Chapter 94: Missed Me

Jennifer Rollins sat in her penthouse in Atlanta eating her breakfast silently feeling sad. The TV was playing the news in the background. She hadn’t heard from Jalen in a while, and she wondered if her hesitation to embrace him ultimately pushed him away.

She was just starting to chastise herself, when all of sudden she noticed the news cut to a report of a prominent Atlanta figure being arrested. A female reporter was standing in front of an office building reporting on the story.

“Chris Westward, a prominent Atlanta lawyer, was arrested early this morning on charges related to kidnapping, aggravated assault, and criminal conspiracy. Sources confirm that Westward, who has been embroiled in a contentious divorce battle with his estranged wife Megan Westward, could face more charges, including conspiracy to commit murder and possibly even state RICO charges among others.”

Jennifer’s breath caught in her throat as she turned the volume up, her long red nails pressing the remote buttons with urgency. Her green eyes widened as she listened to the anchor’s words, her breakfast now completely forgotten.

“Westward is alleged to have harassed and stalked his soon-to-be ex-wife and known associates of her, including his former contractor, Jalen Moss, who reportedly aided in her fleeing her husband. Chris Westward is also accused of arranging the kidnapping of his wife in a retaliatory move after she reportedly demanded over three million dollars from him in their divorce settlement.”

Jennifer sat frozen in her seat as she processed what she had just heard on the news. Chris Westward was arrested. The name sent a chill down her spine. She had heard of him even before Jalen had told her about him before. Most people in Atlanta’s legal and business circles did. He had kidnapped his wife Megan, one of the other seven women in Jalen’s life. The thought sent another shiver down her spine.

Jennifer had assumed Jalen’s silence meant that he had moved on, but now, she realized the truth. He wasn’t ignoring her. He was dealing with all of this. The kidnapping of one of the mothers of his children and the entire case against Chris Westward. Jalen and those seven women had been fighting a war, and she had been sitting on the sidelines thinking he had forgotten about her.

She cursed under her breath, rubbing her forehead. She hated being wrong, and she hated even more the realization that she had been unfair to Jalen. She reached for her phone and quickly scrolled through her messages. The last time she and Jalen texted was when she told him how he made her feel things outside of her comfort zone. Now, knowing everything he had been going through, she couldn’t just sit here and do nothing.

Jennifer inhaled deeply and typed:

Jennifer: “Jalen, I just saw the news. I had no idea you were dealing with all of this. I thought you didn’t want to talk to me, but now I see that wasn’t the case. I hope you and Megan are okay. Can we talk when you’re able?”

She hesitated for only a moment before hitting SEND.

Jalen didn’t respond until the next day because, unbeknownst to Jennifer, he had been preoccupied with spending time with Megan during the day and then celebrating Chris Westward’s arrest with all seven women that night.

They all met up at Capital Grille just outside of downtown Atlanta at 8 PM where they all enjoyed a fancy dinner together. Megan went home with Jalen where they engaged in more sexual activity before finally going to sleep around 1:30 AM.

Jalen woke around 8:45 AM and finally checked his messages. His heart lurched when he saw that he missed the text from Jennifer, which had come the previous day. He quickly typed out a message.

Jalen: “Hey. I’m so sorry you haven’t heard from me. I can’t even begin to tell you what’s been going on. Can I see you today?”

About twenty minutes later, Jennifer woke and rolled over to check her phone. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that Jalen had finally texted her back.

She stared at her phone, rereading his message. She had been waiting for a response all night, telling herself she wouldn’t be bothered if he didn’t reply, but now that he had ... she felt her pulse quicken.

“Can I see you today?” Those words seem to hit deeper than they should have.

Jennifer hesitated. Not because she didn’t want to see him, she definitely did, but because she knew what it would mean. If she agreed to this, she wouldn’t be able to hide behind her excuses anymore or pretend she wasn’t drawn to him in a way that scared her.

She exhaled and typed back:

Jennifer: “Yeah. Come by my place. I’ll text you the address.”

Less than a minute later, he replied.

Jalen: “I’ll be there at 11.”

Jennifer quickly stood up, running a hand through her long red hair. Damn it. Why does this feel like a moment I can’t come back from?

She spent the next ninety minutes getting ready. Once she’d showered and slipped on her silk robe, she moved to the mirror and sat down, checking her reflection. She then did her hair and her makeup.

She opted for a more minimal look. Just mascara and a hint of gloss. Normally, she’d go all out when she knew she was seeing a man, especially one like Jalen, but something told her he wouldn’t care about all that.

Still, she opted for something in between. She chose a simple yet elegant outfit. A form-fitting dark green wrap dress that complemented her hair, paired with black leather Christian Louboutin high-heels. She left her makeup natural, just enhancing what was already there. It was effortless, but she still felt confident in her look.

By the time she heard the knock at the door at 11:02 AM, her heart was already racing. Jennifer took a deep breath, then opened the door.

Jalen stood there, looking even than she remembered in a fitted burgundy button-up and dark jeans. His eyes scanned her, and a slow, appreciative smile spread across his lips.

“Damn,” he said softly. “You look amazing.”

Jennifer smiled back, stepping aside to let him in. “I try.”

As soon as the door closed behind him, she felt it again. It was that same inexplicable feeling of something pulling her toward him. That same feeling he had kept describing to her when they met at St. Regis Bar, which she had kept denying existed.

Jalen entered, taking in her penthouse. He surveyed the sleek and modern architecture, with the mix of deep emerald and gold accents. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcased a breathtaking view of the Atlanta skyline, which Jennifer loved. Everything about the space encapsulated the Jessica Robinson persona: elegant, polished, and a little untouchable.

Jennifer walked ahead of him, the click-clack of her heels echoing against the marble floors. “Drink?” she asked.

“Water’s fine,” Jalen said, sounding like he didn’t want to make this feel like anything other than what it was. A conversation they both needed to have.

Jennifer grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and handed one to him. They stood there for a moment, neither saying anything. The weight of everything unspoken lingered between them.

“So...” Jennifer started, leaning against the counter. “I saw the news.”

Jalen nodded. “Figured you did. Chris Westward is finally in jail where he belongs.”

Jennifer studied him, clearly trying to read between the lines of his calm demeanor. “And you’re okay?”

Jalen took a step closer, watching her carefully. “Are you okay?”

Jennifer faltered for a second. “Me?”

“Yeah, you.” Jalen leaned against the counter next to her. “You saw the news yesterday, and instead of shrugging it off, you hit me up. Why?”

Jennifer scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself. I saw the news and saw that apparently Megan had been kidnapped so I wanted to make sure you and her were okay.”

Jalen smiled. “I appreciate that. But I’m just pointing out that for someone who’s been tryin’ really hard not to care, you sure do seem to care a lot.”

Jennifer rolled her eyes, but there was a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth. He wasn’t wrong, and he knew it that she knew it.

“Maybe I just don’t like unfinished stories,” she muttered.

Jalen chuckled. “That what we are? A story?”