’s in a business suit, dress shoes, and he has dark hair.” Keene wouldn’t sit outside my door…would he?
“Hold on, Thomas.” I walk barefooted through the suite, my hair still dripping. I reach the doors of the suite and hope, if only for Cassidy’s sake, that Keene is stupid and arrogant enough to be here.
I open the door and find him sitting there, his back against the wall. He turns to find me standing in my robe.
Sagging against the doorjamb, I hold the hotel phone to my ear and tell Thomas, “It’s okay. I’ve got this.”
“I’ll bring your items to your door, then.”
I thank him and hang up the phone. Then I sigh, relieved that I won’t have to deliver bad news tonight. Keene stands and moves toward me. He opens his mouth to speak, but I beat him to it.
“Before you say a single thing to me, call your sister. She’s worried sick about you.”
After he crosses the threshold to my room, I slam the door behind him.
15
Keene
