Page 14 of Forbidden Romeo

Missy is actually the first real lead we’ve had. At least that I know of. With how she used Meg to blackmain me, it’s a damn good guess that she was behind Meg’s sudden appearance.

Even though my clothes were already neatly folded, Jill takes a shirt from my luggage, shakes it out, then folds it meticulously, her brow furrowed in concentration.

The silence stretches between us, heavy with the unspoken questions that swirl around the room like the dust motes in the sunset stream filtering through the window. I tug the simple black dress from my luggage and toss it in the trash can beside me, knowing I’ll never wear that damn thing again. But from beneath the dress, the present from my dad falls out, still unwrapped.

I don’t have the heart to open it yet.

His loss is like this echoing abyss in my heart. We didn’t talk a lot when he was alive, but just knowing he was there was stabilizing in a way I didn’t realize until after he was gone.

Jill clears her throat, glancing up at me, holding my gaze with a seriousness that sends a shiver down my spine.

Ignoring her, I busy myself with putting away my jeans from the luggage, crossing to my dresser where a large manilla envelope resting on top catches my attention. I pause, my hands stilling on the denim. “What’s this?” I ask as I set the jeans down.

“Oh, I don’t know. It came for you while you were gone. I had to sign for it, but there’s no return address.”

The envelope feels heavy in my hand, far heavier than paper should feel. My name is written across it in a scrawl that's unfamiliar but somehow ominous. Tension coils in my stomach as I trace the edges of the seal.

I take a deep breath and dig my fingernail beneath the flap, slowly opening the envelope. Inside is a single sheet of paper with a typed message.

My brows crease as I realize it’s from my Equity assembly.

Dear Ms. Harris,

It has come to our attention that there has been a misappropriation of funds from your most recent employment regarding the rent payment for your apartment. As outlined in your union agreement, you are not held liable for such misuse of funds, but it is your responsibility to reimburse any of the money owed to the producers. You have 30 days to remit this payment or your contract will be dissolved. Please be advised that refusal to reimburse these funds may jeopardize your position in the show as well as your standing with the United States Equity Assembly, as outlined in your morality clause. We trust this matter will be promptly resolved.

Sincerely,

USEA

My hands start to tremble as I read the letter again. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Missy is determined to have me pushed out of this part … it had to have been her who reported this to USEA.

“What is it?” Jill asks, noticing my distress.

Wordlessly, I hand Jill the letter for her to read, then sink onto the edge of my bed. I feel absolutely sick. For years, I could barely afford my rent month to month. And now that I can, I’m suddenly being asked to reimburse a year’s worth of the rent to the show?

Jill's eyes scan the letter again, the lines on her forehead deepening. "This doesn't make sense. The producers paid for your apartment, right? So why should you have to reimburse what a producer fucked up?”

I shake my head helplessly. "I have no idea. I never saw any of that money. They set up the lease and paid the landlord directly. They should be going to Ms. Greene to get that money back, not me.”

"Exactly," Jill says, her voice tightening with anger. "This is absurd. First Holden’s ex appears with a kid in tow and now this? It has Missy written all over it."

I rake my hands through my hair anxiously. “Maybe. Or maybe…”

“What?”

“Maybe it’s Senator Dorsey,” I whisper. It’s no secret that man doesn’t like me.

Jill tilts her head. “I thought he was the one who fired Missy?”

I roll my eyes with a shrug of my shoulders. “He’s sneaky. He plays all kinds of twisted games.”

Jill puts a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, look at me." I meet her determined gaze. "We are going to fix this. Holden won’t let them push you out."

Defeated, I drop my face into my hands. “I’m so tired of needing Holden to bail me out.”

“Oh, Kate,” Jill whispers, wrapping her arms around me. “I’m so sorry. But there’s got to be a way around this. We have thirty days to figure it out.”

Tears spring to my eyes as Junie carefully walks across the bed. She bats at my purse, knocking it over and spilling the contents on the floor at our feet.