Chapter 18
18
ZARA
After eating the Thai food in silence, Jobe’s cell doesn’t stop.
“We agreed on this,” he snaps, and I jump out of my skin. My heart races with his anger.
I could not work for him.
“Make it happen and check back with me in the morning.” His tension rises with endless calls, and it feels wrong to be in the room when he is attending to business. His demeanor has changed, and he needs privacy to deal with whatever went down with his company.
Before I walk out of the room, he says, “Yes, I’ll be there tomorrow, and I’ll deal with it first thing in the morning.”
The one thing I know about the Hendricks family is they won’t sleep until they get the job done, so I don’t expect Jobe to come to bed any time soon. My sheets remain wet, and while there are other bedrooms, I feel we are in a place where I can sleep in his bed. I stick my ear pods in and play my favorite romantic playlist rather than listen to Jobe’s heated conversation.
When I wake the next morning, I’m lying next to an empty space as he’s clearly left for the office at some ungodly hour. Did he even come to bed at all?
I go through my usual routine and wait for Piper at the café.
George walks in with her. “It’s happening today,” he says, wide-eyed. He looks smart in a suit jacket.
“Have you been talking to Gretchen again?”
He frowns, his brows pinching. “Maybe.”
“Well, I’m heading there now,” Piper says, looking at me. “Coming?”
Downing the remainder of my coffee, I walk with them into our office block. My stomach is tense. Not for today’s announcement but what Jobe said last night.
It’s the final time we need to pretend plays over in my mind .
I hoped we were getting somewhere, and now there’s a freaking time bomb ticking for when he checks out. I don’t know whether to ask him point blank if he’s going to end us because I saw him in the moment when we were together. We have something. I heard him admit to the yearning. We have great chemistry, so why end it and not see where this will lead?
Oh crap. Is it you want what you can’t have, and now, after I gave myself to him, he’s moving on?
I scan my ID as I walk through the building. I’m so distracted I probably won’t hear a single word.
Around nine thirty, we gather in a meeting room and wait for Tim, who strides in, hands in pockets, eyes lowered. The door closes with an audible click that echoes the room as we all wait for what comes next.
“Can I please have everyone’s attention?” Mindless chatter stops, and he clears his throat. “Today is my last day at Warburton Investments.” Gasps and groans fill the room. “As you know, the company is merging with an LA-based company.” His eyes meet mine, and my heart flips. Why does this have anything to do with me? “Over the next week, offers will roll out. Some juggling is inevitable. It’s your choice whether you want to stay with the new company or accept your new role. There’s not much more I can say than to wish you all the best for the future and thank you for making my role here easier than it should be. You’re all a great bunch, and I’m sorry not to host the Monday meeting any longer.” Someone sobs at the back of the room. I didn’t know him well but he seems like a great guy. “Juliet has my personal number, so if any of you want to reach out for a drink, I’d love to see you. Are there any questions about your future roles, not mine?”
“Who is Juliet?” I whisper to Piper. “We should have a drink with Tim.”
She nods. “She’s his PA. Was. ”
I give my focus to Tim. I feel for him as I sense this was unexpected. He glances at his cell. “The new company director is on his way down.” He looks at the door.
The guy opposite me raises his hand. “Tim. Was it your choice to leave?”
“It was a mutual agreement.”
“Bullshit,” George whispers beside me.
The door opens, and a suited guy appears.
Designer suit. Dark hair. Suddenly, I’m wide awake. “What in the holy fuck!” I whisper, though it’s more of a quiet shout. His eyes scan the room. I avert my gaze. I cannot look at Jobe Hendricks right now.
Piper leans forward and stares at me. “Is that your boyfriend?”
“Not anymore,” I snap .
I can’t breathe. Why didn’t he tell me this was the other merger he was working on? Heat rises up my neck and cheeks, my whole face glowing red. So, this is what he had to deal with first thing this morning. And he didn’t mention a damn thing.
“Did you know?” George whispers.
I give him a sideways glance and shake my head. “Did you?”
Jobe clears his throat. “I’ll start with introductions. I’m Jobe Hendricks, the new company executive director. Thank you for taking time out of your day to be here.”
“Love his accent,” whispers come from behind me.
“I’d do him,” a woman says, but I don’t turn.
He’s not on the market, bitch, but after this meeting, he might be.
Jobe’s eyes find mine, and I narrow mine at him. Bastard. How dare he embarrass me in front of my work friends whom he has met. I understand the secrecy, but he could trust me with this information since it’s integral to my career. Because right now, I feel like I’m nothing more to him than a convenience to his business deals. And it really was just sex between us. Nothing more. He never felt close to me on an emotional level. Never considered trusting me with this information. I have tuned him out and don’t hear a single word he says.
It clearly cements our fake relationship—he really doesn’t see me as anything more than a temporary lover.
He would have known how this would be received.
Poor fucking form, Jobe, and I don’t care that you’re my new boss. I really can’t stand the sight of you right now.
“I want to invite you all to be part of the team to revolutionize the London market. Warburton is one of the many companies Hendricks Real Estate is invested in, along with Hendricks Capital Management that my brother, Franklin, manages.” His eyes scan the room, and I lower my gaze, refusing to acknowledge him. “There’ll be whispers about the merger but I assure you, if you’re in this room, then your job is safe unless your behavior is questionable and your work ethic poor. New contracts will roll out over the next month. I’m employing an extra executive assistant to accelerate the process. If you have any questions, email Gretchen. She’ll hand everything over to her replacement when she is on maternity leave.” He looks around the room as if assessing everyone’s reaction. “Unfortunately, today is not a day that I can stay and answer questions, but we will address everyone soon. So, please excuse me. The Board is waiting for me. I look forward to meeting each of you in the near future.” His gaze meets mine, but I give him nothing but my best poker face as I stare through him as though he is a ghost to me.
The fucker.
Jobe leaves the room, and the staff stands, whispers turning into louder conversation. Some people threaten to leave, citing an uncertain future. He could have handled it differently. Or was it the Board’s decision?
“Are you okay?” Piper whispers. Her blue eyes are full of understanding. I shake my head. “He kept looking at you.”
Slowly, I close my eyes before opening them again. “Can we go?”
“Sure.” She creates a path through the crowd, and I follow her to the door as we head back to the office. “You know, everyone will be taking their time coming back. Let’s head down and get a coffee. Caffeine doesn’t fix everything, but it helps when alcohol isn’t a choice.”
“I’ll need fifty fucking cups,” I mutter.
She turns and smiles, looping her arm through mine. “You need to vent, and if it takes fifty cups, so be it.”
“Thank you.” I squeeze her hand as we head out of the office block and cross the road to the café. I’m old enough to handle the crap the universe throws at me. However, I’ve never been any good with surprises. From being spooked by my best friend telling me she’s pregnant and our lives spiraling in opposite directions, it’s unexpected dishonesty that destroys me the most. Furthermore, his lie is an embarrassment I can’t handle.
I take a seat while Piper orders the coffee. As soon as she slides into her chair, she stares at me. “Tell me everything because there is a lot going on behind the scenes you haven’t told me about.”
“You’re right.”
And I do. I tell her everything.
She reaches across and takes my hand. “So you’ve fallen for him?”
I swipe a single tear from my cheek. “If I’m being honest, I’ve always liked him. It was easier to hate him than fall for the bad guy. One who would never be satisfied with monogamy.”
“But he did commit to you even though he said it was a fake relationship.”
“Then he’s a damn good actor. He admitted to a final date when the show ends, so…”
“Hey, I get it. I also fall for the wrong guy. Promises me the world and then does something to ruin everything we had and turn it into something meaningless.”
“We’re the queens of picking the wrong guy.” I force a smile. “Today…” I shake my head, “… he could’ve mentioned it, then I wouldn’t look like an idiot in front of you all. Worst of all, it made me look like I was keeping it from you.”
“I didn’t think that.”
“George did.”
She tilts her head. “George is George. He’d sell his soul for gossip. ”
“Now. If people find out we had something, if we did…” I shake my head to rid the painful thoughts, “… they’ll judge me. Believe there is favoritism. You know what people say about women who sleep with the boss.”
“You didn’t know he was the boss.”
I arch my brow for emphasis. “Or if I’ll sleep with him again now that he is the boss. But what pisses me off more, there isn’t a repercussion for him. I’m over the fucking shaming of women.”
“I hear you, girlfriend.” Piper smiles. “Then hold your head high as you have done nothing wrong. Before we go down that rabbit hole, here’s some advice. Put everything aside. Work. The fake relationship. The past. What happened today. How do you feel about him ? What does your heart tell you?”
I pick up my second coffee mug and sip it slowly, pondering my feelings for Jobe. “Before he turned up at work, I would have wanted a chance for us and see where a relationship takes us. Because even when we bicker, I enjoy it. He challenges me. Years back, when he upset my best friend because he was looking out for his brother, I was ready to fight him for her. But now that he’s betrayed me, not trusted me with this… I feel… insignificant to him. Like my feelings don’t matter. And I don’t know if I want a relationship with a man who treats me like this.
“Right. But even when you hate them, they attract you in some way. You might want to ride this wave. You might save each other.”
I hold up my mug and tilt it toward her to make a point. “First, it’s a freaking tsunami, and I don’t know where the hell it’s carrying me. All I can see is us both drowning and never trusting to love again.”
“Whoa, you said love.”
Shit .
“I meant a relationship. Because it’s lust that has trapped us.”
Piper assesses me for a moment and then checks her phone. “We better get back because your boyfriend will think our work ethic sucks, and we’ll both lose our jobs.”
“Fuck him.” All I can think is that it’s not the worst thing that could happen to me. Maybe I need to update my resume, find another job, and find somewhere else to live after the gala. Because I’m scared of what happens next, scared of Jobe confirming I haven’t meant anything more to him than a stepping stone to a business deal.
We walk into the office.
What is happening?
Everyone is at their desks, focusing on their screens.
“What have we missed?” Piper whispers to George.
He tilts his head to a camera in the corner of the ceiling. “Security cameras will pick up anyone not working. Read your emails on work ethic.” His gaze flicks to mine, and then he looks away without a word.
What does he know?
“We’ll chat at lunch,” Piper whispers to me.
Only we don’t. Lunch comes and goes without a word of the takeover, as it appears my work friends no longer trust me.
At the end of the day, I don’t touch my phone messages until I’m on the Tube. There’s a message from Jobe.
I’m sorry about this morning. I know you’re mad, but my hands were tied. I want to talk about it, only I’m on my way to the airport as something has come up in LA. If they gave me more notice, you could have come back with me. Penny, for once, would be excited for the extra emissions if you were on the jet with me. We’ll talk later. I’d rather be with you tonight than sorting out the fuckery back home.
Bull-fucking-shit. He is the executive director. Were his hands really tied? It is up to him who he tells, and more importantly, he could have trusted me. Let me inside his fucking armor that blocks all emotion.
Tim looked out for me and my career, and now he has lost his job. Another reason why I am upset and have every right to be when he lets the Board dictate how much he trusts me.
I let out a long sigh. It works out for the best since I did not want to face Jobe tonight. We both need space.
And I need a shit ton of time to work through this.
The following day, everyone is distant at work as though I’m a spy. Piper barely speaks in the office, but at lunch, she is back to her chatty self, so it’s obvious the mention of the security camera has spooked her.
By the time I head home, I’m overwhelmed and need a quiet night. As soon as I enter the penthouse, I receive a text message.
Wish I was there with you. What are you having for dinner ?
I haven’t replied to his texts as I don’t know what to say without mentioning how he hurt me. Why do I have to be the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve?
I shower, order takeout, then check my cell.
Penny. My heart does a little dance.
Hi, babe, how is it going? I miss you so much. Franklin told me about your fake relationship with Jobe. If you want to talk about it, I’m here for you because you need a freaking medal. Love you x
I let out an equally disappointed sigh at the acknowledgment of a fake relationship. But she’s right. I need a medal, a big fucker, to show I survived. If only she were here so we could talk.
My cell buzzes again.
Jobe.
By the way, Penny knows.
No shit, dumbass. I’m relieved Penny knows, even if it’s fake because I don’t like keeping things from her. Checking the time, it’s midmorning in LA, so I grab a blanket and head out to the terrace.
My cell makes the weird FaceTime noise.
“Zara!” Penny screams. Her big smile lights up the screen. “How are you?”
“Okay.” I force a smile because seeing her has brought on a ripple of emotions. “I miss you.”
Her face sags. “I miss you too. Terribly.” She looks away and then back to me. “Summer is sleeping. I’m so tired and all I think is Zee would cheer me up. We could have a night out together, and the world would be right again.”
“Your world is right,” I tell her. “Everything is how it should be. I won’t be away forever, and I’ll be back doing those things with you like no time has passed.”
“Have you booked a return flight?”
I shake my head. “Everything is uncertain at the moment. I gave myself a year, but we’ll see.”
“What do you want to achieve in a year?”
She’s watching me attentively as I consider my answer. “Originally, I wanted to get my life in some order. Boost my career. Travel some and enjoy the adventure. Make new friends.”
Her bottom lip curls under. “You already have great friends.”
I laugh at her. “I do. You’re my forever friends. But I don’t want to be alone here.”
“No.” She leans closer. “Why didn’t you tell me about your arrangement with Jobe?”
I twist my lips, feeling like a shit friend. “I didn’t know how you’d react. Besides, it’s a short time, and I think we have one more date… a gala to attend together.”
“I know.” Her eyes widen with excitement. “Franklin and I are also attending. I get to see you, and it will be fun. When your mother told me you won’t be home for Thanksgiving, I decided to come to you.”
“You spoke to Mom?”
“Yes.” Her eyes widen. “I wanted to surprise you if you were coming home. Thank you for doing this for the family. I wasn’t happy at first, the dishonesty in business.” She shrugs. “I felt sorry for Sir James. Then I understood how our family investment will benefit both businesses, and an older man’s opinion could ruin that.” She tilts her head as she holds my gaze. “You’ve always been stronger than me.”
My eyes well. “I’m not. I have always admired your strength and doing the right thing in the world. You have your life in order. I’m still floating around the planet, not knowing where I’m going or why.”
Her brow furrows. “You just told me your plan. Stick to your goals. Show London what Zara Hart can do.”
“I’m glad you have faith in me.” I double back. “So you’re coming to the gala?” Excitement grows in my chest at seeing my friend. It will be like the old days, but it won’t.
“Ah-ha.” She beams her beautiful smile at me. “Jobe said it’s not necessary, but Franklin thinks we should attend to represent HCM.”
“It’s so close to Christmas… but I’d love to see you.” But not when I’m fake adoring her brother-in-law. Only it’s not fake. She’ll notice. I. Will. Die.
Her head turns. “Babe, I’m sorry I have to go. Can we talk tomorrow? By the time I’m organized, you’ll probably be in bed.”
“Of course. You can talk to me anytime.” We blow each other a kiss before ending the video call.
I hold my cell to my chest. Damn, I have to text him.
Penny and Franklin are coming to the gala! I can’t fake date you in front of them!
I get to my feet, anxiety creeping up my chest as I wait for Jobe to reply.
I’ll convince him not to attend so you don’t have to stress.
Stressed? More like mortified!
Grabbing the blanket, I head inside to pour a red wine to help me sleep. Then, I flop onto the sofa with my wine glass and open my cell.
Hi, Mom, how are Dad and you? I miss you both. Again, I’m sorry I won’t be home for Thanksgiving, but I’m booking a flight to come home for Christmas. Love you x
I wrap the blanket around me, seeking some form of comfort. Now, all I need is a good book—one that ends with a guaranteed happily ever after.