“You can’t go in there,” said a frantic woman beyond the door.

Everyone in the room turned.

Gaylord shifted in his chair.

“I’ll only be a minute.” Jack heard her voice just as the large mahogany door burst open.

Several people in the room gasped.

Jack surged to his feet. “Jessie?”

She locked eyes with him and ground to a halt. The array of emotions that played over her face in the span of two seconds felt like a punch in the gut. How did she find out?

“What’s the matter, Jack? Can’t come up with a lie quick enough to explain this?”

He started walking toward her. “Jessie, I—”

Her hand shot up in front of her, stopping him. “Don’t waste your breath. I’m not here for an explanation. I needed to see with my own eyes if what I saw on the news was true.”

The news? What the hell is she talking about?

“Obviously the media has a stronger grip on the truth than you do.”

“I can explain.”

“Let me guess, you made employee of the year and they gave you the hotel.”

“Jessie, please.”

“Oh, don’t even try that with me.”

“Jack—” He heard his father’s voice but couldn’t stop watching Jessie. Her anger was palpable.

“Don’t bother, Mr. Morrison. It is Mr. Morrison, isn’t it?” Jessie asked his father.

“It is.”

Jessie’s gaze shot from his father to him. “At least someone in the room knows his own name.” She glanced around the room as if noticing it for the first time. “You told me you were a waiter. A waiter? God, I’m so gullible.” Her hand shook as she pointed at him. “Stay the hell away from me and my son. You hear me, Jack Morrison. Stay away!”

It took him a second to realize that Jessie had turned and was running from the room.

Jack pushed away from the table and started after her.

His father stopped him at the door. “Is that her?” he asked.

Jack shook off his father’s hand. “Yes.”

Gaylord barked out a laugh. “Ha! I like her already.” Jack had explained everything to his father in the hour they’d shared lunch. Thank God he’d had that hour or this scene would be more difficult to explain. “What are you standing here for, son? Go.”

Jack ran from the room but didn’t see Jessie in the lobby.

A stunned receptionist stood by sputtering apologies. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Morrison. She just ran in here.”

“Where did she go?” he shouted.

The young woman pointed toward the front door.

By the time Jack stepped out into the sun, Jessie was in her new car, tearing out of the parking lot.

Patting his pants, Jack realized his keys were in his briefcase in the conference room and ran to retrieve them.

Bolting into the room, Jack ignored the questions and stares of his team. Once his keys were in his hand, he rushed to his truck and took off after her.

All Jack could see in front of him was the pain in Jessie’s eyes. He should have told her the truth, explained who he was and why he kept it a secret from her.

He hit the steering wheel when the light at the intersection to her apartment turned red.

Although Jessie only had a fifteen-minute head start on him, by the time he made it to her apartment, she was gone.

Her work said she wouldn’t be returning until after Christmas. Jack couldn’t let her stay away from him that long. There was no way of knowing where she went. Jack left messages on her cell phone, but she didn’t return them. The damn thing was probably sitting in her purse, purposely turned off.

Back at the hotel, Jack learned that his father had finished his meeting and instructed the staff to enjoy their holiday. Luckily, Gaylord wasn’t in Jack’s suite when he returned. Katie, on the other hand, was.

“Any calls?” he asked, knowing damn well the one he wanted to call wouldn’t.

His sister shook her head. “None. Give her some time, Jack. She’ll come around.”

Katie couldn’t know that for certain, but it was nice of her to lend her support. “I should have told her.”

“Yes, you should have.”

Jack couldn’t even muster the energy to be pissed at his sister for siding with Jessie.

“I think I know what tipped Jessie off,” Katie said.

Jack threw his keys on the coffee table. “What?”

“The media was in the lobby today and must have overheard something about your personal life. You, big brother, are tonight’s entertainment report for the local station. A picture of you and me made it to the headlines.”

“What headlines?”

“About an impending wedding announcement between you and a mystery bride.”

Jack didn’t see the problem. He’d asked Jessie to marry him once and all but promised he’d ask again in the very near future. “Jessie knows how I feel about her.”

“Does she? Did you propose again?”

“No, I told you I needed to come clean first.”

Katie tilted her head and gave him a wan smile. “Did you tell her you love her? Guys suck with the ‘L’ word.”

“I told her I cared for her more than—”

“Blah. You skipped the ‘L’ word. Now she thinks you’re ready to walk down the aisle with someone else.”

“There is no one else.”