by Tania Joyce
“Are you crazy? No way. The board would have to approve that.”
“No, they don’t. I have final say in all our operations.”
“This is my project. You can’t do this. The team from Kick Marketing have done so much. It’s only two months away.”
“I want the funding used in Europe. Effective immediately. Make it happen.”
“I … I won’t do that to Jessica.”
“Jessica? This isn’t about a woman, is it? This is business, son.”
Nate tried to control the anger surging through his veins from boiling over. He felt like his skin would blister. His father always did this—called unreasonable shots at unreasonable times with no concern for all those involved. “Sydney is exceeding our expectations. The promotions and pre-launch events have already boosted our bookings above anticipated levels.”
“Nathan, scale it back. Have a small gathering with just some key colleagues and guests. Nothing so extravagant. Make it happen.”
Yet again his father turned a blind eye to anything he had to offer. Nate got off the phone feeling deflated. While his father was still at the helm of the company, he could call all the shots. Regardless of whether it went against Nate’s better judgment.
He’d been looking forward to the launch. It would’ve been one of the biggest and grandest events that Somers had ever done. Now it wouldn’t be the same without Jessica and her team. Nate sighed heavily and felt exhaustion creep into his bones. He could be grateful for one thing, though. His father had just given him an easy way out so he didn’t have to see Jessica any more. He brushed his hand over his face and rubbed the tiredness from his eyes.
Some things could be a blessing in disguise.
He spent the following hours running figures, reviewing the remaining promotional schedule, performing recalculations and making plans to pull the launch at his father’s request. It took him a dozen attempts to write the email. He reread it a hundred times. He had a strong cup of tea to clear his head. Then, he sat down at his desk, had one last read of the message and hit Send. Jessica was about to hate him a whole lot more.
* * *
Jessica was in the middle of paperwork, calculating client billable hours for her projects when her email inbox pinged. She glanced up to see if the message was important. She looked closer when she saw it was from Nate.
To Jessica Mason; Alex Chambers
From: Nate Somers
Due to recent developments and requirements for budget reallocation, Somers Hotels formally gives notice and wishes to terminate all current activities and contracts of business with Kick Marketing and Event Management. Effective immediately. We will internally manage and proceed with a scaled back opening in November. We will pay any penalties and cover associated costs that your company may have incurred up to this date of notice.
Brooke will schedule a meeting to hand over all necessary documentation and sign the Termination Notice.
Nate Somers
President of Global Development and Operations
Somers Hotels and Residential Towers
Jessica read the email several times just to make sure she’d understood it correctly. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth and her body trembled all over. She simply could not keep her emotions contained any longer and burst into tears. She wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole. Nate had sent his message loud and clear—again. He wanted nothing to do with her. Not only had she lost the man she cared for, but a massive client for her company.
Suddenly, a roar came from the hallway.
“Jessica!” Alex yelled as he stormed into her office. “Explain to me how this happened? How did we lose this account? Budget redirection, my ass. Somers Hotels is loaded.” Alex was red in the face. “What could’ve possibly gone wrong? Did the team screw up? Did we not deliver something we promised? How can … How can you lose a major client so close to a launch?”
“The team did nothing wrong. It was me. I screwed up, okay? Big time,” she mumbled through searing tears.
Alex pulled up short. “But I thought everything was going so well. Just last week all the final schedules were done, the entertainment is locked in, everything is all systems go. Why would Nate Somers pull the account now?”
“Because of me,” Jessica whispered as she yanked a tissue out of its box.
“You? What could you have possibly done?”
“The one thing you said not to.”
Alex looked at her with a blank expression.
“I slept with him.”
Alex mouth fell open as he gasped. “You what?”
“You heard me.”
Jessica had never broken down like this in front of Alex. Ever. Not even after her divorce from Graeme. But no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t stop crying. She felt foolish and childish but her world had come crashing down around her like a house of cards.
Alex came to her side and hugged her. “Jess, sweetie. I don’t know what’s being going on, but we’ll work it out. We always do. But for now, go home, and sort yourself out. I’ll come over after work. Okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Jess, go. Now.”
* * *
Monday morning, Nate packed up his laptop and gathered the last of his belongings for his return flight to Australia. He paused to look out over the sullen city before him. Rain droplets zigzagged down his window like the painful cracks that laced across his heart. He jumped when the phone rang. It was Mindy informing him the car was ready to take him to the airport. He wished it was Jessica wanting an explanation for the termination. He wanted to hear her rant and rave, just to hear her voice again. But the call never came.
He replayed their last conversation over and over in his head. How could she have believed the gossip with Rachael? Was it wrong of him to expect better of her? But then how could he, considering the way he left her. Why did he loathe the idea that she’d kissed another man? He hated to admit it, but deep down Nate burned with jealousy knowing Jessica had been in another man’s arms. Especially Troy, given their history together. He’d never known himself to have a possessive streak before.
So much had happened in a matter of a few weeks. Lucy’s broken leg, the insanely long hours in meetings, and the gossip with Rachael. It dawned on him that yes, his communication with Jessica had broken down. There’d been too many missed calls. Too many missed messages. Jessica was right. How could she not have drawn the worst of conclusions?
Nate took a moment to remember her long legs wrapped around his waist, her eyes closed as she called out his name as he buried himself within her. For weeks, he’d struggled to function properly without her. His feelings for her were so unexpected. So new. So different to anything else before. But no. No more. It was time to put this mess behind him and move on. Before meeting Jessica he’d been content in his life, so surely this heavy feeling inside his heart would pass in due course. Because his feelings for her didn’t matter anymore. He had to keep telling himself that.
He had to refocus because the hotel opened its doors to patrons in two weeks’ time and the launch for November now had to be reworked. He had one final handover meeting to get through with Jessica and then his life could return to normal.
Chapter 15
Numb.
It was the only way Jessica could describe how she felt as she worked from home on Tuesday. Preparing all the documentation to hand over to Somers Hotel was exhausting. As she backed up the files onto an external hard drive she was saddened by the fact that she wouldn’t see the end of the project. It was the first time in her professional career she felt like a failure, and she had no one else to blame but herself.
The following morning she managed to hold her composure as she entered her office. But the sullen look on her employees’ faces nearly made her crumble behind her facade. By now they all knew they’d lost the Somers Hotel account, thanks to an email from Alex. But she was still not looking forward to facing her team and bearing their disa
ppointment. God, she’d let so many people down.
By mid-afternoon, she was finalizing all the artwork and source files for the meeting with Somers when she noticed that the graphic designers had provided the wrong files. With the boys offsite at a meeting, it was going to take a few hours to rectify.
Jessica quickly reached for her phone.
“Brooke, it’s Jessica. We have a delay on pulling some files together for you. And I would appreciate more time to calculate all the costings. I won’t get everything finished in time for our meeting at five. Can we please reschedule for first thing in the morning?”
“Don’t stress, Jess. Nate’s been delayed in Singapore and won’t be back until later tonight. I was only moments away from calling you. We’ll sort everything out tomorrow. What time can you meet?”
“That would be great.” Jessica clicked on her calendar. “How’s 10.30 am?”
“Excellent. All booked. We’ll see you here in the boardroom.”
* * *
Alone in the office at nine o’clock, Jessica heard her phone buzz with a message. She was finishing up for the evening and desperately wanted to head for home. She shuffled several papers around on her desk to find her phone lying underneath them all. She looked at the screen.
I would like documentation tonight. Are you in the office? Just landed. Can I drop by and pick them up? Nate.
Jessica’s heart ached as she read his text message. How could she face him after everything that had happened?
Consequences. Who would have thought her affair could have led to losing the launch? Just one more meeting and then he would be out of her life forever. I’m strong. I can do this. I’ll just hand him the files in reception and get him out of the office as quick as possible. Done!
She replied to his text.
YES.
Everything was bundled together ready for Nate. All she needed was this one final document to print. The fifty pages seemed to be taking forever. She was tapping her fingernails against the side of the machine, urging it to speed up when the reception door buzzed. Was that Nate already? He’d arrived at the office a lot quicker than she was prepared for. As she headed down the corridor, she ran her hands through her hair, straightened her skirt and her posture, hoping to look presentable at this late hour of the evening.
After opening the door, the very sight of Nate took her breath away. He looked fresh, even after a long flight. She remembered how soft his hair felt, how his lips tasted, and how it felt to be wrapped in his arms. But now, just looking at him sent arrows through her heart. He was no longer hers. Not that he ever was.
“Hey,” she greeted him, unable to look him in the eye.
He slowly stepped inside the foyer. “Evening.” The word sounded as if it caught in his throat.
“Look, it’s been a really long day,” said Jessica. “Let’s get this over with so we can both get home.”
She turned to lead him down the hall. The main building was dark. Only a few dim spotlights lit the way toward her office. But they hadn’t made it halfway down the passage before Nate grabbed her by the hand, spun her round and pinned her up against the wall, kissing her hard on the lips.
“Jess.” The sound of him whispering her name sent an explosion of desire coursing through her body. Pressing his groin into hers, he kissed wildly down her neck and slid his fingers through her hair.
“What are you doing?” His actions weren’t making any sense. She pushed against his shoulders even though her body was aching to belong to him again.
He lifted his head to look at her. “I’m so sorry. I’ve been trying to convince myself that we were through and to walk away from you. But the moment I saw you, I knew it just wasn’t possible. I’m crazy about you. I never meant to hurt you. I beg of you to forgive me.”
Breath escaped her as she heard his words. His eyes fixed on hers; she saw his pain and sorrow reflected her own emotions. His lips found hers again as he pushed her harder back against the wall, forcing her breasts to arch into his chest.
She yanked his tie free from around his throat and ripped opened his shirt as his hands hooked up her skirt and tore off her panties. Tears streamed down her cheeks as he released his belt, opened his trousers and thrust into her fevered wetness.
He drove into her again and again—up against the wall. Passion and desire took over, wiping away all hurt, pain and stupidity. Nate wailed as he exploded inside of her. She held on to his shoulders as he shuddered against her, savoring the feel, the smell and the touch of his body next to hers.
Panting, they sank to the floor in a pile of entwined limbs. Exhausted. Gasping for air.
“Nate, I thought …”
He took her head between his hands and kissed her lips tenderly. “I don’t know where to begin. I’m sorry for everything that’s happened or didn’t happen. Everything got all screwed up. I know this is crazy considering we only have a few months together, but I want to spend it with you. If you’ll have me. Out of all this mess there is only one thing I know for certain. And that is I’m … in love with you.”
Jessica couldn’t breathe as she drowned in the depths of his eyes. His words wrapped around her heart, filling her with a warmth that she had never experienced in her life. She rested her head on his shoulder. “I’ve been losing my mind over the way I feel for you. Because I love you, too.”
“I don’t know how you can after what I said.”
“I can honestly say I have never felt like this about anyone else in my life.”
“Me either.” Nate’s smile made her heart melt. “But what about Troy? Do you have feelings for him?”
“I do care for him. But I don’t love him. It’s been hard dealing with him back in my life, but you have to believe me, nothing’s ever going to happen there.”
“I do. And you’re going to have to believe me that nothing happened with Rachael. You’re it, Jess.”
In that spilt second she knew Nate had her heart and everything that had been clouding her mind became crystal clear. She knew she wasn’t in love with Troy. Too much water had gone under the bridge and their worlds and ambitions were too far apart. She had fond memories of her times with Troy. He was her first love—but a past love. Nate was her present love, now and for at least a little bit further into the future.
Nate’s fingertips brushed away her tears and he pressed his lips against hers. “You also have to know that it was my father who interfered, as always, and wanted to scale back the launch. I couldn’t bear the thought of you thinking the cancellation was personal.”
Jessica nodded, listening.
“So here’s the thing,” he continued, “I did a lot of thinking on the flight, and I ended up missing my connection because I was rallying support from the board. I want to proceed with the opening. As planned. No changes.”
“Are you defying your father’s wishes?”
“Yes.”
Jessica smiled as she pressed her lips to his.
“So, do you think we can get up off the floor and tear up those termination agreements?” said Nate.
“Absolutely.” Elation filled her as he stood and offered her hand to help her to her feet.
“After that, how about heading back to your place for the night?” he suggested.
“I’ll lead the way.”
* * *
“Are you free this Sunday?” Jessica asked Nate while they were packing up their things after their meeting the following week. The rest of the staff had returned to their desks, she was alone with him in her boardroom. Her stress levels were once again manageable with the launch now back on track.
“You know that’s the day before we open to guests, but I can make some time free,” said Nate. “What did you have in mind?” He moved around the table to stand in front of her, sliding his hands around her waist.
Jessica stepped away and waved a finger at him. “Not in the office.” She couldn’t help but feel her cheeks flush.
Nate playfully pouted. “I thoug
ht you didn’t want to sneak around anymore?”
“Yes, but we agreed to keep things low-key.” A select few people like Zoe, Brooke and Alex now knew about their relationship, and that was more than enough in the workplace. Outside of work, Jessica didn’t really see any problem. “It’s my birthday and I’m having a few friends and Conner over for a barbecue. I’d like you to join me as my date.”
“A date?” He ignored her futile attempts to push him away as he moved his hands around onto her bottom. “So we’ve snuck around for ages doing unimaginable things to each other in private, and now you want me to come out and meet your friends?” Nate’s eyed sparkled with cheekiness.
“Well, half of them already know we’re seeing each other. I know it’s a big step being seen together, but it’s only within the confines of my home.” She shrugged. “Besides, I want to show you off a little. Come on, it will be fun.”
“So you just want to use me and parade me around in front of your pals.” As he whispered in her ear she flinched as goosebumps shot down her neck.
“I didn’t think it’d be a problem for you.”
“No. None whatsoever. I look forward to escaping from the hotel for a few hours.” Nate leaned in and kissed her on her mouth before she had time to think.
* * *
Early October saw the grass in Jessica’s small garden lush and green again. Roses and gardenias lining the fence filled the air with their fragrance. In the distance the harbor waters glistened in the sunshine. As Jessica set the outdoor table, she realized she hadn’t celebrated her birthday in years. Usually it was just dinner somewhere with Conner. So this gathering of family and friends was a real treat. A simple backyard barbecue sounded so much better to her than some outlandish cocktail reception like she was always throwing for her clients.
Nervous about her friends meeting Nate, Jessica wiped her sweaty hands on her jeans as she went to answer the door. Maxine and her husband, Patrick, and Alex with his partner, Dylan, were the first to arrive. Jessica’s eyes widened with surprise as Alex had brought a case of her favorite wine, and Max presented her with an incredible-looking chocolate torte birthday cake.
