5. Alexandra #2
My hands start to sweat. I try to pull free from James before he notices, but he grips me tighter, giving me a couple reassuring pulses.
“She’s not here for a job interview, unfortunately.
Let’s get down to business. We all have a busy night.
” James says as he slides two chairs together, then motions for me to sit next to him.
I zone out as they start talking about contracts and the background of Patrick’s company. He seems like a rich slimeball. The cocktail waitress brings the bottle of red with enough glasses for the table. James fills one for me and leans close, grazing my fingers when he passes it to me.
I almost drop the damn thing when he refuses to break eye contact, my heart is racing like a teenager on a first date. What kind of voodoo is this man using on me?
“If I sign tonight, when can we have marketing up and running?” Patrick asks. He seems to be sobering up quickly. I glance at the contract lying in the middle of the table.
The Edward Corporation agrees to handle marketing for Kemp Global at two and a half million for the first year agreeing to re-negotiate in the start of each fiscal year.
I slap my hand over my mouth, my wine threatening to spew all over Patrick across from me. I hazardously gulp it down and start coughing like a raging idiot. That kind of money is life-changing, and every single person around this table is acting like he just said milk costs three dollars.
James reaches over, patting my back and rubbing circles. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I…just went down the wrong pipe.” I cough a few more times before I get myself under control. I want to crawl inside my sweater that’s draped across the back of James’s seat with everyone at this table now watching me. Kill me.
James continues to watch me for a full minute, ensuring I am in fact okay before turning back to Patrick. “As long as payment is received, we will have a designer for this location hired and ready to start within this month.”
“Two at the max.” Ryder jumps in discreetly shooting daggers at James. “We recently secured the office space, but two should be more than sufficient.”
Alester remains quiet, with his hands clasped in his lap.
They watch Patrick, waiting to see his next move.
Patrick puffs up his chest, makes eye contact with me, then bends down, snapping the pen into his hand and scribbles his signature on the line.
“I’ll have the money wired tomorrow.” He points to James.
“Two months max , and I want to see this prestigious marketing everyone is talking about.”
The look that passes over James’s face can only be described as a lion cornering its prey. It would make me nervous if I hadn’t been watching Patrick’s horrendous behavior earlier.
“Perfect.” James stands and holds his hand out for me while his other picks up my sweater. “Ryder and Alester will take good care of you tonight. Enjoy the club, on us.”
I place my hand in his as I stand, never taking my eyes off of him.
“We have another event to go to,” James says.
My eyebrows scrunch involuntarily, and James winks at me.
Patrick’s obnoxious laugh echoes in the small VIP area, “Perfect! You boys can learn something from me tonight.”
I glance around the table as James leads me from this area. The look that crosses Alester’s face as we abandon them is downright murderous. He doesn’t seem like the type who wants to sit in Club X all night either. Poor guy.
James keeps ahold of my hand all the way through the club as we make our way out the front doors. The brisk pre-winter air whips through to my bones. I wrap my arms around myself, trying not to freeze.
James looks down. “Shit, here.” He opens my sweater and slips it over my head. I quickly stuff my arms through the holes and curl in on myself.
James slides his suit jacket off and hangs it over my shoulders.
“You don’t have to do that,” I tell him. “I don’t want you to be cold. I’ll be fine.” The warmth from his body heat is still attached to his jacket, and I never want to take it off.
“I love that you care, but I don’t get cold easily.” He tucks his jacket tightly closed and pulls me into his arms for added warmth. “Thomas is just around the block.”
I feel his phone vibrate against my stomach. “Are you going to get that?” I ask.
He looks down at me, tucked in by his chin. Our lips are so close, and all I want to do is taste him again. “No need. I know who it is.” His eyes dart back to my mouth, and I have a feeling he wants the same thing.
I push myself onto my tiptoes, stopping when my mouth is hovering just before his. I can smell the lingering scent of whiskey on his breath.
I hear a door open somewhere behind me and a man calls out. “Sorry I’m late, sir. I was around the block when I got your text.”
James’s eyes never leave mine when he responds. “It’s not a problem, Thomas. Eventually you’ll have to give up the sir, though.”
“Never, sir.” Thomas chuckles.
James rubs his nose against mine slowly. “I guess we should get you in the warm vehicle.”
I close my eyes, wanting to stay in this moment. “Come with me?”
He sighs, squeezing me closer. “Under one condition.” I look into his eyes full of conflict. “I’ll keep you company in the car and walk you to your door, but that’s where our night ends.”
Confusion mars my face, so he continues gently rubbing his hands up and down my arms. “This thing between us feels like it could be something, and…” He looks to the sky then back to me.
“I’m over my one-night stand part of life.
” He watches me, but what the hell do I say to something like that?
A man who doesn’t want to just jump in my pants and leave.
One who seems to have his life together when I’m an utter hot mess.
No job and recently cheated on doesn’t really scream wife material to someone like him.
Instead of saying something stupid, I keep my mouth shut and tug him towards the SUV .
Thomas holds the door open. I slide in and he shuts the door, then he makes his way around the SUV to open the door for James, who shakes his head. What in the fuck is happening? What was in that drink Ash gave me?
“Thomas refuses to let me get my own door, no matter how often I remind him that my arms work just fine,” James laughs.
“I’m proud of what I do and how I do it,” Thomas comments as he slides in the front seat and shifts the vehicle into Drive before pulling out onto the road. “Where to?”
“We will drop Alex off before going to my apartment.” Thomas nods, but James turns to me. “Where do you live?”
I fidget with my hands. “Uh, Cambridge Apartments, by…”
“We know where they are. That’s a nice location.” James says. Thomas chuckles, and I feel my ears heat.
“What is it?” I ask, unsure if I really want to know why Thomas is laughing.
James takes in my change in demeanor. “Oh no. It really is a nice location. I just bought an apartment near there. I pass your apartment every day on the way to work. That’s all.” He places a hand on mine, and I feel my knee-jerk anger start to simmer.
“He’s telling the truth, dear. I know exactly where your apartment is. Heck, I could probably drive there with my eyes closed. I won’t, of course. That’s dangerous.” Thomas laughs to himself again .
I take a moment to look around the lush SUV with the fancy gadgets in the front and more in the back row. The leather feels like silk as I graze my hand across it. This is the most expensive vehicle I’ve ever been in. And the first with a driver! I feel like I’m in a dream, or a movie.
This is all feeling very Pretty Woman.
“How long have you been driving James around?” I lean forward, to meet Thomas’s eyes in the mirror. I see James shake his head and laugh out of the corner of my eye.
Thomas lets out a deep chuckle that matches the pitch of his voice.
“Years. We aren’t from here. The company started in New York, but I go where the boys go.
So, I moved over to Minnesota with James, Ryder, and Alester when the company wanted to grow.
I know how it sounds, three boys from New York working at a company large enough to start a chapter wherever they please must be pretentious assholes.
But they’re great guys, they pay well, and they’re basically family now. ”
James coughs and looks down, trying to stay out of the conversation.
Thomas doesn’t pay him any attention and continues.
“They are all great with my little girls, and my wife loves to take them under her wing as her additional grown children. I obviously don’t have boys myself, but if I did, I would hope they would act like them.
” I watch him smile to himself in the mirror.
“Come on now, even Ryder?” James jokes, nudging Thomas’s shoulder slightly.
Thomas shakes his head at the thought, and I can’t help but laugh with them even though I’ve only just met Ryder. He definitely gives off the wild child vibes. But I obviously enjoy that, given that Ashlyn is my best friend.
“Yes, even that boy.” He glances at James with a fond smile. “Ryder may be wild, but he’s full of heart. And in a world like this, we can use all of the heart we can get.”
I peek out my window. The amount of love in this car feels heavy compared to what I grew up with.
I don’t think either of my parents would ever be this proud of me, and here Thomas is, not even related but giving off proud dad vibes.
I think about how my dad up and left us the second my sister turned eighteen.
He wanted to travel the world without the weight of a family tying him down. We haven’t spoken to him since.