Ana looked up from her tears and smiled at Nate. She had a beautiful smile that I couldn’t remember seeing since the time when she had first arrived at my apartment. There was a new light in her eyes and it
looked like she actually recognized me.
“Roxanne, you’re here?” Ana said as she looked at me and suddenly realized I was there.
“Yep, I’m glad you are all right,” I said as we turned to leave the two women so they could have some time.
“Thank you,” Ana said as she looked at me, then Nate and Chase.
As Nate let the door close, we could hear the girls talking and crying. It felt good to do something so outrageous like we had done that night. It felt better than I ever imagined something could feel.
“We’ll catch a plane back to Atlanta in the morning if you want to come and get your dog,” Chase said as I opened my hotel room door.
“Oh, yes, that would be great.”
“And I’ll wire the rest of the money to your account. Thank you so much for being here with us. I don’t think we could have done this without you,” he said.
It made me feel good to hear that he appreciated me. I felt pretty damn good for the work I had done, too. I couldn’t wait to sleep all night long and then start my new life in the morning. I was ready to leave absolutely everything about my past behind me and move forward.
“Thank you, Chase,” I said as I hugged him. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“By the way, I have a text from Jackson and he says he’ll see you in the morning, as well. He’s staying with PJ to make sure her boss arrives. PJ is stable and doing well.”
“Oh, great. I’m so glad she is doing all right. I was worried with all that blood.”
“Have a good night. Sleep well,” Chase said as he walked with Nate down to his room.
I jumped up and down with excitement after I closed the door to my room. Jackson had made a point to get a message to me. Jackson was thinking about me, just like I was thinking about him.
I had been so worried he was angry with me for going to Stephano’s house. I knew it was a bad decision and I should have talked to Jackson first, but everything had worked out all right now. I couldn’t wait to see Jackson in the morning.
Surprisingly, I feel asleep fast and didn’t wake up at all throughout the night. I was so exhausted from the last few days, my body must have been very grateful to have a full night of sleep.
When I woke up, it was to a knocking at my door. It wasn’t a normal knocking, though. It was a slow and light tapping on the door. I hurried out of bed and ran to look through the peep hole to see if it was Jackson.
“No one’s home,” I teased him as I saw his smiling face standing in front of my room.
“Oh, okay. I’ll leave,” he said as he walked away.
I quickly opened the door and was about to tell him not to leave when he grabbed me and pulled me into my room. I couldn’t help but giggle at how excited he was to see me. It made me absolutely insanely happy to see him smile like that.
“You look happy,” I said as I held onto him.
“I’m not. I’m in a horrible mood. But you know what would make me feel better?”
“A hamburger?” I teased.
“Well, yes, a hamburger, but you know what else?” He pulled something out of his back pocket after he let my feet touch the ground again. “If you would go with me.”
I grabbed the papers out of his hands and looked at them. They were plane tickets and I searched them to see where they were to.
“Bali?” I said as a look of confusion covered my face.
“Yes, Bali. We need a vacation.”
I couldn’t help but smile at how damn excited he was as he held my hands and waited for me to answer him. I had never been overseas and I didn’t know a thing about Bali, but it seemed like a fun place to go. If Jackson and I could go there together, then it was the perfect place to go.
“Yes,” I said as I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him. “Do you think my dog Bull could go with us?” I asked with a smile on my face.