12. Valerie
“The event is amazing,” Chelsea says to Simone and me as we stand in a small group in Chloe”s studio, her launch event now almost over.
My eyes canvass the room, but always come back to the same person. AJ. After a few brief text messages between us this past week, I locked in Fortress for the job and Chloe was able to relax. But my eyes have been glued to him all night. He’s extremely well dressed in a black suit, a uniform that all his team are wearing and not something I briefed him on. But I am glad he had the foresight because they all look amazing. Better than the other security team Chloe usually hires.
“The security gives everyone something else to look at,” Simone murmurs, following my gaze.
“Hey, you,” Lucy Bloomer says, coming up to us with her man, Huxley, by her side. Those two are inseparable and have been since they met. They are a great couple. Down-to-earth and friendly, spending most of their time between Baltimore and their ranch in Whispers, a small town a few hours away.
“Heeeeyyyy. So good to see you,” I say happily as I wrap my arms around her and hug her tight. “Hey, Huxe.” I give him a kiss on the cheek in greeting as Simone and Chelsea move away to look at the jewelry nearby.
“This latest collection is so good,” Lucy gushes, making me smile.
“I don’t know how she does it, but every year she outdoes herself. There are so many nice pieces,” I say.
“You know Connor Whiteman, right, Val?” Huxley says as another man walks up to his other side.
“Hi, Valerie, great to see you again,” Connor says, and I give him a warm smile. I have only met him once or twice. He is a friend of Huxley’s. His family owns Whiteman Whiskey, the best whiskey distillery in the country, the one I am trying to get a deal with. I wonder if the Rothschild men have spoken to him yet about our hospitality businesses and a potential collaboration.
“Great to see you, Connor.” He leans over and gives me a peck on the cheek, and I hear a low growl behind me. Glancing behind me, I see AJ right next to us.
“No leaning on the display, please,” he says formally, and I bite my smile away as he gives Connor a stern look. Connor steps to the side, not realizing that he had hold of the clear glass box that houses one of my favorite pieces tonight.
“Shit. Sure, no problem,” Connor says as AJ’s eyes flick to mine. We haven’t had time to chat tonight, but I haven’t missed the fact that he is already looking at me every time I look his way.
“Connor, I’m hoping we might be able to meet up soon. I want to chat to you about Whiteman’s. We are opening a new hotel down in Tennessee, and I think having Whiteman’s as our whiskey of choice would work really well,” I say, planting a seed. Van Cleef Corp runs a few hotels in our empire and this next one I am hoping to make a little more exclusive than the others.
“I am always open for a chat, Valerie. Ben Rothschild mentioned something to me the other day in passing. Call me, let’s discuss,” he says, giving me a wink and a sexy-as-sin smile. If I didn’t know better, I would say he is flirting, but this is his manner. Seductively sweet, like his liquor.
“We need to go, Luce. Car’s out front, and I think I have spent enough money already,” Huxley jokes with her. I see the love and light in their faces for each other and sigh. That’s what I want. That connection. My eyes flick over Lucy’s shoulder to AJ once again. He is looking right at me, so I quickly look away and say my goodbyes, watching all three walk out the door.
“Urgh, they are so perfect for each other,” Chelsea says, passing me another glass of champagne.
“Aren’t they just?” I say, smiling.
“How much longer do you think we will be here tonight?” Simone asks.
“Do you have somewhere else to be?” I raise my eyebrows.
“Maybe we should hit Club Vine again later tonight?” she suggests.
“Oh, I told Jimmy you work for the NFL team,” I say quickly before taking a sip of champagne and looking away from Simone.
“You did what?” she almost shrieks, and I look back in surprise.
“Jimmy called, gave me intel on AJ. I had to give him something in return.” I shrug, secretly hoping she doesn’t mind. I see her face soften and a look of intrigue takes over.
“So what did he say about me?” she asks coyly.
“Nothing. He just hoped that you would be back in the club sometime soon,” I tell her, and she smiles. I think I see a hint of blush to her cheeks.
“Do you seriously like him?” Chelsea asks, and I look around the floor for Chloe, but she is busy being interviewed with the last few media.
“Photo, ladies?” Chloe”s photographer friend asks, and we all have our camera-ready smiles on high voltage tonight. I usually don’t love the media attention and try to steer clear of anything gossipy. But tonight is Chloe”s night, and anything we can do to bring awareness to her brand and increase her business is at the top of my agenda.
“Valerie, can we get a shot?” Once one starts, another approaches. I didn’t realize Chloe would have so many influencers here tonight, but I smile and take photos with them all.
“Valerie, Rena from Society News, do you have a minute?” Simone rolls her eyes as she turns away, not wanting anything to do with it.
“Sure.” I fake a smile this time and take a few steps away from the crowd.
“Just a few questions, if you don’t mind?” Rena says, looking at me expectantly.
“Of course.”
“Chloe’s line, which one is your favorite piece tonight?” I immediately feel relief that the questions are on the event and not me personally.
“Oh, the rose. She designed that one in memory of my grandmother and it is my favorite piece. Designed with a pink diamond at the center and a dusting of white diamonds on the outside, it is by far the most amazing piece of jewelry I have seen.” Chloe designing that necklace was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.
“And at the charity luncheon last week, you raised over half a million dollars for heart disease research. How is it that you can always manage these amazing events?” she asks.
“Oh, it was a fantastic cause, and we had some very generous donors that day.”
“I heard that oil baron, William Schmidt, donated a high amount. Do you know him personally? Rumors say that he is personally interested in you?” I balk at the question because, one, I didn’t know William Schmidt was our biggest donor—something Abigail failed to tell me—and two, I shiver hearing that man”s name and do not want it connected to my own.
“He was in attendance, but I can’t recall his donation. And no, I don’t know him at all. I actually met him for the first time at the charity luncheon,” I say, telling her the truth but feeling uncomfortable.
“Okay, enough questions. I need you to step back from the display,” a rough voice says, and I feel the familiar warmth of AJ’s hand on my lower back. Rena is not near the displays and wasn’t doing anything that would affect the show or security, but I am thankful someone interrupted the interview. I lean back into AJ’s hand, needing to feel his protective manner, even though he is only doing his job.
“Of course. Thank you, Valerie.” Rena looks between me and AJ, then moves swiftly, straight out the door, obviously happy with whatever information she gleaned. I let out a sigh.
“You alright?” AJ asks, and I start to put on a fake smile before I stop. I don’t need to be fake with him.
“I’m okay. I don’t really like answering media questions that much.” I admit, this life is getting more exhaustive by the minute.
“I can tell. You do this thing with your arm when you are uncomfortable,” AJ says, moving his arm slightly, and my brow crumples in question.
“I do not.” I have no idea what he is talking about.
“You do. You grab your elbow and pinch the skin. I noticed it every time someone came up for a photo or asked you a question.” His eyes are full of concern, which makes my stomach do these weird flip-flops.
“Have you been watching me, AJ?” I tease.
“Little hard not to in this dress, sweetheart,” he admits before walking away, and I swoon a little as I watch him saunter back to where he was standing near the rose necklace.
My palms sweat at hearing his compliment. The first time we met, we were at each other’s throats, but every meeting since, it is almost like we have thawed out a little more. He is still gruff, but I can see a tender side poking through his tough exterior.
“Here, I got you a napkin,” Simone says, waving the white linen napery in front of my face.
“Thanks. What for?” I grab it, looking down at myself, thinking I must’ve spilled something on my clothes. I don’t see anything. I wore a little black dress tonight, so even if I did, nothing should show up.
“To clean up that drool falling down your chin every time AJ is near you. Seriously, can you two just bang already? The sexual tension rolling off both of you is enough to make me want to run home to my battery-operated friend,” Simone says, as Chelsea chokes on her champagne.
“Bang? You need to fix your locker room talk,” I teasingly scold her, throwing the napkin back at her.
“I agree with her,” Chelsea pipes up, looking over at AJ, who looks just as angry with the world as he did the first time I met him.
“Stop ganging up on me,” I tell them both, doing everything I can to prevent my eyes from seeking out AJ and appearing more interested in watching Chloe on the other side of the room.
“Stop being a nun and just take him home tonight. Have a long, sweaty sex session before your father marries you off and your life is no longer your own,” Simone says, and my lips thin.
“I am not getting married,” I state with full conviction.
“Oh, how did your father dearest take the news?” Simone presses, her eyebrow rising in question.
“Notice that she didn’t decline the sweaty sex session?” Chelsea murmurs to Simone as they both look at me.
“I wouldn’t decline that man, either,” Simone answers her in a low tone, the two of them talking about me like I am not even here.
“Seriously. I can’t take him home,” I tell them with a quick shake of my head.
“Why not?” Chelsea asks.
“Because… well… I am not that good…” I feel heat in my cheeks at my admission.
Simone scoffs. “You’re good at everything.”
“Just not that, apparently…” I close my eyes. This is so embarrassing. But if I can’t talk to my friends about it, then who can I talk to?
“Are you talking about sex?” Chelsea whispers with a frown forming on her face.
“Sex. Flirting. Dating. Anything to do with the opposite sex,” I blurt. “The last guy I dated ended up in the hospital from an allergic reaction, and the last guy I had sex with lasted less than five minutes, then rolled off me, said, ‘Thanks, but I prefer bigger boobs,’ got dressed, and left. Leaving me alone and with the hotel room bill.” When it comes to men, I am a disaster.
“Clearly, the men you are dating are not the right ones. Let me guess, half of them are men who your father introduced you to?” Chelsea says, her eyes thinning as she thinks over her words. I pause because she is right. Most of the dates I have been on are with men whom I have met through work or my father. They have all been much older, clearly only trying to get closer to my father rather than sweep me off my feet.
“Bigger boobs? What a douche. I love your boobs,” Simone says, and I feel movement to my side.
“Doesn’t Val have great boobs, AJ?” My cheeks flame as I turn and see AJ standing only a few feet away. My eyes catch his and the burn in them is intense as they fall from my eyes to my chest and back again before he gives me a small nod and walks away to the other side of the store.
I wonder for a brief moment if one can die from embarrassment.