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“Of course, Bria. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. It’s at two o’clock, right?”
“Right.”
“I’ll be working tomorrow but it’s my half day, so I should be out of there by one.”
“Good.”
“How’s Aunt Sasha doing?”
“She’s good.”
“Still helping her with the clutter?” Olivia giggled.
“You’re not funny. You should be here helping me clear through everything.”
“You know I’m only kidding. The last time I visited, I ended up spending the whole day helping her sort through old vinyl records from the seventies. Disco and what have you.”
“Please. Don’t even get me started. You should be a professional organizer. You’re so good at it.”
“Yeah, right,” Olivia said. Her whole love life was a mess right now. She wished she could organize that. “I’ll see you tomorrow by two.”
Olivia ended her call and tossed her cell phone in her bag. Her phone beeped. She’d just received a text or a phone message. She went to retrieve her phone and saw the display.
1 Voicemail
She pressed the key on the display to listen to the message.
Hi, Olivia.
Sorry, I missed speaking with you this morning. Your phone went straight to voicemail. I’m in New York for the day. I’m at the Belmont in New York. I’ll speak to you when I get back.
The Belmont New York?
Olivia hadn’t realized the Jonah E. Belmont Hotel (its official name) also had a branch in New York. She knew they were international. So that was it? Maybe he had some emergency meeting. Why was she getting her hopes all up? God, even the silky, deep timbre of his velvet voice stirred a reaction in her. She loved listening to his voice. She loved everything about him.
Stop it, Olivia. Focus on getting out of there. It’s never going to work out between you two. Don’t get your hopes up. The last thing you need is to be hurt again.
Dane and she had an agreement. They would only have a romantic night together with no strings attached. Nothing more. Just one night.
Olivia then realized that Dane probably tried to call her cell at the exact same time Bria called. But Bria got to her first. He said it went straight to voicemail.
Crap.
As much as she loved her sister to bits, she would have preferred to have spoken to Dane this morning to ask him what the hell was going on! Loving her then leaving her in the morning like that without so much as a good-bye.
* * *
“So what’s this about you leaving the palace?” Chase quizzed his brother after their meeting at the Belmont. The men flew their private jet to New York, an hour plane ride from Belmont, Ontario across the border. That was one of the advantages of not having to worry about flying commercial. Everything was private these days. “Thought we’d all agreed to stay with Dad for at least the year while he’s in the condition he’s in.”
“It’s only temporary,” Dane said, going over some of the event listings on his tablet. “I’ll be checking up on him on a regular basis. I’ve decided it’s best not to stay there now.”
“Temporary? Best not to stay?” Chase wore a curious expression on his countenance. “Does this have anything to do with Olivia?”
“Why do you think that?” Dane shot back, not looking at his brother, but focusing his eyes on the events page in front of him. The truth was, he had the best night of his life with Olivia and it messed with his mind. He knew he had to keep his distance so he packed up some of his belongings early in the morning while Olivia was still asleep and tried to move without the staff knowing, but Ted was up early. At that time, he’d asked Ted to make sure Olivia received the tray of breakfast goodies before she headed to work. He went back into his penthouse in Toronto.
He was falling for her and he knew where this would lead. It was for the best, or so he thought.
“Oh, come on now, bro. I’m not blind. None of us are.”
“Blind?” Dane echoed, looking up.
“Yes. Love is blind, but your family is not.”
“Listen, Chase, I know what it looks like, but Olivia and I are friends.” Even as Dane spoke the words, his heart was telling him differently. Dane also didn’t want anyone in the household to know that he’d slept with Olivia. That would really get Jonah worked up. Jonah would get his hopes up for nothing, thinking Dane was going to fill his dad’s bucket with a boutonniere. That was never going to happen, so why put the old man through heartache? Not to mention Dane couldn’t handle any rejection from Olivia. This whole thing with her was starting out the same way it had with Sophie. She was on the rebound. Merely seeking a soul to fill the void that was just left by her ex. It wasn’t real love, only a temporary fix.
He’d been torn this morning, wondering what to do. Should he have stayed in bed with her? Or did he do the right thing by calling it off before it got any further?
Then he’d gotten the email about an emergency meeting at the Belmont New York. Their manager was in an accident and wasn’t at work. They had a major banquet with the CEO of one of their top clients of a Fortune 500 company.
“Just friends? Come on, bro. You’ve been obsessing over this girl since day one. You have security all over her watching her every move.”
“Not anymore.”
“Not anymore?’
“Yes. She told me she didn’t like being followed at work. She feels safer at this juncture. I think JoJo’s men have some good leads.”
Chase shrugged. “Okay. Well, you spend a lot of time with her. Not to mention your walks on the beach. You always did that alone—until she came into the picture.”
“So what? She likes to walk on the beach, too. I’m not going to bar her from accompanying me if she wants to. She is our guest.”
Chase rolled his eyes. “Whatever. You like her. Why fight it? Is this about Dad’s last wish?”
“No. It’s not,” Dane denied, his tone sharper than he’d intended. “Okay, maybe it is. Jonah thinks that love solves all woes. That people should just jump into a relationship. He doesn’t realize that it’s not the same as it was back in his parents’ days.”
“No. I agree, it’s not. But that doesn’t mean people don’t stay together.”
“With the divorce rate at fifty percent?”
“You’re really fighting this, aren’t you?”
“What makes you think I’m fighting this?”
“Because you know me. I should be the last person who would want to encourage anyone to be in a relationship. Look what happened to me.”
“That’s true. Real sorry about that scandal, Chase. Don’t know how you managed to forgive her.”
“Well, it’s done and over with. Why live in the past?” Chase said, rubbing his stubble. “Anyway, all I’m saying is that Olivia is not some media-chasing groupie. She’s the real deal. I mean, look, you offered her financial help and she refused it. Flat out refused! Most women would’ve gladly taken your money. She’s hard working, honest and she really likes you.”
“She appreciates the fact I’m here for her after what happened to her, Chase. Being in need is not the same as being in love.”
“Oh, come on, Dane. Stop talking yourself out of happiness. Remember what Dad told us. We’ll find whatever we’re looking for.”
Did Chase have a point? What was Dane looking for? Everything to come crashing down on him when Olivia woke up and realized that she never really loved him—she was just glad he helped fill a void when her ex walked out on her?
Dane had a dilemma on his hands. Should he really let Olivia know how he feels about her? Or should he simply leave things be between them?
Chapter 17
Olivia drew in a deep breath as she sat at her desk at work. I can do this. I can forget about my night with Dane, Olivia tried to coach herself. Yeah, like hell she could forget last night. That wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. How could she forget the silky touch of his smooth, firm skin? The softness of his lips and his ravenous kisses?
Just then her phone rang. She read the display.
Dane Romano-Belmont
555-413-2347
Olivia’s heart pumped erratically in her chest. Oh, God! Dane was calling her? At work no less? Should she answer? She wasn’t exactly in a private office, being in an open cubicle.
“Hello?” Olivia answered professionally.
“Hi, Olivia, sorry to call you at work like this but your cell was off.”
“I know. Is there something I can do for you?”
“Whoa. Okay, maybe I deserve that.”
“I think you do.”
“I didn’t want to wake you this morning.”
“How considerate.” You didn’t want to wake me but you didn’t mind breaking my heart? Too bad she was in her office at work or she’d really let him have it.
“Listen, I’m still in New York. I thought I’d be here for the day but we still need to tie up a few more loose ends. I’ll be in Belmont tomorrow evening. We can talk then.”
“Oh, how delightful.”
“Olivia, now’s not the time to go through with what went on between us last night but-”
“It’s okay, Dane. You don’t have to explain.”
