Reminder: This is a book preview and only contains the first five chapters. My chapters are pretty long, so I've broken them down into sections. I hope you enjoy! Feel free to comment but no hate, please. Be mindful of trigger warnings in the Authors Note.
Jackie got back to the motel around six. She hurried to Collin's room and knocked on the door, fidgeting anxiously as she waited for him to answer. As soon as the door opened, Jackie rattled off, "Has she been here?"
"Yes. She just left, not ten minutes ago. She went back ta the room ta shower before she goes out."
She breathed a sigh of relief and handed Collin the folder that contained her notes on the café. "Here is everything I could dig up on the place. It's actually a pretty good read. I'm going to try to talk some sense into Ginger." She took off jogging before she had even finished her sentence, and Collin shook his head, chuckling at her candor.
Jackie nearly tripped over the threshold, rushing into the room. She shut the door and checked to make sure Ginger was in the bathroom before plopping down on the bed to wait for her to come out. It wasn't long before she came bouncing out of the bathroom, wearing only her towel. "Are you going to talk to me now, or are you still pissed off at me?"
Ginger walked over to her bed, where she had her clothes laid out neatly. "You can save your lectures for someone else. I think it's more than a little hypocritical if you ask me, and I'm not in the mood to listen to it." She dropped her towel and started to get dressed.
"You're my best friend, Ginger. I'm worried about you."
"Friends... I remember us being a lot more than that, Jackie. But that's when it suited you, right? You never minded my promiscuity, then. The fact that you want to judge me now, is a blatant insult." She finished putting on her clothes, then walked over to the sink. She started brushing her teeth as Jackie walked up and sat down on the counter beside her.
"I never meant it that way, you know that! The way you've been acting since we left home, isn't normal behavior for you, Ginger. You propositioned Collin, for God's sake, and in public! Now, you want to run off by yourself to a club and pick up the first guy who talks to you. How could I not be concerned?"
She finished brushing her teeth, then turned to Jackie, "What's the problem? You act like this is the first time. I do it all the time."
"No, you don't! You always go out with one or more of us, and when you take those men home with you, Hawk is always there, in case you need him. What exactly was your plan for tonight? To go home with a stranger?"
"Maybe. You know what, I don't have time for this." She picked up her brush and the blow-dryer and started fixing her hair.
Jackie waited patiently for Ginger to finish with the blow-dryer. As she turned off the noisy machine, Jackie begged, "Please, Ginger! Think about what you're doing. I only want you to be safe."
Ginger pulled out her make-up and went to work on her face. "I am thinking about it, and I'm gonna enjoy banging some guy in the back seat of his car."
"Fine, I get it! You don't care, and I'm wasting my time. Will you at least tell me where you're going so I'll know where to start looking if you don't come back?"
Ginger whipped her head around to give a smart retort, but stopped short, when she saw Jackie's face. She was shaking, her eyes glued to her knees, and tears ran freely down her cheeks. Ginger sighed softly and whispered, "I'm sorry, Jackie. I didn't mean it." She hugged her friend. "I know you care about me. I'm just being a bitch. I'm fine, really. I just need some time away, that's all."
Jackie gently pushed her away and slid off the counter. "Are you going to tell me where you're going, or not?" She never looked up at her friend as she waited for her answer.
Ginger sighed in resignation, "The Boiler Room. It's in Gainesville."
Jackie pushed passed her and whispered, "Thank you," then walked into the bathroom and slammed the door.
Ginger tried to open it, but it was locked. "Come on, Jackie, don't be like this!"
"How do you want me to be? You're being reckless and expecting me to just let you."
"Fine, be that way! You're my friend, not my mother. I'll see you tomorrow." Ginger grabbed her makeup bag and her purse slipped on her heels and left.
* * * * *
Peter took out his phone to text Jackie and let her know they had made it to the motel. We are here. I will come to see you after we get things unloaded.
No. Come now and bring Hawk and Han. Rm. 118. Peter read the text several times, trying to figure out what she wanted. "I think something is wrong, Han." He looked worriedly at him.
"What's going on?"
"I am not sure, but Jackie wants us to come to her room now, with Hawk."
"That's weird. Well, there's only one way to find out what she wants." He parked his car and got out. He was surprised as he turned around to find Peter standing in front of him. "Holy shit, Peter! How did you get over here so fast?"
"I am worried about Jackie. You get Hawk, I am going to her room." Peter jogged off before Han could say anything. He knocked, and the door opened almost immediately. He could tell that Jackie had been crying. "What is wrong, milaya moya?"
"Where's Han and Hawk?"
He stepped inside and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "They will be here in a moment. Han is waiting for Hawk." He stepped back from her and caressed her cheek, still sticky from her drying tears. "Are you alright?"
"I will be."
"Whoa! Should we come back later?" Han gave a strained laugh.
Jackie looked over to find Han and Hawk standing in the doorway. "Come in." They stepped inside, and Jackie shut the door behind them, then walked over to her bed and sat down. She looked directly at Hawk and stated, "Ginger has been acting really weird since we got here. We talked last night, and she told me about the other night and about the last time."
"Okay, I'm lost," Han interrupted.
Jackie looked up at him. "You're supposed to be. This is need to know, and you don't need to know."
"Then, why am I here?"
"Give me time, and you'll understand." She looked back at Hawk's shocked face and knew that he understood what she was saying. She continued, "This morning she started acting even more strange. We were at the café having breakfast, and she started teasing Collin about always being in our private lives. She asked him to sleep with her, and when he refused, she said she was going out."
"I don't understand what the big deal is. I mean, yeah, the thing with Collin was a bit strange, but she's a grown-ass woman. If she wants to go out, that's her business." Han looked at Hawk, Peter, and Jackie with relief and confusion at their worried expressions.
Jackie felt the anger shoot through her at his nonchalant attitude. She looked at him sharply and stated, "Ginger is being reckless, Han! Right now, she could care less who she went home with. I tried to talk some sense into her, but she wouldn't listen. In fact, she brought up what went on between you, me, and her, and threw it in my face."
Han flinched at her prudent reference to their brief ménage à trois phase. He sat down in one of the chairs and replied, "You're right, she's lost it."
Peter watched the exchange with confusion. He wasn't sure why Han had reacted so strangely but knew that it wasn't exactly the time to ask. "Jackie, maybe you should tell us what else happened."
She looked back at Peter and Hawk. "We had a huge argument, but I managed to get her to tell me where she was going. It's a place called the Boiler Room."
"I know it. I used to go there a lot. I'll go unload the backseat of my car." Han got up and left the room.
"Hawk, you're the only one who might be able to talk some sense into her."
"It's not that easy, Jackie! Ginger's stubborn and self-absorbed, and when she sets her mind to something, there's very little that'll persuade her, otherwise."
"I know that, but she listens to you, Hawk, more than anyone else. She told me that she doesn't want to hurt you anymore. I know how you feel about her, we all do. And to be honest, I'm beginning to think she feels the same way about you. She admitted more than she wanted to last night, and the way she's acting now, makes me think that she's trying to get you out of her head. You need to tell her how you feel."
Hawk was shaking his head before she had even finished speaking. "No, I can't tell her! I've wanted to. Hell, I've even tried, but something always gets in the way. This is how she wants it, Jackie! I'll always be the one waiting for her to climb into my bed. It's all just one big joke to her."
"That's what I'm afraid of. It's going to get her into trouble or worse."
"I'll bring her back, but I can't guarantee when. More than likely, it'll be when she gets good and ready." Hawk left the motel room with a half-hearted wave and got into Han's waiting car.
Peter sat down beside Jackie and took her hand in his. "I can tell that there are some things you do not wish for me to know because you are afraid of how I might react. Milaya moya, there is nothing that you could tell me that would change how I feel about you. You do not have to tell me if you do not want to, but I am here for you if you need to talk to me."
She looked down at his hand, replying, "I'm sorry, Peter, but there are some things in my life that I would never tell anyone else. Han doesn't know nearly as much about me as he thinks he knows, not even close. I'm pretty sure Ginger is the only person who knows nearly everything, but there are still a few things that I haven't even told her... that I would never tell her." She looked up at him, expecting him to be disappointed, but he just smiled warmly at her. "I really could tell you anything, couldn't I?"
"Maybe, one day, you will tell me everything." He slid his free hand through her hair, stopping at the nape of her neck, and pulled her lips to his. He kissed her tenderly, then drew her into a hug. "How would you feel about me taking you out to dinner?"
She pulled away from him and exclaimed in surprise, "Now?"
"Why not? We do not have to worry about Collin anymore, and it will help get your mind off Ginger. I also know that you have not eaten tonight."
She put on a look of mock displeasure. "And what makes you think that?"
He smiled, knowingly. "Because you never eat when you are this upset."
Jackie giggled. "I'd love to go out with you."
Peter stood and held his hand out to help her up. She took it, and they walked to the door. "I will leave you to get cleaned up. I need to go help unload the equipment. Will that give you enough time to get ready?"
"Yes. Do I need to call for a taxi to pick us up?"
"Actually, the place we are going to is only a few blocks from here. If you do not mind walking..."
Jackie kissed him exuberantly. She felt his body stiffen, and she pulled back. "I'm sorry. I got a little carried away. It's been a long time since anyone wanted to take me on a real date. I'm going to have to work on my restraint."
"It is fine, milaya moya. I take it walking will be alright with you?"
"Definitely."
"Alright, I will see you in a few minutes, then." He kissed her, then turned and left the room.