“Checking in?”
“Oh no, just visiting an old friend for a moment.”
“I’ll be happy to park your car for—”
“I’m just running in real quick to speak to Jesse Pleasant. I won’t be more than five minutes.”
“Oh, well if you want to leave the keys with us, we’ll have your car waiting.”
“Uh, sure. Thank you.”
“Right this way.”
She let the young man open the car door for her. She stepped out of the car and handed the kid a twenty before she smoothed down her pencil skirt. She finished the look with her favorite black heels and a white ruffled blouse that made her breasts look amazing. Not that she was trying to look good for Jesse. She just knew it would be harder to make her point if she showed up in her pajamas with her hair still wrapped.
She left her purse but grabbed her phone, gripping it tight in her hand. This was only going to take a minute. The other young person at the valet stand wasted no time opening one of the large doors to the lodge for her. She marched right in, her heels clicking on the pristine floor.
“Good morning, and welcome to Big Rock Ranch. Are you checking in?” the woman behind the reception desk said. As she got closer, Lily-Grace saw the name Naomi on her name badge.
“Hi, Naomi. Not checking in. I’m here to see Jesse Pleasant,” she said, nice and calm, even though her heart was slamming into her throat.
“Oh sure. Are you here for the meeting? They just went back. They haven’t started yet.”
“Oh yes. I was just running a little behind.”
“Excellent. You’re just going to take aright at the fireplace and head straight down the hall. They are in the Sycamore conference room.”
“Thank you so much.” Lily-Grace smiled, then turned in the direction of the conference room. She had a feeling they might have this out in front of a staff member or two, but she could handle an audience of strangers. Hopefully it was an important vendor that would reconsider giving the ranch their business, thanks to Jesse’s screwup.
She took the right and headed down a brightly lit hallway. Another staff member came out of one of the doors and just smiled at her as she slipped by. Ten steps later she arrived at the closed door to the Sycamore conference room. She could hear voices inside, but she couldn’t make out exactly what was being said. Not that it mattered. She let out a deep breath before she gripped the door handle and whipped it open. Sure enough, she busted in on a meeting. Jesse was seated with two white men and a Black woman. All eyes shot to her, Jesse’s practically bugging out of his head.
“Sorry to interrupt.”
“Lily-Grace,” Jesse said, the shock in his voice clear. He stood, immediately adjusting the front of his suit jacket. The words on the tip of her tongue died in her mouth as she took him in, towering over the far end of the conference table. He’d been tall when they were kids, but now he was enormous, a full head taller than her, which said a lot. He was wide too. Everything about him was wide. His shoulders, his chest, his arms. His thighs. Good Lord, those thighs. She couldn’t imagine how much he paid for that navy blue suit to fit him so well.
“Excuse me. Jonathan, Cynthia, Michael, this is Lily-Grace LeRoux. One of my former classmates.” She’d think about how they hadn’t seen each other in over twenty years and he remembered her instantly.
“Nice to meet you,” Cynthia said.
She swallowed, giving Cynthia a polite nod, while ignoring all the ways Jesse had somehow morphed into her exact type since the last time she’d seen him. There were maybe four men on Earth who could pull off an honest-to-goodness goatee, and Jesse Pleasant was one of them.
“I didn’t come here to take up too much of your time. I just wanted to tell you something.”
“Uh, sure. Please.” He motioned toward an open chair, like she hadn’t just barged in on an important meeting.
“I’m not going to sit. I’m not staying. I just wanted to let you know you will be paying my father’s medical bills and any necessary rehab bills. I’d ask who the hell raised you, but I remember your parents and I know your grandmother, and I know she had nothing to do with the way you acted. If you come near my father again, I will own this whole fucking ranch. You got that?”
Jesse blinked, just staring at her. His guests looked between the two of them, probably wondering how hard it would be to disappear under the conference table.
“Lily, I—”
“It’s Lily-Grace. You know that.”
“Lily-Grace. I—think we should talk. I didn’t—”
“I know exactly what you did, and I know just how badly you overreacted to something that is absolutely none of your business. All of it was a bit too much if you ask me. Get your temper the fuck under control and stay away from my father. And maybe show your grandmother the respect she deserves.” She turned on her heels and quickly left the room, closing the door behind her.
She was hot all over and she felt like she was vibrating as she power walked back down to the lobby.
