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Jack came into my room just as I was putting on my shoes. “Ready?”
“Yep.”
“Is it going to be a quiet flight?”
I shrugged nonchalantly. “I have work to do.”
“Very good.” He took my suitcases out of the room.
I grabbed my laptop bag and followed him down. Astrid and Emilie were already waiting in the car. Jack and I got in with no one saying a word. It was a quiet ride to the airport.
We boarded the plane headed to Scotland for the last stop on our tour of her family’s holdings. The atmosphere was heavy with tension. I sat in the seats at the back of the plane with Jack. Emilie and Astrid were talking quietly up front. It sounded like they were talking about dresses.
The flight was very different than the flight into Wales. The easy friendliness we had coming in was gone. Now, it was quiet. Too quiet. But I wasn’t going to cave. She wanted to be distant. I could do distant. The plane took off, and the hum of the engines filled the cabin.
“Jack, can you help me?” Astrid asked.
“Be right there,” Jack said, smiling, and quickly jumped up.
Emilie looked back at me with a half-smile. She got up from her seat and took the seat Jack vacated.
“Have you been to Scotland?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“The Highlands?”
I kept my eyes on my laptop screen. “I think so. I don’t know.”
Her half-hearted attempt at small talk was failing. It was clear that she was leaning toward giving me the cold shoulder. She wanted it to be a relationship with no heat. I was going to show her what that would be like. I wasn’t always going to be trying with her. She kept saying she wanted to put duty first and love wasn’t an option.
Emilie had never known what it felt like to not be pursued by me, to not have my attention and affection. She had grown accustomed to my romantic gestures and my unwavering pursuit, but now, she could see what it meant not to have my full attention.
If Emilie wanted a business partner, then I would show her how lonely that path could be. It was a choice I made with a heavy heart, but one that felt necessary in the face of her indifference.
If Emilie wanted to play the game of giving the cold shoulder, then I would play it as well. I wouldn’t beg for her affection or attention. I wouldn’t chase after a love that was not reciprocated. I didn’t go to bed with someone and then act like it never happened. That was not the way I operated.
“Would you like to go to the residence or would you prefer to go to the property first?” Emilie asked me.
The chill in the air was only getting colder between us. I looked away from her.
“Jack, can you go onto the house to put my things away?” I asked.
“Of course,” he said, nodding.
I looked back at Emilie. “Then I would prefer to go onto the property. Let’s see what we’re working with.”
“Okay.” She offered a tight smile. “Then we’ll go to the property.”
When we arrived at the next property, I felt a sense of excitement as I looked out the window. The potential of this place was undeniable, and I was eager to get to work to unlock it. I couldn’t believe they were sitting on all these properties and not maximizing their potential.
As I stepped out of the car, I was met by the property managers who were responsible for overseeing this location.
“Princess.” They bowed for Emilie. “Sir.”
“Show me around,” I said.
I wasted no time in getting down to business. I took a thorough look around the property, taking notes of the areas that needed immediate attention and improvement. The potential here was immense, and I was determined to tap into it. Emilie was right beside me. She kept asking questions, but my attention was focused on the property managers that knew the answers.
