Vivian was wrong, though. I knew a lot about family. I just didn’t have very many people to call family anymore. I knew enough to know what I was missing out on, to feel desperately lonely to have had it pointed out in such a vicious manner.
Bonnie shook her head. “He couldn’t always have believed it. I’ve seen the way he looks at you, remember? There has to be more to it than that.”
“I wish there had been, but he didn’t say anything else. It was stupid to think that it could have become a long-term thing anyway. He has Millie and his company to worry about, and his mother. Just because I didn’t know about her doesn’t mean she isn’t also someone he has to worry about.”
She gave me a sad smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m sorry, Heidi. If I’d known it would turn out like this, I never would have encouraged you to go after him. I’m sorry you got hurt.”
“It’s not your fault. Besides, you’re the one that warned me about him. You told me that it was different with a child involved and that I had to make sure about what I wanted before I saw him again.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t think this would happen. I just can’t believe he let his mum say all those terrible things about you.”
“Me either.” But he had, and I had to accept it. He’d believed his mother and then he’d asked me to leave. So that was that. Archer Lee was no longer any part of my life. “We’d better get back to work.”
“What are you going to do about that, by the way? Are you still going to his party?”
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I don’t know what to do, but I’m going to have to figure it out, and it’s going to have to happen fast.”
Chapter 35
Archer
Hugo, Millie, and I stood on the roof at the office, all three of us staring at the absence of activity happening. The stretch tents were set up, as was the bar area.
There was no alcohol in it, though. Tables stood haphazardly around, their stools still off to one side.
After Heidi had dropped by to tell me she’d done the basic setup so she wouldn’t have to worry about it today, I’d come up to the roof before going home. What I was looking at now was exactly what I’d looked at then.
Nothing more had happened.
The corner where the kitchen was supposed to be also had its tent covering it and long tables set up beneath it, but there was no equipment. The kids’ area had the tents with the mattresses in them and some low tables and chairs, but the jumping castle wasn’t there and neither were any of the actual toys or activities.
All of those things were supposed to have happened today, but there was nothing going on and the party started in five hours. I cursed under my breath and met Hugo’s eyes over the top of Millie’s head.
“Well, I guess we have our answer about the party,” he said, giving me a meaningful look.
Millie wore a puzzled expression. “Where’s Heidi, Daddy? Where’s everyone else?”
“I don’t know, sweetheart.” I shoved my hand into my pocket and pulled out my phone. “But I guess it’s time to find out.”
With a heavy heart, I stepped away from them. If Heidi and her people really didn’t show up, I was so screwed. I could make a few calls to some bar owners I knew to get some alcohol in, and I could probably get some pizza as takeaways for food, but there was no way I was going to be able to pull everything together in time.
All that set aside, I’d been hoping to see Heidi today. I’d been hoping to get the chance to talk to her.
After leaving Hugo once we’d finished our lunch, all I’d done was think. I’d thought about Heidi and all the times we’d shared. I’d thought about what my mother had said and all the points that Hugo had made.
Eventually, I’d finally come to a conclusion and gotten my head screwed on right. But if I never got to tell Heidi that, it wouldn’t do anyone any good.
Walking to the railing around the roof, I pulled up Heidi’s number on my phone. Just as I was about to call, trucks started pulling up in the street below.
Security waved them through as if they’d had advance notice of their arrival and begun removing cones that appeared to have been specially placed to keep the space available for them to offload.
I watched in awe as teams of people started spilling out, carrying boxes, silver trays, and so many other things that my head spun. Heidi had come through for me after all. After everything, she had still made sure that her people were here.
My head spun with relief, but my heart started pounding in my chest. I’d barely had time to process when Bonnie led the first group of people onto the roof. My mouth went dry as I waited for Heidi, but she never came.
Bonnie had a clipboard in her hand and an earpiece in, directing everyone to where they needed to go. She spotted me but didn’t wave or come over.
Instead, she merely inclined her head in acknowledgement of my existence and went back to work. My heart sank.
Heidi was a professional. Of course, she would have come through with the party. She just wasn’t going to be here for it. My heart sank to my shoes and then even further than that.
I’d really fucked up with her, and it didn’t look like I was going to get a second chance. Hugo walked up to me with Millie in tow. “Looks like there’s going to be a party after all.”
“Yeah, it looks like it,” I agreed, but my voice was so grave it sounded like I was sharing bad news with a distraught family. “Should we see what we can do to help?”
He nodded. “I’ve already called my guys up here. We’re going to make sure everyone’s got what they need, and if they need our help, we’ll be here and ready to give it.”
“Okay. Sounds good. I’m going to ask Bonnie if there’s anything I can do. Sweetheart, why don’t you go over to the play area and supervise the people unpacking the toys?”
She chewed on her lip, seemingly as disappointed as I was that Heidi wasn’t here. “Okay, Daddy. I’ll go sit down on one of those chairs, but I have my colouring book in my backpack. I don’t want to play with anything right now.”
“Sure,” I said, trying to sound more upbeat.
Millie released a soft sigh as her gaze scanned the rooftop once again, lingering as more people appeared from the stairwell. Heidi still wasn’t among them.
Her shoulders slumped and then she started making her way to the kids’ area. A stab of pain speared my heart. It was my fault she was sad, my fault for not having spoken up for Heidi, and my fault for asking her to leave.
When I’d finally gone to get Millie from her room that night, she’d jumped up excitedly and asked me if we were finally going to get to have dinner with Heidi. I’d told her that Heidi had to leave but hadn’t told her why.
She’d been dejected ever since, only cheering up every time she remembered Heidi was planning the party where she was going to be tonight as well. I was pretty sure she’d had her hopes as solidly on seeing Heidi here as I’d had.
Once the party was over, I was going to have to break it to her that Heidi wasn’t going to be coming around anymore. I didn’t know how I was going to explain what had happened, but I’d make sure that she knew it wasn’t her fault or Heidi’s.
This was on me, and I was going to shoulder the responsibility for my actions. Hugo clapped me on the back, standing beside me as we watched Millie walk away.
“She’s really down about this, isn’t she?” he asked.
I nodded. “I feel like I just keep fucking up with her these days. I mean, could I have fucked it up any worse than I have?”
He shrugged. “Sure, you could have not been there for her at all, or you just couldn’t have cared about her or how she felt. Trust me, you could have fucked up far worse than you have. That being said, I don’t envy you for having to tell her that Heidi’s out of your lives now.”
“Neither do I.” But that conversation could wait anyway. Trying to talk to her about it at the party would be just one more example of how I could keep fucking up.
&nbs
p; Other children were beginning to arrive with their parents. Millie knew some of them from school and others from previous office parties. Hopefully, they would be able to cheer her up just a little.
Tomorrow, I would have to break her heart, but for tonight, I just wanted her to be happy. Hugo sauntered off to go see what he could do to help. All the other employees who had arrived early were the members of his team, and they did the same thing after getting all their kids settled.
Bonnie wouldn’t even talk to me when I asked her if I could help, too. She simply gave her head a firm shake and walked away.
Since Heidi had told me Bonnie was her best friend, I supposed it made sense that she was treating me like Evil Incarnate. I’d hurt her friend and she obviously knew about it.
Clenching my jaw, I went over to where the kids were and tried to help by keeping them entertained. The space took shape quickly thanks to Heidi’s advance preparations, and before I knew it, the party was all set up and about to start. Even the jumping castle showed up a couple of hours later, a mass of kids closing in on it as soon as it was up.
Everyone from the office showed up little by little, bright smiles on their faces and their party moods ready. The DJ we’d hired for the evening started playing right on time, music and laughter filling the air around me.
People kept coming up to me to attempt to draw me into their conversations and to thank me for the party, but I wasn’t really in the mood to talk. Or to party, for that matter.
I made polite small talk and forced smiles, eventually even getting myself a drink from the bar. No matter what I did though, I just couldn’t enjoy myself without Heidi there.
Everything was perfect, exactly what we’d dreamed up during all those meetings we’d had together. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, but the tents shielded us from the warm afternoon sun.
Lights twinkled against the sails of the tents, and I knew that once the sun went down, they were going to look magical. Drinks were flowing even though more crates of alcohol were still being brought up and the waiters were moving around with trays of dishes made from fresh, local produce in hand.
Heidi had even rented a huge disco ball which hung in the highest arch of the tent so that we’d have our own ball dropping once it was midnight. She’d thought of everything, including setting up cosy little seating areas near the railing with chairs that reclined slightly so we’d be able to watch the city’s fireworks display over the bay later.
The only thing missing was her. She’d worked so hard on this party. She deserved to be here, to enjoy the fruits of her labour.
We’d already reached an agreement during one of our meetings that once everything had been set up, she’d be off the clock. I’d wanted her to enjoy the party and have fun with Millie and me, and she’d said she would be looking forward to it.
With everything having gone to shit between us, one thing that hadn’t changed was that I still felt that she deserved to be here. While I couldn’t know for a fact that she hadn’t made other plans at the last minute, I couldn’t in good conscience leave her to sit alone at home while everyone else enjoyed her party.
With Bonnie being here, the chances of her being alone were good. If she hadn’t made any last-minute plans. I knew she didn’t have many other friends, though.
Mind made up, I strode back to the staircase where it was quieter. There was a corner around the side of it where there probably wouldn’t be anyone.
Making a beeline for it to go call her, I froze in place when the door opened again. Heidi appeared like a vision in pink, albeit a very frustrated vision.
Her brow was furrowed and her cheeks were red. She lugged a case of champagne with her, seemingly cursing into an earpiece that matched the one Bonnie was wearing.
A grin broke across my face when I saw her, and I lowered my phone from where it had already been on its way to my ear. Even with the deep frown and the frustration rolling off her in waves, she looked beautiful.
Her dress was a vivid, cerise pink and swirled around her legs as she walked. The neckline dipped low enough to hint at her cleavage without actually revealing it.
There was another braid hanging over her shoulder, but there were smaller ones winding all around her head. Dark charcoal liner made her eyes look vibrant and alive, accentuating them to make them look even bigger than they already were.
My heart skipped and galloped inside my chest, feeling like it was trying to break free to get to her. And why shouldn’t it?
The champagne looked pretty heavy, so I followed my heart and went to her. Even if it was just to help her carry some alcohol, at least I was getting to see her again.
It wasn’t all that I wanted, not by a long shot, but I would take what I could get. And then I’d do my goddamn best to get more of it.
Chapter 36
Heidi
“Fucking Jonathan,” I muttered into my headset, hearing Bonnie giggle in reply.
“What did he do now?”
I pushed the door that led to the rooftop open with my arse because my hands couldn’t move unless I wanted to drop the champagne I was carrying. “He was supposed to deliver the special, midnight toast champagne with the rest of the stuff. Needless to say, it got left behind in his truck and I had to go pick it up from him because he was already on his way to the next party.”
“That dude is so scatterbrained.”
“Yeah, let’s call it scatterbrained.” There were a couple of other things I could think of to call him, but I didn’t.
What was done was done. The champagne was here now, and soon, this whole godforsaken party would be behind me. As would the client the party was for.
I’d debated even coming tonight at all, but then I’d decided that I wouldn’t risk or sacrifice my record of impeccable events over him. This was my party and it would be perfect. I would make sure of it myself. Fuck him.
While I wasn’t planning on working until the very end, I’d make sure the main things went off without a hitch, and then Bonnie and I were planning on finding ourselves a nice corner with a bottle of this expensive champagne I was carrying.
Sweat pooled at the nape of my neck, but it and even the heat and frustration causing it were forgotten as soon I stepped through the door. Of course the first person I would see would be Archer.
For one lost moment in time, I let myself stare at him as my eyes met his. For as much of an arsehole as he was, he really was beautiful.
A lock of that dark hair hung just so across his forehead, his clear blue eyes blazing into mine. They burned right through me, temporarily obliterating all the defences I’d put up against him.
But then he moved towards me and the spell was broken. His arms were outstretched, like he was coming to help me with the champagne.
Oh no. No. No. No. He could go jump off the damn roof for all I cared. I wasn’t speaking to him and I sure as hell wasn’t letting him help me.
“Heidi, I—”
“I need to get the champagne to the bar,” I said briskly, moving past him without looking at him again. He was too damn good looking to be such a bastard. Really, he should have been born with a warning sign on his forehead. Danger inside. Keep out.
I sighed when I heard his footsteps behind me. With the case of champagne in my arms, I couldn’t even move any faster than I already was. Then again, it wasn’t like I would have been able to run away from him.
Too juvenile and way, way too obvious. It would have been the talk of his office for the next year. Do you remember when the party planner literally ran away from Mr. Lee? I wonder why…
“Can I please have the champagne, Heidi? I can take it to the bar. You don’t have to do it.”
“I’m already doing it.” I still didn’t turn around, making my way into the throngs of people surrounding the bar to deposit the case with a heavy thud on the counter. The nearest barman looked stunned for a second, then he grinned at me. “Thanks, Heidi. Why didn’t you call us down to help you with it?”
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br /> “What am I, disabled?” I snapped, then felt my cheeks colour. “Sorry, Daniel. I didn’t mean that. It’s just hot and that was heavy.”
He gave me another friendly grin. “No worries, mate. Let me know if there’s anything else needing a lift up.”
“I will do. Thanks.” When I turned around to walk away from the bar—and okay, to dodge Archer—he was still standing beside me.
“I need to talk to you please.” He wasn’t quite begging, but there was a hint of a plea in his tone. I felt my resolve wavering, but then I remembered how cold those eyes had been the last time I’d seen him.
No. Don’t give into him. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“So don’t say anything, just listen. Please.” His hand reached out towards me.
I sidestepped it and jerked my arm away. “You had a chance to say something, but if memory serves, you chose to keep quiet. Please do so now.”
Wishing and hoping that he’d just let it go, I made my way through the crowd to find that quiet corner a little earlier than I’d planned. I needed a minute. Then I’d check on everything else.
Not that I really had to. Bonnie kept me in the loop on the earpiece, and so far, everything was going well. Even the jumping castle had finally been delivered. Maybe I can make it two or three minutes then.
When I didn’t hear Archer saying anything else, I assumed he’d let me go. Breathing a sigh of relief, I headed back to the stairwell and made for a corner around the side of it I’d spotted the other day. I’d wondered if I should have set something up there, but now I was glad that I hadn’t.
Once I reached the railing on this quieter side of the roof, I rested my forearms on it and hung my head to drag in a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, Heidi,” Archer’s voice came from behind me, low and smooth but sincere. “I’m so fucking sorry. I don’t know what happened. I froze. My mother… has some complicated opinions about me getting involved with anyone.”
Show My What You Got Page 22
