Once they’d moved to the side of the room, Alina fanned herself. Her face felt sunburned, as though she’d been lying on a sun-drenched beach for hours.
“Come on.” Graham reached for her hand. “Let’s get a little air.”
Alina had no idea where they were going, but some cool air and privacy sounded perfect. They walked to the far side of the ballroom and that’s when Alina remembered about the overlook.
Graham pushed open the door and they stepped out. A glance around assured her that, at last, they were alone. For the party, Graham had set up portable heaters out here, making it comfortable.
They moved to the edge. With the evening sky for a backdrop, the Manhattan skyline twinkled with lights. It was like a stunning piece of art, only better.
“This is so beautiful,” she said.
“Yes, you are.” Graham’s voice was deep and throaty, making her pulse race.
She turned to him, finding him smiling at her. “Shouldn’t you be inside with your guests?”
“But I like it so much better out here with you.”
He was saying all of the right things to make her heart go pitter-patter. “I hope the evening is meeting all of your expectations.”
“It most definitely is.” Desire burned in his eyes.
She swallowed hard as she tried to keep her train of thought. “I was talking about the party. You know, so you can sway your business associates to join you in that new venture.”
He continued to stare at her, making her heart beat erratically. “But I’d rather talk about you and me.”
She smiled and shook her head. “You’re impossible.”
“Am I? I guess you’ll have to do something about it.” He reached for her, drawing her near.
Her gaze moved to the glass door that led straight to the party. Anyone could see them standing out here. “Graham, don’t you think we put on enough of a show for one night?”
The smile fell from his face. “I suppose you’re right.” He released her. “You wouldn’t want to skip the party, would you?”
“Graham, you can’t leave early after all of the hard work everyone put into this event.”
“You’re right, again.” He sighed and turned back to gaze out over the city.
“Your business associates are having a good time, aren’t they?” She’d yet to meet the people, but she hoped they approved of all the hard work to put together the party.
“They were at the office most of the day. I gave them a preview of the Snow Ball. They loved it. And we closed the deal. It was more than I ever could have hoped for—in fact, it’s the biggest deal in the history of Toliver.”
“Graham, that’s wonderful!” This time she was the one who moved in close. When she went to place a kiss on his cheek, he turned his head. Her kiss landed smack-dab on his mouth.
It was with the greatest regret and effort that she quickly withdrew. She arched a brow at him. “You cheat.”
“I like to think of it as not wasting a precious moment.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Anyway, after the papers were signed, they said they had to leave early. There’s a snowstorm moving in and they didn’t want to get stuck here for the holidays. So you have nothing to worry about. Everything worked out. And I thank you for all of your hard work.”
“It’s a shame they missed the ball,” Alina said. “It really is special.” It wasn’t the dance she was thinking of as she stared deep into his eyes. This whole evening was like something straight out of a fairytale.
Graham reached out swiping a flyaway strand of hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear. She instinctively leaned into his touch.
He lowered his head, pressing his lips to hers. This time his kiss was full of raw desire. She met his touch with a roaring need of her own.
She never wanted this night to end, but sadly she only had until midnight. So she best make the most of the time she had left—
Someone cleared their throat. “Excuse me, Mr. Toliver.”
Graham pulled back slightly, resting his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry for the interruption. It’s my assistant. It’ll only take a moment.”
“It’s okay.” Disappointment assailed her. “Do what you need to do.”
Graham straightened. He drew in a deep breath and blew it out, as though subduing his irritation at the ill-timed interruption. He moved toward the doorway where a woman was waiting for him. “Yes. What is it?”
“The members of the board have arrived.”
Alina watched Graham’s facial expression change from one of utter irritation to one of curiosity. She could only surmise the board’s appearance was a surprise for him—hopefully a good one.
He turned back to her. Regret was in his eyes. “I’m sorry. This is important. Would you mind if we picked this up later?”
“Not at all. I have some people I need to speak to.” She thought of all the Stirling residents that helped make this evening possible.
“Make sure you save me a dance. Make that a few dances.”
Heat warmed her cheeks. “You’ve got it.”
He hesitated as though he were thinking of kissing her goodbye, but then he thought better of it. He turned to leave with his assistant. And with him went any answers to her unspoken question about what was happening between them. Because there was something happening, right?
And did that mean he’d changed his mind about tearing down the Stirling? Hope took flight in her heart. Before tonight, she would have said it was too much to hope for. However, this evening had shown her that magic could happen, even in the most dire circumstances.
There had to be a way for Graham to have his impressive tower and her to keep her home and family. She was more certain now than ever before.
* * *
The evening was flying by.
And it couldn’t have gone any better.
Graham had impressed the board, not only with the new partners that would alleviate some of their financial obligations but also with this party that every board member thought should be an annual event. He fully agreed, which in and of itself was startling. Alina had brought some Christmas joy to his heart.
But his board was continuing to press him about the new tower—the one that he’d said he could start ahead of schedule. And that would mean breaking Alina’s heart.
His gaze strayed to where she was speaking with her friend from the Christmas Café. They were smiling and laughing as they held flutes of champagne. He’d never seen her look so happy.
And that’s why he refused to say anything about the dismal findings about the Stirling. He didn’t want to tell her that the whole building needed to be replaced, whether by his high-rise or by another apartment building. In its current condition, it just wasn’t safe.
But for tonight, he would keep that news from her. If she were to find out, her brilliant smile that lit up the entire room would disappear. It would be like the life had been snuffed out of the party.
Who was he kidding? It wasn’t the party he was worried about, it was himself. He knew once Alina heard the news—that her home was going to be destroyed—that she would never forgive him. Could he blame her? Not really. He’d probably take the news a lot worse than her if the situation was reversed.
The hour was growing late when Alina’s stepmother approached him with questions about the bonus for moving out early. This was not a conversation he wanted to have here in a crowd where anyone could overhear what was being said. And it was not a subject he wanted to get into tonight.
“This is not the place to talk about business,” he said.
The woman’s gaze narrowed as her shrill voice rose. “If you’re trying to worm your way out of this deal, you can forget it. I have my attorney on speed dial—”
“Stop.” He tried to rein in his anger. This woman was noth
ing but rude and mean, especially to her own stepdaughter. The fact she and her daughters were even at the ball was a mistake—a big mistake—but there was nothing he could do about it now.
Anger flared in the woman’s eyes. “If Alina convinced you to renege on our agreement, you are mistaken. So what if her dress got ruined. It was an accident. I see that she got another one.”
“You ruined her dress?” He was astonished that someone could be so mean and petty.
“What are you getting so high and mighty for? I told you she got another one.”
“You need to stay away from her—”
“She’s the building manager, even if you’re playing the part for now. We both know that isn’t going to last. And when you get tired of my whiny stepdaughter, one of my daughters would be a much better match for you.”
He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. The thought of having anything to do with this woman or her daughters was nauseating. He needed them to go away—far away from Alina, where they could no longer hurt her.
He had an idea. It was an idea he’d toyed with before but always hesitated about acting on. He didn’t believe anyone should be rewarded for bad behavior, especially not this woman and her two daughters, who both had their arms crossed as they stood behind their mother wearing the same evil scowls.
But there was another way to look at what he was about to do—a view from Alina’s side of things. Getting rid of this woman with her angry tone and nasty comments would make Alina’s world so much better. Alina wouldn’t ever again have to wonder if she’d have to deal with her stepmother that day or her sniping stepsisters. And for that reason and that reason only, he was willing to make a concession.
“If you’re willing to be moved out by the end of the weekend, I’ll double your bonus.”
Immediately the woman’s face lit up but just as quickly her narrowed gaze returned. “What’s the trick?”
“There’s no trick. I just want you gone.”
The woman’s dark gaze narrowed. “Are you offering this to everyone?”
“No. This is a one-time offer.”
“But the building is still being torn down, right?”
“Yes.”
Gasp!
Graham’s jaw clenched as he turned, hoping it wasn’t Alina standing there. His hopes were dashed. Alina’s face was ashen. But instead of the anger he’d expected to see on her face, there was disappointment in her eyes. And he knew that disappointment was directed right at him. He’d let her down.
If only her stepmother hadn’t gotten him so angry, he’d have kept his cool. He’d have followed his plan to speak with Alina first about the dire circumstances with the building.
But now, his plan was out the window. He had to think fast. But all he could think about was how devastated Alina looked and it was all his fault. Would she ever forgive him?
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
THE BUILDING IS being torn down. It’s really going to happen.
Alina’s heart sank right down to her fancy high heels. Even the thought of the designer shoes couldn’t lift her spirits. Everything she thought she’d accomplished by convincing Graham that the building was so much more than a nondescript apartment building had been a lie.
He’d just been putting in his time to fulfill their agreement—an agreement that was at its end. And he didn’t even have the decency to tell her the bad news first. What in the world?
She wanted to ask him, really she did. But at that moment, her mind was in complete disconnect with her mouth. She opened her mouth but no words came out. She promptly pressed her lips together.
Sally, her manager from the café, moved to her side. “You said to remind you when it was almost midnight. It’s a quarter till.”
Alina was still staring at Graham as though in a trance and not the good kind—this was the kind where you are stunned because someone you cared about did something utterly astonishing and oh so hurtful.
“Alina?” Sally asked. “Did you hear me?”
She nodded.
And then with what was left of her pride, Alina straightened her shoulders, turned and headed for the door as fast as her legs could carry her. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes but she blinked them away.
In the background, she heard Graham call out her name. She didn’t stop. She couldn’t stop. She was a moment away from losing control. And she would not let him see her cry. No way.
As she exited the ballroom, she heard someone call out to Graham. Good. Maybe he would get distracted. Because she had nothing to say to him. The fairytale had come to a disastrous ending.
The elevator ride was slow and agonizing. When at last she made it to the ground floor, she rushed for the exit. She burst through the outer doors and into the night air. She didn’t notice the fluttering snowflakes or the plummeting temperature. She started down the first set of steps toward the road, hoping a taxi would come to her aid. But she didn’t see any in sight. How could that be? This was Manhattan, after all. There would be one shortly. There had to be.
“Alina, wait!” Graham’s voice carried through the evening air.
He hadn’t waited to tell her the news about the building first, so she didn’t feel any compulsion to wait for him now. Her vision blurred with unshed tears. She kept moving. And then the Rolls-Royce pulled up to the curb. How was this possible? It’s as though he’d been waiting for her.
She’d just reached the car when a sudden gust of wind swept over her. It chilled her to the bone and the strong air current swept off her shawl. She turned to see it flutter in the air and float away.
There was no way to catch it while avoiding Graham. She hopped in the car. “Please go.”
The car immediately pulled out. She leaned her head back against the leather seat. What had she been thinking all of this time? Like there was something serious going on between her and Graham? For him it was all business. She was the only one letting her heart get in the way.
* * *
How had such a perfect night gone so terribly wrong?
The next morning, a vision of Alina at the beginning of the ball filled Graham’s mind. It was quickly replaced with the devastated look on her face when she’d heard him say he was tearing down her home. He groaned in frustration.
He hadn’t slept all night. After Alina had driven off, he’d caught a taxi and gone immediately to her apartment. When she wasn’t there, he figured she’d gone to a friend’s place and he’d have to try and speak to her tomorrow instead.
He hadn’t wanted to, but he’d gone back to the party to make sure it was shut down properly. He knew it was just an excuse not to go to his apartment alone. Because he knew when he did, he’d never get any sleep.
Graham glanced down at the shimmery wrap that Alina had lost when she’d left the ball. He’d thought for sure the gust of wind would have swept it halfway across the city, but instead the wind stopped when the wrap reached him and, as if planned, it’d landed in his hands.
He wrapped it around his hands and unwrapped it as he tried to decide the best form of damage control. He was good at it when it came to the business, but when it came to his personal life, well, that was another story.
He’d never been successful at personal relationships because he’d never been invested. But things were different with Alina. She was different. And he was different when he was with her—for the better, he liked to think.
He lifted the wrap and inhaled. A jasmine scent clung to the delicate material. He inhaled deeper and smiled. He knew as long as he lived that he’d never smell jasmine again without thinking of her.
But he wasn’t a man to give up without a fight. Sure, she’d been shocked last night when she’d heard the news, but after some sleep, maybe she’d see things in a new light.
And so he took a quick shower and dressed. With damp hair, he rushed out the door. He di
dn’t care that it’d snowed overnight and there were a few inches on the ground. Or that below those few inches was ice.
He pulled out from his underground parking spot and set off for Alina’s apartment. Not all of the roads were plowed, especially the side roads, so it was slow-going. If he hadn’t been in such a rush, he’d have realized that public transportation would have been far faster. But he wasn’t exactly thinking clearly.
When he finally made it to the Stirling, he rushed up the stairs to Alina’s floor. He hoped she was there. With rapid strides, he approached her door. He knocked. When the door didn’t immediately open, he knocked again.
“Alina, please open up. We need to talk.”
“Graham, go away. There’s nothing to say.”
He wasn’t a quitter. “Not until you hear me out. I’m going to keep standing here and keep yelling through your door until you give me five minutes.” When she still didn’t open the door, he said, “And I brought back the wrap you lost last night.”
The lock clicked and then the door opened. Alina stood there in her red-and-white flannel pajamas. Her hair was mussed, but it was the shadows beneath her eyes that drew his attention. It appeared she hadn’t slept any better than him.
“May I come in?” he asked.
She opened the door fully and stepped to the side. He moved past her and into the living room. He noticed that for the first time since they’d decorated the tree that it was darkened. And that was his fault.
Alina took a seat on the couch, crossed her legs and threw a throw blanket over her legs. “Say what you have to say and then go.”
Her tone was flat, which was the exact opposite of what he’d been expecting. It wasn’t a good sign. If she was angry and yelling at him, he could have defended himself and hopefully gotten through to her. But it was like all of the fight that she’d had in her the whole time he’d known her had gone out of her.
He took a seat in the armchair opposite the couch. He held out the wrap. “Before I forget, here you go.” When she didn’t make any effort to reach for it, he placed it on the coffee table. “I’m sorry about last night.”
Fairytale Christmas with the Millionaire Page 14
