Chapter Nine #2
“And thank you for not saying it’s okay, because it’s not.” He ran an agitated hand through his hair, indicating how much the situation had upset him. “Even though I don’t have the right to ask for it, I’d appreciate your discretion.”
Her clasped hands opened as if flicking something away. “I’m still angry, but not at you. You’ve been nothing but kind and generous, and I won’t do anything to jeopardize your business or you. You can count on me. You don’t deserve what happened either, Oakley. We don’t get to pick our parents.”
“We do not.” His chest heaved, and she felt sorry for him. She had wonderful, loving parents. What must it be like to be the son of Clemons Fortune, walking nightmare?
“Did he really lose his cat?” she asked softly.
Oakley’s shoulders sagged with the weight of the world.
“Sadly, yes. That’s why I was out of the office yesterday.
We were up most of the night looking for Mewington.
My dad loves that cat. My siblings and I got it for him.
He’s purebred, but he was at the local shelter.
For my dad and Mewington, it was love at first sight. ”
Rachel knew shelters were often filled with purebred animals. “I’m sorry he lost his cat. That would be horrible for anyone.”
Oakley straightened. “True. But I’m still not letting him talk to you like that. Shall we get going? I just have to grab my laptop.”
“Of course. I need to do the same.” While Oakley retrieved his things, Rachel packed her own computer and went to the kitchen to fill the insulated bottles and clean the coffee pot.
She had her computer bag on her shoulder and her fingers wrapped around her suitcase handle when he returned.
With her free hand, she held one of the insulated bottles containing the coffee.
“Thanks. And I’ve got that.” He grabbed the handle and rolled her suitcase. Soon they were in his SUV and on the way to Dallas.
“Doing okay?” he asked her after the first ten miles.
“Yeah. Even though I haven’t been living in Emerald Ridge that long, it feels weird to be driving in this direction. Like it’s a place from my past. It’s sort of bittersweet. I thought about seeing some old friends, but no one is free on short notice, and the schedule’s busy, anyway.”
“I know exactly how that feels. It’s weird to think you’ve moved on.” Oakley got into the passing lane to work around a semitruck. “Does Allie’s dad still live in Dallas?”
“He was in Fort Worth, and no. He moved somewhere out of state. Hit the road so he wouldn’t have to pay child support. The lawyer I hired couldn’t find him.”
“Not even through his job? Or his social security number?” Oakley was aghast.
“Not even through that,” Rachel admitted. “Maybe he left the country. He’d always talked about living on a beach in Mexico. I could have hired a private investigator to track him down but…”
“Those cost money,” Oakley finished.
“Exactly. It’s still a sore spot. I thought we were building something special but instead I was simply a buddy to have when we went on trips or to sleep with when he returned. Looking back, it was sex and nothing more.” Her cheeks heated. “I can’t believe I told you that.”
“I don’t have the greatest track record with relationships either.” He eased back into the right lane. “I was the one confused by what I thought was love. I thought we were building something, but in hindsight, it was all a lie. She wanted what I represented, not who I was.”
“How so?”
“Oakley Frost was building his rodeo empire. That was an exciting world to be in except for the long hours it takes to get a company off the ground. While this weekend is all fun and games for those attending, you saw the work it takes to arrange. To get to this level took a lot of blood, sweat and tears.”
“Yeah, it was a lot of work, and this is your signature event, so everyone but me has been through it several times before. Anything worth doing is worth doing well.”
“Exactly my philosophy. And when you reach the top, you have to work to stay there. Building a company is hard, and when it came down to it, I think my ex-wife felt left out, so she found someone else.”
“That’s a shame,” Rachel murmured.
“What, that she decided to pick someone better?”
“No, that you think that’s the reason. Not to sound forward, but you’re a great guy. You’re handsome and kind. Generous to a fault. You’re a real catch.” Her voice caught on that last word. If he heard it, he ignored it.
“Then how do you explain the cheating? Her deciding monogamy wasn’t for her? That there had to be something wrong with me. Was I too selfish? Too cold? She said I didn’t prioritize her. Maybe I didn’t.”
“I can’t explain why she cheated or whatever reason made her do what she did.
It’s not a decision I would ever make. But instead of assuming it’s all your fault, perhaps recognize the fact that there was something broken about her.
That she needed the thrill of the chase, or the illicitness of it, same as some people crave being high or needing another drink.
” Rachel slanted a look at him, her tone gentle as she said, “I don’t know her, but I do know you shouldn’t blame yourself.
It took me nine months to figure that out about Mitch.
He made his choices. She made hers. The trouble is that we got caught in their inconsiderate cross fire. ”
“True. That’s a great perspective. Thank you. My siblings have said it, but hearing it from you helps. It means something coming from someone who hasn’t known me my whole life.”
Rachel’s confidence grew. “Their actions weren’t necessarily designed to make us feel less about ourselves, but that’s the impact they had.
Their actions were rooted in their own issues, their own narcissism perhaps.
What we have to do is shake that off. We don’t have to live with the damage they’ve done—we can move on.
” She released a sigh. “That’s what I’m trying to do.
I get knocked down and I get back up. Over and over if that’s what it takes. ”
She turned her head to read one of the giant billboards advertising a fast-food chain. Then she shifted back toward him and gave a curt laugh. “Can you tell my mom’s a therapist?”
“She’s clearly a good one,” Oakley complimented. “That speech made more sense to me than any of the stuff I heard from the guy I paid an exorbitant amount to help me through it.”
“She’s my biggest cheerleader, aside from Jenny, of course. They help me remember that I’m the one who controls my destiny, and that my past can remain firmly in my past. On the plus side, because of Mitch’s defection, I don’t have to deal with the nightmare of shared custody. Allie is mine.”
“There is that positive.” They’d reached the outer suburbs surrounding Dallas, and as the traffic thickened, their conversation turned to easier, less fraught topics.
She was laughing at something he’d said—a story from a high school spirit week where he’d ended up covered in gold glitter—when he drove under the hotel portico.
However, she wasn’t laughing minutes later after the front desk clerk said she didn’t have a room. “How can that be?” Rachel set a reservation printout on the desk. “I have the confirmation right here for this very hotel.”
The clerk made rapid keystrokes. “I honestly don’t know.
We have the rest of the Fortune Rodeo Corporation hotel rooms but somehow this one was cancelled.
Perhaps someone extended their stay and that overrode the system.
It’s a huge error. This shouldn’t have happened, but we’re full, so we’ll need to find you something at one of our nearby sister hotels. ”
“You don’t have an upgrade available?” Oakley leaned his elbow on the counter and peered over.
“No. Because of the rodeo showcase, we’re completely full.
Every last room is booked.” She inserted his keycards into the magnetizer.
“I do have your suite ready, Mr. Fortune. I’ll call one of the other hotels and see what they can do for Miss Evers.
We will upgrade her there, of course, because of the inconvenience. ”
“That’s not acceptable.” Oakley pushed the keycard back toward the front desk clerk. “She’s not staying at an offsite hotel when the events are happening in this hotel. Give her the bedroom in the penthouse suite. Put it on a separate key. I’ll take the couch in the living area.”
“Oakley, it’s fine,” Rachel protested. She didn’t want to cause a scene or put him out. Most likely some other VIP had pulled rank. “I can go down the street.”
“No, you won’t. Change it, please,” he said to the hotel employee.
“If you’re sure.” The clerk glanced between them.
“I’m certain,” Oakley insisted. “And be sure to have your manager call me once I get to the room. I want to speak with them.”
“Will do.” Relieved, she handed each of them a key. She pointed to Rachel’s left. “The express elevators to the penthouse level are down that hall, behind the wall. The porter has your luggage.”
“I’m sorry,” Rachel said once she and Oakley were alone in the elevator. “You shouldn’t have done that. No need for you to give up your room.”
“Why not? The sofa bed will be comfortable, and it’s not your fault they messed up the reservation.
Some manager probably had an irate VIP customer and gave them your room thinking you wouldn’t come.
” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Hotels shouldn’t do that, but believe me, once I speak with them, they’ll understand it was the wrong thing to do.
And no worries, I’ll do it using far less force than my dad would.
” Oakley pointed to the room number. “This is it. My door’s down here. ”