Dangerous Lies(17)

Jake held his arms out as if to catch me, but halted, holding them in front of him. He knew I wasn’t in my normal skin now. I was terrified from that stupid text message.

“I have an idea,” he said softly, back peddling to the island. “I’m shutting this down.” Taking my phone and powering it off, he put it in his cargo pocket. “Will you come to my office with me?”

I searched the room, not sure what for, but nodded, continuing to hug myself.

“This way,” he said gently, tilting his head for me to follow him. “I’ve got an idea that might help you.”





Chapter Thirteen





I followed him down the hallway and passed my room to his office. Watching him from behind was surprisingly comforting. I was used to his backside, it was what I pictured when I talked to him, it was the side of him I was used to.

“Don’t mind the mess,” he apologized, unlocking the door and opening it.

The tenseness in my shoulders faded. His office was similar to mine. Papers strewn on his desk mixed with pens and sticky notes. A desktop with post-its around it with a screensaver of Shepley sprawled across his lap. The walls had canvas prints of his book covers, and a sliding door to his house-length porch let in the impending sunset.

If I weren’t so terrified from the threatening text from Martin, I’d be more in awe of the scenery.

He motioned for me to sit in his worn down office chair. “Sit.”

Pushing aside my timidness, I took the few strides to his seat. While I crossed the room, he shook the mouse and pulled up a word document.

“Type what’s going on in your head right now. It doesn’t matter how jumbled it feels, just push it from your brain and into your fingertips. Maybe start with where your mind was before you saw his text message.”

I lifted a brow at him, keeping my arms wrapped around myself.

He licked his lips. “Okay, just start with when you saw the text.”

“I don’t typically write like this. I only write when I’m making a story.”

“Think of it as a journal entry. I always do this when I have an overpowering emotion that I’m losing control over. It helps me to clear my mind, gain a grip on life again.”

Staring at the keyboard, I willed my hands to begin typing.

“I’ll sit on the porch. I’m sure my looking over your shoulder isn’t going to help any.”

I offered him a slight smile, but frowned when the door caught my eye. Jake followed my gaze. “I’ll close it and lock it. You’ll be safe, I promise.”

I watched him click the door closed, then head to the sliding door, opening it and finding a seat on the lounge chair in my view. He gave me a wink once he was settled, pulling out his phone and swiping through it.

Once he was deep into his phone, I gave his idea a shot.

I treated it as if I were telling a story, putting myself in the main character’s position, describing how I reacted in a monologue. It wasn’t very long, but powerful, and shockingly, my nerves were much calmer. It was if I had faced my fear by retelling the story with my own twist.

Jake snuck back inside, hovering behind me just as I finished.

“So, did it help?“

“Actually, I’m feeling less anxious,” I said truthfully.

Jake gently covered my shoulders with his hands, and I closed my eyes, finding his friendly touch soothing. He began to massage my tense muscles, working his thumbs into the back of my neck. “Told you it would help.”

He applied pressure down my neck and spine, pushing hard between my shoulder blades. I was full of tension, and his strong hands were helping to release the stress. Tilting my head, Jake ran one hand along the side of it, rubbing out the knots and finding the back of my scalp.

“You seem more relaxed, Love,” he whispered, his hands continuing their path along my upper body.

I leaned forward, resting my arms on the desk. Jake’s hands went lower down my spine. “If only my mind would stop running in a thousand directions.”

He laughed under his breath. “You’d think you’d be used to that by now, being a writer and all.”

My forehead found the back of my hand. Releasing a deep breath, I muffled, “If only the voices in my head were from made up characters and not my crazy ex-husband.”

Jake worked his palm up my spine, then circled his fingers around my ribs. I should have giggled, but he pressed firm enough for it to feel amazing instead of ticklish. “We’ll get those voices to change into bestselling character thoughts in no time.”

I found solitude in his working hands and his murmured voice. The way he moved smoothly and spoke in a hushed manner was comforting. More of this special treatment from him, and my body would turn into mush.

Squeezing my shoulders, he whispered. “Come out to the back porch with me.”

I lazily lifted my head and he removed his hands. Attempting to hold in my pout and missing the warmth of his hands, I stood and followed him.

Shepley was sitting on the railing, his tail floating back and forth. The sun had set while I was glued to the computer screen, but the mountain pass was glowing against the moonlight. Slight ripples coasted along the lake from the breeze, the moon's reflection clear as day on the dark water.

“It’s amazing how big it is,” Jake sighed, nodding to the moon and finding himself standing by Shepley. The cat nudged his shoulder with its forehead, a hint of wanting to be petted. Jake smiled at the cat, rubbing its ears. My feet took me to the other side of the cat, scratching his back.