by Tania Joyce
But no other outcome seemed viable. She wasn’t going to leave her company, and he was tied to the Somers empire.
Jessica had to brace herself for the end.
Chapter 17
Jessica typed away at her computer, lost in writing a press release for the opening that was only two weeks away, when Zoe knocked on her office door.
“Yes?” Jessica looked up from her work.
“There’s a cowboy in reception for you. He’s so hot!” She fanned her hand in front of her face. “He says his name is Troy and he doesn’t have an appointment. Is this Troy from Gumtrees? Conner’s dad?”
“What’s he doing here?” Jessica murmured. She thought she’d made it clear during their phone calls that they could only be friends. Had he traveled all this way into the city to see her? She rolled her eyes and sighed. What could he possibly want?
Jessica walked out to the reception area to find Troy leaning against the reception desk. Arms folded. Ankles crossed. Dressed in jeans and dark shirt, Troy was definitely a good-looking man, just not anywhere near as breathtaking as Nate. No sparks flew as Jessica greeted him. But his face lit up at the sight of her, which made her proceed with caution.
“Hi, Jess. I was just wanting to make sure you’re still alive,” he said as he kissed her on the cheek.
“You know I am. We only talked the other day on the phone. So what brings you here?”
“Is there somewhere we can talk?” he said. “How about I buy you a cup of tea?”
“Sure.” Jessica motioned Troy to the elevator doors.
“You look out of place in the city,” she said as they ordered takeaway cups of tea from the cafe downstairs.
Troy leaned back against the counter and looked awkward as he crossed his ankles while they waited for their drinks. “I only come into the city when it’s absolutely necessary.”
She smiled at him as she grabbed their drinks and headed out the door. Traffic noise and the commotion of people bustling along the street surrounded them as they meandered down the streets to Belmore Park.
“So what did you want to talk to me about?” Jessica asked as she pointed to a graffiti-covered bench under a tree. When he nodded, she settled on the seat and took a long sip of her drink.
“I had to see you again. It’s been too long.” Troy put his already empty cup on the ground and turned to face her. “Phone calls are just not enough anymore. I wanted to do this in person. Location and timing may not be in my favor, but I don’t want to delay things any longer. I wasn’t sure at first, but I know now that I’ve fallen in love with you all over again.”
“What?” Jessica jerked in shock at his words, splashing tea all over her pink shirt.
Troy was quick to react, ready to blot at the stain with his napkin, only to stop just inches from her breast.
“Being with you again has been the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time. I want to know if you feel the same.”
“Whoa, Troy. No!” She grabbed the napkin from his hand and dabbed at the mark on her shirt. She had to hold her thoughts together. She closed her eyes so she wouldn’t get distracted by those sapphire eyes of his, and took a few seconds to carefully piece the words together. “I told you on the phone, Nate and I are back together.”
She opened one eye to peek at his face. His cheek muscle flexed and his Adam’s apple slid hard in his neck as he swallowed.
“But he’s leaving, and I’m not. You did love me once, and I can tell you do have feelings for me. You can’t deny it. Why won’t you let me love you the way you should be loved? Like I should have done all those years ago. Please, just give me a chance.”
“Are you out of your mind? You had your chance and you left for someone else, remember?” Her tone was cutting. “You don’t owe me anything and I don’t regret for one second having Conner. I’m sorry the people in your life kept information about him away from you. But I had to get over you. And I did. So much has happened in twenty years. I’m not that high school girl anymore.”
“But I’m here now and not going anywhere.”
“Troy, did you not hear me? I’m in love with someone else. I don’t want to hurt you, well, any more than I already have.”
“Please, just think about it.” Troy reached for her hand and held it tightly in his.
Jessica forced herself not to jerk her hand away. “We’ve just got our friendship back after all these years. I want that to continue. I can’t tell you how sorry I am about that night at Gumtrees.” Slowly she pulled her hand free. Funny! She thought to herself. If Nate had touched her like this she wouldn’t be able to let ago. The chemistry between her and the two men was just so different.
“Since we kissed I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you and want to be with you.”
“Kiss? I was ridiculously drunk off my nut and so were you. Look, I won’t come out to Gumtrees anymore if it upsets you.” Her heart ached as Troy laid his on his sleeve. The timing of Troy coming back into her life was all wrong. Things might have worked out differently if Nate wasn’t in the picture.
Troy furrowed his brow. “You love the country. This city life is not for you.”
She gasped in shock. Her life and her work meant everything to her. She lived and breathed her business every day. It was part of her soul. The very blood that ran through her veins. She wasn’t about to change that. Not for Nate, not for Troy, or any other man for that matter.
“And that’s the deal-breaker.” Jessica slapped her hand on her thigh. “You just stated what I always had as a deep suspicion. You really don’t know me, because this is me. This is who I am. The city, the travel, the action. I’ve worked damn hard for my agency and it’s what I truly love to do. I’m not relying on or bending to any man’s wants or needs. I’ve never forgotten my roots—but I will never go back. I had to grow up very quickly after having Conner. Now with him grown, a successful company, my freedom, I feel like I’m living life for the first time in years.”
Deep down she knew Troy was another Graeme. Neither could understand or tolerate her drive for success. Nate, on the other hand, couldn’t get enough of her ideas and her ambition. That was what she loved about him. But when he left, she was determined to move forward, not backwards. In many ways, she was looking forward to the day she’d be by herself again, especially when it would take nothing short of a miracle to find a man who could fill Nate’s shoes.
“I was so stupid for leaving you.” Troy’s shoulders slouched as he exhaled heavily.
“Well, you did,” Jessica said plainly. “This has been one crazy chapter in my life, with you coming back into it, and me meeting Nate. I don’t know what’s in store for me after he’s gone, and I’m really sorry if you thought there could be more between us, but there isn’t.”
“I’ll be here for you, Jess,” said Troy. “I’m not going to stop hoping that there’s a chance for us. When does he leave?”
“Two weeks after the launch.” A heavy sadness hung in her heart. “Troy, please don’t wait for me. I want us to be friends. I can’t offer you anything more than that.”
“It’s enough for now, Jess.”
* * *
Lounging on her couch at home, Nate lay with his head resting in Jessica’s lap. She ran her fingers through his soft hair and traced the outline of his face with her fingertips. It was a rare relaxing moment on a Saturday afternoon before they both had to head off to separate work functions in the evening.
“Tomorrow Conner has his first cricket match of the season. Would you be interested in coming? It’ll involve hours of sitting in the sun, drinking and chatting. Oh, and you can watch the game as well.”
“I do love cricket, but it usually involves corporate boxes and airconditioning.” Nate’s eyes remained closed. She could almost hear him purring as her soft strokes combed through his hair.
“This is no Ashes Test, but it’s still entertaining.” Jessica paused. “Before you decide, you should also know that Troy and Grae
me will be there.”
She felt Nate’s body stiffen. It took a moment for him to start breathing normally again. “I’d love to come, you know that. But I could use the time to finish off some things at the hotel before the launch next week.”
So could she. But she had to take the opportunity when she didn’t have a work function on to go and see her son play sport and catch up with friends.
“Promise me, not too much drinking, and keep your hands off both of your exes,” Nate said playfully. “Don’t you find that weird to be hanging out with both of your ex-lovers? I couldn’t think of anything more unpleasant.” His brow furrowed as if he was contemplating being in that very situation.
“Yes, three of my lovers in the one place could get a little uncomfortable. I just might have to sleep with all of you again to see which one is the best.” Jessica raised her eyebrow and grinned.
“What?” Nate started tickling her in the ribs. They wrestled around, until he pinned her down on the couch with all of his bodyweight. She was laughing so hard her rib cage hurt.
“Okay, stop. I promise. No one but you. How could there ever be anyone else but you?”
His lips found hers. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she drew him in closer to her. She’d never felt so in love in her life.
Nate looked down at her. “This is so nice here in your home, watching old movies on television … spending time with you. It’s a life I’ve never had nor wanted before. It’s going to make getting on that plane in a couple of weeks very hard.”
“Well, you’ll have to find a way to stay.”
Jessica knew they were just not meant to be together long-term. She had to enjoy the last remaining weeks with Nate before he left. But deep down she didn’t want to say goodbye.
* * *
The Sunday cricket game arrived, and the local university grounds teemed with bodies clad in white cricket longs when Jessica pulled in to the carpark. Surrounding the field were scattered families and friends set up on blankets and foldout chairs, all ready to waste the afternoon away in the sun, watch the game and devour vast quantities of food and drink.
Conner looked handsome dressed in his whites. Jessica was no doubt biased, as any mother would be. His stunning blue eyes, just like his father’s, sparkled in the daylight.
“Have a good game,” she said, as he gave her a hug then joined his teammates to take to the field.
Jessica spread out her picnic blanket among other parents, friends, and team members. Graeme arrived with his girlfriend, Chelsea, shortly after the game commenced. Jessica tried not to gag as the two of them showed off with overtly public displays of affection. They were worse than a hormonal teenage couple making out at the movies. She ignored their antics as she cracked open a bottle of chilled wine and chatted away to one of the moms next to her.
As the alcohol flowed, gossip and conversation proved to be much more interesting than the game. An hour had passed before Jessica saw Troy strolling around the grounds, looking for her and Conner. He smiled when he caught sight of her and walked over. She greeted him pleasantly and offered him a spot on the blanket beside her.
He sat down and stretched out his jean-clad legs. “Good to see you, as always.”
She shuffled over slightly to put a little more distance between them and turned her attention to the field. “Conner is over there in the slips.”
“Thanks. They all look the same to me from this distance. I might need glasses soon. This getting old thing really sucks.” He took off his sunglasses and rubbed his eyes. “You’re looking good.”
Jessica blushed as she shied away from his compliment. “Want a beer?” She opened the lid to Conner’s cooler and took out a bottle.
“Sure!” said Troy.
Jessica was surprised at how the time drifted by so easily with Troy. She remembered why she loved him all those years ago. He had such an inner peace and calm that she’d rarely ever experienced in her crazy whirlwind life. It was a constant rush. Go, go, go. But then, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
* * *
After the game Troy walked with Jessica back to her car. She smiled as she caught him looking at her from underneath his Akubra hat.
“It’s been a great afternoon,” he said. “It’s a shame Conner’s team lost.”
She turned and leaned against the car. “Yeah, I don’t think anyone in his team will be picked to represent the country any time soon.”
“No, I don’t think so.” Troy paused and looked deep into her eyes. She saw him reach out his hand toward her, but he obviously changed his mind and slipped it into his pocket instead. “I’m going to a viticulturists’ conference in two weeks’ time in New Zealand.”
“Oh, that’s nice.”
“I’d like you to come with me and have a holiday,” Troy went on. “You’ll need it after your launch next weekend. Spend some time with me. Just as friends—no strings attached.”
Jessica gasped at his proposal. He had such nerve. “I told you—”
“I know what you said about Nate. But he’s not here with you. I am.”
Jessica shook her head as she felt anger start to bubble to the surface. What did she have to do to set the record straight? “I can’t and I won’t, Troy.”
“Just as friends. I mean it. No funny business. You mean too much to me to stuff that up again. Just think about it. I’ll call you, okay? I leave on Thursday week.”
Before another word left her month, Troy leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek, then turned and walked away.
It took a moment for her to be able to breathe again.
Her eyes followed him across the carpark. His boots scuffed at the gravel. She cocked her eyebrow as she watched him. Yeah, his backside did look awesome in jeans. She certainly wasn’t blind and smiled as she enjoyed the view. Troy was persistent if nothing else. He was just too nice. And nice boys lost out.
Jessica knew exactly who had hold of her heart. She opened the door of her car, jumped in and drove to Nate’s hotel.
Chapter 18
The hotel’s moorings on Darling Harbour were crowded with sleek luxury cruisers. Radars swirled on the tops of cabins and the sun reflected brightly off their silver rails. Jessica took one last glance over the harbor before she made her way into the hotel. She tried to control the butterflies swarming in her stomach as she entered through the glass doors into the foyer. It was only a few short hours before the start of the festivities. This was one of the biggest events she’d ever done. It was now time to show it to the world.
Pulling her small suitcase and suit bag, she stopped in the lobby, closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, taking it all in. The space was magnificent, all decked out with bright decorations, ready for the grand opening. A massive three-story-high glass atrium overlooked the harbor, allowing the sun to shine right across the beautiful sandstone floor. The polished wooden staircase leading up to the mezzanine floor and a central fountain were the final elegant touches. Well-dressed patrons already crowded the bar and lounge areas, and the reception desk bustled with people.
Stepping into gear, Jessica headed for Nate’s apartment in the Residential Tower. She swiped the access card he’d given her through the slot and pushed the heavy door open. She hung her clothes in the closet and placed her toiletry bag in the bathroom. As she glanced over Nate’s toothbrush, colognes and shaving items, she sighed. She was only privy to this—to him—for two more weeks. It would be sad to see him go. She shook off the heavy feeling because there was no time now to wallow. She walked into the bedroom and sat down on his bed to glance over her agenda one last time. She knew it by heart, back to front and upside down. But her nerves had jumped up a few notches and were getting the better of her.
Friday: press junket and the grand opening: a five course meal for eight hundred guests to be served in the ballroom; crowd entertainers and troops from Cirque du Soleil topped off the festivities. Saturday: the opening of the retail corridor with fashion showcases and par
ades; a Black Hawk helicopter spectacle over the harbor; cocktail reception, followed by a lavish dinner and several international artists performing live; fireworks and laser lightshow, and the opening up of the nightclub. Finally, Sunday: a gourmet barbecue, abseiling display down the side of the building and poolside entertainment.
Jessica closed her eyes and said a silent prayer that all would go smoothly.
Eager to get the show underway, she took the lift down and crossed over into the hotel. She found Lin running final sound checks with the team in the grand ballroom. Rigging and lighting technicians were clattering about and making final adjustments for the night’s entertainment. Stage crew were setting up and the hotel staff were dressing the tables. The room was a mass of bodies scuttling in every direction, all with set jobs to do. Jessica strode over to Lin, pulled out the chair next to her and jumped straight into work. She glanced down at her watch.
One hour to kick off.
Poor Lin looked like she was about to throw up, but Jessica reassured her everything was ready to go.
“So are you okay, Lin? I have to go now and coordinate the media and press junket that’s about to start over in the meeting rooms.”
“Sure. I think. I’ll catch up with you later this evening. Just keep your two-way headset on so I can contact you if I have any questions.” Lin had beads of sweat on her brow, but Jessica had every faith in her to pull the entertainment together. As she stood to leave, she gave Lin a reassuring touch on the shoulder.
“We’re going to knock ’em dead tonight,” Jessica said, and made her way out the door.
* * *
From a registration desk in a foyer between two meeting rooms, Jessica ushered the journalists to their interviews with Nate and Martin, the general manager. Both men faced interviewer after interviewer in fifteen-minute slots. As Jessica jostled between the two rooms, she noted that after the first four interviews, all the questions sounded the same and the responses were all too familiar. Constantly keeping an eye on the clock, she had to ensure they kept to the tight schedule.