Page 69 of Fake It For Glory

JENSEN

As Merida soaked in the warm bath, her tears gradually subsided. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had missed something important today. Her abrupt change in demeanor, the heated argument with Reid Reese, and her subsequent breakdown left me bewildered and concerned. I didn’t know how to help her if she wouldn’t talk to me.

I took a bottle of water to her, then left her alone. The room service would be delivered shortly. Until then, I needed to give her some space. This was not something I was used to dealing with.

I needed some advice, someone who could help me navigate the complex situation. I decided to call Hattie. She would know what to do or at least have a suggestion. She was staying in the room next to mine. If I had to call her, she would be over in a hurry. She always said she was more human than I was. I needed her now.

I stepped onto the balcony and dialed Hattie’s number, waiting anxiously for her to pick up. When she answered, she sounded like she might have been asleep.

“Hattie, I need some advice.”

“Are you at the yacht party?”

“I was. I’m back in the room now.”

She groaned. “What happened?”

“Uh, it’s probably going to be something you’re going to have to clean up tomorrow,” I said.

“Oh no, what did you do?”

“Technically, it wasn’t me,” I told her.

“Merida.”

“Yes, something happened with Merida today before we went to the yacht event,” I explained. “She was upset. I don’t know what it was. She put on a brave face, and I thought things were going to be cool. Clearly, I was wrong. She wasn’t herself. She was angry and drinking a little too much.”

She let out a long sigh. “What did you do?”

“It wasn’t me,” I defended. “Something back home.”

“What happened?”

“I don’t know all the details, but she got into it with Reid Reese.”

“That guy is an asshole,” she muttered. “He gets into it with everyone because he’s such a dick.”

“Yes, he is and Merida told him so, along with a few other choice words. I don’t know what started the argument, but I think Merida definitely ended it. Reid called me over. The fucker actually snapped his fingers. He told me to get my woman under control.”

“Oh my God, I hope she kicked him in the balls,” Hattie muttered. “What the hell is he thinking? Who does he think he is? If he ever talks to me like that, it will be the last words he mutters with all his teeth in his mouth.”

I laughed. “Honestly, I think another two minutes and she would have popped him in the mouth.”

“Okay, okay,” she said calmly. “Damage control. I can handle that. I’ll call Carl and Susan. We’ll say it was a misunderstanding or a joke depending on how bad it is.”

“That’s not why I called you,” I said. “Something is wrong with Merida. She’s—I don’t know—upset. She’s in the tub. She broke down after the incident but I don’t think she’s crying about Reid. She seems off. Not herself.”

“Did you ask her what was wrong?”

“Yes, but she doesn’t want to talk about it,” I said. “What do I do?”

“Jensen, just talk to her. No AI talk, no problem-solving, no Mr. Fix-It. Just listen. She needs your shoulder, not your opinion or your advice. You don’t have to fight her battles. I’ve spent a little time with her. She’s an independent woman. She is solid. She doesn’t need you to fix it, but she needs you to be there.”

Her words struck a chord with me. I had a tendency to approach situations with a problem-solving mindset, but maybe that wasn’t what Merida needed right now. Perhaps she needed someone to simply be there for her, to lend an ear and offer support without trying to dissect or fix everything.

“Okay,” I said. “Good. I can do that. Thank you.”

“Good luck,” she said. “I better get started on the Reid Reese thing.”