“Wow, Trent, how long did you and Elaine talk after I left you two at lunch a couple weeks ago?” Jon asked.
“Jon, this is not personal, this is a business decision only. You of all people should know she’s not my type.”
“Oh, you mean intelligent?” Drew joked.
“Yeah, whatever, Drew.” Trent said. “I don’t see you in a long-lasting relationship either.”
“Oh, relationship, is that what you call them?” responded Drew. “I thought you would at least need to know her favorite color or something to call it a relationship, Trent.”
Ross, the mediator as always, said, “Okay, back to business. So do we all agree? We move forward with the offer to Elaine Manning and bring Takes One to an international level?”
“Agreed,” they all said.
“Perfect, I will give her a call and let her know I have a business proposition for her,” Trent said.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have Ross or me call?” Drew asked. “I mean, she has met you before. If you didn’t scare her away the first time, you just might the second time.” He laughed.
“Drew, I do more business negotiations in one week than you do in a year. I think I have this.”
“Okay, guys, since we seem to have concluded our Takes One business, some of us would like to take a moment to ask Jon a question,” Ross said.
Drew continued, “Jon, we’ve been friends since we were eighteen and we had to hear about your engagement from the rumor mill? Really, buddy? What the hell is that about? I thought we would have been on the first-to-call list and at least be celebrating over beers.”
“That’s all is it, Drew, a rumor,” Jon replied.
“No way. My sources say you were the one who let it slip at the hospital. Hey, how is she, by the way? All recovered? No long-term effects?” Drew asked.
“Yes, I believe so. Well, I’m not exactly sure,” Jon admitted.
“What do you mean you’re not sure? Isn’t she with you?” asked Ross.
Jon told his friends the entire story. He told them about the terms of the sponsorship; how he had lied to the nurses, doctors, and Lizette; how it ended with her reaction when he’d told her the truth.
“Jon, what the hell has gotten into you? We all know the reputation I have with the ladies and I have never—and I stress never—let the word fiancée—slip by accident,” Trent said. “I have to say, it’s nice to see one of you fuck up worse than me for once.”
“Jon, this is not like you,” Ross stated more seriously. “You’re one of my best friends, and one thing we can all agree on is you are always in control of everything you say and everything you do, and always have been. I saw the way you looked at her that night. And then followed the stories of you volunteering with her at a park in Rhode Island. There is something between you that led you to say it. Now you just need to figure out what that is before it’s too late.”
“Yeah, you blow it with Lizette and you might just find yourself like Trent, and none us wishes that on you, buddy,” Drew added.
“Guys, keep everything I said between us. So far, the world believes Lizette and I are engaged, and if I have my way, it’s going to stay that way.”
“Go get her, Jon,” Drew said.
With that he hung up the phone and left the office. He knew exactly where to find Lizette tomorrow night. Every Saturday night she had dinner at Ma’s house. If he didn’t catch her at home first, he would have no choice but to meet up with her there. For now, he had some planning to do.
Chapter Twenty
Lizette’s car hadn’t been parked outside her house, and, as he drove up to Ma’s home, Jon saw it wasn’t there, either. He was just about to pull away when Bobby approached his car.
“Hey, Jon, you here for dinner? Ma just called my brothers inside to get washed up.”
“Hi, Bobby. I was actually looking for Lizette. Have you seen her?”
“Not yet. You might want to come in and ask Ma—she knows everything. Trust me, whenever I try to hide something, she finds out. Ma says she has eyes in the back of her head, and sometimes I think it’s true.”
Before Jon could stop Bobby, he was already calling for Ma. She appeared on the porch with her apron on, having just finished making dinner.
“Well, Jon, are you going to sit there in your car or are you going to come in for dinner? I don’t want it getting cold.”
It was too late to just pull away. What excuse could he give for not entering without appearing absolutely rude? He put the car in park, turned off the engine, and went in.
There was already a place set for him, or had it been set for Lizette? This dinner was different from the last one they’d shared. The boys ate quickly and then scooted off, leaving Jon and Ma alone at the table.
Ma broke the silence. “So, Jon, I could tell from the moment I saw you, you were expecting Lizette to be here.”
He nodded. “She wasn’t at home, so I thought your place was a good guess. I was wrong. Do you know where I can find her?”
“Missing a fiancée, are we?” she inquired. Jon didn’t answer. “Lizette stopped in Thursday morning on her way to the airport. She didn’t tell me what had happened between the two of you, but I could tell there was trouble in paradise.”
“Airport? Did she say where she was going?”
“Sorry, I asked but she wouldn’t tell me. I told you before, she has more layers than an onion. And by the looks of it, she just discovered a layer even she wasn’t prepared for. I know she loves you very much—it was written all over her face when she spoke of you—but whatever she’s going through, she’ll have to figure it out on her own. Before you know it, she’ll be back in your arms, and you can start planning that wedding. Trust me—just give her a little time.”
Give her time? Time was his enemy right now. If he couldn’t find her and fix this mess, it would eventually get out that they were not really engaged. Once that happened, he knew he might lose her forever.
“How about some coffee and pie?” she asked.
“Ma, thanks for dinner, it was absolutely delicious. I’m sorry, but I can’t stay for dessert. I really need to speak to Lizette now. Did she give you any hint where she might have gone? Maybe a name of a beach, an island, or a state? Anything at all?”
“No, nothing like that.” Pausing for a moment, she continued. “She did say she was doing something she’d been dreaming of since she was a child. I have no idea what that could be.”
A smile crossed his face. Perfect. He knew exactly what that was. He got up quickly and gave Ma a kiss on the forehead. “I know exactly where she is. Thanks, Ma!”
With that he went and sat in his car and searched for the local travel agent. Who would have thought they all closed at noon on Saturday? In New York, some are open twenty-four hours a day. No problem, by Monday morning he would have the information and, if his guess was right, he’d be with her by midweek. She left Thursday, but exactly where was the question. He thought back to the magazines in her home. They were all about Japanese cooking, so he knew her destination had to be Japan, but he was going to need more information than that. Jon picked up his phone and told Matt to have his jet fueled and ready for an international flight on Monday.
He found a hotel and spent the next thirty-six hours planning how he was going to convince her to forgive him. No, not just forgive him, but come home with him. Where exactly that home would be wasn’t clear. New York City was where he had always envisioned himself staying, but spending time with her in a small town reminded him of the charm of the his childhood neighborhood. He could see why Lizette loved it so much. People actually greeted you when they passed by. No one seemed rushed; you could actually say they were strolling past. What a difference from the hustle and bustle of his lifestyle today.
Lying on his hotel bed, he opened the complimentary local newspaper in the room. He could not remember the last time he’d actually flipped through a printed newspaper instead of reading it online. As he tur
ned the pages, one article jumped out at him: billionaire jonathan vinchi to wed local lizette burke. He skimmed through the article, catching what could only be called excitement from the local media. No wonder she needed to get away. He was used to the attention, good or bad, that came with being a successful businessman. Everything he knew about Lizette said she lived a low-key, peaceful, and private life—not something she’d been able to do since he came into her life. Part of him thought he should correct the media, inform them there was no engagement, and let her come home to live the happy life she’d had before meeting him. That thought was quickly brushed away by the overwhelming emptiness he’d felt since she’d left the penthouse. No, he had no choice but to move forward with his plan. Tuesday night he would be in Japan and there was no way he would be coming back without her. No matter what it took, she was coming home with him. They belonged together; he just needed to convince her of that.
***
Lizette wasn’t sure if she was still suffering from jet lag, but she wasn’t herself. This trip had been her dream since childhood—studying with a master Japanese chef and learning his craft firsthand. Yet it was her fifth day here, and she found herself simply going through the motions, without emotion.
Each day she rose at four and, with the other students and the instructor, went to the street market to purchase all the fresh ingredients she’d need that day. That in itself was a learning experience, how to choose the right fish and how to tell its freshness. And the variety of vegetables! She’d never even seen some of them before. They tasted everything raw, then cooked them in various ways: steamed, poached, or fried. It was the endless flow of knowledge she’d been yearning to learn. So what happened to make her so numb? What had changed? Where was her passion?
The answer was always the same: Jon. Somehow when she walked out of that penthouse she’d forgotten to bring one thing with her—herself. She had thought that getting away, keeping busy, would fill her void inside. She’d been wrong. If anything, it was making it worse.
She sat on her third-floor balcony overlooking the busy, loud streets of Tokyo. Her hotel was small compared to the ones in the heart of the city. It appeared no one else could sleep either, as she was surrounded by the sounds of horns honking and music blasting. She dreaded going to bed; she knew exactly what would happen. She would dream of her last few days with Jon, only to wake crying as she heard him telling her the truth—they weren’t engaged. If that had been the only problem, she could have gotten past it. But to be haunted by the fact that she had fallen in love with a man who didn’t return her feelings—well, it was a heartbreak she was unsure she would recover from.
She wasn’t going to let her thoughts go there, not tonight. She downed the last sips of her rice wine and headed to bed. She only had two days of classes left. She wasn’t a quitter. Besides, she had spent her entire life savings on this trip; she might as well see the classes through.
***
Jon found it easy to locate Lizette’s hotel, thanks to the help of the travel agent. On the phone she had insisted she could not divulge any information about Lizette’s trip, yet when he showed up in person she sang a different tune. He could hear Ted’s voice in his head as he convinced her she should tell him exactly where Lizette was. Yes, Ted would have said he was being an intimidating ass. He had no issue with that opinion as long as it meant he got the information he was looking for.
Now, standing on the street of her hotel, he contemplated what her reaction would be when she saw him. He could still hear her last words clearly: “If you care about me, you won’t try to stop me.” He did care about her—loved her, in fact—and had regretted letting her walk out his door ever since. All he’d wanted was to grab her, kiss her, and make love to her until she forgot he’d lied to her. Yeah, what they’d shared in bed had been great—okay, unbelievably fantastic—but who was he kidding? No matter how great the sex was, it wasn’t going to make her forget what he’d done. Could he blame her if she never forgave him? He was sure if the shoe were on the other foot he wouldn’t be able to. But she was different, special, a better person than he was. Therefore, there was hope. Hope when she opened the door and saw him, she would cry tears of joy, wrap her arms around him, and invite him in. It definitely beat the alternative. She could swear at him, slap his face, and slam the door. Yep, he really didn’t know which way this was going to go.
As he stood on the sidewalk among the loud crowd of people, he could see the balcony of her hotel room. The lights were still on, a good sign. It was late; maybe she couldn’t sleep. Maybe she had company—he hadn’t thought of that until now. There was no reason to believe she was there with someone. That wasn’t something he wanted to contemplate.
As if responding to his question, she appeared on the balcony, alone. Even though her room was on the third floor, he could see the exhaustion on her face. Was it from the trip, the classes she was taking? She should not be pushing herself so hard soon after recovering from a concussion. He was just about to cross the street to enter the hotel when he saw her down the last of what was in her glass and go back into her room. The lights went off. He knew where to find her. She had two more days of classes that had been her childhood dream. Yes, he wanted to go knock on her door and claim her as his, but tonight wasn’t the night for that. She had made it clear, not just to him on the day she left, but to Ma and others as well—she needed her space. He would give it to her for now, but only for now. Let her finish what she came here to do. Then it would be his turn, and nothing would stop him from doing what he came to do.
Chapter Twenty-one
The next forty-eight hours were not as bad. Maybe it was the topic that made her feel more engaged. The last two days were dedicated to the art of sushi. Yes, art was definitely the right word for it. She learned how to cook the perfect rice and form it into shapes to hold a piece of her hand-sliced shrimp or paper-thin salmon. She watched and learned so much in the last two days, and at the end, she was able to create something very pretty. It was a start to fulfilling her childhood dream, but that was the extent of it.
What had she hoped for? She knew there was no way in seven days she could have become what her childhood dreams was, become a sushi master. No, that wasn’t realistic. But it had been a beautiful dream and, in actuality, this was an experience she would never forget. She was happy she had come and fully expected to utilize her new talents during the potluck office parties one day. No more being the one to bring the cookie tray! And for her, that might just be enough.
She was a gifted accountant, able to calculate numbers in her head more easily than most. Sadly, though, her job was just something she did, not something she truly enjoyed. So many people had tried to talk her into working for big corporate companies where she could make five times her current salary, but no money could increase her enjoyment of the job. The only thing that brought her some pleasure in her job was working for Another Chance. She had seen firsthand what the company did for the community, and she was proud to be a part of it.
It was still early in the evening and her plane did not leave until mid-afternoon the next day. She decided to pack now and sleep in a bit tomorrow.
As she arranged her things in her suitcase she came across the brochures of tourist hot spots she had picked up at the airport when she first arrived. If she’d had the money she would have loved to have seen the sights of the city, but she had spent everything she’d ever saved just to take the classes. Maybe someday she would come back and experience the rest of Tokyo. She looked the brochures over one last time, then let them slip from her fingers into the wastebasket. Who was she kidding? She was never coming back. This was a once-in-a-lifetime trip. As with many things in her life, she would go home and find a way to be content with that, just as she had with everything in her life, including her job.
If only she could find a way to be content without Jon. That was something she wasn’t sure she could ever do. Loving someone who didn’t love you back—well, that pai
n you can cover up, but the wound doesn’t ever heal, not all the way. No matter what her future held, she was positive her time with Jon was something she would never forget. If only he felt the same. If only he had stopped her from leaving, maybe they would be together now. Maybe he could have grown to love her like she did him. She shook her head; thoughts of maybe could drive a person crazy.
She put the last of her things in her suitcase and closed the latch. Lizette was just about to take a shower when there was a knock on her door. Opening it, she found the hotel manager standing outside.
“Hello, Ms. Burke. I am so very sorry to interrupt your evening. We seem to have a problem regarding your accommodations.”
“My room? What is the problem?”
“We apologize, Ms. Burke, but there seems to have been an error with the reservation. Your room has been double-booked.”
“Double-booked?”
“Yes, Ms. Burke. I am very sorry but we will need to move you to another room.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I just finished packing so that’s no problem. What room number will I be moving to?”
“Oh, that is—what do they say in the United States?—‘perfecting timing,’ I think?”
“Yes, perfect timing.”
“I will have someone come and retrieve your bags for you. There is a car outside waiting to take you to your new room.”
“A car? I don’t understand, isn’t my room in this hotel?”
“No, Ms. Burke. We do not have any vacancies. Someone will be up for your bags in a moment.” With a small bow, he exited her room without further explanation.
Well, good thing my plane leaves tomorrow, she thought as she grabbed her personal items from the bathroom and put them in her small carry-on bag. Before she knew it a bellhop had come to take her bags and escorted her to the car waiting outside. Only after the car pulled away did she wish she had asked where she was going. All she could figure was it may be a hotel affiliated with the one she’d been staying at.
The Billionaire's Secret (Betting on You Series: Book One) Page 15