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“Please tell me you called the police.” Her eyes softened with concern. She hated moving out of the house we shared, especially because it meant I now lived alone. Our home wasn’t wheelchair accessible, and now that she was in her eighties, having medical staff available nearby was necessary.
“I did. Jareth had security call them. I gave my statement last night, and the police officer said they’d call if they needed anything else.”
“Will you press charges?” She tucked a too long strand of her white hair behind her ear. I made a mental note to contact the hairdresser that frequented the assisted living facility. To save money, Gran often waited longer than she should to trim her adorable pixie cut.
“Yes.” I wanted it to be over, but I’d been lucky the incident didn’t go any further than Harold manhandling me. Others might not be so lucky. I couldn’t imagine this was the first time he’d tried to force himself on an unsuspecting woman. Hopefully, by pressing charges, I’d be the last.
She patted my knee. “Good. I’m surprised the fear of Jareth’s wrath hadn’t made him reconsider picking you.”
That had been my first thought too. As his assistant, it didn’t escape my notice that Jareth despised Harold. It wasn’t anything overt. I recognized the subtle cues after working for him for three years. The tenseness of his jaw. The slight tap of his middle finger against his thigh. The tightly controlled tone of his deep voice. This was normal Jareth behavior to anyone else, but I noticed his various nuances.
“I thought he was going to rip Harold apart,” I whispered.
I’d never forget the image of Jareth’s narrowed gaze laser-focused on Harold, and his muscular body barrelling across the room like a defensive lineman. His strikingly handsome face was stark, jaw clenched tight, and lips pressed flat together. My heart rate had sped up even as relief washed over me at his appearance.
The quick taps of his shoes across the wooden floor and the unbridled anger etched into every line of Jareth’s body told me Harold wouldn’t get off easy. At that moment, I knew whatever vengeance he dished out, Harold deserved it. I’d been very clear that I wasn’t receptive to his advances. He ignored my pleas to get his hands off me and the two servers that had tried to help.
Jareth’s booming voice echoed in the space, demanding Harold to release me, and when he didn’t immediately comply, Jareth punched him. The thud of my boss’s fist smashing into Harold’s face was forever ingrained in my mind. It wasn’t until I’d been released that I realized how sore my arm was where he’d grabbed me.
“And you think he doesn’t care for you?” Gran asked with a wicked grin twitching at the corner of her lips.
Heat blasted my cheeks as I held her gaze. My fair complexion, like hers, had never been good at hiding my feelings.
Her cackle of unrestrained laughter filled the small living room. “Sometimes situations like this rip the wool off some people’s eyes to their true feelings.”
“The wool didn’t stay off for long,” I grumbled.
“Oh?”
I shook my head. “We kissed.”
Gran leaned forward, her rapt attention fixated on me like I was her favorite soap opera.
“We got interrupted. He told me we’d made a mistake.” Tears blurred my vision.
“Do you think the two of you made a mistake?” she asked, her gentle voice washing over me, soothing some of the sting at the memory of Jareth shutting himself off from me. From us.
I swiped at my eyes. “No. I don’t. That kiss only reinforced what he won’t let himself see. We belong together. I know we do.”
Jareth didn’t think he was good enough for me. I knew how far he was willing to go to get what he wanted. He had flaws. I was well aware of that, but it didn’t define him. Jareth was fiercely loyal and had isolated himself for so long that he thought it was what he wanted. How his life needed to be.
I saw the color surrounding his gray world. The color he didn’t let in because he didn’t think he deserved anything good in life.
“Then what are you going to do about it?”
I sighed. “I don’t know yet.” I was still hurt by his rejection.
Gran reached over and clasped my hand between her own. “You’ll figure it out. I know you will. And if you need help knocking some sense into that boy, let me know.”
I smiled. “I will.”
A rhythmic tap-tap-tap sounded at the front door. Gran’s gaze flicked between the door and me. “I’ll tell Franny to go on without me.”
It was time for their weekly Bingo game. “No, you go. I told Jess I’d meet her for brunch this morning.”
“If you’re sure. I hate to leave you when you’re upset.”
I stood, shrugged on my cardigan, and grabbed my purse before kissing her cheek. “I’ll be okay. I love you.”
