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Chapter 17 – The One Who Got Away
Vander
Back in my car, I rolled down all the windows and gripped the steering wheel. Bending forward, I rested my forehead on it momentarily. To be able to promise her something, anything, made me feel almost drunk.
I huffed out a dry laugh. For twenty years I’d bowed to circumstance and responsibility. Finally at a place in my life where I could put her first, I had every intention of doing just that. I was ready to promise her everything.
I smiled at the mental picture of the three brochures spread out on the table. She discarded the one I dismissed, and it warmed me that she trusted my judgement.
I told her the truth about that company. I knew for a fact that the other two companies were good. One was mine and the other belonged to my closest competitor, who, fortunately, owed me a favour.
Time for him to pay up. Pulling him up in my contacts, I left a detailed message for him.
I turned the key in the ignition, flipped on the air conditioning, and pulled out into traffic.
She would take some convincing, I knew that going in, but her apprehension exceeded what I’d imagined. I hoped like hell that she’d agree to go out with me this weekend, but I had serious doubts. That was okay. I had a backup plan.
Georgie spent the summer with me and would be flying out again for Thanksgiving. That gave me a month to set things straight with Ruby. She would have to meet George eventually. It would hurt her. God knew I wasn’t chomping at the bit to meet Jace, but the sooner we ripped the bandage off the better.
It was just another obstacle we had to get past, a tough one, and unavoidable. Meeting each other’s sons was only the beginning: I had no idea how the boys would react to us being together, or to each other. Georgie would have to share me for the first time ever, and it would likely be the same for Jace.
Regaining Ruby’s trust was by far the largest obstacle. Her fear was stronger than her love at this point, and she was determined to deny us both all the good we would be together. If I wasn’t sure of what I could give her, I’d feel bad for how hard I was willing to push her.
Arriving back at my office, I pulled into my designated parking spot. Located right on the border of Bayview Village, I didn’t think she’d have a problem driving there.
My competitor was further out, which was another selling point in favour of my company. It should go smoothly, so long as she didn’t realize that I was the alternative. If by some chance she chose to go with my competitor, I’d still walk her through every step.
Situated on the fifth floor of a glass office tower, my office overlooked parkland on one side and the city on the other, the parking lot spread out below, and a tiny sliver of the lake was barely visible in the distance.
Coming off the elevator, I stepped directly into the lobby. On the wall to the left lay a chaise lounge. Beyond that stretched a hallway with meeting rooms on one side, offices on the other.
My assistant sat at a curvy desk to the right of the elevator. A collection of comfortable chairs, angled and bracketing small side tables, lined the wall facing her desk. To her right lay the hallway leading to the conference room on the left and ending with a set of double doors that opened into my office.
I looked over the documents and memos spread across the surface of my desk and contemplated which of my consultants I wanted on Ruby’s case. My cell rang. Glancing at the screen, I noted with satisfaction it was the call I’d been waiting for.
“Dolman. How are you, man?”
I heard Dolman chuckle into the phone. “Got an interesting voice mail today. Somebody’s calling in a debt.”
I relaxed back into my chair. “Yup. You remember the night we tied one on in Baltimore?”
“Ah, yes.” He paused. “So, this is the one who got away.”
“Ruby. Her name is Ruby.”
Dolman sighed. “You lucky fuck. What do you need from me?”
I outlined my plan. It was simple. Show up, hear Ruby out, gently turn her down, or throw enough obstacles in her path that she would turn him down.
“You’re paying, and I’m going to order the most expensive meal on the damn menu. It’s only fair. You’re taking my Saturday night and forcing me to turn down a business deal with a beautiful woman,” he griped.
I laughed. “I’ll even owe you one if she ends up going with my company. It shouldn’t be too hard. She’s whittled her choices down to you and me.”
Dolman laughed, and then got serious. “You sure about this? Women tend to frown upon being manipulated.”
A wrinkle of unease rippled across the surface of my thoughts, but I dismissed it. “I’m going to be there for her whether she wants me to or not.”
At home several hours later, I grabbed a beer from the fridge, slid open the patio door, and stepped out onto the deck. The sun hung low in the sky, but it was still hotter than Hades. A lawn mower sounded in the distance. Who the fuck mowed their lawn in this heat? I should enjoy it while it lasts. The temperature would drop soon enough.
