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He gasps. “I am not a gossip.”
I raise a brow. “Then, prove it. Don’t tell anyone she stayed here last night.”
“I won’t,” he says, fishing into his pocket for his phone.
I glare at it in his hand. “What are you doing?”
“Checking the weather.”
“You just came in from outside.”
“Checking tomorrow’s weather.”
I snatch the phone from his hand. “Stay here.”
Tucker crosses his arms and sulks while I head back into the hallway. Jovie’s gone, no longer standing between the bedroom and the bathroom. I check the latter first but it’s empty.
“Jovie?” I ask, standing outside the closed bedroom door. I give it quick knock and I hear her shuffling behind it.
It opens on her, now fully dressed. She’s combed the adorable knots out of her hair, too.
“Is he gone?” she asks.
“No.”
“Does he know I’m here?”
“Yes.”
She steps back with rolling eyes. “Perfect. I’m sure the Mayor will be briefed by noon.”
I move inside and close the door behind us. She scoops her boots off the floor and sits down on the bed to slip them on, moving fast with erratic, twitching fingers. Either she’s incredibly upset by Tucker’s sudden presence or that kiss shook her up as much as it did me.
“Listen, Jovie,” I say, “if that ever happens with Hank again, I want you to know that you can come here.”
“Okay.”
“No questions asked. You ever need help, with anything, I’m here.”
She nods as she zips up her boots. “Well, it won’t happen again but thanks for the offer.”
“I think we both know you can’t predict what Hank will do—”
“It won’t happen again, Will,” she repeats as she stands up. “Nothing about last night will happen again or… this morning.”
I exhale. “Jove—”
“It was a mistake.” She grabs her bag off the floor. “Plain and simple.”
“Nothing about that kiss was plain or simple,” I argue.
“I felt guilty and you’re really hot with your shirt off.” She gestures at my bare chest. “Plain, meet simple.”
“I haven’t touched another woman since you left and that kiss meant more to me than our first one,” I tell her. “Complex, meet complicated.”
Jovie closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before opening them again. “I have to go now.”
I step to the side to let her pass, far too beaten down to argue with her any further. Her boots stomp through the house and I hear Tucker greet her in the living room.
