Page 87 of Play With Me

“This place is too loud,” Jude shouts.

“That’s the whole point!”

He runs a hand over his head and lands with his hands on his hips.

“You know you’re in the wrong here, Jude. I know you do. I know you have empathy. I know you want to help people. I see the way you are with kids at your resort. I know all about how you desperately wanted to run a foundation of your own. Think about the naïve young girl she was, and the mistakes she made. You were both there together. You—”

“I know, okay? I fucking know it.”

Even through the din, I know his voice is hoarse with emotion. I know it’s him he hates. Him he blames.

“Do you regret it happening, Jude? And think long and hard about answering that, because you know what it would mean if it never did. You know the person you would be if you hadn’t met her.”

His eyes bore into mine, but I can see the answer. When Farrah turned up with the baby, he’d pulled his whole life together. Without her, he might still be a washed-up ex-celebrity floating around far from home, feeling sorry for himself.

But most of all, without her, there’d be no Cap.

Jude leans back on the wall, his face a picture of agony. He mumbles something I can’t hear, so I step toward him and lean in.

“I’m sorry,” he says in my ear. His hands go to my hips, and it feels so good for a moment I’m dazed by the heat rolling through me at his touch. But I make myself pull back. “You need to say it to them first. And you need to let them go on this trip.”

Then I turn and walk back to the restaurant.

When I get there, Cap and Farrah are just leaving. Cap still looks so upset, and when he sees me, a tear does fall. I kneel down and give him a hug. “Your dad is coming to talk to you, okay?”

“Is he going to say no?” Cap’s voice cracks. It breaks my heart, and I have to work to keep that anger for Jude in check.

I don’t want to make him any promises, so I just brush his tear away. “Listen. I hope not. But if he does, how about we do something amazing, okay? Something right here at the resort. Maybe with the three of us?”

I look up at Farrah, who looks like she’s containing a thousand different emotions. This poor woman. When I stand up, I tell her I did my best with him, and I sincerely hope he does the right thing.

She nods. “Thank you, Nora. You know the trip—it is for him too. For him and you.”

My stomach plunges as I remember what she’d said on the lift—the thing that had gotten me knocked over.

She was trying to help me and Jude figure our shit out too. All I can do is nod.

Then Farrah’s eyes go over my shoulder. When I turn, I see Jude, looking hangdog, coming across the lobby.

“Good night, sweetie,” I say to Cap, kissing his forehead. Then I leave them on their own.

I consider wandering the hallways at the resort before going back to my room. I haven’t really explored it yet. But I’m wearing these uncomfortable heels, and what if I run into Gunther or worse, Jude?

My stomach does a jump at the thought of him. Tonight was so intense. I feel the stretch of tension in my lower half at how much I physically want him, but also this tug on my heart from how easy it was to hang out with him again at dinner. Then that heat in my chest at how careless he was being with Cap and Farrah’s feelings.

I end up heading back to my room in my stockinged feet, my heels hooked over my fingers. I take the long way, so I at least see a little more of the hotel. This will only be our third night here, but it already feels like so much more.

But I don’t take anything in. All I can think about is Jude.

Jude. Jude. Jude.

He texts me when I’m back on our floor, heading toward my room.

JUDE: I apologized. To both of them. Cap and I cried. I’m so sorry, Nora. I’ve been an idiot.

I hate when he talks about himself like this, but honestly he’s not wrong here.

JUDE: I said they could go on the trip. You were right. I have to trust her more.

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