AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Our flight? Oh no. I’m meant to be going back to NYC with Dad. How the hell did I let that slip through?
He’d been writing the wrong date on documents all week. Still dating things as last week. Sheila had pulled him up on it twice already. Three was not the charm.
Jordan rubbed at his temple.Damn.He couldn’t say no to the CEO of Royal Resorts. And he couldn’t be in two places at the one time. Which meant, something had to give.
He lifted his gaze to the upper floor of the house, and the large window of Chloe’s bedroom. Shadows moved among the bright lights. She would be surrounded by make-up people, her stylist, her management, and her two evil henchwomen. He wouldn’t have a hope of getting two minutes alone with Chloe to explain why he was not going to be downstairs when she finally made her grand entrance.
The sickening mix of disappointed realization made his body feel heavy. There was no way out of his pressing work commitments.I am going to miss the album launch.
“That is alright isn’t it, Jordan? I don’t wish to be an inconvenience, I just want to take a look at our new resort. It would be nice for my son to show me how things are progressing. I trust that’s not asking too much?”
His father was handing Jordan a large slice of paternal expectation. It came with lashings of hot, richly flavored guilt.
Jordan tore his longing gaze from Chloe’s window and focused on the fairy lights which hung in the trees on the other side of the swimming pool. “Of course it’s not too much, Dad. I was thinking of how you might be pressed for time when I was packing my suitcase earlier this evening. You know how time often loses meaning when you travel.”
Oh great, now I’m quoting my secret girlfriend’s song lyrics to my father.
“Yes, well that’s why I have Janice, she makes sure I am where I need to be and on time.”
His own assistant, Sheila was doing her best, but even she couldn’t work miracles. Not when her boss wasn’t fully paying attention.
It was well after nine, but Los Angeles traffic snarls were terrible even at this hour. It could easily take him over an hour and a half on the San Diego Freeway to get down to Laguna Beach.
“I’m a little way out of the city at the moment, so did you want to meet me at the resort?” offered Jordan. He would have to dash back to his hotel and quickly pack, then head down to the resort to meet with his father.
He’d lied in order to cover his mistake. An old, bad habit Jordan had tried his best to break. The pressure of the resort and his relationship issues with Chloe were beginning to take their toll. He was reverting to his default behavior of ass covering. His therapist would say he was actively avoiding issues, and in grave danger of following a well-worn path to disaster.
Jordan swallowed a lump of anxiety. It refused to stay down, instead coming back up as burning bile in his throat.
Just go pack. See Dad. Take steps you can manage.
“Excellent. I shall see you at the resort shortly, bye.” And on that cheery note, Edward was gone. At least he’d made one person happy.
Jordan stood staring at his phone, torn as to what he should do. If he tried to go upstairs, there was every chance that the hyena pack would bar him from trying to enter Chloe’s bedroom. The irony of him having woken in that same room earlier this morning wasn’t lost on him.
And if I wait until she comes down, she is going to be more concerned with the album launch than talking to me.
This was Chloe’s big night. Her time to shine. He had no place in playing the pouting boyfriend or demanding to see her. Few people here even knew he existed. If he tried to get near Chloe, his actions might well cause a scene.
Marta and her cohort would make sure of it.
He was paying the price for refusing to let anyone know that he and Chloe were a couple. He’d put the resort ahead of her because he didn’t want to fail his father, and in doing so, he was going to fail her.
His nerves were rapidly fraying, Chloe didn’t need him adding his own problems to her night. That was selfish. But something had to give.
If a miracle happened and their relationship survived the next few months, as soon as he could get away from his obligations at the resort, he planned to whisk Chloe away for a vacation at the Royal family’s private island in the Caribbean. And when he did, he would be making doubly certain that none of her people would be tagging along. The time would be spent alone with the woman he loved.
I will make all of this up to you, sweetheart. I promise.
With his father’s urgent demand to see him, Jordan was torn. Chloe would be expecting to see his smiling face in the crowd tonight. To know that he fully supported her.
Edward wanted to talk about the billion-dollar resort down the coast. A resort that if successfully launched, might well have Jordan moving into prime position for a role on the Royal Resorts board. Only a short time ago, he thought that was what he wanted. Now, he wasn’t so sure. Not if it meant having to be apart from Chloe for long periods.
If this is the life, then maybe it’s not the sort of career or success I want.
Time was ticking away. If he was going to make it through the LA night traffic he would have to leave soon. Staying here, waiting for Chloe to make her grand entrance was no longer an option.
Jordan dialed Chloe’s number and wasn’t surprised when Marta picked up the call. “She’s busy, it will have to wait. Go have a drink.”
