by Tawny Amaya
I bit my lip as I looked at the tiny writing on my cell phone, hating the fact that I hadn’t brought a laptop with me. Attempting to read requests and check the venue’s calendar was not fun when you only had one device to do it all on.
With a sigh, I threw the phone on the table, looking out of the windows over the city. As much I had been excited about coming here, I was so over the city and being in this apartment. Every morning, I took my tour guide and saw the sights, pretending for a while that I was not a woman concerned about her future and her relationship. While New York had many to offer, I was done with the city for now. I wanted to go home, back to the vineyard and resume the life that I knew. I wanted to immerse myself in the venue and forget everything that had happened here, everything that made me question my choice to be with Jackson.
Most of all, I wanted our relationship to go back to the goodness that it was before we came here. I missed Jackson. I missed the man that had danced with me in the darkness and enjoyed a cold beer as we sat on the patio and looked out over the vineyard. I missed the cozy nights, the laughter, and the love.
Oh, I knew the love was still there. I had no doubts in my mind that we loved each other to distraction. But I didn’t know if it was enough. This trip had shown holes in our relationship, that our lives were vastly different from each other and I wasn’t so sure either of us could be happy without our vices.
The door opened, and I turned to see Jackson walking in the front door, a bouquet of flowers in his hand and a grin on his face. My heart started a slow thump as he walked over, my body humming with elation and excitement that he was here in the middle of the day. “Hey,” I said, standing. “What are you doing here?”
He presented the flowers to me. “Can’t a man surprise his girlfriend for no reason whatsoever?”
I took the bouquet, my fingers brushing over the delicate petals. “Well, I am surprised.”
Jackson clasped his hands behind his back, looking pleased with himself. “That’s what I was going for.”
I walked over to the kitchen, my hands shaking slightly as I reached for a cup from the cabinet. Filling it with water, I placed the bouquet in it before turning around. Jackson was standing on the other side of the island, already removing his tie. I was so glad to see him, alone. “So, what’s the deal?”
He chuckled as he threw the tie on the countertop. “I want to take you to see the sights today Bree. I’m sorry, I’ve neglected you.”
His words were touching, though they didn’t erase the hurt I had experienced last night when I smelled the perfume on his shirt. Was he feeling guilty about something he did last night? I wanted to ask, oh I wanted to so badly, but I didn’t want to know either. What if he was cheating on me? What if something happened and he didn’t know how to tell me?
“That’s some serious conversation you are having with yourself.”
Shaking out of my turbulent thoughts, I gave him a half smile. “I’m sorry. I just, I have so much to do with the venue and all. I’ve been working all morning.”
His eyes softened. “I’m sorry Bree. Bad timing.”
I didn’t want him to go back to work. “I-it’s okay. I think I am good right now. What did you have in mind?”
His grin returned. “I don’t know. What about touristy shit? I’d like to take you to the statue of liberty.”
I bit my lip. “I’ve already gone, Jackson.” I had gone, yesterday, finding my own way around with the help of my tour guidebook. The sight was something else, and I had numerous pictures on my phone to take back to my father.
“Oh,” he said, his brows knitting together. “Well, we can go to Central Park then. It’s a good day to walk.”
“Done that the day before.” What did he think I did all day? Being left alone hadn’t been my idea of a great trip, but I had taken the liberty to entertain myself, even buying souvenirs for everyone back home.
“What the hell haven’t you done then?”
I rounded the island, placing my hand on his chest. “Thank you for wanting to spend the day with me.”
He reached for me, his hands sliding around my waist and pulling me against him, resting his forehead against mine. “I’ve fucked this whole thing up for you, haven’t I?”
I swallowed, not wanting to tell him the truth. “O-of course not. You’ve been busy, that’s all. I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself, Jackson.”
Jackson blew out a breath, and I could feel his heart pound against his chest under my touch. When was the last time we had even touched each other like this? “I’m sorry Bree, so damn sorry.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and closed the distance between us, laying my head on his shoulder. I didn’t want to tell him how much I had missed him, how much I had worried about him, about us over the last few days. “It’s okay, really. We will be leaving soon anyway. Then you can make it up to me.”
He didn’t respond, which only added a layer of concern to my already growing list. What if he told me he didn’t want to leave? What would I do? I couldn’t stay here!
Finally, Jackson pulled back and brushed my hair out of my face, his eyes searching mine. I saw concern, worry there and I felt the echo in my own heart. “I got something I bet you haven’t done before.”
“What’s that?”
His grin appeared, along with that sexy dimple that always sent my pulse pounding against my skin. “Broadway.”
Surprise filtered through my body. “Really? You hate theatre.” He did. I remembered as a teen that any mention of seeing theatre would send Jackson running the opposite direction. He hadn’t even come to one of my plays, no matter how much I had begged him.
“Yes, really,” he said, his thumb tracing my cheek. “It’s the ultimate city experience. I hear there are some good ones playing and I can get us fucking awesome seats.”
I felt giddy with excitement. “That would be wonderful.”
“And dinner.”
I nodded, and he kissed my lips softly, groaning as he deepened the kiss. I allowed
myself to be washed away with the sensations, my body craving for more from him. I didn’t want to believe anything I had thought over the last few days. I just wanted everything to go back the way they were before we had come.
******
CHAPTER 14: JACKSON
I watched as Bree’s eyes sparkled under the candlelight, feeling at ease for the first time in a few days. She looked happy, and that was the way I wanted her to be. The thought of going to the theatre was as appealing as going to the dentist for me, but if it kept that sparkle in her eyes, I would sit through a hundred of them.
“I really can’t believe we are going to Hamilton,” she kept saying as the waiter cleared our plates. “I mean, those tickets are so hard to come by.”
I nodded. Those tickets had cost me a small fortune, but it was worth it, more and more by each minute of her excitement. “No expense spared for you.”
She laughed. “I might just break you, Jackson.”
She already had, but I wasn’t going to tell her that yet. After my conversation with my father, I had dismissed the whole notion of staying in the city. I wanted to go home, with Bree. I had found a guy whose resume was damn impressive and coupled with Marti’s skills, they were going to keep the New York sector on the up and up. This was no longer my home. My home was with Bree, and as soon as we got back to the vineyard, I was going to make it official. I wanted to put a ring on her finger.
The thought didn’t scare me like I thought it would. A future with Bree, filled with love and happiness, maybe even a few kids running under our feet. I wanted to build a house on that cliff for her. Next week was her birthday, and I planned to spring it all on her.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I ignored it, not wanting to have anything ruin this night. I wanted nothing more than to take Bree to the damn theatre then take her back to the apartment to make feral love to her the rest of the night until I couldn’t damn think straight. Even no
w my cock strained against my suit pants at the thought of her panting under me.
“Your face is red Jacks. What are you thinking about?”
I looked at her. “Fucking you.” Now her face was pink.
“Jacks,” she said huskily, her voice sending a wave of heat through my already tight body. “How much time do we have before the play?”
I grinned. Hell, I would go get a hotel room to have her right now. “Not near enough time I am going to need with you tonight.”
She smirked, though I could see the same heat raging in her eyes. We would be lucky to make intermission at this point. My cell buzzed again, and I finally pulled it out of my pocket, seeing the numerous texts that I had ignored.
Problems with investors, call me.
They are backing out.
Need your help ASAP.
Shit. Not what I needed to happen right now. I looked up at Bree, holding up the phone. “I got to make a call.”
She eyed the cell. “Sure, go ahead.”
Standing, I walked past our table to the alcove near the restrooms, finding Marti’s number before holding the phone up to my ear. She picked up on the first ring. “Jackson. Oh, thank god you called. We have major issues with Pelham. They are threatening to back out unless we meet with them tonight.”
“Shit,” I said, rubbing a hand over my face. Pelham was one of the wins Marti, and I had captured yesterday, one that was going to be a huge money maker for my father. Their chain of coffee shops had just agreed to fill two of my father’s buildings, including one that was a major business thoroughfare. “They have to meet tonight? Can’t you handle them?”
She sighed into the phone. “I’m sorry Jackson, I really am. I tried, but they are demanding to see you in an hour.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Fine, fuck. I will be there.”
“Thank you,” she said before clicking off.
I tapped my cell against my forehead, regret filling my veins. I was going to have to ruin this damn night with Bree. While I should say fuck it and let them back out, I couldn’t. If I lost this contract, it would mean doomsday for the company, taking years to recoup. “Dammit to hell,” I swore, sliding my phone back into my pocket before making my way back to the table, where Bree waited. It must have been written on my face for her smile faltered. “Something wrong?”
I reached across and took her hands in mine. “Listen Bree. Something’s happened, and I have to, I mean I gotta go.”
Her hands tightened on mine before she withdrew them, fidgeting with her cloth napkin instead. “Like you are canceling for the night?”
I let out a heavy sigh, reaching into my coat for the tickets. “Here. Go to the play. I will meet you home later.” I didn’t know how long I was going to be, but I was going to kill the fuckers for causing this to happen.
She looked at the tickets before shaking her head, devastation in her eyes. “N-no.”
“Bree,” I started as she stood, grabbing her jacket from the back of the chair. “Please.”
She shrugged it on over the smoking hot dress she had thrown on earlier, her eyes full of regret as she looked at me. “Go on, take care of whatever you have to take care of Jackson. I, never mind. It’s not important.”
I watched as she stalked off, seeing the tension in her lines as she disappeared from sight. Shit. She was pissed and rightly so. Hell, I was pissed.
***
The drive to the office building only took a few minutes, giving me enough time to settle my anger and focus on getting this over as quickly as possible. I was going to have to do some major groveling to make up this night to Bree, and I was going to start with telling her we were going home. Together. Hell, I might even propose tonight to keep her from leaving me.
Punching the button on the elevator, I waited until the doors closed before I blew out a breath. This night had gone to shit in a heartbeat.
The doors opened, and I stepped out, straightening my coat. I had twenty minutes before Pelham was due to arrive and during that time, Marti and I would scrabble to work on smoothing this over. Stalking to the office, I pushed open the cracked door. “Alright, this is what.”
Marti was standing before my desk, candles all around the office. A bottle of wine stood chilling in a bucket near the window, soft music playing the background. Her attire was less than officelike, the lacy negligee leaving nothing to the imagination. Hell, she was wearing more lipstick than she was clothes. “What the hell is this?”
“Oh Jackson,” she purred, holding out a glass of wine toward me. “Don’t pretend that this isn’t what you want.”
******
CHAPTER 15: BREE
I urged the car to go faster as I clenched my hands together, tears streaming down my face. Soon after leaving the restaurant, I had gotten a call from one of the men that worked in the vineyard with my father. He had suffered some kind of medical emergency and had been taken to the hospital. “I’m sorry Bree,” Lucas had said, his voice full of emotion. “Your father didn’t want me to call you, but I know my daughter would want to know. I don’t know what happened, but you better get here fast.”
I had literally shouted at the driver to turn the car around, scaring the poor man half to death and gave him the address to Jackson’s office building, my anxiety and worry nearly boiling over. My father had to be okay, he was going to be okay. I couldn’t lose my only surviving relative, my mentor. If he died before I got home, I would never forgive myself.
The car pulled up to the building, and I jumped out, hurrying to the door. We had to go home tonight. Jackson would agree, of course, and I was grateful that I had him to lean on during this difficult time. I was a complete mess.
The elevator doors slid open, and I hurried in, jabbing at the button that would take me to his office. It was good that he had told me on the first day how to reach him in case of an emergency and since he wasn’t answering his damn cell phone, I had no choice but to track him down in person. My hands shook as I wiped my eyes, knowing my makeup was probably smeared. We would have only precious minutes to stop by the apartment, and I was anxious to get in the air as soon as possible.
The doors opened, and I rushed out, spying Jackson’s office before me. I could hear his voice and felt some calm come over me. I was in the right place after all.
As I approached the office door, I slowed in my tracks, an altogether different concern rising to the surface. “J-Jackson?”
He turned but not before I caught a glimpse of Marti’s outfit or the cozy, romantic atmosphere of his office. “B-Bree? What the hell?”
Every last doubt, every last bad feeling I had rose like bile in my throat as I realized what his office emergency was. There was no emergency unless you counted the nearly naked blonde in his office. “Bree,” he started, his eyes widening. “It’s not what you think it is.”
A laugh bubbled from somewhere, my heart breaking with each step I took backward, back to the elevator. “That’s the lamest line I’ve ever heard.”
He reached out for me, but I dodged him, my body feeling as if it were moving through water. Jackson was cheating on me. The signs had all been there, but I had chosen to ignore them, thinking that he was different. It appears I knew nothing of the man that he had become. “Bree,” he tried again, but I was already walking toward the elevator, tears of a different kind threatening to spill over. “Dammit, Bree! Stop!”
I whirled around, allowing him to see the hurt, the devastation on my face. “There is no need to even discuss this, Jackson,” I forced out. “I was, I was wrong about us.” There was no love here, no future. Jackson had shattered all the illusions I had allowed myself to think about us and broken my heart in the process.
Jackson stalked toward me, his hands clenched at his sides. “I swear to you. I would never cheat on you, never.”
I shook my head as the doors opened behind me. “It’s pretty apparent what’s going on here. Well, don’t let me stop you, please. I have to go.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but I hurried into the elevator, jabbing at the doors close button as he started to run toward the elevator. The doors closed just as he reached them and I sank against the wall as the elevator started to move down, away from the man I thought was my future. I held it together until I got into the car, telling the driver to head directly to the airport instead of the apartment. I had my wallet, and everything else that was in the apartment could be replaced at this moment.
Either that or the lying bastard could mail it home. I didn’t care. I didn’t want to go back to that apartment and risk the chance of him showing up as well. I didn’t want to spend another waking moment in this city. I wanted to go home, go to my father’s bedside and pray for his recovery. My life, my issues were about to take a backseat when I arrived there.
However, right now, I could cry my eyes out and wish for the pain in my chest to go away.
***
Taking a commercial flight was nothing compared to the private jet I had ridden to New York in. I had been able to snag the last flight of the night, ignoring the looks at my attire as I slid into my seat on the flight. I had stopped in one of the airport shops to purchase some necessities, buying one of those ‘I love NYC’ shirts, cap and a pair of sweats to get out of my dress. Pairing the entire outfit with my flip flops, I felt like an idiot, but at least I was a comfortable idiot.
Blowing out a breath, I looked out the window as the rest of the passengers piled into the plane, seeing the city skyline in the distance, the lights of the night barely visible in the dense fog. Even though my heart was breaking at what my eyes had clearly seen, I wondered what Jackson was doing right at this moment. Had he and Marti had a good laugh at my expense, continuing to do whatever they were doing before I interrupted them? Had he taken her back to the apartment, sharing the same bed I had with him? Deep down, I didn’t want to believe that he had cheated on me. Had I been that naïve to think that he would be happy with someone like me?