Falling Free: What happens in Vegas... (The Fall Series) (17 page)

One hour and one long lingering kiss
at the door later, Parker was off to his meeting, and I was all alone. I
reluctantly decided to pack my bags so I could spend every last moment in his
arms when he returned. I just finished getting dressed and packing the last of
my things neatly in my suitcase when the doorbell rang.

I walked to the foyer
apprehensively, as a replay of the Sarah Blackwell incident flashed in my mind.
Having learned my lesson, I peered through the peephole to see an employee from
the front desk holding a large box.

“I have a delivery for you, miss.”
The man said politely.

“Thanks.” I held out my arms to
take the package.

“Oh, no this is very heavy, miss.
If you’ll allow me in I’ll gladly carry it to the counter for you.”

I wondered what could be inside
the large heavy box as I followed the man into the kitchen. The box itself was
more like a crate, and when I got a better look I noticed it held various
bottles of imported beer inside. The white envelope attached to the top caught
my eye.

“Thanks so much.” I looked around
for my purse in search of a tip.

“No need, miss. A gratuity will
be added to Mr. Blackwell’s account. Have a good day.”

I followed the man back to the
door, and immediately went back to the kitchen to examine the box a little
closer. It looked expensive, tasteful, like something the Blackwell family
might send.

I poked at the package. The
temptation was killing me, and I felt like a naught little girl about to snoop
under the Christmas tree. Finally I caved.

I removed the white envelope
carefully and turned it over in my hands. The words
Walker, Inc.
were
embossed on the flap.
Why does that sound so familiar?
I opened the card
slowly, and my hands started to shake as I read the words inscribed inside.

    
I just wanted to say
thanks you son-of-a-bitch. I don’t know where you found this Jake Kennedy,     but
he’s an ace. He’s exactly what I was looking for. Have a beer on me. Enjoy!

–Clay Walker

President, Walker, Inc.

My knees buckled under me. I felt
for the barstool and sat down as I continued to stare at the note.
Why would
this Clay Walker be thanking Parker for sending Jake to him? Did Parker have
something to do with Jake finding the job in Tennessee?
The more I connected
the dots, the more my adrenaline pumped wildly through my veins.
It was him!
Parker was the one deceiving me all along! 
It was too horrible to even
imagine, but there it was in black and white. Parker set Jake up to leave me.
He manipulated both of us so that I would take his twisted offer and wind up in
his arms.

I jumped to my feet, thankful my
bags were already packed. I had to move fast. My fingers were shaking so badly
I had to dial Alex’s number twice before it finally went through.

“This is Alex, how may I help
you?”

“Alex, I need your help,” I
blurted out, “I’m going down to the lobby right now to catch a cab. Can you
please get me an earlier flight?”

With the phone propped on my
shoulder, I dragged my luggage out the door and pressed the button on the
elevator. Between the panic in my voice, the sound of the door slamming and the
elevator dinging, Alex was instantly alarmed.

“Lauren, where is Mr. Blackwell?”

“At a meeting. Can you help me or
not?” I was impatient and anxious as I waited for the elevator to creep to a
stop. When the doors opened I prayed that Parker wouldn’t be standing on the
other side. To my relief he wasn’t.

“Lauren, I really think I should
call Mr. Blackwell, and we can sort this all out. Please, just go back to his
suite or wait in the lobby until I reach him, and I’ll call you right back.”

“No, you don’t understand!” I
yelled in frustration as I punched the “L” button impatiently. “I have to leave
right now!”

“I know you’re upset, but
whatever it is, I’m sure we can work this out. Now please, let me call Mr. Blackwell
and…”

“No!” I screamed. “Listen, Alex,
have you ever thought you were head-over-heels in love with someone only to
find out that the someone is a rotten, no-good, lying bastard? Well, if you
have then you’ll understand why I need to get out of here right now!”

Alex didn’t answer right away,
but I could still hear the sound of her breathing on the other end. “Go
downstairs and wait in the lobby. I’ll be there to pick you up in fifteen
minutes.”

“Thank you!” Relieved, I slipped
my phone in my purse and followed her instructions. Exactly fifteen minutes
later I was climbing into the back of the limo next to Alex. Her all-business
attitude was gone, and I was thankful when she held my hand and gave it a
squeeze as if to say she understood.

“The minute you got off that
plane I wondered how a nice girl from Michigan ended up being Parker
Blackwell’s flavor of the week. I knew you weren’t cut out for this, honey, and
that’s a compliment.”

“Yeah, thanks,” I sobbed. She was
right.
How could I be so stupid! Parker Blackwell’s flavor of the week? That
said it all!
“Parker and I knew each other years ago. We sort of grew up
together.”

“Well, that explains it,” she
replied.

“Alex, if you don’t mind, I
really don’t want to talk about it.”

“Of course, dear. I understand.”

When we arrived at the airport
she gave me my flight information and hugged me goodbye.

“Good luck, Lauren.”

“Thank you. I appreciate this
more than you know.”

And I did, too. I could’ve booked
my own flight, but I could hardly think straight let alone see clearly through
the endless stream of tears.

The next few hours passed by like
a blur. I was numb. By the time the plane landed I felt like a zombie from
crying until I had no more tears left. I must have looked like one, too, I
realized as a mother protectively shielded her little boy from me in the aisle like
I was an addict going through withdrawals. She wasn’t that far off. I gave in
to my addiction, and I got burned. Now I had to face the consequences.

I had the cab drop me off at a
coffee shop just outside of town. I couldn’t go back to The Grand just yet. I
wasn’t ready to face anyone. I sat there for a few hours starring out the
window and ordering coffee every now and then in exchange for taking up the
table. I glanced at my luggage on the floor. I felt like a homeless person who
had nowhere else to go, and in a couple months when The Grand went up for sale
I might be homeless.

Just before closing time, I
finally found the nerve to Nina before the staff kicked me out on the sidewalk.
I was grateful when she answered on the first ring.

“Hey, Nina can you come pick me
up?”

“Ah, sure. What’s going on, Lo?
You sound like you’re half dead! Are you at the airport? Why didn’t you tell me
you were going to need a ride?”

“I
feel
like I’m dead,
Nina, and no, I’m actually at The Brew Moon and they’re about to close.”

“What the hell are you doing
there? How long have you been there?”

“Look, we can talk about it when
you get here. Please just get here soon.”

“I’m on my way.”

I barely had the energy to drag
my bags to the car when Nina arrived. She saw me struggling and jumped out to
help. When we came face-to-face my best friend came unglued like a mama bear
defending her cub.

“Oh my God, Lo! What the hell did
that bastard do to you?” She grabbed me by the shoulders to get a better look.
“Did he hit you? Tell me what happened?”

“Nobody hit me, Nina. Can we go
to the park and sit in your car for a while. I don’t want to go back to The Grand
until it’s dark.”

Nina agreed, but it took the next
fifteen minutes to convince her that my face was only swollen from hours of crying.
After that I slowly began to tell her the rest of the story. When I was
finished, she sat there looking out the window holding her head like she was in
pain.

“So it was him.
He
was the
one deceiving you all this time. I knew it, Lo! That fucking son-of-a-bitch! I
knew he was trouble!”

My fingers found the locket
around my neck, and I wasn’t sure if I would ever trust my own judgment again.

“So now what? What about Jake? I
feel sorry for Parker when Jake finds out. He’ll want to kill him with his bare
hands!”

I looked at Nina with wide eyes.
She was right. “Jake can never find out, Nina! It wouldn’t change anything if
he did. It would only make things worse for everyone.”

“How the hell can you say that? You
were supposed to marry Jake until Parker interfered, and now you’re alone and
heartbroken, and Jake is in Tennessee!”

“No, Nina. You don’t get it.” I pinched
the bridge of my nose in frustration. “When Jake chose to take the job he had
no idea that Parker was behind it. Nobody did. Then he expected me to sell The
Grand!
The Grand,
Nina! The way I see it Parker did me a favor. Jake
would still be here if this is where he really wanted to be.”

“Ugh, when you stick up for him
like that it makes me want to throw up! He manipulated you, he lied to you, and
I’ll never forgive him for that. Never!”

“Believe me! Parker Blackwell is
the last person in the world that I would stick up for, but those are the facts,
Nina.” It hurt me to say the words out loud. When I was with him I felt like I
was soaring, and I never wanted to come down. I was ready to move mountains to
make things work between us, and now… Now I know the truth.

“Are you ready to go home now? I
think it’s dark enough to get up the back stairs unnoticed.”

“Yeah. Take me home.”

Nina insisted on staying the
night at my place. I tried to convince her that I was fine, but after arguing about
it all the way home I finally gave up. I thought I wanted to be alone, but when
we walked in the door of my suite I was glad she was there.

“I’ll take the couch. Do you have
a pillow and blanket for me?” We stopped at her place on the way so she could
pack a bag, and she was heading for the bathroom to get ready for bed.

“Yeah, I’ll get you some bedding.
Make yourself at home!” I yelled as I heard the bathroom door shut. I glanced
at my luggage and decided it could wait until tomorrow. What was I going to do
with a bunch of designer clothes and shoes anyway? I’d probably end up donating
them to Goodwill after letting Nina take her pick. I didn’t want them anymore.
I didn’t want to keep anything that had to do with Parker. I touched the
necklace again.
Well, maybe not anything.
I wasn’t ready to give the
locket up quite yet, but I vowed to do it someday soon.

I got ready for bed and found
Nina searching through the fridge a few minutes later. “Wow, you have nothing
to eat here, Lo.”

“What do you expect? I’ve been
gone for five days, and I wasn’t exactly expecting company,” I smirked.

Nina rolled her eyes. “I’m glad
to see your sarcastic sense of humor hasn’t changed.”

“You’re lucky! I’ve been saving
it up just for you!”