: Chapter 9

“Shit.” I looked down at my vibrating phone and groaned, rubbing my forehead. Melanie Harper. I’d completely forgotten I’d texted her last week, asking her to hang out when I got back to London. I’d been traveling back and forth so much, I didn’t even realize it was Tuesday. Maybe she was canceling? Maybe I didn’t even have to waste time thinking this through?

But when I swiped to read the message, a picture popped up. I blew out two cheeks full of air. Melanie was lying in a bathtub, sudsy bubbles covering mostly everything—except two stiff nipples sticking out of the water.

I’d asked her to go out for Chinese food. But she’d gone right to how things were going to end. That was exactly the reason we got along so well. No games. Just straight to it. Neither of us had the time or desire for more. At least I hadn’t a few damn weeks ago. Now, though, I had no idea what the hell I was doing. A certain little redhead had me turned upside down.

Six months! I’d told her I was going to wait six months for her? Actually, it wouldn’t even be waiting for something to happen. It would be waiting for the chance of something happening after her dumb moratorium was over. The last time I’d gone six months without sex was—well, it had never happened. Not since I was fifteen and got laid on my birthday the first time. But I also had an early flight back to the US in the morning, so rather than stopping to analyze whether I was really going to do what I’d told Sloane I would, I mentally allowed myself to blame canceling on my travel schedule.

A minute later, my phone lit up with a response.

I exhaled a little relief, at least for now. But then my phone vibrated again.

“Fuck my life.” I scrubbed my hands over my face.

Melanie had sent another photo. She was standing now, just outside the bathtub—completely naked, except for a few beads of glistening water sliding down her perfect body, and she held a small vibrator in one hand.

I was still staring down at the screen, questioning my sanity, when my assistant, Margot, buzzed in through our intercom system. “Andrew needs to meet with you this morning. He said it’s important.”

Andrew Emerson was in-house legal counsel for all of my holdings, but lately his time had been almost exclusively dedicated to the expansion team, as was the case with most of the people who worked here. He was also my childhood best friend, more like a brother to me than an employee.

I pressed the button. “Tell him to come by whenever he’s ready.”

Lord knows I wasn’t getting shit accomplished bouncing back and forth between the temptation on my phone and thinking about Sloane. But I forced my nose back to the grindstone, opening my electronic calendar to see what had to be done before I left again tomorrow morning. Less than three minutes later, there was a knock at my door, and Andrew opened it without waiting.

“Guess it’s important…” I said.

“Yeah, it is.” He closed the door. As he came in, I got a good look at him, and my stomach dropped. Oh fuck. Whatever it was was bad. Andrew was the professional-looking one in our twosome—always clean-shaven, suit pressed razor-sharp, shoes buffed … But now he had a face full of scruff, his clothes were wrinkled like he’d slept in them, and I couldn’t see myself in his shoe shine.

“What happened? Did we lose one of the committee members we needed for the vote?”

He slumped into my chair and ran a hand through his chaotic hair. “Worse.”

“What the hell could be worse than that?”

Andrew looked me in the eyes. “I cheated on Camille.”

I froze. This was the last thing I’d expected him to say. “What the hell happened?”

His head fell into his hands, and he yanked at his hair from the roots. “I was out with some of the guys from the advertising department and went to a bar. Had a little too much to drink and started talking to this woman. I’ve been here for a few weeks, so I guess I was just lonely. None of that is an excuse. I freaking love Camille.”

I sat back in my chair, speechless. “Have you ever cheated before?”

He looked offended that I’d even asked. “No, of course not.”

“How do you feel about the woman you slept with now? After?”

He frowned. “Well, I feel like shit because I didn’t even tell her, at least not that I can remember. But I don’t have any feelings for her, if that’s what you’re asking. It was just a drunken mistake.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I picked up the ring a few days ago. I’m supposed to be proposing on our anniversary in two weeks.”

I leaned back into my chair. “Oh, man.”

“What would you do? Would you tell her or try to pretend it never happened? The woman lives in England, so it’s not like Camille’s likely to find out.”

“I think you’re asking the wrong person. You know how I feel about that shit.”

Andrew closed his eyes. “Jesus Christ, I’m not even thinking straight. I’m sorry. Of course you’d feel like I should come clean.”

“How do you think Camille would take the news if you told her?”

“She’d chop my balls off.”

Andrew’s girlfriend of four years was an assistant district attorney. I’d seen her in action in court once. She was pretty scary for a five-foot-nothing lady.

I shook my head. “I’m sorry, man.”

“I made a mistake, a giant one. She’s going to leave me if I tell her.”

He wanted me to tell him to forget it ever happened, but that wasn’t easy for me. “Did you use protection at least?”

“She had to give me a condom because I didn’t even have one. Camille and I haven’t used them in years.” His eyes grew wide. “What if it was expired? They expire, right? What if I got her pregnant? What if she gave me a fucking disease?”

“Take a deep breath. You don’t look so good.”

His eyes darted around the room, seemingly as fast as his thoughts. “I don’t even have a place to live in New York if she kicks me out.”

“That’s the least of your worries.”

“I’m supposed to fly back in two days. How am I going to face her?”

“Take more time, if you need it. Tell Camille I need you here to work on something. You need to get your head screwed on straight before you get on a plane.”

“She won’t believe me. She’ll know something is off.”

Two years ago, I’d plucked Andrew from the blue-chip law firm he’d worked at for ninety hours a week since graduating law school. I’d promised him a better salary and half the hours, though lately he’d been putting in a lot of time because of the expansion team. Camille wouldn’t think twice if he said something came up. And my levelheaded best friend knew that. He was just having a meltdown.

Andrew rubbed his temples. “I majorly fucked up. I don’t know what to do. I wish I could turn back time.”

“Well, I think the first thing you should do is get some freaking sleep. You can’t think straight when you’re exhausted. Did you sleep at all last night?”

He shook his head. “How could I?”

“That’s what I thought. So first things first, go home and sleep. Everything will feel a little clearer once you’re not so wired. If you do decide to tell her, this is a conversation you two should have in person, not over the phone or on a Zoom. I’m flying to New York tomorrow morning. If you want, join me. We’ll sit together after you’ve had a decent night of rest and talk it out. Then you’ll go see Camille in person.”

Andrew blew out a deep breath. “Okay.”

I lifted my chin, gesturing to my office door. “Now, go home. Knock back two fingers of that shitty-tasting scotch you drink and pass out. If you decide to fly back with me, tell Margot to change your flight arrangements. I’d say I would stay to be here for you, but I have meetings in New York I can’t miss and then another wedding. But I’m only a phone call away twenty-four/seven if you decide to stay in London for a few more days and want to talk.”

Andrew nodded and stood. “Thanks, man.”

A few hours later, my admin came in with her notepad. “Andrew is all set. I told him to meet you at the British Airways lounge in the morning. It shouldn’t be too far from your gate.”

“He called already?”

“About a half hour ago.”

So much for getting some sleep before making a decision … “Okay, great. Thanks.”

“Also, Arnot Goncalo will meet you at the game on Thursday during halftime. I told him he was welcome to watch from the box, but he said he likes to watch his son play from the stands, since it’s closest to the field.”

“Great. Thanks.”

Margot checked something off her notepad and kept going. “Your tux has been cleaned for the wedding. I had the St. Regis concierge team pick it up, so they’ll deliver it to your room once you check in. There’s an email in your inbox that has all of your meeting times and the telephone number for the car service that will be picking you up. Dinner reservations are all made. I wasn’t sure if Andrew was going to be joining you at any of the meetings now that he’s going to New York as well, so just let me know if you need the number of people adjusted for anything.”

I shook my head. “I should be good. Andrew has other stuff to deal with while he’s there.”

Margot nodded. “I think that’s it then. Good luck. We’ll all have our fingers crossed, waiting to hear about the vote.”

“Thanks, Margot. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you keeping my ass organized this last year.”

She smiled. “I am pretty fabulous.”

“You are. So take your family out to a nice dinner this weekend and put the bill through as an expense.”

“Your version of nice or my version of nice?”

“Whichever is more expensive. Now go home.”

“Do you want me to print out your calendar?”

“I’ll do it. It’s probably the one thing I’m capable of doing without you.”

She laughed. “Safe flight, boss.”

A few minutes later, I faced the credenza, packing up for the day, when there was a soft knock at the door. I spoke without turning, assuming it was Margot. “You didn’t even believe I was capable of doing one thing, did you?”

“Oh, I know you’re capable of doing lots of things…”

I turned to find Anna Destin standing in my doorway. She flashed her signature man-eater smile, and I couldn’t help but notice the clingy dress she had on. I diverted my eyes back to my leather bag and cleared my throat. “Hey, Anna. How are you?”

“I’m well.” She took a few steps into my office. “Long time, no see. I left you a message earlier today, but didn’t hear back. Thought I’d take a chance and see if you were in before I left.”

“Sorry about that. It’s been a hectic day.”

Anna I had met years ago at the company holiday party, when my mom was still alive and running the London magazines. She was older, though I was never quite sure how much. I’d venture to guess she had twelve to fifteen years on me. She was also the VP of sales for all of the mags. At the time, I’d still been playing for England, and I’d never been with a woman in her forties, so when she offered to share a car home at the end of the evening, I said yes. She gave me one hell of a ride that night. It wasn’t the smartest thing I’d ever done, but hey, I was single and not her boss. Though it definitely shouldn’t have happened again after Mom passed and I took over the ownership of her businesses. There was no excuse for that, especially since it had happened more than once. Except that she was fucking hot and had a mouth so dirty, she could make a trucker blush.

Her eyes dropped to my bag. “Getting ready to leave?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

She tilted her head coyly. “Want a ride?”

First Melanie and her naked selfies, and now Anna. I was being tested today. But even if Sloane weren’t in the picture, and even if I didn’t own the company Anna worked for, my buddy’s news had put a damper on any hookups today. I’d made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I’d be damned if I was going to repeat them.

I lifted my bag to my shoulder. “I have my car here, but thanks.”