15 #3
Well, two can play at that game. “That is none of your business.” She tried hard not to let her voice falter.
Jez snorted. “I see. Well, you didn’t waste time did you? Okay, you want to play it that way, fine. I’ll have your half of the money by the second week of January. You want it, you’ll have to come and get it. On. Your. Own. That’s what I stipulated. I won’t quibble on the value.”
“Fine. I’ll tell Adam. He’ll be dealing with it.” Dani tried to sound monotone, not wanting him to realise how angry she was. The nerve! He really couldn’t believe that she could be on her own and be strong enough not run back to him? Jeez, he really didn’t think much of her after all.
“Fine. Good bye, Dani.”
And before she could answer, he’d hung up.
JEROME SWITCHED OFF THE engine and headed for the elevator.
At least work would take his mind off Liz.
Maybe she really was ready to make a go of their marriage.
Something had broken in him though, and he really wasn’t sure if he could get past it.
He wanted to, for the sake of his children, but was that the right reason to stay? He still wasn’t sure.
The elevator opened into the foyer and Jerome was greeted by Paul, his head of security and good friend. “Good evening, Jerome.”
“Good evening, Paul, everything under control?”
“As always Boss, and happy birthday.“ Paul nodded curtly and winked at him as the rest of the staff at the front desk also wished him a happy birthday.
Jerome thanked everyone and Paul opened the door leading into the club. “Thanks Paul.”
Jerome weaved his way through the club, acknowledging his staff with a wave, a nod or a quick word until he reached his office, which was situated at the rear, concealed by mirrored panels.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, signalling that he’d received an email.
He furrowed his brow. Who would be emailing him at this late hour?
He walked into his large office and sat on his chair, then pulled out his phone.
The email was from Kuch and was titled “Birthday boy”.
Jerome chuckled, opening it up. There in front of him were a collection of photos from this lunchtime.
Jerome quickly opened up his office computer and opened his email so he could get a better look.
The phone screen wasn’t big enough to see them properly.
Jerome smiled to himself as he looked at the photos.
There was one of Peter doing his speech, with him looking awkward, and his mother smiling widely.
There were various shots of him, a few as he blew out the candles and then a selection of him posing with the staff.
There were two pictures however, that had him inspecting the monitor more closely.
One was of Dani sitting while resting her chin on her hand, looking wistful and totally oblivious that she was being photographed.
Jerome stared at the photo, mesmerised by it.
She really was quite beautiful. He shook his head slightly, then moved to the second photo that had really grabbed his attention.
This was again a picture of Dani but this time, he was in the photo too.
It was taken when Jerome had gone over to thank her for the cake and he had leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek.
Jerome enlarged the photo so he could focus on their faces.
He rubbed his forehead nervously, focusing on their expressions.
There it was in vibrant Technicolor. If ever a picture could say a thousand words, then this was the perfect example.
Both of them were in what seemed like an innocent exchange, even though their body language was far too relaxed and familiar.
But what struck Jerome most was that they both had their eyes closed.
If all the background had been erased and the picture focused just on their faces, it looked like a couple intimately embracing.
Jerome sat staring at the photo for what seemed like an age.
He really needed to tread extremely carefully.
He was very vulnerable at the moment and he wasn’t sure whether his feelings for Dani were a result of that, or maybe they were the cause.
He took a deep breath, then closed the photo.
His eye caught sight of all the staff email addresses Kuch had sent the photos to, including a new one: Dani’s.
Jerome saved it to his contacts file, then opened up the ‘Reply all’ option.
Thanks, you made my day.
Jerome x
He pressed the ‘Send’ option and twisted his mouth. He knew he’d only sent it so that Dani would get it, but by sending it to all his staff, his gesture seemed innocent.
Dani stared at her phone. The bastard had hung up on her! She clenched her teeth in anger. Yes, angry was good, she thought. And to think he almost had her caving. She actually started to doubt her actions. Thank goodness for two hundred miles.
As she glared at the phone, it signalled that an email had come through.
It better not be from Jez, she thought, opening up her email option.
It was from Kuch. Dani instantly relaxed.
It must be the photos. She shuffled off the bed and switched on her laptop so she could see the photos.
Within a few minutes, they had all downloaded and Dani looked through each one of them, focusing all her attention on Jerome.
He was just so good looking, and wow, was he photogenic.
His eyes glistened even in the photos. Dani ran her fingers over his lips on the screen. Jeez, she needed to get a grip.
Dani scanned through the next few and stopped at the one of her.
She always looked better in photos when she didn’t know they were being taken.
She clicked onto the next one and let out a small gasp.
Dani licked her lips and leaned closer to the screen, then enlarged the image.
She clasped her mouth. Holy mother of God!
Her trance was interrupted by another email coming through.
Dani quickly opened it and let out her second gasp within a minute.
It was from Jerome. She read the six words three times as a huge smile crept onto her face.
She knew he’d sent it out to everyone, but she didn’t care.
He’d sent it to her. And that alone gave her a thrill.
Dani saved his email address to her contacts and opened it up to send him a reply. Crap, should she really send him one? What would she say? Wouldn’t it be rude not to acknowledge his email? His first email at that. Unsure, Dani quickly wrote:
My pleasure :)
That was pretty harmless wasn’t it? She wasn’t overstepping the mark? Dani looked at the screen, then pressed one more key.
x
She stared at the screen. Was that too familiar? He’d sent a kiss. She closed her eyes and the image of the photo came into her head. Sod it. It was just a freaking kiss. She hit the ‘Send’ option and screwed up her face in excitement. God, she really had it bad.
There was a sharp knock at Jerome’s door and Paul walked in with the club manager Gino.
“Hey, boss. Just a quick drink to wish you happy birthday before it’s all over.” Gino grinned, putting down three glasses and a bottle of Blue Label. “You know it’s our tradition, celebrating you getting one year older!”
“Yeah, and getting your scar,” added Paul as they sat down. Jerome ran his middle finger over the half-inch scar he had under his right eye as he grinned.
Gino had been Jerome’s manager since they opened the club four years ago. He’d previously worked in another club along with Paul, which Jerome had frequented in his early twenties. They forged a bond on Jerome’s twenty-first birthday.
There had been some trouble at the bar the night they’d all met, and Gino was trying to calm a heated discussion between a couple of drunks and possibly drugged-up customers.
At one point, one of the customers lashed out at Gino and before security could get in to disperse the fight, punches were flying.
Jerome was standing a couple of feet away with a few friends celebrating his birthday.
Seeing what had happened, he immediately shot up and went to Gino’s aid; his renowned hot temper getting the better of him.
Thankfully, Paul and his team were there within seconds, but not before Jerome caught a punch just under his right eye.
The drunken assailant was wearing a ring that had cut him.
“Jeez, that’s thirteen years ago.”
Gino poured generous amounts into the three glasses, then handed them out. “Salute.”
They all clinked their glasses and took a sip.
“So how was your day?” asked Gino, eyeing his boss.
The computer indicated he had another email, and Jerome’s attention was distracted by it before he could answer Gino. He opened up the email and smiled broadly at Dani’s response. He quickly pressed ‘Reply’, typed, then pressed ‘Send’.
;) x
He looked up from his computer at Gino and Paul who looked on, clearly amused at their boss’s reaction.
“My day was good. In fact, it was better than good, actually.” He grinned as he took a drink from his glass.