“Are you okay?” Chloe held out a tissue.
With a nod, she accepted it. “I’ll be fine.” Grabbing her key ring, she yanked Trent’s key off. “Most of my stuff is in the master suite and bathroom. But I left my favorite sweatshirt and sneakers in the closet right when you come in.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get everything.” Chloe stuck the key in her jeans pocket and stood. “See you later tonight.
Grateful for her cousin’s help, Addie refocused on her work and hoped that would block out the sadness she’d heard in Trent’s voice.
***
The gentleman in him said he should pack up Addie’s things and make it easy for her cousin. The selfish ass in him decided the longer Chloe stayed at his place, the longer he had to enlist her help. Since the moment Addie walked out on him he’d racked his brain for ways to repair the damage. Thus far, he’d had no success on how he could reach Addie and make her believe him. Maybe once she believed him, she could forgive him. The alternative just wasn’t an option. Every time he considered that he might never talk to her or hold her again, his chest ached.
Trent stared out a window, the evening news the only sound in the apartment as he waited for Chloe, who he was still pissed at now that he thought about it. With everything else he’d forgotten about Chloe sending the picture. He didn’t believe Chloe had meant any real harm. Still, she’d violated Addie’s privacy. Tonight wasn’t the time to scold her though. He needed her on his side.
When the security panel buzzed, he told the doorman to send the guest up even before he found out who it was. Eager to speak with Chloe, he opened the apartment door and waited for the elevator.
“Thanks for letting me come by tonight,” Chloe said when she stepped off the elevator and saw him. “And before I forget here’s your key.” She pulled the key from her pocket and held it out.
He hesitated. He didn’t want the damn thing back. “Thanks. Come on in.” He shoved the key into his own pocket and closed the door. “I think all of Addie’s stuff is upstairs. I’ll show you.”
Chloe didn’t speak again as she followed him upstairs, but her expression told him she had a lot on her mind.
“Addie’s suitcases are in the closet.” He flipped on the bedroom light and walked halfway into the room. “Do you want my help?”
“Uh, no that’s okay,” she answered but didn’t start packing. “Um, Trent.” Chloe shoved her hands into her back jeans pockets. “I don’t know what you guys fought about, but I hope it’s not me.” A guilty expression clouded her face. “I never should’ve sent that picture in. I’m sorry.”
Had Addie not told Chloe the truth? From the sound of it Chloe believed her confession caused their breakup.
“I know you care about my cousin, and she loves you. Is there any way I can help you two work this out? I hate seeing her like this.”
He almost laughed. He’d hoped she’d have some ideas. “If you can think of a way, I’m open for suggestions. Just so you know, Chloe, you didn’t cause this. I did.” Well, maybe her confession had but not in the way she thought. If not for the picture he never would’ve gotten to know Addie or fallen in love with her. No, all blame for the collapse of their relationship rested on him and Marty.
On the other side of the room, Chloe dropped a suitcase on the bed. “I wish I had some ideas.” She grabbed a bunch of skirts from the closet and placed them in the suitcase as he stood by and watched the final remnants of his relationship disappear. “She won’t even talk about you. I’ve never seen her so upset.”
It looked like he was back to square one. “I do love her, Chloe.” Other than with Addie, he hadn’t shared his feeling with anyone. “I just don’t know how to fix things.” He’d figure it out though, or die trying.
“Have you tried apologizing? Addie has always been a forgiving person. I don’t think she’s ever held a grudge against anyone.”
Obviously, Chloe didn’t know how many times he’d tried calling and Addie hadn’t answered. “She never takes my calls. I did send her flowers at work.”
Chloe looked up from packing. “Really? I didn’t see any there. Maybe they didn’t make it.”
More likely she’d either refused them or tossed them out.
“Maybe she needs a little more time.” With the suitcase full, Chloe zipped it up and proceeded to fill the other one.
“I hope you’re right.” He doubted time would help the situation. “I’ll let you finish up. If you need help just ask. And Chloe, when you see Addie please tell her I miss her.” He hated using a messenger to convey his feelings, but right now it was all he had. “And tell her I love her.”
“Will do.”
Trent turned away, but Chloe’s voice stopped him. “Trent, I know she loves you. She’ll come around.”
When he helped Chloe carry the suitcases to her car a little later and watched her drive away, an inexplicable feeling of emptiness took over his body. The only other time he’d experienced something similar had been when his mom died. As terrible as that experience had been at least then he’d had the love and support of the entire Sherbrooke clan behind him. Now, he had no one.
With slow steps he took the stairs from the underground parking garage to the building’s main foyer. Once at his private elevator though he changed his mind. Rather than go back upstairs, he turned around and headed for the parking garage again. Right now his place was full of memories and was the last place he wanted to be.
Getting behind the wheel of his Bugatti, he revved the engine, then pulled out, the only destination in mind the open road.
***
Addie’s eyes opened when she heard the front door open and close. How long had she slept? She’d sat down intent on watching her favorite new show, a paranormal drama. Now a popular sitcom played on the television.
“I’m back,” Chloe said as she entered the room. “I think I got everything.” She dropped down on the couch. “I didn’t know you watch this show.”
Addie glanced at the screen. “I don’t. I fell asleep watching something else and then this started.” She turned off the television. She had no interest in the silly show. “Thanks so much for doing that.”
“No problem,” Chloe answered. “I apologized for the whole picture incident while I was there. I thought maybe that was why you two fought.”
She’d not considered that her cousin might blame herself. “It had nothing to do with it.”
“That’s what he said. He also asked me to tell you he missed you and loves you.”
Addie didn’t reply. Unless she went into specific details, Chloe would never understand why she doubted his words.
“He looked unhappy, Addie. I think he’s sincere. Maybe you two should try talking. Couples fight and disagree all the time. That doesn’t mean they can’t work out their problems.”
She appreciated her cousin’s concern, but right now she didn’t need her suggestions. “It’s complicated, Chloe. Can we just leave it at that for now?”
Chloe’s shoulders sagged and she frowned. “If that’s what you want. But Addie, if a man told me he loved me and I loved him…” Chloe held up a hand when Addie opened her mouth to speak. “Don’t deny it, you love him,” she said before she completed her original statement. “Then I’d work things out with him before it was too late.”
Under different circumstances she’d take her cousin’s advice. Not this time though. “Thanks again for getting my stuff tonight.” Addie stood up. “I’m going to bring everything upstairs and unpack. Then go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Chapter 18
Could she have the flu? She’d had it the previous winter and it had knocked her on her butt. She’d spent two full days in bed only getting up for soup and the bathroom. Right now she could easily see herself spending two full days in bed. But when she’d had the flu she’d also had a bunch of other symptoms. She’d had a 101-degree fever for days as well as a cough and sore throat. This time she suffered from none of those th
ings.
Maybe there’s some kind of stomach bug going around. People could get tired from a stomach virus, right? That would explain her frequent nausea. If that were it, wouldn’t she just throw up for twenty-four or forty-eight hours and then be fine? While she’d vomited several times over the past week it wasn’t an everyday event. Not to mention she hadn’t heard of any stomach bugs going around.
Addie crossed the ideas off her mental list as she sipped her tea the following Thursday. What else could be causing her recent ailments? When she had her monthly period she often got tired and sometimes cranky but not nauseous. Could her body’s reaction to that time of the month be changing? People’s bodies did change all the time in all kinds of ways. In fact, she had one cousin who had eaten dairy products all her life and now couldn’t touch milk without getting sick.
She should be starting her period anytime now. Actually, she’d expected it on Monday, but so far it hadn’t started and neither had the horrible cramps she usually suffered from. As if her mind had just put two and two together, she froze. Since going on the pill she’d never missed her period and like clockwork they started on Monday. Here it was Thursday and nothing, not even a single cramp.
No, she couldn’t be pregnant. Sure, she and Trent had stopped using condoms because she was on the pill, but those things were great at preventing pregnancy. Yes, the doctor said they didn’t prevent pregnancies one hundred percent of the time, but she’d never had a friend use the pill and get pregnant. Yet if the doctors said it was even a remote possibility then she guessed it was.
Panic like she’d never experienced before welled up in her chest and she took a gulp of her tea. There had to be another explanation. Stress maybe, didn’t that do all kinds of crazy things to your body? Addie latched onto the explanation. I’ve had plenty of stress in life before and never felt this way, her mind whispered dashing her hopes.
She went for another sip of her tea only then realizing she’d finished it. Covering her eyes with her hand she sat still. Only one way to find out. Addie pushed back her office chair. Then after a brief stop at Tara’s desk, she left for the closest pharmacy.
Not even an hour later, Addie stood in the private bathroom off her office and placed the pregnancy test stick next to the other two and held her breath as she waited. In less than a minute the tiny positive blue sign appeared just as it had done in the first two tests from the three-pack kit she’d bought.
Around her, the room spun and she grabbed onto the sink counter. No, there had to be a mistake. She took her pill every morning with breakfast. She never missed one. Wasn’t that how women became pregnant while on the pill, by skipping doses? Once the room stopped moving, she sat down on the toilet seat cover. Maybe the tests were faulty. Maybe she bought a defective box. “I’ll buy another box and that one will work fine.” Addie jumped up, grabbed her purse and headed back out.
Deciding that the first pharmacy must sell defective products, she headed for the pharmacy located in the Providence Place Mall. When she dropped her purchase on the counter, the cashier gave her a curious look, but she understood why. After all she was buying four pregnancies tests, all from different manufacturers. If she’d been working at the register and someone came up with that many, she’d probably give them a strange look as well.
“One of these has to work right,” she muttered as she entered her office later. Once in the privacy of her bathroom, she opened up all the individual boxes and prayed for a different result.
***
He decided to give her a little time. Calling her and leaving messages every day hadn’t helped. His flowers hadn’t helped and neither had the message he’d given her cousin. Perhaps some time to think would. Right now he figured it couldn’t hurt anything.
“Mr. Sherbrook, Marty Phillips is here to see you,” Shirley said from the doorway.
Trent almost told Shirley to reschedule the meeting. He knew if Marty questioned him about Addie he’d lose it on the guy. So far, both Marty and the media knew nothing about their breakup. He hoped it would stay that way. “Send him in, Shirley.”
Shirley disappeared and Marty entered with a smile on his face. “Have you seen today’s Providence Gazette?”
Wasn’t it a similar line that had gotten him into this mess? “No, not yet,” he answered with suspicion. Judging by Marty’s smile it wasn’t bad news, but when it came to the media you never knew.
“The paper did an election poll which included you, Potter and Runnel.” Marty took a newspaper from his briefcase and handed it to Trent. “At least according to the poll voters are most likely to vote for you, although Potter isn’t far behind.”
Trent looked at the poll results. According to it, fifty percent of the people asked said they’d vote for him in the election while forty said they’d vote for Potter. Although the election was still a while away, the number should thrill him. Instead, a knot formed in his stomach. They’d used Addie to achieve this. He didn’t doubt for a minute that his recent relationship with her had changed the way people saw him.
“I also heard that the Belands were quite taken with you and Addie at the auction. If you and Addie attend a few more of the same functions and develop a strong relationship, you’ll have Vincent in your corner. Maybe invite him for a round of golf, too. He’s an avid golfer. Consider making a contribution to the hospital as well.”
He nodded. He had every intention of winning Addie back and until then he didn’t want to discuss her with Marty.
Satisfied with Trent’s response, Marty continued. “It’s still too soon to start campaign ads, but we want to get things in motion. I’ve already contacted, Ben Astor; he did a lot of work on your uncle’s ads. I’m waiting to hear back from his office so we can all sit down and talk.”
Trent added little to the conversation as Marty went over the meeting’s agenda. So far things looked right on track and Marty appeared confident he would soon find himself a Senator in Washington. Two weeks earlier the meeting would’ve left him on cloud nine. Now it left him wishing he could turn the clock back. If he could do that he’d ask Addie out the day he’d bumped into her, long before Marty’s crazy plan.
“Will we be reading about an engagement anytime soon?” Marty asked touching on his relationship for the first time.
Trent thought back to his proposal. The whole night had played out much differently than he’d planned it. “I don’t know. I’ll let you know.”
“At least she quit the bakery,” Marty said as a knock sounded at the door.
Thankful for the interruption, Trent told Shirley to enter.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but your cousin Jake is here to see you.”
As much as he’d rather have Jake on the other side of conference table instead of Marty, he realized they still had matters to discuss. “Can you please tell him, I’ll be here a while and to just meet me at my place. Paul will know to let him in.”
Shirley nodded and closed the door.
***
“I helped myself. I didn’t think you’d mind,” Jake said, a beer in his hand when Trent entered his kitchen a few hours later.
A cold beer sounded perfect right now to him as well. “I think I’ll grab one myself.” Trent left his briefcase on a chair. As he headed for the refrigerator, he unknotted his tie, eager to lose the thing.
“I thought Addie would be here before you. She moved in with you, didn’t she?” Jake tipped back his beer bottle and took a long swig.
Trent used more force than necessary on the bottle cover and it flew across the counter before it hit the wall. “She moved out last week.” He ignored the discarded cover and took a gulp from his bottle.
“What did you do?” Jake asked with no hesitation. “Don’t deny it. I know you. If she moved out you must have screwed something up.”
Trent didn’t deny his cousin’s allegations. “That would be putting it mildly.” Before Jake could question him again, he went on and changed the subject. “Where’s Charlie?�
��
“Atlanta at a medical symposium until Wednesday. I thought I’d visit you for a few days and then go see my nephew.” Jake worked at pulling the label off his beer bottle. “So what did you do that made Addie leave?”
So far he’d come up with no ways for winning her back and her cousin hadn’t had any ideas. Maybe Jake would have some suggestions. “I used her.” He took another swig of beer to moisten his dry mouth. Then Trent shared everything with Jake from how they first met to how she’d discovered the binders in his desk. As he shared the information, it again struck him just how cold and heartless he’d been.
Across the table Jake shook his head, his mouth in a tight grim line. “Christ, Trent, what were you thinking? I’m surprised she didn’t hit you when she found out.”
Her walking out of his life hurt more than any physical punch ever would.
“Sara said she warned you about Marty. Too bad you didn’t listen.”
He’d forgotten all about his conversation with Sara and her warning about Marty. He wondered what Marty had done in the past. “Right now that’s a moot point.” Maybe someday he’d make inquiries; for now he had more important matters. “I’ve tried everything I can think of, but she wants nothing to do with me. I don’t suppose you have any useful ideas on how I can fix this mess.”
Jake studied him. “Do you love her or do you want her back because of the election?”
“You have to ask? I brought her to Callie and Dylan’s. I had her move in with me. Hell, the night she walked out I proposed.” His cousin’s doubts about his intentions cut him deep. Jake more than anyone else should know him better.
“I figured as much, but I wanted to check.” Jake fell silent again as if deep in thought. “If I were in her place, it’d take a hell of a lot more than flowers and an apology to give you another chance, so you need to think big. Even then, I wouldn’t blame her if she said forget it and moved on, especially given your reputation.”
Redeeming The Billionaire (The Sherbrookes of Newport Book 5) Page 20