Page 104 of The Encounter
“It was one of many, but that was the kicker.”
Her hands were clenched tightly in her lap, and he scooted closer, taking her hands in his.
“I’m sorry Samantha published that. She crossed a line. I called her and asked her to back off.”
“She’s not going to,” she stated matter-of-factly.
He knew Maddie was right. Samantha wouldn’t stop. She made it clear on that phone call.
“I’m going to get her to stop.”
He knew he needed to try again, but telling Maddie it didn’t go well wouldn’t help their current discussion, so he left that part out.
Maddie shook her head and her voice came out softly. “I don’t think I can do this anymore, Jace.”
His heart thundered.
“Do what exactly?”
He waited for the dreaded words. He always wondered if the day would come when he would find a woman he could see himself spending the rest of his life with and then have it all coming crashing down around him because of his celebrity status—a status he didn’t even want.
She pulled a hand free and gestured around her. “All of this. I can’t handle having my life being picked apart and twisted intolies.”
Jace squeezed the hand he still held. “Maddie, I’ll talk to her. I’ll get all of this to stop.”
“She’ll never stop. She’ll keep coming after me—keep trying to make me feel horrible about myself,” Maddie said, pulling away from him and standing up. She took a few steps toward the door.
“So you want to give everything up because of a… reporter?” Jace stood with his hands on his hips.
Tears filled her eyes. A few slipped out and left tracks down her cheeks. “You know she’s not just a reporter!” she nearly shouted, covering her mouth immediately at the outburst.
He took a step toward her and reached his hands out, but she backed away. His heart broke watching the woman he loved in so much pain and not being able to do a damn thing about it.
“Maddie, we can figure this out,” his voice cracked on the last word, desperation filling him. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be.
She shook her head and sobbed into her hands. “I can’t keep doing this. It’s tearing me apart. I’m hurting.”
“Maddie, please.” He couldn’t lose her. He couldn’t lose her like this.
She wiped her eyes and looked up at him. “I’m sorry, Jace.”
She stepped toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I’ll never forget you.”
Then she pulled away, fished his garage door opener and keycard out of her purse, set them down on his table, and walked out of his place.
He stood frozen, watching as his dream walked out of his life—all over the press—no, all overSamantha. He dropped onto the couch. Roxy whined and stepped forward, nudging his hand with her nose and licking his fingers.
No. This wasn’t how it was going to end. It couldn’t. It just couldn’t.
33
Several days passed with Jace trying to get ahold of Maddie, but his calls went straight to voicemail. He stopped by her place, but no one would answer the door. He even tried going by her work, but Kailynn smiled apologetically and turned him away.
He sat at his desk in his office, tossing his stress ball into the air and catching it when a knock sounded on his door. Haley poked her head inside.
“Hey boss.”
He sighed. “Hey.”
