Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
“Go.” Finally, he relents. When he does, Marly finally gets a chance to come into the room.
“Girrrrrl.”
“I’m okay,” I rush to say, not wanting her to worry. I can’t even imagine how scared she was when the men took me. I hate that she got dragged into this whole thing.
“Well, duh. Jackson is your man; of course, you’re okay. I just can’t believe you didn’t tell me you’re some famous artist. You let me go on and on about my silly knitting and making you a website!”
“Your knitting isn’t silly. It’s good.”
“How did my brother land you?”
“I don’t know if he landed me or more bulldozed me.” This time when I laugh, she joins me. As messed-up as all of this has been, I’m relieved. A sense of freedom has washed over me. I no longer have to worry every single day. Marly and I chat for a bit, and I get to tell her more about my life than I had before. She’s not mad at all that I kept things from her.
“All right, I guess we can go. I spoke to the doctor, and he said everything is fine,” Jackson says when he reenters the room. Marly gives me a look. I think she might have put together what I’d been searching for in the bathroom if she poked around some.
“I’ll leave you two to it.” Marly kisses me on the cheek before she leaves us alone.
“I don’t like that you just passed out. You’re sure they didn’t inject you with anything? The tox screen came back negative.”
“It was a panic attack, Jackson. Sometimes I have them. I have medication for it, but I couldn’t find it in time.” He lets out a breath, a relieved expression crossing his face.
“Why didn’t you tell me that?” I shrug. It’s not something I just run around telling people.
“They started when I lost my parents, but I’d gotten them under control until…” I trail off.
“Until someone started scaring the shit out of you. The same someone who said your work after you lost your parents was the best of your career.”
“Oh God,” I whisper. I was so confused as to why Nina had done this, but now it’s making more sense.
“She was also worried you were going to outgrow her. This would ingrain your loyalty to her. If you thought she was all you had, then you wouldn’t leave.”
“Is that what the cops told you?” I ask.
“No, I put that together myself. They needed the guns I used.”
My eyes widen. “Are you in trouble?!”
“No, it’s just protocol. It’s fine. Let’s get you dressed and home.” He grabs a bag off the chair Marly brought in with her. I let the hospital gown drop. “Dollface,” Jackson says when he comes to stand in front of me. “Don’t hide things from me. If you need the medicine, then you need it. If you don’t, then you don’t. Whatever makes you whole and feel safe is what I want for you. There is no shame in any of that.”
“Jackson.” Tears form in my eyes. How did I get so lucky for this man to come into my life?
“You’re not weak. Never think that. We all have strength in different ways.”
“Really? What’s mine?” I ask as he helps me get dressed.
“Loving me.” He smirks.
“I promise you that’s not hard, Jackson.”
“Are you sure about that? You’ve lost so much, and you haven’t let anyone else into your life. In fact, what friendships you did have beside Nina which were work-related, you slowly let go of. If you don’t love something, you can’t lose it. That fear isn’t there. You loving me is bigger for you than I think you realize.”
He’s right. I have isolated myself. I’ve kept the world at bay. “I love you more than I knew was even possible,” I tell him after he gets me dressed in an oversized sweater and yoga pants. I slip my feet into some boots.
“Same, Dollface. I’ve stared down the barrel of a gun and felt less fear than I did when I couldn’t find you.” I lean up and kiss him. He kisses me back as he slips something onto my finger. I gasp when I see the ring.
“Jackson!” Any tears I was trying to hold back break free. “You’re supposed to get on a knee and ask.”
“Oh, I’ll get on my knees when we get home, but I’m not asking. We’re getting married.” He cups my face and kisses my tears. “Now stop crying,” he orders, making me laugh.
I’m not sure what will happen to Nina, but at the end of the day she brought me Jackson. The best Christmas gift a girl could ever ask for.
EPILOGUE
JACKSON
“I’m pooped,” announces Marly as she throws herself into a lawn chair. “Hand me a drink.”
Bell slides a mojito into my sister’s hand. “It’s the last one.”