by Zuri Day
Really? You lied to a man and he called you on it. And you’re mad at him?
Lauren shrugged the devil off her shoulder and gripped the wheel. She hadn’t planned to involve Christian in her drama. It had just happened. A small but necessary fabrication that would never be uttered outside of that hotel room. She hadn’t had time to contemplate Christian’s reaction, but couldn’t have imagined he’d go ballistic.
All she wanted, and what she’d planned to tell him before the proverbial feces had hit the fan, was for Ed to think she was unavailable just long enough for her to sort everything out. She only thought to pretend she was married, and then only when she felt backed into the corner by the man she loved most in the entire world. A man who embezzled from his company, she thought, and the realization made her die just a little.
And then another thought rushed to the surface, one she had previously refused to consider no matter what, but now topped her very limited list of options. Marrying Ed would keep her dad out of prison.
Which brought her to the true crux of the matter—could she turn her back on her father and watch him go to jail when she had the power to keep him out?
One thing was for sure. She could not, would not, remain in Nevada. Whatever happened with her dad and however she helped him navigate the future, it would be far away from the man who thought her a liar, a manipulator and a conniving fraud.
By the time she reached Breedlove and the estate, Lauren had formulated a foolproof plan. She tapped her Bluetooth to call Victoria. She wanted to be packed and out of there by morning. There wasn’t a second to lose.
“Lauren, how are you? Is everything okay?”
“I’ve been better. Are you busy? Something’s come up and I need to speak with you. Can I come by?”
“Certainly. Bypass the circular drive and come around back when you get here. Nicholas and I are enjoying drinks by the pool.”
“Okay, but can we speak privately?”
“Of course.”
She reached the estate and instead of turning left toward her guesthouse after being waved through by the guard, turned in the direction of the family mansion. A profusion of color from the tall trees that lined the drive bathed Lauren’s chilled body in their majestic warmth. The peacocks that roamed the estate and that she had come to love strutted around proudly, roaming over the expansive front lawn. The pond stocked with fresh fish glimmered in the distance, and beyond it the orchard of pomegranate, apple, fig and plum trees dotted the countryside in perfect alignment. The estate was breathtaking, a veritable paradise. Lauren acknowledged a feeling of sadness. She was going to miss this place.
She drove past the circular drive as Victoria had instructed and followed it around the house and to a guest parking lot across from a side entrance, hidden from view by a wraparound fence, a gate and trees. She reached for her purse. Her determination faltered a bit, but she had to see this through. Taking a deep, energizing breath, she exited the car and hurried over to the backyard as fast as she could manage with her still-healing ankle, now throbbing from overuse.
Nicholas and Victoria were seated in one of several outdoor living spaces. Lauren hadn’t seen this one before. Even in her anger, she could see the beauty showing through. Stone tile in deep, rich colors flowed from the back of the house to the pergola anchoring the far side patio. The pergola held intimate seating, glass-top tables and a fireplace. Next to it was an outdoor kitchen and to the right an infinity pool. She approached Christian’s parents with a tentative smile. His father, Nicholas, debonair and incredibly handsome at fifty-five, stood as she approached.
“Hello, Lauren.”
“Hello, Nicholas.”
Something about his baritone voice and the fatherly way he hugged her almost caused Lauren to burst into tears. But she dug her nails into her palm and clamped down the emotion. She was in a predicament at least partly of her own creation, and while breaking down and losing it would be totally understandable, she donned her big-girl panties, squared her shoulders and leaned down to give Victoria a hug.
“Hi, Victoria.”
“I know you want to have girl talk,” Nicholas said to Lauren. “But I spoke with Christian on his way back from Djibouti. He told me about you possibly coming on board for the CANN Island project and drawing up a contract to keep you with us for a while. Given how successful you were with the fashion fund-raiser, I’m extremely excited about that.”
Lauren sat down as Nicholas walked away, glad he hadn’t waited for the response informing him that a contract between her and Christian would never happen. Nor would anything else. Before the sadness in her belly could rise to her throat, she cleared it and began speaking.
“Victoria, something has come up and I want my contract terminated. Wait.” She held up a hand. “Before you think this is déjà vu, please let me explain.”
She provided a recap of what happened with Ed, with her dad and with Christian.
“In retrospect, terminated wasn’t the right word. The day has been crazy and I can’t think straight. I should have said modified.
“I will still do everything required in the agreement, but I’ll do it from Maryland. Frankie and I have a great working relationship. He’s talented and capable, and I trust him completely to carry out every detail. I can also fly in as the events approach and stay for several days until they’re completed. I’m willing to do that at my own expense.”
Victoria was quiet for a long moment. “First of all, darling, I’m terribly sorry for what you’re going through. It’s horrific, and criminal, and I think you should fight to not be dragged down in the mud. But running away is rarely a good answer.” She reached out and squeezed Lauren’s hand. “You ran here, right? And trouble followed. It is difficult but necessary to separate personal from business. For that reason I will not allow the agreement to be voided. This may sound harsh, Lauren, and I truly do empathize very much with your situation. But I will not aid in you abandoning your responsibilities, the foundation or me. The agreement must be honored.”
* * *
Christian pulled into the circular drive but instead of going through the front door he walked around the backyard outdoor space where his mom often worked. He was mildly surprised to see Lauren’s car there, extremely angry at the version of events that she was probably spinning to try to get Victoria on her side. He bounded out of the car and up to the door, took a breath to try to compose himself before walking inside. The effort was only partly successful. Fortunately it took him several minutes to find the two women. By the time he’d discovered them seated on a marble bench among vibrant exotic flowers and gurgling fountains, he’d gained control of his anger.
Lauren, apparently, had not.
One look at Christian and she rose from the bench, barely concealing what to Christian appeared to be an expression of disgust. “Victoria, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. But I ask that you reconsider your decision and call Frankie.”
“Seriously?” Christian called out after her. “You fabricate a marriage and then act like I’m the bad guy?”
Lauren wheeled around. “No, you’re the guy who called me a liar!”
“Oh, my bad. I thought someone told her daddy that I was the husband, the man she’d married while in Djibouti.”
“You know what I mean,” she spat through gritted teeth, walking back to him with a finger aimed at his chest. “Yes, I lied and said I was married. I also told you why. I felt I had no choice! I laid all my cards out on the table, shared confidentialities because you’d accept nothing less, and what do I get back? Your cynicism and disbelief, your haughty, self-absorbed accusations. On the worst night of my life I learn that you’ve been living with the delusional premise that I’ve hoodwinked your mom, moved across the country and flipped my world upside down all because of you.”
Her next step placed the finger she’d pointed squarely in his c
hest.
“There may be a line of women from here to Hong Kong who have that intention. But I—” poke “—am—” poke “—not in it.”
She stepped back, spent, her chest heaving. Even in his anger he had to admit that her argument had been eloquently delivered, and having run frustrated fingers through her hair, she’d never looked more beautiful. Her eyes were fiery, bringing to mind the things he did to make them look that way. But then he remembered that it was those moments of weakness that had led to him letting down his guard in the first place.
“Are you finished?”
Lauren telegraphed her answer by spinning around and walking away.
“Lauren, wait!”
She increased her speed. He watched as what had been a disappearing limp became more pronounced. He ran after her and clamped a hand on her shoulder.
“Baby, please, be careful! You’ll reinjure your ankle.”
She shook off his hand. “Oh, now you’re concerned about me being in pain?”
“You act like I don’t have a right to be angry!” He stopped himself. “Look, let’s just both take some time to calm down, okay?”
“We can do more than that. During the remainder of my contract, we can both take steps to see each other as little as possible.”
The comment stung, but Christian shook it off. He took a step toward her. “What about CANN Island?”
Lauren’s chuckle held no humor. “Clearly, working together is out of the question.”
Another step and then, “Don’t be so hasty to throw away the chance of a lifetime. Even enemies can come together if they’ve a mind to.”
“What, for the Breedlove business?” she hissed as she reached the driver’s side of her car.
He pinned her against it. “No, for this.”
The kiss was hot and hard, possessive and intense, so good it took both of their breaths away. She pushed him back and got into the car. He watched her drive away, his lips still sizzling from the intense oral exchange. Deep in thought, he hadn’t realized that Victoria had walked up and joined him.
“A smart man never makes a decision without having all the facts,” she said as the two continued to stare in the direction Lauren had driven.
“Are you saying that I should ignore the possibility of her planned duplicity after what I’ve gone through with others?”
Victoria placed a gentle hand on his arm. “No, son. I’m simply reminding you to be the smart man your father and I raised.”
Nineteen
“She refused to allow me to abandon her. She actually used the word abandon!”
“You did say you wanted out of the contract, did you not?”
“Yes, but not without a way to ensure plans continued to run smoothly,” Lauren huffed. “My leaving would have led to your promotion. Whose side are you on?”
Hours had passed since the meeting with Victoria, and Lauren was no less angry now than then—resentful at Victoria’s insistence she stay here, outraged at Christian for kissing her and furious at her own body for its betrayal. Even now her skin longed for his touch. She’d called Frankie and asked him to come over. She wanted help moving but now, even more, could really use a friend.
“Girl, lower your pressure before you have a stroke.”
Lauren threw up her hands in exasperation. “My blood pressure is fine, okay?”
“Ooh, girl, watch it!” Frankie hurried toward her.
Lauren waved away the concern. “Don’t worry about my ankle. It’s basically healed.”
“I’m happy to hear that, but it’s not your injury I’m worried about. It’s that vase you keep walking by, flailing your arms all around. When I came by that first time, I thought it looked familiar so I looked it up online.”
“And?”
“It’s from the Song dynasty, darling, that’s the bougie folk in China.” At Frankie’s insinuation that she was culturally clueless, Lauren rolled her eyes. “That piece right there is a gourd from the 12th or 13th century, so if you don’t have six figures and a ticket to Shanghai, you might not want to break it.”
“So it’s not my health you’re worried about, but a pretty piece of porcelain?”
“Absolutely.” Said with not one ounce of shame.
With Frankie’s help, packing went quickly. It was her clothes mostly, and what she’d bought to create a home office in the dining room. She was thankful for his constant chatter. It helped keep her mind off the fact that her and Christian’s...whatever it was...was in tatters. She’d been angry that he hadn’t believed her, but more, she’d been hurt at the thought of their friendship coming to an end. That was the real reason behind her jumbled feelings and the hole in her heart.
Later she’d think about temporary housing, but for now she went online and secured a hotel room in Henderson, Nevada. She rented a car, and Frankie drove her to get it. After helping her load her things in the trunk and promising he’d meet her at the foundation offices tomorrow, he left for a rendezvous with a guy he’d met online. There was only one thing left for Lauren to do. She sat at the counter, opened her tablet and, after gathering her thoughts, began to type.
Victoria,
Please accept my apology for this afternoon’s outburst. It’s been a very challenging day. Despite the version you may have heard of what happened, I never meant to involve Christian in the drama. I have no ulterior motive for working with you. I am not out to trap your son. I respect him too much to ever do that and as much as I’ve tried to deny it, have developed true feelings for him, a fact that I hope can remain between us. That he thinks I’ve deceived him breaks my heart.
While I admit to wanting to immediately cut all ties with Breedlove, Nevada, I respect your insistence that I be a woman of my word. I enjoy working for the foundation, and with you, and will do my very best to make the remaining events not only successful, but the talk of the town.
Thank you so much for the generosity extended in offering one of your guesthouses for my stay. However, as of the writing of this note, I will no longer be here. I have made arrangements to live elsewhere, have secured a rental to get around and for the duration of the contract will work from the foundation offices. Considering the events that transpired today, and now knowing my true feelings for Christian, I’m sure you can understand. I remain eternally grateful for all you’ve done to help me and for the wonderful friendship you share with my mom. Until tomorrow...
Lauren hesitated only briefly before pressing Send. She closed the tablet, placed it in her tote, then took one last walk through her temporary home. It was the most beautiful residence in which she’d ever lived, and she was thankful to have stayed here. She’d miss it as much as or more than she’d miss the land itself. Most of all, she’d miss Christian, and would cherish the love affair that began within these walls. But life went on, and she had to move with it.
With a wistful sigh, she placed the card key on the counter, walked out of the front door, closed it softly behind her, and headed out of the Breedlove utopia and into the world where normal people lived.
* * *
The next day Lauren rose early, determined to get back to the business of the foundation and not deal with either her conflicting feelings for Christian or the drama involving her father on company time. It wouldn’t be easy. Christian’s kiss had seared her heart, branded her soul to the point that, except for dreams about him, she got no sleep at all. It wasn’t just the sex she missed, she thoughtfully admitted. It was the man. A man whose absence left a void she doubted could be filled.
Fortunately for her, at least she’d be busy. It was roughly six weeks before the foundation’s spring gala and there were a thousand details to handle between now and then. After showering, she blew dry and flat-ironed her hair, taking more care with her overall appearance. No longer working from home, and heading into halls undoubtedly roamed by upper-level mil
lionaire executives, Lauren wanted to look the part, to fit right in. So after studying her options she’d decided on an ivory-colored wraparound dress, a strand of iridescent coral pearls she’d purchased in Djibouti, and even though she’d probably pay for it later, paired her braced sprained ankle with a three-inch ivory pump.
As with everything connected with the business of Breedlove, the foundation offices were located at the CANN, smartly appointed facilities of varying sizes and configurations on the building’s fifth floor. There were meeting rooms and establishments that catered to the hotel’s corporate customers including an office supply store; a print, mail and shipping company; a luxury car rental; and a travel agency booking everything from first-class flights to private planes and helicopters.
Entering her office, Lauren was pleasantly surprised to see that Frankie had beaten her there. They hugged and she walked through the bright, airy, contemporary space and sat behind her desk. She probably should have come here sooner. Setting up in an office made her feel better and ready to work.
“You want something from the coffee shop?” Frankie asked. “I had a one-eye-open cup of java and I need another one to open the other eye.”
“A caramel latte sounds delicious. And a bagel if they have it. Multigrain. Thanks.”
Lauren moved a stack of files from her desk out to Frankie’s. She stopped at the stereo panel, found some smooth jazz and returned to her desk. The silky saxophone notes that oozed into the room conjured up pictures of Christian, naked and sated, his eyes half-open, watching her. With a huff, Lauren pulled out her laptop. She’d just fired it up when she heard the door open. Not long enough for Frankie to have gotten the coffee already.
“All right, girlfriend. What did you forget?”
“To listen, maybe?”
Christian. Lauren slowly turned around as he strode toward her, looking like a cool drink of water on a hot summer day. She tamped down emotions and kept her face a mask.
“Maybe yesterday I judged you too harshly. I’ve been burned a lot, and it’s made me cynical. I hope you understand.”