Rachel stopped before the heavy wooden door leading into the main dining room. I rarely went into the dining room, choosing to eat at the more comfortable kitchen table or on the couch in the living room. Rachel turned and straightened my collar, her usually unreadable face pale.
“Address them as ‘Ma’am and Sir’. Do not contradict either of them, but especially not Mr. Saunders.” The way she said Mr. Saunders made it clear she meant Jack’s father. “Be more polite to them than anyone you have ever met in your life. Smile and be pleasant. For the love of God don’t tell them you are sleeping with Jack or have ever slept with Jack or even have ever thought of sleeping with him.”
I nodded, still confused as to what was going on. “Right, Sir and Ma’am. Be polite.”
“Mrs. Saunders is actually the driving force behind the two of them, but it is Mr. Saunders that wields the power in public. Pretend to ask him if you have a question, but it is Mrs. Saunders that you need to suck up to. Got it? Be brave. I’m not even supposed to be here right now, but I couldn’t send you into the lion’s den without a warning.” Rachel smoothed the fabric on my shoulders, and checked my collar one last time before flashing a nervous grin and moving out of the way for me to open the door to the dining room.
I opened the heavy wooden door, unsure of what to expect.
Inside, an attractive elderly couple was sitting across from one another, calmly sipping coffee and eating danish and scrambled eggs. It would have been a normal breakfast scene, if it weren’t for the ridiculously expensive clothing, the mahogany table with fine china, and the engraved silverware.
“Good morning, dear,” Mrs. Saunders greeted me, setting her coffee cup down delicately on the table. She had short blonde hair swept up into an elegant style and dark brown eyes. Her features were petite, but age had put enough weight on her to make her solid. She still had high cheekbones and a regal manner that made me want to curtsey.
“Good morning. It is a pleasure to meet you both,” I said. I was glad my voice didn’t quaver despite my nerves.
“So you’re the one distracting my son and making him the center of the tabloid gossip,” Mr. Saunders said, gesturing to the stack of tabloids and newspapers on the table. The Saunders’ name blared out across several headlines, the picture of him carrying me like a child, wrath and concern battling his face. I swallowed hard and nodded.
“Come and have some breakfast, Emma. We have some things to discuss,” Mrs. Saunders motioned to an empty chair. I managed to sit down fairly gracefully. I carefully poured a cup of coffee from the carafe on a silver platter. I wished I had something to make it stronger; it felt like I was going to need it.
“Did you marry my son?” Mr. Saunders had waited until I had taken my first sip and set the cup down on the table. He placed his hands on the shiny wooden table and made sure I was looking into his blue eyes. I liked his straightforwardness.
“Not legally. We did have a marriage ceremony, but it was never meant to be anything but a vacation memory. It was never supposed to go this far. It was a spur of the moment decision,” I answered honestly. Mr. Saunders continued to evaluate me with his piercing blue eyes.
“Jack told me that you didn’t know who he was at that time. Is this true?” Mrs. Saunders asked, sipping delicately on her coffee. Two sets of eyes stared intently at me. I could tell they would know instantly if I was lying or even thinking of lying. I had no intention of telling them anything but the truth. I wanted desperately for his parents to like me.
“Yes, Ma’am. The only time I read the gossip page is when I am waiting in line at the grocery store, and even then I only glance at the covers. They aren’t my preferred reading material. I honestly had no idea who he was until I got home and found my face on all these papers.”
Mrs. Saunders peered over her cup, appraising me like I was fish at the market. Her eyes weighed and measured me as she inwardly debated whether she wanted to purchase or if I was spoiled goods. My mouth felt dry despite my coffee and I forced myself not to lick my lips.
“Do you love him?” Mrs. Saunders asked, her voice casual. She sounded as though she were simply talking about the weather and not matters of the heart. I was about to give a pretty answer, one that was cautious and what I thought she wanted to hear, but nothing about being with Jack was cautious. I gave the truth.
“Honestly, Ma’am? I’m not sure. I’ve never been in love before. He makes me feel things that I have never felt in my entire life. Things that make my head dizzy with excitement and my heart pound with fear. When I see him, I feel like everything is going to work out in the end; like the world isn’t as horrible or dark as it was before I saw him.” I paused and took a short breath, needing to explain myself further. “My parents knew each other for three years before they even started dating. My mom says that it took her years to learn to love him, but one day she looked over and realized that she couldn’t live without that man near her. I haven’t known Jack for three weeks, let alone three years, but I do know that I don’t want to live in a world without him. I don’t know if this feeling will last another three weeks, three years, or three decades, but I want to try. He makes me want to try.”
Mrs. Saunders’ face never changed. She nodded her head to the pile of magazines on the table, their headlines blaring out. “What about the cost? They will always find you and want a piece of you.”
“They are just pictures. Eventually they will get bored because I am boring. I’m too normal to be on the cover for very long. Someone else will steal the spotlight, but if that is the price for being with Jack, I’ll pay it gladly.” A sense of calm washed over me as I realized every word was true. I would put up with a million paparazzi photographers for a minute with Jack.
Mr. and Mrs. Saunders looked at one another, a silent discussion rushing back and forth between them over their cooling eggs.
“I would not use the words ‘boring’ or ‘normal’ to describe you, Emma,” Mr. Saunders finally said, turning to look at me. Mrs. Saunders sighed.
“That's what makes this so hard. I so wanted to dislike you because it would make telling you this part so much easier.”
My heart crept into my throat. This was where they told me he was betrothed, that he had actually been married off as a child, that he had a horrible disease that was going to kill him in a week. The quiet ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner of the room was ominously loud.
Mrs. Saunders set her cup down and reached a hand out to mine. It was a familiar gesture, a way to soothe the sting of bad news. “The marriage may never have been legally binding, but he cannot marry you right now. This is a critical time for our company and business must come first. We can no longer delay the transition.”
I followed her eyes to Mr. Saunders. At first glance he seemed strong and solid, but as I looked closer, he was far more worn than I thought. A tiredness that he couldn’t fight danced around his limbs, dark circles concealed beneath subtle makeup, a thinness even his tailored suit couldn’t hide. There was a lean hunger around his mouth and desperation deep in his blue eyes. I had seen that look many times in the vet’s office... he was dying.
The realization must have blatantly crossed my face as Mrs. Saunders patted my hand to grab my attention. She continued, her voice low and controlled.
“We haven’t spoken to Jack about this yet. He doesn’t know the extent of Daniel’s illness and the need for a quick transition,” Mrs. Saunders said. The soft way her voice caressed her husband’s name made my heart ache. “We need him to focus completely on the company and the transition. Investors are already beginning to worry. He cannot have you as a distraction.”
“I didn't realize that I was a distraction," I said, putting a little sass in my voice. "What is it that you want me to do?” There was a hollowness in the pit of my stomach that I didn’t like. The coffee was growing cold in my cup.
Mrs. Saunders sighed, clearly not a fan of my tone. “Jack was always one to rebel when he felt pushed into some
thing he didn’t want to do. We would like the separation to come from you.”
“What do you expect me to say to him?” I asked. I didn’t want my coffee anymore. I didn’t want to have this conversation anymore. Mr. and Mrs. Saunders glanced at one another, a silent conversation slipping through the moment again.
“That's up to you. Tell him you can’t see him right now. Tell him you don’t love him. Break his heart if necessary, but he needs to focus on taking over the company right now. That is what is most important. Too much is at stake for him to explore his feelings for you.”
I looked at her brown eyes and saw a strange collection of emotions—concern and cruelty, heartache and determination, reluctance and sadness. She was accustomed to her wealth and getting what she wanted for her sons. Although she wanted to like me, she obviously thought her son could do better. She wanted her son to be happy, but the company must survive—it was like one of her children. She was being forced to choose between the happiness of two of her children.
I nodded slowly, trying to process exactly what she wanted me to do. She wanted me to leave Jack. I wasn’t sure if the request would be simple or the hardest thing in the world. I didn't really care about the company, I only cared about Jack. I wanted to scream "Who the fuck do you think you are?" but I knew that would get me nowhere. I decided it would be better to just let them tell me what they wanted. I could fight it later.
“It is of course your decision. We would never force you, or Jack, into something you don’t want to do,” Mrs. Saunders said. Her voice was smooth, like a salesman’s.
I wanted to say 'You are currently forcing Jack' but I bit my tongue.
She sighed. “One last thing. This may help you decide. This came in the mail to your house. We had it forwarded here.”
She slid a large envelope with a fancy seal across the table. It was from my first choice of vet schools. I picked it up with shaking hands, the size of the envelope promising admission. I noticed there was a normal sized envelope bearing the DS Oil and Gas logo attached with a paperclip.
“You’ve been accepted to the school. We had nothing to do with your admission, but there is a full scholarship set up in your name if you take it and leave our son to run his business. Included is a sizable sum to help you cover any expenses.” Mrs. Saunders paused as I weighed the two envelopes in my hands. “If you stay with Jack, you can never become a vet. People would line up with their dogs and cats to become your clients and patients because they know if you make even the slightest mistake, they can sue you for millions. You will never be able to practice without the fear that they were using you. If you stay with Jack, you become part of the company—an employee like the rest of us. You will be lost in a world that is not of your making. Dinners and charities will fill your days instead of animals. Your dreams will die.”
I set the two envelopes down in front of me, the DS Oil and Gas logo merging with the seal on the acceptance envelope. Mrs. Saunders watched me, her eyes cold. I wondered what she had given up to be be where she was now. I hoped this was her way of preventing what happened to her happen to me. I felt light headed. I couldn’t decide if I was angry, confused, frightened or grateful.
“So,... you’re bribing me?” I asked, looking her in the eye. She shrugged.
“If that is how you want to look at it. I prefer it to be a generous parting gift. You made my son smile. You gave him something that money can’t buy and this is the only way I know how to repay you. I am giving you an option I never had.” The only way she knows—money for emotions. I pitied her.
I looked down at the envelopes again. This is what I had wanted for so long. On top of that it would all be paid for. I could have my dream and not go into debt, start my own practice the minute I finish school. I could live the life I had always dreamed of and go back to doing the work I love. Back to my home where people don’t push and shove and take pictures for money.
I picked up the two envelopes, stacking them neatly before holding them out for Mrs. Saunders to take back. I don’t want their money. I want Jack.
“Think it over for a little while,” she said gently, pushing them back towards me. “This money is very little to us, but to you, it would mean your whole future. Take it, and think it over for a day. I know you will make the right decision.”
I set the envelopes down on the table, suddenly tired. “I’ll think about it then. I can’t make any promises though.”
“That is all we ask,” Mrs. Saunders said with a nod. She smiled. “Would you care for some breakfast?”
“No, thank you. I am afraid I don’t have much of an appetite right now. I have some thinking I need to do. Please excuse me.” I picked up the envelopes, carefully placing one inside the other, the chair nosily scraping the floor as I stood. The Saunders nodded politely and resumed their breakfast as though they hadn’t asked me to choose between my dreams and love.
I managed to make it to the hallway before I started running.
***
I nearly slammed the door to my bedroom, but managed not to. Every nerve in my body was shaking from my encounter with the Saunders. I looked at my freshly made bed and hoped I was going to wake up soon. This had to be a dream.
I placed the envelope on my dresser, trying to ignore them while I checked my phone. No new messages. It was still early though and Jack always tried not to wake me up. I fell back onto the big bed, feeling the soft bedding catch my fall. I tried to take a deep breath, hold it, and let it out. It didn’t work. I still felt flustered and discombobulated.
The envelope stared at me like a judgmental eye. The dolphin necklace that Jack had bought me sat curled up neatly beside it. Two different decisions. Two different paths. I closed my eyes, but I could still feel them there, haunting me to choose. Dreams or Jack?
I let out a frustrated noise and stood up. Lying in bed wasn’t going to help me choose. I needed something to do, something productive. I hated sitting around with nothing to do but wait for my dinner with Jack or for Rachel to come entertain me. I hung the dress coat in the closet, smoothed the expensive silk of my shirt, and opened the door to the hallway.
I got two steps before I realized that the Saunders would probably still be eating breakfast in the dining room. They were the last people in the world I wanted to see, so I snuck carefully down the hall past the door to the kitchen. The lights were off and it was empty. A pale cold light through the window sparkled on the stainless steel appliances, but what caught my eye were the roses.
Sitting on the light wooden table was a beautiful bouquet of long stemmed red roses. They smelled divine, their sweet scent filling the kitchen with images of summer. A small card sat next to them, inscribed simply with “For a beautiful lady.” It was Jack’s messy scrawl. I could barely read it, but it made my heart melt a little, knowing that this was Jack’s way of trying to apologize for last night.
I held a flower up and took a deep breath. The scent relaxed me, my shoulders dropping down from my ears to rest where they were supposed to. I picked my phone out of my pocket.
Thank you for the flowers. I love them!
It only took a moment for the reply: You deserve them. I’m sorry about last night. Do over?
An idea formed quickly. I could feel a grin spreading over my face as it began to take shape, the pieces falling together.
Dinner is on me tonight. I’ll arrange everything.
I took another deep inhale of the flowers. I would need Rachel’s help, but I could make this a wonderful evening. It was something that would keep me busy, and give me something to do other than think about the decision sitting on my dresser.
Chapter 18
I sat on the vinyl seat, a nervousness making my hands twitchy. I played with the silverware, the menus, the dinky plastic cup filled with soda. I probably shouldn’t have had two full glasses already, but I was nervous and kept refilling it.
I glanced around the small diner. It was nothing fancy—a greasy spoon hamburger joint that re
minded me of home. With Rachel’s help, I had rented the entire restaurant for the evening. The owner was more than happy to “sell” me the space for an evening, and I had a feeling Rachel was generous with the payment in return for a signed agreement not to tell anyone. No crazy photographers were going to ruin this date night.
I glanced up as the door chimed. Jack walked in the door, wearing a $10,000 suit. I was wearing jeans and a t-shirt—granted it was a Rachel-chosen jeans and t-shirt costing more than a week’s salary. I watched as the two bodyguards closed the door behind him. The taxi he arrived in pulled away, immediately lost to a sea of matching yellow cars. The taxi for him, while Rachel drove around in the fancy chauffeured car to keep the paparazzi from following him had been my idea.
“You did all this?” He asked, glancing around the small diner. He looked so out of place as he hung his fancy suit jacket on a coat rack covered with grease, and slid into the seat across from me.
“I thought we could be normal tonight,” I said with a smile. He glanced around.
“Where are the other diners?”
“Okay, sort of normal. I bought the restaurant for the evening. The chef and the waitress too. I mean—I didn’t buy them—you can’t buy people—”
Jack reached out and took my hand, cutting off my nervous chatter. His hand was warm and strong on mine, current flowing through it and sending my already racing heart into a new pattern.
“This is fantastic, Emma. Thank you.” His smile made my poor heart do back flips.
An excited waitress bounced over to our booth, her grin nearly pulling her face apart.
“So, what can I get you folks?” She tried to say it normally, but the grin on her face at serving the famous Jack Saunders, gave her excitement away.
Jack didn’t even bother opening the menu before ordering.
“I’ll take your largest burger with pepper jack cheese. Can you put a fried egg on it? Perfect. The works on the burger, fries, and a chocolate shake please.”
Tangled: A New Adult Romance Boxed Set (12 Book Bundle of Billionaires, Bad Boys, and Royalty) Page 13