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I didn’t have time to decipher the inner workings of Drake, so I headed toward the spiral staircase. I was still working on the Graham and Amanda room. The popcorn ceiling was gone, so now it was time to start taping so I could paint.
Drake followed. “I need you to give me a list of Jameson’s likes and dislikes.”
I stopped at the base of the stairs, gripping the handrail. I knew exactly what Drake was trying to do. “Jameson is not a character you are going to play in a movie. There is no such thing as method acting when it comes to parenting.”
He clenched his fists. “I’m doing the best I can here. It’s not like I had any time to prepare for this role, Charlotte.”
I felt the sting of his words in the depths of my soul. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “You’re right. I’ll tell you anything you want to know about him. I actually have several photo books I’ve made of him over the years, if you want to look at those.”
He nodded.
“Okay. Let me just grab them.” I veered toward the owner’s suite, feeling so ashamed and stupid. I should have braved telling him, no matter the cost to my heart.
Drake once again followed. Weird.
When I made it to the door, I turned to face Drake, who was so close I noticed some flecks of gray in his hair. Wow. It made him even more attractive, which shouldn’t be possible. I bit my lip before I told him just how much I liked it. “Uh, you can wait here. I’ll be right back.” I didn’t need him to see all the tissues I’d left on the coffee table after crying my eyes out last night. Or how untidy the place was. Normally, I would consider myself a clean and well-organized person, but these renovations were kicking my butt. Cleaning was last on my list. Drake’s presence hadn’t helped either.
“Is this where you and Jameson stay?” He pointed at the door.
“Yes.”
“Then I’m coming in,” he said, ever so arrogantly.
I slid in front of the door. “I don’t think that’s necessary. Besides, Izzy’s probably getting ready, and she doesn’t really like you.” I grinned.
“I’m not all that fond of her either. It’s a good thing she and Martez ran to the hardware store.”
I clutched my throat for a few good reasons, starting with: I was alone with Drake, which probably wasn’t the best idea. Not like I couldn’t control myself. I was a new woman now. I. Did. Not. Want. Him. No matter what he said. I would keep thinking that until I one hundred percent believed it. It’s not like he wanted me. The man was livid with me. Probably hated me. And there was the little matter of . . . “Does anyone in town know that Martez is your assistant? Do you trust him?” I was in a panic.
“I keep all my assistants in the background now. I only brought him on this trip because he’s fluent in several languages and one of the executive producers and my costar are French.”
“How lucky for you.” I could picture the headlines now, linking the two of them together. And they wouldn’t be wrong, that I was sure of. “I suppose she’s in Jackson Hole now, waiting for you to run lines. Get those love scenes down to a T.” My stomach rolled thinking about it, so much so I had to turn away from him. I hated that he still had this effect on me. I had no business being jealous. All I ever was to him was a weekend fling.
I hastily opened the door, wanting nothing more than to flee his presence.
He had other ideas. He gently grabbed my arm, but I refused to look at him. “Charlotte, Avriel is there, but I’m where I want to be.”
I braved a peek at him. His gaze was as intense as his words had just been.
“Really?” I asked, my voice hitching.
“Yes,” he answered simply.
“Okay. But just for the record, I still don’t want you.”
“Keep on telling yourself that. And just for the record, I’m still livid with you.”
“Well, good. This should be fun, then.”
“You’re still the worst liar I know.” He strode past me, welcoming himself right into my living space. “Or maybe you’re the best,” he zinged, piercing the very fiber of my being.
I shut the door and leaned against it, trying to catch my breath after that slight. “How can you say that? I never lied to you.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “I trusted you implicitly, Charlotte. In fact, there’s been no one else in this world I have trusted more than you. But come to find out, you purposely kept my son a secret from me,” he seethed.
So, I guess we were getting into this now. I should have known. Drake wasn’t one to sit on things. He was a man of action.
