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However, I told her the truth. We broke up for a reason. Yes, Dominic and I were good together. But there was always something missing from our relationship. We never really fought with each other or had any major disagreements in the two years that we dated. But, still, something was missing.
When he took the job in Seattle five years ago, he asked me to go with him. The job was a great opportunity for him, and he couldn’t afford to turn it down. However, going with him would have meant me leaving college early or transferring to another university to finish out my last year of college. I thought about doing it, but ultimately, I decided to stay. He begged me to reconsider or to at least try making a long-distance relationship work. I will never forget the hurt I saw in his eyes when I refused him. And I will never forget the tearing pain in my chest when I thought of never seeing him again.
I don’t think Dominic ever understood why I needed to stay and finish school when he was capable of supporting both of us on his salary. Growing up as a teenager in foster care, I was always dependent on someone else to take care of me and was at the mercy of others. As an adult, it was important to me to be able to stand on my own and never need to rely on someone else again. For my own sake, I had to finish my degree my way. When I explained this to Dominic, he told me that I was letting my past take away my future with him. He was right, in a way. But, deep inside, I felt that if we were really meant to be, why was it so easy to let him go?
After he first moved away, we spoke almost every day. After a few months, the conversations became less and less, and eventually, we ran out of things to say. One day, the phone calls just stopped. It seemed like a natural end to our relationship.
Having Dominic back in my life is probably a distraction I don’t need right now. I need to focus on my job. And more specifically, I need to focus on getting through this dinner event tonight with Jake. I can’t have Dominic taking me away from my focus.
Chapter Six
Jake
I look down at the time on my phone. Six thirty. It’s almost time to pick up Lana. It’s been a crazy week, and other than a few quick meetings, I’ve barely seen my new assistant. Liz has been training her all week and thinks she’ll be ready to take over Monday, which is good because we’ve taken on several new projects, and I anticipate the coming weeks to be very busy.
I look in the mirror and tighten my bowtie. I don’t really enjoy these black-tie events, but they are a necessary part of the business. As I am putting on my jacket, I get a text that my car is here. Time to pick up Lana.
Twenty minutes later, the driver pulls the car up to Lana’s apartment building. I take a look around as he parks the car at the curb. This is clearly not the best area of town. Lana’s apartment building seems older, a bit run-down, and borders on being sketchy. I feel a little out of place as I get out of the car in my formal evening wear. As I’mpreparing to text Lana to meet me downstairs, I look up and notice a woman coming out of her building.
I do a double take. What the hell?
The woman slowly coming out of the building is stunningly gorgeous. I have to check to make sure my mouth isn’t hanging open in disbelief. Lana is dressed in a long, fitted black cocktail dress that hugs all the curves I didn’t know she had. The dress is strapless and shows a modest hint of cleavage. As she walks gracefully toward me, my eyes are drawn to the long slit that runs up the side of her dress, showing off her long, shapely legs and a hint of thigh. I feel my eyes roaming down her legs to her feet. Dax was right. I never thought of shoes as sexy, but those impossibly high heels are most definitely sexy.
I have to drag my eyes away from her body before I’m caught staring. I look up into her face, hoping to get back my equilibrium. She is looking at me through her long, dark eyelashes that sweep over impossibly green eyes. Her flawless skin seems to be glowing with warmth and vibrance. And her lustrous mass of honey-colored hair is gathered at the top of her head with a jeweled clip and spills over her shoulders in curling waves.
For a moment, I’m speechless. I open my mouth to greet her, but nothing comes out. I’m rarely at a loss for words, but she has surprised me, and I can’t seem to form a coherent thought.
Finally, I clear my throat and tell her, “Hi. You look nice.”
She looks confused. She stops and looks me up and down for a brief moment. “You look nice, too,” she repeats back to me.
You look nice?That’s the best I could come up with? It’s not like I haven’t seen a beautiful woman before. My ex-girlfriend, Amanda, is a model for crying out loud. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me, but I better shake it off before Lana notices that something is off.
“Thanks for being on time. It’s annoying when women think it’s okay to be fashionably late. I’m glad you don’t subscribe to that nonsense,” I blurt out without thinking.
I probably should just stop talking before I sound any more ridiculous.
“Well, this isn’t exactly a date.” She shrugs her beautiful shoulders at me. “If it were an actual date, I’d probably have made you wait longer.”
I think she is joking with me, but I am having difficulty concentrating on the conversation.
I recall that when I first met her, I thought she was pretty. It is hard to imagine that this stunning beauty is the same girl who comes to work in a pencil skirt and blouse, with her hair in a French braid. But seeing her now, I’m amazed that I didn’t notice how gorgeous she is. If my brother Dax saw her now, he’d probably be drooling all over her. I’ve got to snap out of it, so I open the car door to usher her inside and slip in beside her.
It’s not long before I realize that being in a closed, tight area, like the back seat of a car, is probably not the best idea right now. I can smell the light scent of her perfume, jasmine, maybe? “Do you mind if I turn on the air?” I ask her. “It’s getting a little stuffy in here.”
“You’re hot?” she asks, her eyebrows raised.
Am I hot? Hell yes, I’m hot and getting hotter by the second. Thankfully, the back seat is big enough that there is plenty of space between us. Lana looks cool and calm and is not at all affected by our close proximity. Which, of course, is exactly how it should be.
I jab the button that lowers the temperature, and Lana shivers a little when the air blasts on her bare shoulders. I shrug off my jacket and hand it over to her. “Here, take my jacket until we arrive.”
She smiles at me and takes off her seatbelt to put the jacket around her shoulders. “How long until we get there?” she asks.
“Probably about forty-five minutes. I thought we could talk about some of the people you’re about to meet.” As the car covers the miles between Lana’s apartment and our destination, we discuss the business associates that will attend the dinner party. It will be a small party; however, I think it best that Lana be prepared for who she will meet. Luckily, the conversation keeps my mind occupied and helps to reroute my thoughts into safer areas until we pull up to Bill Jeffrey’s home on the outskirts of the city.
The driver drops us off at the front of Mr. Jeffrey’s magnificent home. The house is as big as his personality, which is enormous. I’ve been here several times, and each time, I enjoy gazing around at the impressive white-and-black stone structure. I look over at Lana, and she looks awed as we walk up the brightly lit pathway leading to the large front porch area.
Upon our arrival, we are quickly ushered inside by Jeffrey’s valet. We’re directed to the formal sitting area. The room is decorated in a warm, modern style, with oversized glass sliding doors that open fully to the back veranda and a beautifully landscaped lawn. Groups of elegantly dressed guests are mingling inside the room as well as outside on the veranda. Bill Jeffrey spots us immediately and heads our way, signaling to his wife to join us.
