Chapter Four Meet Again
SUTTON
Oh God, I think I’m going to puke. My heart is racing and my stomach twists.
Sweat breaks out along my forehead. Fuck, fuck, fuck!
I need to get it together. I can’t lose it.
Not here. Not now. And especially not with this guy.
Mom and Dad are watching… are they frustrated?
They look frustrated. Disapproving. Is that just my imagination? Fuck!
Not wanting to let them down, I allow Leon to lead me away, my anxiety and fear of public confrontation making me so docile, I feel sick.
As we walk away from our parents, Leon continues talking, prattling on and on as if totally convinced that his every word is fascinating.
Frankly, I can’t hear any of his words over the roar of my own spiraling thoughts.
When I finally manage to force myself to listen to him, his plans are even worse than I imagined.
“So, I was thinking when we’re married, we’ll obviously have our main home in Texas, but we could spring for a townhouse in New York, too, so you can spend time with your parents when you want to,” he declares.
“It would also be convenient for me to have a place to stay when I’m in town on business.
If I have to split my time between states, I’d rather not have to stay in a hotel every visit. ”
I blink, struggling to keep up with what he’s saying. Is he out of his fucking mind?
“Don’t you think that’s a little presumptuous…” I begin, but he cuts me off, ignoring my attempt to pump the brakes on his unhinged ideas completely.
“I suppose we should have you take over as CEO for Holloway sometime before we marry,” he muses.
“Down the line, we’ll figure out the other details.
As we have children, we’ll restructure everything so you can keep your focus on domestic stuff, and I’ll take over your duties at Holloway so you won’t have to stress about any of that silly work stuff.
I can do all the work, don’t worry. A woman as lovely as you should never need to stress, after all… ” He chuckles.
“Um, what?” Children? Texas? And he expects me to just hand over my family’s company to play happy homemaker? Fuck that! Nothing against women who are homemakers — more power to them, really — but that’s not what I want.
Not that Leon gives a shit what I think or want.
Anger starts to burn deep inside me, pushing away some of my anxiety. This entitled prick… I can’t even stand the feel of his touch on my arm. Is this really the kind of guy my parents want me to be with?
Do they actually know me at all?
“Oh, is that Bradley Hastings?” Leon waves his hand at some poor guy who looks startled to be singled out. “I must say hello.”
Seeing my opening, I slip from his grasp. “You go on and catch up. I’m going to go to the bar.”
He gives me a frown. “You should come with—”
“No, no, it’s okay, completely okay,” I insist in the nicest tone I can muster, while already pulling away.
However, my voice trembles a bit on the last few words before I can steady it.
Fuck, did he notice? My heart is pounding in my chest. I feel trapped.
I need to get out of here and the fuck away from Leon.
“I’d hate to intrude. We’ll catch up later. Bye!”
Before he can sputter out a response, I turn and hurry away, slipping into the crowd. Thank God! If I had to put up with his bullshit for another moment, I was going to lose my mind.
I’m breathless. My heart is racing so fast that I have the momentary worry that I might actually have a heart attack. I make a beeline for the bar, needing something with a lot more kick than champagne.
I need everything to just go… numb. Just for a little while. I don’t know how I’m going to get out of this situation.
When I reach the bar, the bartender comes right over to me.
“What can I get you?” he asks with a bright, charming smile.
“Vodka martini. Dirty.”
“You got it.” He slips away to make my drink, and I lean against the bartop, releasing a long sigh. I clench my hands into fists to try, and stop the tremors in my fingers.
I can’t believe this is happening. Can’t Mom see how awful Leon is?
Is she so distracted trying to rekindle her friendship with Aubrey that she’s totally blind to how shitty these people are?
Mom has always been trusting, but I wouldn’t call her naive.
What is it about Aubrey? As far as I can tell, the woman is an ice-cold bitch…
“Long night, Starling?”
The deep voice interrupting my thoughts startles me, and I blink. Starling? What the hell?
I turn to face the guy, saying, “It’s actually Sutton, not…” but the words die on my tongue when I lock eyes with a tall, handsome man that I instantly recognize.
“Oh my gosh! Jayce?” I’d know that blue gaze and golden, surfer-boy locks anywhere.
His crooked little smile is effortlessly charming, and his broad shoulders and lean body look so good in that black suit that I’d think he was a movie star if I didn’t know he was a hockey player.
Of all the Night Hawks, he has the most dynamic presence, walking into a room and simply owning it with a cool confidence that I can’t help but envy and admire.
“Wait,” I say, “what are you doing here?”
He gives me a smile that would make any girl swoon. “Nice to see you again, Sutton. It’s been a minute.”
This isn’t our first time crossing paths, but we’ve never talked much.
We last saw each other in January when we all went to Estes Park for a little post-Christmas “Friendsmas” gathering with all my best friends who are, coincidentally, mostly married, dating, or engaged to his teammates.
Jayce was a day late, so I didn’t see him too much.
Still, I had to fight to keep my eyes off him.
Who could blame me? Jayce is sexy as fuck.
We did also dance at our friends’ wedding.
Remembering the way his big hands held me…
the heat of his body pressed against mine…
Sheesh, I need to calm down! All we did was dance, and I’m getting worked up like we shot a porno together. In my defense, too, I have been suffering through the longest dry spell in the history of humanity.
“I noticed you slipping that skinny guy before,” Jayce says with a chuckle. “You need a scapegoat? Feel free to use me as an excuse for you ditching him, if that helps.”
I let out a laugh and shake my head. “Thanks, but I’m good. Though if you see him coming, let me know. It’ll give me time to escape.”
“You got it.”
The bartender appears with my martini and as I pick it up for a sip, Jayce moves to sit in the seat right next to me. Good Lord, he’s big. I have to tilt my head back just to meet his gaze.
I clear my throat, feeling suddenly hot, and it’s not the vodka. “So, uh, you never answered. What are you doing here? It’s the middle of hockey season.”
He nods and takes a drink of the amber liquid in the glass he’s holding. “No game this weekend, so I promised my grandfather I’d come. He wants me to start schmoozing with potential clientele more.”
“Oh?” I frown. “You’re working for your family’s company now?”
“Not yet.” He takes another drink and rests one hand on the back of my chair, boxing me in, and I do not mind. “I’m supposed to take over Parker Global when I’m thirty-five, after I retire from hockey.”
“Parker Global?” I blink, confused. “That’s your family’s company?”
He nods. “My mother’s family, specifically.”
“Oh, I see.” Interesting. Parker Global is huge. It far exceeds the wealth and fame Holloway Architectures has accumulated through the generations. Running a conglomerate like that is no small task. “And you’re taking it over when you’re thirty-five?”
“Yeah, it’s a deal my grandfather and I made. In the meantime, though, he wants me to start building up a good reputation. You know how it goes. Can’t risk tarnishing the family name.”
I snort, feeling a strange sense of relief hearing him talk about his own family issues.
For once, I might be having a conversation with someone who actually gets what I’m going through.
Someone from a similar background who can relate to the lofty expectations of a family with a last name with so much weight.
“Oh, I get it.” I say. “My parents are so convinced I can’t handle my future responsibilities for Holloway that they’re trying to marry me off to that sleaze I slipped away from.
It’s not the first time they’ve presented me with a ‘suitor,’ but they’ve never been so insistent before. ”
Jayce winces. “Yikes. That sounds like a fucking nightmare.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
We both chuckle, but I choke on the sound when I see Leon step out of the crowd. He spots me and frowns as he marches over. I don’t realize my knee is bouncing nervously until Jayce lays a gentle hand on it. I’m practically panting too, my breaths wheezing as I lock eyes with him.
“You okay?” he asks softly, gently squeezing my knee. His touch is oddly grounding. Warm and strong, but it’s hard to focus on Jayce when I see Leon getting closer and closer.
I don’t know what to say—my tongue feels swollen and I can’t get words out—so I just give him a pleading look. Help me!
“Sutton!” Leon cries out in a whining tone. “Why did you run off like that? Do you know how humiliating…how…”
He trails off when Jayce stands up and puts himself between the two of us. Leon is tall, but Jayce towers over him.
“Excuse me,” Jayce says in a low, firm voice. “Sutton and I are having a private conversation.”
Leon stares up at him wide-eyed for a moment before he pulls himself together and scowls.
“Nothing is private between me and my soon-to-be wife!”
My stomach clenches at his words, and I want to curl up into a little ball and disappear.
“Look, this is part of an NDA,” Jayce replies without missing a beat. “Unfortunately, until you’re on the paperwork, I’m afraid what Sutton and I discuss has to stay between us. It’ll only be a few more minutes. Why don’t you go find someone else to talk to while we finish up?”
Jayce is so cool and calm, I’m genuinely impressed. He doesn’t sound irritated or defensive in the slightest, but so easily polite that it appears to disarm Leon.
“Oh.” He blinks several times before clearing his throat and nodding. “I… all right. I suppose I can understand that. NDAs and all. I’ll, uh, leave you to it for a bit and just be, um, right over there.”
He points to the other end of the bar, and Jayce gives him a pat on his shoulder.
“I appreciate your understanding.”
It’s like Jayce has hypnotized Leon or something because he turns and wanders away without further argument.
“Holy shit,” I murmur. “How’d you do that?”
Jayce turns back to me and winks. “I have a way with people.”
I release a breath of relief. “Well, thank you. I really appreciate it.”
He sits back down and rests an elbow on the bar. “So, your parents really want you to marry that creep?”
I take a long drink of my martini before answering, “Yep, seems so.”
“Are you going to?”
I nearly spit out my drink. “Marry him? Fuck, no…I mean…it’s, uh, complicated.”
I can’t help but think of my parents and how badly they seem to want this marriage to happen.
Jayce arches a brow. “Complicated, how? Just ditch him.”
He makes it sound so easy. I sigh and shake my head.
“Here’s the deal. I want to take over as CEO of Holloway,” I explain.
“I should’ve been appointed last year, but my parents have been putting it off.
They don’t think I can handle the responsibility on my own and I’m doing everything I can to prove them wrong.
So, you know, outright shooting Leon down might not help my case.
I’m kind of just hoping they get the hint that I’m not interested and let it go. ”
He arches a brow. “That’s not a great plan.”
His deadpan tone makes me burst out laughing. “No, it’s not. You’re totally right.”
This is weird. I’m not usually this open and at ease with people I don’t know well, and I’m not drunk, so I can’t give the vodka the credit.
Even the girls don’t know about all my issues with my parents, and they certainly don’t know how bad my anxiety can get.
I keep that side of me locked away tight.
I can’t risk showing such vulnerability and letting people down.
There’s something about Jayce. I can’t really explain it, but I feel like I can… breathe around him.
“Heads up, the creep’s coming back,” Jayce mutters, snapping me out of my wandering thoughts. I look around and spot Leon making his way back toward us.
No! No, no, no! I’m not ready for this easy feeling to go away yet. I don’t want to go back to suffocating while I fight to keep a polite smile on my face.
“Come on.” Jayce grabs my hand and pulls me out of my seat.
“Huh?” I gasp as he tugs me toward the dance floor. “What are you…where are we…?”
“Follow me,” he says over his shoulder, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m getting you out of here.”
I shouldn’t go with him. My parents will be worried if I suddenly disappear, but… I want to follow him. I want him to take me away and strangely enough, I trust him to take care of me.
Mostly, though, I don’t want to lose my ability to breathe, so I don’t resist or pull away. I let him lead me out of the ballroom.