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Desi pondered. "I suppose I'd go back. I love working at Universal, a lot of the ethos there is my own creation, it's what I always wanted from this field of work so it's hard walking away, and I know it will be harder trying to build it up again somewhere else. But I do want other things from my life now, too, and this thing with Blackwood has given me the push I needed to act on those."
"So a compromise, perhaps?"
"Perhaps," Desi agreed. "But do you really think that you can talk him around? I always got the impression that was a non-starter. Believe me, if I had thought otherwise, then it wouldn't have been above me to ask you or Joel to do that months ago!" she admitted.
"Two months ago, you'd have been right; there would have been no talking him out of it, even if I'd tried," Jake confirmed. "But now, things have changed and I have an ace up my sleeve." He grinned. Desi raised her eyebrow questioningly, but Jake just tapped the side of his nose enigmatically.
A knock on the door interrupted anything else they might say and Desi was reminded that she was supposed to be catching up with Charlotte this evening. She groaned as Jake went to answer the door. With the events of the day, she had forgotten all about it. Well, at least, they had only planned on drinks at home, and now Desi didn't have to get up in the morning, either…and they certainly had plenty to catch up on!
"Charlotte Chapman?" Jake exclaimed as he let her into the apartment. "I didn't realise you two were still in touch!" He looked from her to Desi.
"Jake Blackwood?" Charlotte almost choked, staring at Desi in utter shock.
Desi shrugged. "So, there's a lot to tell," she muttered sheepishly. Maybe she should have given Cha-cha a little advance warning about Jake…
Jake grinned and swept Charlotte into a bear hug, kissing her on both cheeks. Charlotte looked a little nonplussed and the colour rose in her cheeks, reminding Desi that she'd once had the biggest crush on Jake.
"Well, I'm going to tackle Joseph before it's too late," he declared. "He hasn't flown home yet, for obvious reasons, so I can catch him at the hotel."
Jake walked over to Desi and placed a sweet kiss on her cheek.
"Take care of my girl." He winked at Charlotte on his way out.
"His girl?" she repeated, bewildered, as the door slammed shut behind him.
"Yeah, about that..." Desi chuckled as she made her way to the kitchen and grabbed a couple of glasses and the bottle opener. "I guess there is a lot of stuff I need to tell you!"
Desi poured two glasses of wine and offered one to Charlotte.
"And just where does Jake Blackwood come into all that?" she asked as they crossed and sat down in Desi's buttery leather seats.
Desi took a sip of her wine and sighed, closing her eyes and relaxing for the first time that day. Then she popped her eyes open and delivered the first shock.
"Jake and I are getting married," she told her friend with a grin.
This time, Charlotte did choke, swiping at her chin with her fingers as she put down her sloshing wine. "Well, hit me with something right out of left field, why don't you!" she spluttered. "When the hell did this happen?" Charlotte ducked her head so Desi missed the look of pure torment in her best friend's eyes.
"Only yesterday. We haven't had a chance to tell anyone yet," Desi confided and proceeded to tell her about everything that had shaken up her life over the past few weeks, so excited about everything that she didn't really notice how quiet Charlotte was in return.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Jake was let into his uncle's luxurious hotel suite and was surprised to find Joel there, too. Well, at least, he could kill two birds with one stone, he supposed. Thankfully, there was no sign of Anita. Jake hoped it stayed that way.
"Ah, Jake!" his uncle boomed. "I guess you've heard the news by now?"
"Yes," Jake replied shortly. "Nice of you to give me advance warning of our company's plans," he added sarcastically, scowling from Joseph to Joel.
"Well, you looked kind of cosy with the delightful Ms. Harper." His uncle chuckled maddeningly. "We didn't want you to tip her off. Not that that's a problem anymore. I'll soon have that little filly in my stable."
"Well, that little 'filly' seems to have different ideas on that score, I'm afraid." Jake leaned back against the side of an arm chair and crossed his ankles, looking at his uncle's smug face as he sat on the couch in front of him, knowing he was about to wipe that expression away. "She's quit!"
"Quit!" Joseph blustered, jumping up from his seat. "She can't quit!" he raged.
"Well, she did," Jake said, straightening and looking his uncle in the eye. "And not only that, but she's also threatening to break off our engagement."
Jake whipped out his ace and dropped his bombshell, knowing it was a bit of an exaggeration, but Joseph didn't have to know that. From the corner of his eye, he saw Joel stand, too, the blood draining from his face as he paled significantly. Interesting.
"Engagement?" Joseph asked, startled out of his initial annoyance. "What engagement?"
