Page 10 of Motion to Dismiss

“These are yours as well, Miss.” The front desk agent picks up a bouquet of bright white roses.

“Thank you.” I take them and carry them to the elevator, with Jameson following my every step.

He joins me in the car before the doors close.

“I’m just making sure you get inside the suite safely,” he says. “That’s all.”

Right… I hit the button for the top floor and keep my gaze straight ahead as we ascend.

It takes everything in me not to look over at him, not to steal one last long glance before we disappear from each other’s lives again.

“Los Angeles doesn’t seem like the right city for you,” he says out of nowhere. “It’s the opposite of everything you’ve ever shown about yourself to me…”

I don’t respond.

“It’s also ridiculously expensive,” he says. “You’re not in any financial trouble, are you?”

Ping!

I step onto the floor and head straight for the suite’s golden double doors.

Taking out the keycard, I sigh and turn around.

“I’m at the suite safely now, Jameson,” I say. “I’m fine.”

“I said ‘inside’ the suite.”

“Because a criminal is going to randomly pop out between now and the next five seconds?”

“Open the goddamn door, Scarlett.”

“I will, the moment you go back to the elevator.”

“Okay, then.” He takes the keycard from my hand and holds it against the pad until it flashes green.

Pushing the door open, he gently nudges me inside, and the lights flicker on.

He moves past me instead of exiting, and I place my flowers and tote bag on a hallway table. I step out of my heels and wait for him to return to the door, but he doesn’t.

Sighing, I walk into the living room and spot him standing by the windows.

“Thank you for making this reservation for me, Jameson,” I say. “As you can see, I’m safely inside, so you can leave now.”

“I will,” he says, nodding. “But before I do that⁠—”

“Just do it now and finish your sentence later.”

“Your words are a lot more cutting than I remember.”

“I guess I learned from the best.”

Silence.

“I need to know a few things about your new boyfriend,” he says.

“Who I’m dating is none of your business, Jameson.”

“It is since I don’t have a new girlfriend.”