I could wait to get my tips tomorrow. I didn't want to wait around for everything to be counted out and divided. I had done my closing duties, burned the ice and wanted to get the hell out of Mag's. I managed to successfully avoid Jack all night and I only sent Stella one S.O.S CALL ME URGENT text.
The problem is, I have cried Jack one too many times so even if she saw it, she probably assumes it's not a real S.O.S. That I just needed to learn to talk to Jack without her giving me the words.
I was so glad we were slammed tonight so I couldn't think of Jack or Maggie. She was meandering around as a cocktail waitress tonight and I noticed a flash of anger every time she smiled at me. It wasn't her fault. I know that. But knowing her lips have been on Jack's just infuriates me. She doesn't know about my feelings for Jack, although I did tell her I thought he was gorgeous when he started working here. But so did every other girl. I just wish out of all the women that worked at Mag's, it wasn't Maggie. She's a bit of a man-eater, and Jack's the ultimate fuckboy, so I could see whatever happened between them not matter to either of them, but it mattered to me. I was in love with Jack and Maggie was one of my closest girlfriends.
I put on Olivia Rodrigo as soon as I got into my car and screamed out the lyrics to all of her songs as I drove home. I knew I was being dramatic, I knew I had zero claims to Jack, I was just mad, angsty and sad and needed to listen to someone who knew how I felt. I know my focus shouldn't be on boys anyway. That's not why I came back to Arizona, but my feelings for Jack consume me and I need to stop letting them.
I sit in my car once I find parking, trying to find the energy to move from the driver's seat to my door. It's just past one in the morning and I am exhausted. My Spotify starts playing "Should Have Said No," and I realize I have been agonizing over Jack and Maggie but not really dissecting what Ashleigh told me about Blake. She just revealed something about someone I was engaged to only a month ago and I didn't even linger on it. My brain could only focus on Jack. If that right there doesn't prove I was never supposed to end up with Blake, nothing will.
My body and my brain are just done for the day. I release a sigh and kick my door open. As I move up the driveway, I spot the crack that swallowed my heel last night and remember Jack's wince when I went to kiss him. I'm so in my head that I don't immediately notice the sliding door to the studio is cracked open. I stare at the slice of darkness beyond the door and hit the door with my palm.
"Fuck you Steve and your shitty door." I then realize the light I left on in the bathroom is off. I hate coming home to a pitch-black box, so every night, I leave the bathroom light on so I don't stumble into something. I'm now alert and a chill snakes down my spine. I debate pulling the door open, but what if someone is in there, hiding in the dark?
My heart starts beating wildly as I pause outside of my door. I don't hear anyone on the other side, but I realize the curtain has been pulled back a few inches. I dart away from the door and run back down the street. I'll feel silly for calling 911 if the door somehow just cracked open and my paranoia had me thinking I left the light on and fully shut the curtain. I cast a glance behind me, but still don't see any movement.
I yank my car door open and drop into the seat in one swift motion, now wide awake and panicking that someone broke into my place. Stella is in Portland, Maggie is still closing down the bar and my parents are over an hour away. I don't know where I can go.
I glance out my window again, wondering what to do. Do I call the police? Should I just find a hotel? Break into Stella's? Am I just being paranoid because everyone keeps telling me how much this part of town sucks? Should I just open the door and check?
I then realize there is one person that I know will come to check out my place with me. I pull my phone out of the cup holder and he answers on the second ring.
"Lucy?" Jack asks, probably wondering why the hell I am calling him since he knows I despise talking on the phone. My fear evokes an outburst and I start crying.
"Jack, I just got home and I think...I dunno it may be nothing, and I don't know if I should call the police. Stella is out of town, otherwise, I wouldn't be bothering you but I am scared and-"
"Lucy, what's wrong? I just left work, do you need me to come get you?"
"Maybe? I think someone may have broken into my house. It might just be the stupid door, but I swear I left a light on-"
"I'll be there in ten minutes. Where are you now? Did you go inside?" I shake my head and wipe my tears away with the back of my hand.
"No, the door was open when I got home, I was too scared to go in there alone. I'm in my car."
"Call the police Luce, just in case. You're a young female living alone, even if there wasn't a break-in, they'll understand why you wanted them to come check."
I sniffle, "Okay, I'll call them now. I'll wait for you in my car."
"I'm passing our burrito place now, so I should be there in five."
"Okay, thanks, Jack." I click off the phone and immediately dial 911. I tell the dispatcher about my door and the light and she agrees to send someone over to check it out. I'm just hanging up with her when I see Jack's headlights coming toward me. He's able to park right behind me and I jump out of my car as soon as he opens his door.
"Are you okay, Lucy?" He asks me and he immediately throws his arms around me, pulling me against him. I nod into his chest, "The police are on their way. I really hope I am not overreacting here or I am going to be mortified." He kisses the top of my head and my anger vanishes for a moment. He pulls away from me to go towards his trunk. He pulls the back door open and I watch as he slides out a crowbar.
"I'm hoping there is no one in there, but I am not taking any chances," he tells me as he crosses the street.
"You're not going to wait for the police?" I ask and he continues walking up the driveway as he replies, "I'm just going to check out your door." I follow behind him as he walks in the shadows. I am surprised someone would even be able to find the guest house tucked away in the dark.
When we reach my door, he taps on it gently with the crowbar. We still don't hear any movement and I whisper, "See how the door is open and the curtain is pulled back a little? I never leave it like that. And I always keep the bathroom light on." Jack slides the glass door open a couple of inches and my heart is pounding as I watch him slowly peel back the curtain, crowbar raised and ready in his right hand. It's too dark to see anything inside but we still don't hear anything.
He drops the crowbar and whispers, "Alright, I don't hear anyone, but I am taking no chances." He grabs my hand and pulls me back down the driveway.
"How would anyone find my place back there? Especially in the dark."
"Who knows who Steve has rented that place out to before you. Someone may have thought it was vacant or maybe one of these homeless people saw the door open and went in."
"I told Steve about that damn lock the last time you were here. He promised to have the door looked at." Jack isn't able to respond as we see the police cruiser come rolling down the street. Two burly officers step out of the SUV and I quickly fill them in on the situation. I lead Officer Garrick and Officer Tyson into the back and hold my breath as one of them shouts that he's coming in. I notice Jack has grabbed onto my hand again and we both watch as Tyson slowly slides the door open. He pulls the curtain back and I direct him to the nearest light in the kitchen. He flips the switch and Garrick follows his partner inside.
"I'm gonna puke," I mutter to Jack and he squeezes my hand to comfort me. We watch as all of the lights pop on in the small studio and Tyson pokes his head out of the narrow opening.
"There's no one in here now, but I think someone was earlier." I glance at Jack and he pulls me forward. He slides the door completely open and my heart sinks as soon as I step inside.
Everything is gone except for Ruby- my stand mixer, a hatbox full of random momentos and a few clothes I had strewn around. The boxes I had piled in the kitchen are gone, my laptop is gone, my Julliard duffle bags are gone and my ring light and camera have been swiped off the kitchen table.
"I'm guessing the place didn't look like this when you left?" Tyson asks me and I hadn't realized I was crying. Tears are streaming down my face and my hands are shaking.
"No, everything is gone. My life is gone," I tell him with a sob and I feel Jack's hand on my back.
"Alright, we're gonna need an inventory of what was taken. Do you have renters insurance?"
I shake my head, "No, I was only supposed to be here for a couple of weeks. This is a friend of a friend's place."
"I'll need their name. Have a look around and start taking note of what you know is gone."
The four of us take up the entire studio, there's not much to check out. I open the door to the bathroom and am glad to see my makeup bag untouched and a hamper full of clothes. I peek around the futon and notice my textbooks are still piled on the floor. I look back to the officers and say, "All of my baking supplies are gone, laptop, camera-"
"We'll get this down in a report," Garrick cuts me off, "Do you have anywhere you can go tonight? Not wise to say here incase the perp comes back."
"She'll stay with me," Jack answers and I give him a hint of a smile and a nod. Tyson comes back inside the studio and says, "Alright, let's officially go over everything."