Chapter Eight
EIGHT
HAILEY’S DAILY RULE FOR SUCCESS:
Women supporting one another is the only way we will secretly take over the world—so fix those tiaras!
I’m all for fixing Sonia’s tiara in a professional sense, but on a personal level, I’m still concerned about Liam.
Knowing Sonia is meeting with Jay this morning, I head to the Banks Resort. I want to check in with Liam and see if Sonia has told him anything about, well...anything. The fact that he’s being kept in the dark about so much fuels me in my mission.
Inside the resort, I don’t have to go far to find him. He’s pacing the lobby, his cell phone in his hand. He looks tired and stressed and my chest aches for him. I hang back and hide behind a potted plant as I eavesdrop on his conversation.
“A few days ago, it was go bigger, go taller... Now your father is wondering if the designs are too elaborate,” he says, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t want to cut corners because of these tight deadlines.”
“I’m sure if you tell Daddy, he’ll agree with you.” I hear Sonia’s voice on speakerphone. “Not easily. And after a long, drawn-out battle of bloodshed and tears. But you’re strong-willed. You can handle my father.”
Maybe unlike Sonia, who struggles to stand up to him? Perhaps she’s hoping having her father engaged in battle with Liam will keep his focus off her while she chases this dream he may not approve of.
Liam sighs. “Yeah, I know. I’ll figure this out.”
“Hey, Hun-Hun, I have to go,” Sonia says, her tone changing quickly—reflecting a mild sense of urgency and a hint of secrecy.
I hold my breath and wait. Will she tell him where she is? Does he already know?
“Just heading into a yoga class.”
Nope.
“Get some extra zen for me. Love you,” Liam says and disconnects the call.
As he walks toward me, I step out from behind the plant with a wide, friendly smile and he nearly collides with me, his attention still on his cell phone.
“Whoa, sorry—” He places his hands on my arms to steady me when I tip slightly off balance, then surprise registers on his face. “Hails? What are you doing here?”
“I was meeting with a client nearby and thought I’d see if you wanted to grab brunch,” I say.
Liam checks his watch. “Wish I could, but I’m just heading into another meeting with the head contractor on the build,” he says as his cell phone chimes again. He frowns as he looks at it.
“Things going okay?” I ask casually.
“Creative differences.”
“Why don’t you hire someone else?” I shrug as though the solution is simple.
“William hired them. His call.”
“He also hired you to take charge,” I say gently, but with intent.
Liam frowns as he glances up from the phone. “You think I’m pussying out?”
Yes. “It’s just not like you—not standing up for what you think is the best decision.”
Liam nods and sighs again. “You’re right. It isn’t. Normally, I’d have no hesitancy to speak my mind. Give my point of view and argue my case. With William, it’s different because he’s Sonia’s father. Pissing off the boss means pissing off my future father-in-law, which in turn will piss off my future wife and I’ll be cut off again. Not that there’s been much time for sex these days,” he rambles in frustration mostly to himself.
I wince at the TMI. I’m over him, but I still prefer not to think of him having sex with someone else. I sense he could use a laugh, though, so I say, “If you’re not getting laid anyway, maybe it doesn’t matter a whole hell of a lot if you piss them all off?”
It works. The tense aura around him eases slightly as he grins. “Again, you’re right.” He sighs, then stands a little taller. “William put me in charge of this build and I need a crew who is on the same page.”
I beam proudly. “There’s the Liam I love... I mean, in the totally platonic sense of the word.” And I truly mean it. The more time I’ve spent in the midst of his love life, the clearer it’s become that I no longer want to be the object of it.
He grabs me unexpectedly and hugs me and even the familiar scent of his cologne does nothing for me. And when his grip tightens slightly and the embrace lasts a beat too long, I don’t linger, soaking it up, I gently ease away.
“Thanks, Hails. This was just the wake up I needed,” he says.
“Of course. Anytime. Won’t even charge you.” I pause then, because I have to know the extent of his obliviousness, “And I’m sure after the first resort, the others will be easier.”
Liam shakes my head. “Honestly, I think I’m one and done.”
Yep. Still being kept in the dark.
Liam’s phone chimes with another message. “I have to get back, but great seeing you.”
“You too. And don’t worry about a thing—the engagement party plans are right on track.”
His face and mind are blank.
“ Your engagement party,” I say with a laugh.
“Engagement party! Right. That’s this weekend. I’ve been too busy to give it a second thought. Great. Thank you...for everything.” He waves distractedly as he heads back toward the boardroom and I stand there even more convinced that I’m doing the right thing.
Cracks are already forming in the relationship that have nothing to do with my efforts. Well, not completely.
Communication, trust, and honesty are the pillars of a solid relationship and it seems as though Liam and Sonia are struggling with all three.
As I walk to my convertible a moment later, my cell phone chimes with new email messages—RSVPs to the engagement party. I sigh. A lot of people are going to be disappointed when this wedding gets called off, but for now they’re in excited, oblivious bliss.
As I reach the car, my phone rings with a FaceTime call from “Sonia.” I quickly turn to block any obvious signs that I’m at her family’s resort. Those palm trees in the distance look like every other palm tree in California, right?
I hit Accept and the call connects.
“Well?” I inject as much enthusiasm in my voice as possible. I may not be supporting one of her life choices, so I’ll try to balance the universe—and my own karma—by genuinely supporting the acting career. I’ll destroy her love life but help make her a star.
Sounds like a fair compromise. She might even thank me...
“He offered me representation!” Sonia says, buzzing with excitement. Her cheeks are blushed and her eyes sparkle—she tried that new highlight and contour technique from AirbrushQueen45—and her complexion is flawless. Definitely brought her A appearance to the meeting with Jay and by the sounds of it, her A game.
“That’s wonderful!” I say and I mean it. If he saw potential in her beyond her movie star looks, Jay will benefit her career. Once he commits to a client, he’s all in.
“Promise me you didn’t have any pull over that,” Sonia says.
I shake my head honestly. “I just set up the meeting.”
“Okay...” Sonia says, but her excitement fades a little.
“What’s wrong?”
Sonia sighs. “I lied to Liam. I didn’t tell him about the meeting. I said I was going to yoga.” She looks genuinely guilty.
I still can’t believe Liam bought that. Did he even see her? No one wears that much makeup to work out. She may not be forthcoming, but he needs to start paying more attention. It’s one thing to not notice his bride-to-be camera ready for a sweaty stretching class, but to not realize what William Banks is scheming with three hotel builds?
Liam’s a smart guy. Why is he not seeing what’s in front of him? Too stressed and blinded by love? Or are the Bankses really that shady and manipulative?
“You’re going to have to tell him now,” I say gently but firmly. If this marriage has a chance of succeeding—which it doesn’t—Sonia can’t keep this to herself much longer. And if their individual dreams mean they drift further apart, then that was always going to happen. I’m just helping them get there sooner, before more money and time is spent on these wedding plans.
More importantly, before my own life gets complicated.
Working with Warren the night before—however briefly—had been unnerving. He’d smelled like sex on a stick when he’d shown up all manly and sweaty after football practice. Thank God the smell of fried food helped mask it or I would have jumped him.
And then the flirty banter in my office...where had that come from? We’re no strangers to making fun of one another in sarcastic, biting ways, but the teasing of last night’s exchange had been different.
Not to mention the sexually charged finger suck at the bakery...
My sexual dry spell is obviously affecting my hormones if I’m thinking about Warren Mitchell as anything more than an ungrateful pain in my ass.
“I will tell him soon. Definitely,” Sonia says on the screen, snapping me back to her love life.
“You shouldn’t put it off, and you two are a team, right? He should support you in this.” Or not, if it’s not meant to be...
“Thanks, Hailey. You really are the best.” Sonia smiles gratefully.
“Happy to help.” And I genuinely am happy...though I’m not helping in quite the way she thinks.