Blind Date

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Weston

“Claudia, wait,” I said, grabbing her arm. She spun around and stared at me while cabs honked in the streets and crowds of people pushed around us.

“You don’t feel anything, Weston! Never,” she snapped. “You show up when it’s convenient for you. You say the right things only when people are watching. And look at that. You’re already somewhere else.” She jammed her manicured finger into my chest.

“Keep your voice down,” I gritted my teeth, looking around at the people shuffling by. A few were taking out their phones to capture a quick photo or video.

“Ah, of course. That’s all you care about. What some stranger with an iPhone thinks. God forbid Weston Castile looks messy.”

“You know my image is the face of Castile Properties.”

Claudia laughed, not just a simple laugh, but one that turned heads.

“You’re nothing but a vessel, Weston. A perfectly empty vessel. You don’t know how to love anyone.”

“I told you from the beginning what this was, Claudia. You just didn’t want to believe me. You wanted to change me.” I pointed at her. “If you’re looking for someone to blame for your disappointment in me, find a mirror. I never promised you anything more than this.”

She stood there, jaw tight and breathing hard. She yanked the gold Cartier bracelet I had given her after I missed her birthday because I was tied up in meetings and threw it at me.

“Fuck you, you emotionless bastard. Fuck you. Fuck your image. Fuck your company. We’re DONE!” she shouted like a lunatic, turned on her heels, and was quickly gone from my sight.

I reached down and picked up the bracelet from the sidewalk, slipping it into my pocket.

I didn’t do drama. I didn’t do anything messy.

And I sure as hell didn’t do vulnerability.

“Good riddance, Claudia,” I mumbled as I walked down the street unbreakable and unfazed by the event that had just taken place.

I reached Castile Properties and stopped at my secretary’s desk. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the gold bracelet and handed it to her.

“Rose, this is for you.”

Her brows furrowed. “Isn’t this the bracelet I bought at Cartier for you to give to Claudia?”

“Yes. It’s yours now.” I walked into my office.

“Wes, what happened?” she followed behind.

“It wasn’t working out. Do whatever you want with it. Wear it, pawn it, I don’t really care.”

“Well, thank you.” She smiled.

“Don’t say I never gave you anything. I need the report for the Caldwell Corporation.”

“I’ll go grab it.” She left my office.

I leaned back in my chair and thought about the discussion Claudia and I had at dinner the other night.

She sang my praises because she thought it would make me care more.

She was wrong, except for being right about three things—I knew how to close deals.

I knew how to build empires. And I knew how to win.

“Hey,” my best friend, Finn, said, stepping into my office. “Where were you earlier? I needed this contract signed.”

“Getting screamed at and broken up with by Claudia in the middle of Broadway and 42nd.”

“Are you serious?” He grinned.

“If you don’t believe me, go ask the hundreds of people on the street who witnessed it,” I sighed.

“Here’s the Caldwell report,” Rose said, handing me the file.

“Is that—” Finn pointed to the gold bracelet on her wrist.

“Yep. She chucked it at me. That will be all, Rose. Thank you.”

“You gave your secretary the Cartier bracelet your girlfriend threw at you while telling you to fuck off?” He chuckled.

“Damn right. She picked it out, so obviously she liked it.” I smirked.

“I’m happy Claudia dumped your heartless ass.”

“Funny.” I cocked my head. “That’s exactly the first thing I thought of after she did it. I said, “Man, Finn will be so happy.” I smirked.

“She’s a tyrant in heels, Wes.”

“Aren’t all upper-class women and supermodels?”

“I have no idea how you even put up with her. All the woman ate was side salads with no dressing. So, your relationship is dead and buried for sure?”

“It was long overdue.”

“Long overdue?” He chuckled. “It’s only been three months. You make it sound like replacing a water filter. Toss it out and move on. I’m surprised she even stuck around. You’re not exactly the warm, fuzzy, romantic type. And when you forgot her birthday—”

“I was supposed to end it a month ago, but I was too busy to deal with it,” I said. “She tried to change me, Finn.”

“Because you build relationships like you build companies. You calculate the risk, invest the minimum, and cut your losses when it underperforms,” he said.

“She wanted what I couldn’t give her.”

“A pulse?” He chuckled.

I shot him a dirty look.

“Okay.” He put his hands up. “She didn’t deserve a pulse from you. But someday, someone will.”

“Feelings cost, and love bankrupts. I’m not interested in bankruptcy. Only sex and a good time.”

“Good luck finding another woman who will put up with your bullshit for events and social gatherings. You know how your grandmother is. And the press is always watching.”

“I won’t be looking. I’ll hire someone if I have to.”

“You’re a damn iceberg, my friend. You could run circles around every billionaire in Manhattan. But the second a woman asks you to show up, you bolt like a scared kid or turn so cold, these women have no choice but to dump you.”

I shrugged. “You know I couldn’t give a shit.”

“One day, Wes. One day.” He walked out of my office.

My alarm went off the following morning. Grabbing my phone and shutting it down, I was greeted by a text message from Finn.

Good God, Wes. Look at this.

He attached a link to an article on Page Six.

Cold as Castile: Playboy Billionaire Weston Castile and Supermodel Claudia Williams Explode on Broadway and 42nd.

A public breakup turns heads as NYC’s Iceman walks away without looking back, ending their high-profile relationship.

Castile doesn’t look fazed as Claudia stood heartbroken and in tears.

The pair had been dating for roughly three months, regularly appearing at fashion shows and charity galas.

A source close to Claudia says Weston Castile never let her in and was incapable of ever loving anyone but himself.

“FUCK!” I shouted, throwing my phone down.

Page Six had it all wrong. ALL WRONG!

I picked up my phone and called Kylie, my public relations manager, aka, fixer.

“I’m already on it, Wes,” she answered.

“They are full of shit. Claudia broke up with me! Not the other way around. And there were no tears! Fix it now before my grandmother sees it.”

“I told you that I’m on it. I’ll talk to you later.” She ended the call.

I threw my phone on the bed and stepped into the shower. When I was finished, I checked my phone and noticed I had a text message from my grandmother.

I will be stopping by your office this afternoon. You’d better be there.

Shit.

I’ll be in the office all day.