Chapter 1 #2
“Jasper.” She shook her head, lifting her hand to her mouth.
“Do you like it?” I asked, hating the desperation that crept into my tone. I’d never been so eager to impress a woman. I’d never wanted something more.
And with Halle, I definitely wanted more.
That was why I’d planned this evening. To show her that this wasn’t just about sex—at least, not anymore. Not for me. I was falling for her—hard.
I’d thought falling for someone would scare the fuck out of me, but nothing had ever felt more right. I wanted Halle in my life, permanently. And I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
“It’s beautiful.” She spun slowly, taking it all in. The lanterns that hung from the majestic limbs of the tree. The plaid blanket artfully draped over the ledge where we’d share our meal. The sky up above, a cathedral full of stars.
“You must have really wanted to impress her,” Darla said, interrupting the memory. “Who was that for?”
If I knew Darla, and I did, she was mentally cataloguing every interaction, calendar appointment, and detail from that time period. If I weren’t careful, she’d put the pieces together.
Shit. I couldn’t let her find out that it had been with Halle. She was my sister’s chief of staff, for chrissakes.
I mimed zipping my lips shut. Darla narrowed her eyes at me.
“Did this mystery woman love it?” Beth asked, and I latched on to her question, grateful to have a pretext for ignoring Darla’s question. “Did you make love beneath the stars?”
I chuckled. These women.
“Yes, she loved it. At least until her so—” I tried to regroup. I’d nearly slipped up and mentioned Halle’s son, and now Darla and her friends were watching me even more closely. “Her—” I cut myself off again, trying not to mention Kai. “She had a family emergency.”
“So romantic.” Beth pretended to swoon, but Darla was still staring at me. Hard.
No joke. It had been the perfect evening until Halle’s ex had called.
Kai had gotten a stomach bug, and he was throwing up and wanted his mom.
I didn’t doubt the fact that Kai had wanted his mom, but based on everything Halle had told me about her ex, I also suspected that Craig hadn’t wanted to deal with a sick kid.
I gnashed my teeth at the reminder. Yes, I’d been disappointed that our already limited alone time together had been cut short.
But I’d been concerned for Kai. And what was Craig thinking, demanding that Halle come pick up Kai?
I got that Kai wanted his mom, but what kind of father didn’t want to be there for his son?
More than anything, I’d hated the defeated look in Halle’s eyes. The resignation. The fact that she’d tried to do something for herself, and it had backfired.
Darla sipped her sangria, her eyes on me the entire time. But it was Becky who spoke next. “Then what happened? Are you still together?”
I shook my head, glancing away. After that, Halle had pulled back from our fling, from me. Even once Kai had recovered, I’d sensed a coolness from her. A distance.
When I’d tried to bring up the idea of a future together, she’d shut me down. It had gutted me—her unwillingness to even discuss it. And then I’d returned to LA, and that had been the end of it. The end of us.
“That was it?” Beth frowned. “It just…ended?”
“It’s complicated,” I said, hoping they’d leave it at that. “And long-distance is not for the faint of heart.” Though, soon, the distance would no longer be a factor.
It was a big reason why I was here—ready to beg Darla to come back if necessary. My life already felt out of control, and with Halle relocating to the LA office, I was going to need stability more than ever. Without Darla, I was adrift.
“Honey, if she’s not interested, I am,” Beth said.
I chuckled. “Thanks, Beth. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“No, seriously.” Beth shook her head. “What’s wrong with her? You’re handsome, rich. And from everything Darla tells us, kind and considerate.”
“Aw, Darla.” I feigned embarrassment. Though, truly, I was blushing.
It wasn’t often that people complimented me, let alone for something not related to wealth, family, or fame. When I wasn’t lambasted for my bad decisions, I was lauded for things I had zero influence over. For most of my life, I’d been overlooked in favor of my siblings.
Graham was the perfect brother. In control and in charge. He’d been selected by my grandparents to run the family business. Sloan was the baby. The only girl. She could do no wrong.
Knox and Nate were technically my cousins, but they’d always been more like brothers to me. The five of us—Nate, Knox, Graham, Sloan, and I—had been raised by our grandparents after a plane crash had claimed the lives of my parents and my aunt and uncle.
Hell, sometimes I felt closer to Nate and Knox than my actual siblings.
Though that was probably only because they weren’t as involved in the day-to-day management of the family brand.
Nate was busy with his production studio and acting.
And Knox owned LA’s pro soccer team, the Leatherbacks.
As much as I loved Graham and Sloan, running the family luxury hotel empire could put a lot of pressure on our relationship at times.
But Darla had always seen the real me. Which was why I needed her now, more than ever.
“What’s it really like to have all that money?” Mary asked, and I was grateful for the reprieve from the topic of my love life. “Do you just…spend it on whatever you want? Go swimming in the cash like Scrooge McDuck?”
“This might disappoint you,” I said, “but most of my assets are tied up in my family’s business or investments.
I don’t go swimming in the cash, though that sounds like fun.
And my grandparents taught me to be mindful of my spending.
They believed that we had a responsibility to our employees and our communities to give back. ”
“That’s why the CEO’s salary is capped at the Huxley brand,” Darla said.
“Exactly, but it goes beyond that. We offer some of the most generous paid leave and health insurance in the industry—to all our employees, regardless of where they work or the type of position they hold. And we are passionate about investing in local communities. We don’t want to come in and take over.
We want to learn from the locals. We want to respect their traditions and their culture. Their land and their priorities.”
They all nodded, clearly impressed.
“What about your car collection?” Mary asked.
“Oh, Darla told you about that, huh?” I smirked. When she nodded, I said, “Did she also mention that I inherited most of them from my dad?”
They turned on Darla. “No. No, she didn’t mention that,” Becky muttered, narrowing her eyes at Darla.
Darla shrugged. “You wanted to believe the fantasy. Who was I to burst your cherry?”
I nearly spewed my drink. “I believe the saying you’re looking for is burst your bubble.”
She waved a hand through the air. “Same difference.” She smirked, knowing damn well it was not the same thing.
“No.” Mary wagged her finger at Darla. “We wanted the truth. And that’s why we asked you to invite him.”
“Invited?” I scoffed. “Feels more like I was lured here under false pretenses and then ambushed.”
Mary looked horrified. Becky shot daggers at Darla. “You said you’d told him.”
“I did,” Darla responded. “When he got here.”
The others sighed, and one or more of them said, “Typical Darla.”
I nodded my agreement.
“Well, thank you for humoring us,” Becky said.
“Absolutely.” I lifted my glass to them before taking another sip.
“Now, let me ask you ladies something. Your love of reading has inspired me.” All evening, an idea had been percolating in my mind.
A way to enhance the guest experience and provide an extra perk for our employees.
“I’m thinking about creating a lending library for my employees and guests. ”
“Ooh. That would be amazing,” Beth said. “Digital or print?”
“I think print. I like the nostalgia of it. A way to encourage guests to get off their devices, relax, and immerse themselves in the experience.”
“Exactly,” Becky said. “Would it be two separate libraries or the same one?”
“Probably two separate ones so employees could peruse the shelves on their break.”
We discussed the logistics for a while, and then it was time for me to go. I stood, shaking each of their hands and thanking them for a memorable evening.
“Come back any time,” Beth called out as Darla led me back down the path to her house. I smiled and winked at her over my shoulder.
“Thanks for coming,” Darla said once we were alone. “And for being a good sport to answer their questions.”
I chuckled. “Your friends are fun. So…” I nudged her.
“I actually came here to ask you something.” I took a deep breath, bracing for the rejection I assumed was coming.
But still, if I didn’t ask, I wouldn’t know.
“No one compares to you, and I’m willing to be flexible on hours if you only want to come in part time. You can even keep your same salary.”
“So you’re going to pay me more to work less?” I saw an unmistakable twinkle in her eye. “That doesn’t sound like a savvy business move, Mr. CEO.”
Maybe not, but some things just made sense. And not all business decisions were based solely on money.
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get you to come back.” I took her hand in mine and knelt to the floor, knowing Darla would appreciate a dramatic gesture. “Please say yes.”
She paused, looking me dead in the eye. “Will you tell me who your mystery London girl was?”
My stomach dropped. I could never tell anyone about Halle. I would never betray her trust like that. Not even to Darla, the woman who knew almost all my secrets.
I stood slowly, releasing her hand to take a step back. “No.”
“Then I’m not coming back,” she deadpanned.
“Seriously, Darla?” When I realized she was joking—at least about her reasons for being unwilling to return—I added, “You’re a pain in my ass.”
“And you’re a pain in mine.” She hip bumped me.
We laughed. It was said out of love. But I really did need her. She kept my life on track, and now that I was CEO—now that Halle was moving to LA—I needed Darla’s calming, assertive presence more than ever.
“How am I supposed to run the company without you?” I asked, feeling adrift. All the temps the agency had sent had been underwhelming, if not outright incompetent.
“I have faith in you,” she said with the utmost sincerity. “You just need to have a little more faith in yourself.”
“What if I was willing to tell you who London Girl was?” I was almost desperate enough to do it too.
She shook her head. “You’re always welcome to tell me.” Then she took my hand in hers and placed her other one on top. “Jasper. You know I love you, honey. But I gave that company thirty years of my life. I’ll always be here for you, but it’s time for my next chapter.”
I wasn’t above begging, but I sensed that nothing would persuade her to change her mind. It was unfortunate but not surprising.
She pulled me in for a hug. “Take care of yourself. And next time you come to Book Club Bitches, be sure to read the book first.”
I scowled. “Maybe I would’ve if you’d given me a heads-up.”
She shrugged. “I told your assistant.”
I gnashed my teeth. I really needed to find someone new.