Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Lake
W hat on earth had I been thinking?
That question had rolled around my brain, knocking inside my skull, winding around my cerebellum, and slicing through my consciousness, since I had hung up the phone with Nick a few nights prior.
There had been no time for second chances or for backing away. Nick and I were both too stubborn to walk away now.
I had taken up Nick’s blurted-out offer for him to travel with me.
Lake Montgomery and Nick Gatlin.
It didn’t make any sense why he would even offer, other than pity.
Perhaps pity was the only reason that we got along these days.
But there was no going back, and I sat silently next to him in his vehicle on the way to Denver International Airport.
We would be on a nonstop flight to New York and then in a provided car to take us up to the Northern area. To upstate New York.
I often flew into bigger airports and then drove to my destination, and I had no idea if Nick would enjoy this or if he would groan the entire time.
Because as I sat next to him in silence, I was truly afraid that I didn’t know Nick at all. And wasn’t that a weird thing to be worried about?
“I checked in for us on the app, and I have our tickets with a QR code, so you don’t have to worry.”
He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he took the turn into long-term parking. “You’ve told me a couple of times. I have been on an airplane, you know. I might not be the world traveler that you are, but I do know that when we get on the plane, we only have to use the pedals when the pilot says to so we can really stay in the air.”
My lips twitched. “I’ll have you know that, hopefully, the plane should be a little more upgraded than that. We may have to turn with the plane when we bank or tilt backward or forwards during the landing and take-off, but I’m pretty sure they figured out the mechanics so we don’t have to pedal. But you never know.”
He snorted as he pulled into a space, and we got out of the car and grabbed our bags.
“You know any one of our friends or family would have dropped us off at the airport. You didn’t have to leave your car here.”
“I know, but they were all busy, and picking up and dropping off friends at the airport is one of the circles of hell, in my opinion, so I don’t mind doing this.”
“If you’re sure.”
I twisted my hands in front of myself, wondering why I was behaving like this. Why was I so nervous? It was just Nick.
“How many bags did you bring?” he grumbled as he pulled out both of my hard shells and his smaller bag.
I eyed the thing, frowning. “You have a suit in there?”
“Wait. I’m supposed to wear something other than jeans to this? I didn’t sign up for that.”
I knew he was joking, but I was a little nervous about everything, so I might have overreacted.
“Oh my God. It’s okay. We can stop in the city and get you something.”
“By the city, I assume you mean New York?”
“Of course I do. Oh hell, Nick. What are we doing?”
I hadn’t actually meant to say that out loud.
“I am going to apparently go get some good food at this place that you mentioned, and I’m going to make sure men don’t act like idiots, and I’m going to be there for my friend. I said I would do it, and here I am. Stop freaking out.”
He slammed the back of his SUV, and somehow wielded all three bags. He also had a backpack slung over his shoulder, and took my carry-on, as well as my cross-body bag.
I might have overpacked, but honestly, there were so many different parts of this event that I had to dress for. It was part of my uniform, my mask. So I did what I had to, and frankly, I liked clothes and shoes. So people would just have to get over it.
“I’m sorry. And I’m grateful.”
“If you say thank you one more time I’m going to have to hurt you. We’re going to make a rule, you don’t say thank you for this, and I don’t complain about everything.”
I raised a brow.
“Okay, fine, you’re probably going to say thank you, and I’m going to complain. It’s just what we do. Come on, I know you want to be at the gate two hours early, so here we go.”
“That is the recommended time.”
“You would know,” he grumbled.
Oh this was going to be great.
We stepped into the airport, everybody milling about, talking at once, the intercom and overhead voice saying something about baggage and terminal waits.
Nick’s shoulders tensed immediately, but I kept moving, a pro at this.
When we noticed the line, Nick’s jaw tensed, but I pulled him away from the back of the line.
“Come on, we’re on this side.”
“This is our airline.”
“It is. But we’re flying first-class, so we get a different line.”
He looked down at the little red carpet then up at me.
“Are you serious right now?”
“I am serious. Now come on.”
“I’m not riding first-class, Lake.”
“Well I am. It’s part of my business, and I want to. And my miles paid for this anyway. So come on.”
“I cannot believe you,” he grumbled, but I wasn’t sure what exactly he was complaining about.
It was a shorter line over here, and as we checked in our bags and they went through our IDs, Nick was silent, and nodded when the ticket agent asked a few questions.
And then we were off through security, again in a different line, and we made our way to the gate area.
“Why did we have to be here two hours early if you were going to get the fancy experience?”
I gritted my teeth. “You never know. Sometimes I can’t go through different parts of security, and DIA’s security is always atrocious. Now, you can sit at the gates, or you can go get a beer or a drink in the lounge.”
He looked at me, eyes wide. “Are you serious right now?” he asked, his voice low.
I held back a sigh. “Again, it comes with my credit card. I use it for work. I’m going to go into the lounge and sit down since there are no available seats at the gate. And you know that by the time that we get there, everybody is going to be grumbling anyway. We might as well just relax a bit.”
He didn’t say anything as I walked him into the lounge as my guest, and we sat down. I enjoyed myself a glass of champagne, and he grumbled, taking the beer that I offered him.
I didn’t know what was wrong with him. This was what I did for work. I worked very hard for this. And I tried to treat my friends with what few amenities that I was able to.
But Nick didn’t like it, and I didn’t know why.
By the time an hour passed he hadn’t spoken, but he had eaten thankfully. That seemed to relax him a bit, and then we were leaving the lounge, heading towards the gate.
We were in the first group, so we ended up in our seats together as we looked around and got comfortable.
“Thank you.”
I looked at him, confused. “Why are you thanking me?”
“I hate flying. I hate feeling like a sardine and part of a herd of cattle. I realize that this probably cost you a pretty penny in terms of miles and whatever credit card fees you have, but I’m grateful. So thank you.”
I relaxed as the flight attendant gave us a pre-flight beverage, and I sipped my champagne and stared over at Nick.
“I’m not always this fancy, you know. But we’re going to a place where I have to be The Lake Montgomery, CEO . So I’m riding with it.”
“Okay, so tell me exactly what I’m doing?”
We had talked a little bit about it, but I had also avoided some of it.
“We are headed to the Shiraz Shapley resorts. It’s a luxury five-star resort along the lines of the Ritz and the Four Seasons. It just isn’t owned by that conglomerate.”
“Okay,” Nick growled a little lowly as we began to take off. He held onto the seat tightly, and that’s when I realized it wasn’t just that he hated flying, he was afraid of it, too. So I gripped his hand and he glared at me, but didn’t push me away.
Something inside me did that little twisting thing, but I ignored it.
It was just nerves, after all.
“And what are we going to do there?”
“There are lunches and award ceremonies and golfing. There’s games and meetings and presentations. It’s pretty much just a place for the forty under forty to schmooze and to try to make connections and to preen like little peacocks.” I grumbled as I said it, and he narrowed his eyes.
“You really don’t want to be there, either.”
I looked around the cabin to make sure that there wasn’t anyone I recognized that was going to be there as well. Thankfully it all seemed to be different business people and families on their way to New York.
“No, I don’t want to go. I find it weird that there’s even an award for this because it’s just age and how much you can accomplish with luck, hard work, and where you came from.”
“Your family name didn’t help you with your brilliance in terms of that technology that you invented.”
I froze, a little stunned that he would even say that.
“No, but I have a loving family who supported me in college, and were able to help me in after-school activities that led to this. So while we aren’t old money, without my parents and their support, I wouldn’t be here. And that’s something I know is a privilege.”
Nick nodded tightly. “You Montgomerys take care of each other. And anyone attached.”
I held back a smile, because he wasn’t talking about me just then.
“You’re right. Those are the connections and networking we do. Within the family. So while we go here, I’m going to meet people who I’m not going to like, and hopefully some people that I do. There are two men that I know I’m not going to get along with already because I’ve had to go to conventions with them.”
Nick narrowed his gaze at me, but before I could say anything, the flight attendant came and we gave our lunch and drink orders.
Nick shook his head, his lips twitching as the flight attendant continued behind us.
“This is ridiculous.”
“Not really. Everybody should be fed and have drinks while they’re on a plane. It’s the company’s CEOs and their money pinching that’re the problem. No matter what seat you are in, you shouldn’t go hungry or thirsty or feel like you’re going to have a seizure because you’re stuck with your back so straight. I have the privilege to get something like this, and even then, it’s not like it used to be.”
“Well, that puts me in my place.”
“Shut up,” I grumbled.
“Okay, who are these guys?”
This time his voice went stony.
“There’s a man named Joseph and another man named Ned. They’re both in the same field I am, and they don’t like the fact that I do well for myself. They’ve put it plain, and usually try to make me feel like the little woman.”
“And I’m not allowed to hurt them?”
I froze. “Don’t punch them, don’t growl at them. Not that you ever actually use violence like that.”
“I’ve hit a man or two in my life.”
“In a bar fight?” I teased.
“Maybe. You don’t know me that well, Lake.”
I narrowed my gaze. “We own a business together, and you’re my cousin’s best friend. I’m pretty sure I know you well, Nick.”
“Whatever you say, Lake.”
Our gazes clashed for an instant before the flight attendant handed us our drinks. I chugged my water, grateful I had asked for that as well as a cocktail.
“Is there anybody here you’re going to like? Or is this going to be a pain for you, too?”
I hadn’t missed the fact that he included this being a pain for him. Oh this was going to be a lovely trip.
“There’s a woman named Susanna.” My voice brightened as I said it, and Nick tilted his head, studying me. “She’s an amazing woman who has paved the way for people like me and others. She turns forty this year, therefore I’ll only see her at other events. Not one where ageism comes into play.”
“What makes her so special?”
“She’s a woman in business who kicks ass. She has four kids and a loving husband. And everybody there like Joseph and Ned talk shit about her behind her back because they’re afraid of her. I just want to be her.”
He stared at me then, confusion etched on his face. “Why are you doing this? Why are you even taking this trip? Why do you even need me to come when I know you can handle anything?”
I pressed my lips together, his words comforting even as they worried me for some reason. “I need to show my face and show the world. And I need to provide more for these companies that I work with. Like Diana and her fun vampire café.” I explained it to him earlier and he was already on board. “It’s going to make great money and do well, but she needs startup capital after losing her husband so I’m going to do what I can. I’m going to help others, and if I need to save face and put on a fake smile to gain what accolades I can so I can network my way into helping others? I’ll do it.”
He nodded, stared at me, and sighed.
“Okay then. I’ll be the guy there so they don’t ask questions, they don’t have any ammunition against you. I got it.”
I smiled, relieved that he really did get it, and as we were served our lunch, and we spoke about the tattoo shop and other things that weren’t important, I wondered exactly how this weekend would go. Because things would change. They had to. I just didn’t know how yet.
Getting our bags from the airport took forever since baggage claim was always a pain in the ass. Our driver stuffed everything into a large black SUV, and then Nick and I were in the back seat, not speaking as we went through our phones. I had a thousand emails to go through, and Nick did too. He owned a business after all, and he was dealing with clients who would want to work with him as soon as he got back. While on the plane he’d pulled out his notepad and drawn a few things, his mind going a mile a minute.
I had always been envious of his talents, and though I didn’t have any of his ink on my skin, I figured one day I would. I would have ink from every one of the artists that worked at Montgomery Ink Legacy. It was my legacy too, even if I hadn’t always meant it to be.
We pulled in front of the Shiraz Shapley hotel and resort, and Nick whistled low under his breath as we got out.
I looked up at the gorgeous hotel that was out of a dream, with the green grounds and luxurious trees, and shook my head.
“I’ve never been here before, but I’ve heard about it. There’s real Italian marble here.”
“I’m dressed in my best shoes right now, and new jeans, and I feel like I’m going to get this place dirty.”
I looked at those jeans that hugged his ass and thighs, and his gray-blue Henley that showcased his eyes, and I swallowed hard.
I hadn’t really noticed what he was wearing before because I was nervous, but now I really needed to pull my gaze away from his body. There was something wrong with me.
“You look fine. It’s travel day. We all look casual.”
He looked down at my white jumpsuit, my strappy sandals, and my fully done hair and makeup.
“That’s you casual?”
“It’s a jumpsuit. I’m not wearing slacks and a top and a sports jacket.”
“I brought a sports jacket.”
I looked down at his small bag that was now being wheeled away to the lobby and front desk.
“In that?”
Nick laughed. “Yes, in that. Don’t worry. It won’t be wrinkled.”
“Just making sure.”
We made our way into the lobby to check-in, when the one person I honestly didn’t want to see stepped in front of me.
“Lake, it’s so good to see you,” Joseph sneered.
I stood straight as Nick took in the situation and held out his elbow. I knew he had done it on purpose, and I didn’t even realize I was moving my hand until I placed my fingers along the inside of his arm, keeping myself steady.
Joseph noticed and raised a brow.
“Hello, Joseph. They said you would be here.”
“Asking about me, were you?”
“Only so I knew if I needed to bring disinfectant.”
Nick smiled at my side while Joseph glared.
“Well, they always need to add the riff-raff here. It wouldn’t be the feminist movement without letting in a couple of women. Now we get to see what happens next.”
He left while Nick held back a growl, and I counted to ten inside my head, a panic attack kept trying to rear its ugly head.
I didn’t realize Nick had moved until his finger was underneath my chin trying to lift my head up.
I ignored the heat of him, breathing hard.
“You with me?”
I nodded, my pulse racing.
“I hate him. I shouldn’t have thrown that last bit at him.”
“It was hot.”
I blinked, wondering why he had said that, but then I realized that my pulse was racing for an entirely different reason, and he must have done that on purpose. Just to screw with me, and to pull me out of my funk.
“Let’s go check into our rooms. I’m tired.”
“And I’m sure you need to—what is it called—freshen up for dinner?”
“Pretty much,” I said with a laugh, and we made our way to check-in.
This place was highly efficient and didn’t keep people waiting. The woman behind the desk smiled at me.
“Hello, Lake Montgomery. Two rooms.”
“Of course, Ms. Montgomery. Let me check.”
There was that familiar tapping of keys, even though they always seemed so loud at any hotel, no matter the cost of the rooms.
Lots of clicking and clacking, as the woman frowned slightly, barely visible, before she smiled up at me.
“I’m sorry, this was underneath the room block for the event, correct?”
I nodded, as the only way you could book this week was through the event.
“Yes. Lake Montgomery.”
“Would the other room be under your guest’s name?”
Nick frowned. “Nick Gatlin.”
“Let me check.”
Again, with the clicking and clacking, as another guest in a suit got in line behind me, one I recognized as a man who owned a Fortune 500 company.
I nodded at him and turned back to focus on what was going on in front of me.
“I’m so sorry. It seems we only have one reservation. It could be that the event canceled the second one; this is a large event, and they only have one room per group. I’m sorry.”
I blinked and looked up at Nick but was aware if I didn’t move on quickly, people would stare and say things, and I didn’t have time for that.
“That’s fine.” I looked up at Nick. “Right?”
“Of course. We can make it work.”
I heard the growl in his voice, though, and knew that it wasn’t fine.
Damn it.
“We have your corner suite with a king.”
“Oh, do you have two queens?” I asked, my voice a squeak.
Nick stiffened beside me as the woman continued to type.
“I’m sorry. Just a king. Will that be okay?”
Another high-powered CEO got into line after the other man, and I nodded tightly, knowing there was no way out of this. I was not about to make a scene.
I smiled at the woman. “Of course. One room. One bed. Perfect.” I muttered that last part as Nick let out a pained wheeze, and I signed my name on the tablet in front of me.
She handed us our keys, and I turned, smiling at the other people in the lobby, before making my way to the elevator.
“Are you serious right now?” Nick growled.
“I’m sure there’s a couch. I’ll take the couch.”
“You’re not taking the fucking couch,” he growled.
I pressed my key to the inside of the elevator to get to our floor, my hands shaking. “I’m sorry. This isn’t exactly what I was planning.”
“If I thought you were planning this entire annoying trip just to get me into bed, I would say something. There are easier ways to get me into bed, Lake.”
I nearly tripped over my own heels as we made our way onto the floor.
“Nick,” I snapped.
“It’s fine. I’m sure there’s a sofa bed.”
“Not at this hotel,” I grumbled, and I opened the door into the suite, knowing our bags would show up later. I stared at the immaculate and ostentatious room, at the small couch in the corner that could not hold a bed inside, and the grandiose king-size bed past the double doors on the other side of the living area.
I stared at Nick, then at the bed, and knew that all of my past mistakes had come back to bite me in the ass.
And this weekend had just gotten a little longer.