Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
My phone chimed from my nightstand, and I fumbled around for it, eager to hit snooze. I squinted at the screen, the bright light harsh in the dark room. It was five in the morning. A text from Zara had awoken me, not my alarm.
I sighed and flopped back onto the bed, knowing I wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep. Not when I had to be up in an hour anyway. I might as well take advantage of this window to chat with my best friend, even if I was still half asleep.
It was… I squeezed my eyes shut and calculated the time difference. It was one in the afternoon in London. I supposed I should be grateful she hadn’t texted even earlier.
Zara: How was your first day?
I yawned and tapped out a reply.
Me: Busy. Exhausting.
Zara: I’ll bet.
Zara: How did it go with Jasper?
I huffed and started typing.
Jasper is even hotter than I remember.
Erased it.
Jasper… I blew a raspberry.
I don’t trust myself to be alone with him.
Definitely not sending that one.
I deleted it as well, finally settling on something basic, even though I knew it would infuriate her. Maybe because I knew it would drive her crazy.
Meh. I considered it payback for creating a profile on a dating app without asking.
Me: Fine.
Zara: Oh, come on, Halle! You know how much I hate that word.
I smirked and rolled onto my side, tucking a pillow beneath me.
Me: It was…interesting.
Zara: God, I wish I could call right now. I’m really struggling to read your tone through the screen.
Me: Honestly, it was fine. We agreed to keep things professional.
Zara: And you honestly think you’ll be able to do that?
Me: I don’t have another choice.
Zara: Even so…
Me: Nope. That’s the way it has to be.
Me: Today, Sloan and I are meeting with an art dealer to select some pieces for the newly renovated VIP suites.
Zara: Nice attempt to change the subject. I’ll allow it for now, but we’re not done talking about Jasper.
Zara: Also, that’s amazing, Halle. I bet you’re excited.
Excited was an understatement. I was ecstatic.
I loved working at the Huxley Grand, but art was my passion. I had a degree in art and art history, and I’d curated for a gallery before having Kai.
Me: For sure. I have a huge budget, and Dimitri’s collection is a dream come true.
Zara: Is he single?
I rolled my eyes, though I was laughing as I did.
Me: Why? Are you thinking of opening an LA office?
Zara: Sure. You can be my first client.
Me: Ha. Ha.
Zara: I’ve gotta get back to work. Chat later?
Me: Sounds good.
I pushed out of bed and stretched before hopping in the shower. I spent longer than I should’ve in my closet, selecting what to wear. Finally, annoyed with myself and the mess I’d made, I tossed a hanger to the floor with a huff.
Professional. That was what I’d told Jasper, and that was exactly how I planned to keep things between us. So then, why was I agonizing over what to wear?
Enough. I yanked on the first thing I saw. It didn’t matter what I wore; nothing would change the fact that he was completely off-limits.
Too bad he was just as handsome and charming as I remembered. It had been physically painful to sit across the table from him in yesterday’s board meeting. To know what it felt like to be in his arms, to have his full attention focused on me.
And now…to know it could never happen again. To try to smother the insane attraction I felt toward him and act like we were colleagues and nothing more.
We weren’t more. We’d never been more. But for a brief time, I’d felt like the center of his universe.
I sighed and went to wake Kai. It was only my second day, and I was already running late.
I grabbed his favorite stuffed animal, an axolotl named Figgy.
“Morning, Kai!” I said in a high-pitched voice that Kai always found funny.
He grumbled and turned so he was facing away from me.
I had Figgy pounce up his arm to his shoulder, peeking over to look at Kai’s face. “Time to get up. I’m ready to go to school. I like to axolotl questions.”
He giggled, finally peeking his head out of the covers.
After that, we rushed through the morning routine, and I was grateful we didn’t have a long commute.
As part of my relocation package, the company had put us up in one of the Huxley Grand LA suites.
It had a full kitchen, living room, and two bedrooms with their own bathrooms. It was nice, but it wasn’t home.
As I often reminded myself, it was temporary.
After I dropped Kai off at the on-site employee childcare center, I headed up to the office.
I was grateful that Kai would be close, but also, that he’d be getting a good foundation for when he started kindergarten in the fall, thanks to the pre-K program here that was led by a retired kindergarten teacher.
I peeked down the hall at Jasper’s office, relieved the door was closed. I’d survived one encounter with him; I wasn’t sure I could handle another.
After I checked in with Sloan, I set to work.
I was so immersed in my report that I didn’t realize how late it had gotten until my laptop chimed with a calendar alert.
I logged off my computer, my excitement growing.
I’d pored over the art dealer’s extensive catalogue, and I couldn’t wait to see his collection in person.
Dimitri was known to be a shrewd businessman, but I wasn’t easily intimidated.
So I shoved my laptop into my tote bag and practically floated down the hall to Sloan’s office.
I rapped on the open door and peeked my head in, unable to hold back the smile from my face.
I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. The art wasn’t even for my home, and yet, it felt like I was receiving a gift.
I was honored that Sloan had entrusted me with such an important project. But when I caught sight of her, I frowned. “Hey.” I stepped closer. “You okay? You look flushed.”
“I’m—” She moved to stand but then promptly sank back down into the chair. She looked as if she might faint. “Yeah. I just need a minute, and then I’ll be fine.”
I wasn’t so sure about that, but Sloan knew her body better than anyone else.
So, I gave her a minute, trying not to stress about how late it was and how much time traffic would add to our commute.
I didn’t want to heap even more anxiety onto the situation.
Nothing was as important as the health of Sloan and her unborn child.
“Do you want something to eat? To drink?”
“Maybe some water,” she said, standing.
“Sit,” I barked, the word coming out harsher than I’d intended.
I hadn’t been with her when she’d had her health scare in France, but I knew it had been bad enough that she’d had to go to the hospital. The fact that Jackson had been scared was just as worrisome. After they’d returned, he’d asked me to keep a close eye on Sloan.
I’d already been monitoring the situation, but I tried to be even more proactive about Sloan’s workload after France.
She and I had discussed ways to manage her stress, but there was only so much that could be done, considering her role in the company.
And once Graham had stepped down as CEO, she had even more on her plate.
I handed Sloan a glass of cold water, watching her. Waiting. For what, I didn’t know, but I hoped it didn’t get worse.
Sloan sipped the water slowly, closing her eyes briefly. “Thank you.” Her shoulders relaxed. “I’ll be ready in a minute.”
I narrowed my eyes, watching her like a hawk. I got the feeling she was trying to downplay her symptoms. And after what had happened in France, I wasn’t taking any chances.
“Maybe we should reschedule,” I said, doing my best to make it sound like a suggestion. She was my boss after all, but she was also my friend.
She shook her head. “I don’t want to reschedule. You know how difficult it was to get this appointment in the first place.”
“We’ll get another one,” I said. “Your health comes first.”
There was a knock at the door. “Hey, Sloan. You got a—”
I looked over my shoulder, and Jasper froze mid-step. I briefly registered his navy pinstripe suit. It was tailored to perfection, showcasing his trim but muscular form.
His hazel eyes bounced from me to Sloan, and then he sped toward her. “What’s wrong? Blood sugar? Blood pressure?”
“Jasper,” she sighed. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.” He turned to me. “Does she look fine to you?”
He seemed…on edge, and his obvious concern wasn’t going to help the situation. I placed my hand on his arm, and his muscle twitched. “Hey. Take a breath.”
“I—” He locked his eyes on mine, and I nodded slowly, encouraging him. He inhaled deeply. Let it out slowly. “I. Yeah.” His shoulders relaxed a fraction. “Thanks.”
I nodded, retracting my hand. “Sloan, do you feel well enough to contact your doctor, or do you want me to do it?”
She groaned. “This seems like overkill. It’s not like I’m going into labor. I’m just a little light-headed.”
“Just to be on the safe side,” I said.
“Fine.” She sighed. “I’ll call her.”
“Great.” I turned to Jasper, sensing that he needed something to do before he spiraled. “Can you give Jackson a heads-up?”
He nodded and started typing on his phone.
“What about the appointment with the art dealer?” Sloan asked. “You need someone at an SVP level or above to sign off on the financials.”
Before I could tell her that I’d reschedule, Jasper blurted, “I’ll go.”
“Isn’t your calendar packed this afternoon?” Sloan asked.
Jasper waved a hand through the air. “It’s always packed. But it’s fine. It’ll be a good test for my new temp. We can see how well she does with rescheduling. I’m going to email her now.”
Jackson rushed through the door, laser focused on his wife. He was a former Navy SEAL who was now the head of Huxley Grand security. For a man who was usually so calm and collected, he looked as if he might lose his shit.
“Hayati?” He rushed to her side. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Sloan insisted. “I wish everyone would stop making such a big fuss. I got a little light-headed. I’m already feeling better.”