Atlantis

by Jessica Rosberg

  Sloane sat up and looked at him. "I know. I'm so sorry, Nate. I tried to reschedule so that I could be here, but there's no possible way."

  Without a word, he got out of bed, rummaged through his dresser, and pulled on a pair of gym shorts. Sloane felt the sting of tears in the corners of her eyes. She wanted to ask him to come back to bed, to beg him to understand, but she remained silent, waiting for him to speak.

  "Tell them you can't go," he said, turning around to look at her.

  "You know I can't do that, Nate." Sloane got out of bed and started to put her clothes back on. Having this type of conversation while naked seemed…weird. She started to feel better once her shirt and panties were on. "I begged Geraldine to reschedule some of our interviews, but she refused. You know how she is." Sloane pulled on her skirt and zipped it up.

  "We've been planning this for two months, Sloane! Two damn months!" he shouted.

  She cringed at the tone of his voice. She'd never seem him angry before, and she decided rather quickly that she didn't like it one bit. "I know hon." Sloane walked up to him and reached for him.

  Nate jerked away. "So, what? I'm supposed to go to my own birthday party alone? Do you have any idea how stupid I'll look?"

  Sloane swallowed the urge to cry. "You won't look stupid, Nate. People know we're dating, and people know that I travel a lot. Nobody is going to care."

  "I care, Sloane!" he yelled, pointing at his chest. "If I wanted a part time girlfriend, I'd hire one."

  His words stung, and she lost the fight to hold back her tears. They coursed unbidden down her face. "Is that how you see me? As a part time girlfriend?"

  "It seems like that's all you are. You're never home for more than a few days at a time."

  Sloane hastily wiped her tears. Her anger slowly reached its boiling point. She could feel her face getting warmer by the second, and her heart rate steadily increased. "You knew what my schedule was like when we met. You said you were okay with it. You said it didn't matter as long as I spent what little time I had at home with you."

  "Yeah, well, I can't handle it. I don't like it, Sloane, and not being at my birthday is the last straw."

  She took a few steps back, away from him. "What are you saying?" Oh, God! He couldn't be breaking up with her, could he? He'd just told her he loved her. What kind of guy would tell a girl he loved her, and then break up with her moments later?

  "I'm saying that things need to change or we're over."

  Her jaw hung open in shock. "You want me to choose between my career and you?" Nate simply crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her. "That's not fair!" she shouted.

  "Neither is you missing my birthday." He turned away from her and put on a shirt. "I'm telling you right now, Sloane. If you aren't here to go to my party with me; then I'm going to go with someone else."

  She huffed in disgust. "Go to hell!" Sloane grabbed her things and stormed out of his apartment. Thankfully her tears had stopped. She was too pissed to cry.

  "Sloane!" Nate called after her. "Shit…Sloane! I'm sorry…please, Sloane!"

  She ignored him and continued to walk away. Thoughts swirled through her mind as she walked to her car. He was being so selfish. Had he always been that way? Sloane shook her head. Granted, she was tired of being gone all the time, but she couldn't just quit. Modeling was her life, her livelihood. Besides, it wasn't her choice alone to make. There was Candice to consider. The two of them were a team. If Sloane quit, Candice would be left in the cold. Although, Candice was irritated by how much they were forced to work, too. It might not hurt to mention the idea to Candice. And maybe they didn't have to quit. Maybe they could just cut back a little. Yeah, like Geraldine would let that happen.

  Sloane got in her car and let out a frustrated scream. Why did everything have to be so complicated? Work stuff aside, what the hell was up with Nate? Would he really take another woman to his birthday party? The thought made her irate. Nate was her boyfriend. There was no way in hell she was going to let another woman get her claws into Nate. Not that she was going to him know any of that. The jerk deserved to worry for a little while. Plus, she wanted to see if he'd call her and apologize first.

  Chapter Six

  "Sloane? What are you doing here?" Jason asked, ushering her inside his house. "Sorry, girl, but you look like hell. What's going on?"

  She sniffled. "I need a drink, Jason. Actually, I need several drinks."

  He tsked. "That bad, huh?"

  With a nod, she said, "Got a few hours?"

  Jason laughed and flung his arm around her shoulders. "For you I have a lifetime, doll. Come on, let's get some alcohol, and then you can tell me everything."

  Sloane followed him through the living room and into the kitchen. Jason was wealthy, thanks in part to the inheritance his father had left him, but it was also thanks to several savvy investments he'd made at a young age. But despite his wealth, he didn't flaunt it. His house was small and cozy. It was beautifully decorated, too. Jason had done it himself. Yeah, it was totally cliché that a gay man was good at interior design, but it was also totally true. In fact, Jason was so good at it, Sloane had given him carte blanche to decorate her apartment when she'd been in London for two months. She'd come home to a completely redecorated apartment that she loved.

  "Wine or wine cooler?" Jason asked.

  She scrunched up her face. "Is that all you've got?"

  "Sorry, love, if I had known you were coming over, I would've gone shopping. I hope you don't expect me to feed you. The food selection is even worse."

  Sloane laughed. Drinking wine always gave her a wicked headache and wine coolers weren't any better, especially considering she had to drink double the amount to just get a buzz. "Wine, I guess. You do have red, don't you?"

  "I'm not a heathen, you know." Jason grinned as he opened the refrigerator wine cabinet and pulled out a bottle.

  She watched as he got out two glasses, uncorked the wine, and poured it. Jason was handsome in a boy next door sort of way. He had wavy blond hair, piercing blue eyes, a clean shaven face, and dimples. His upper body was muscular, and he had a fantastic ass. Not to mention he was the sweetest guy she'd ever known. If he wasn't gay, and if he wasn't her best friend, she would definitely date him.

  Jason handed her a glass. "Drink up, and then start talking."

  Sloane drained her glass and held it out for a refill. Jason obliged. "Can we sit out back?"

  "Sure, but quit stalling."

  "Deal. Bring the wine. I'm going to need it." Jason grabbed the open bottle of wine and led her outside to the back porch, which overlooked the most inviting pool she'd ever seen. It was a lagoon style pool with a hot tub at one end and a rock wall at the other. Plush lounge chairs surrounded it. They each took a seat. Taking another sip, Sloane put her head back and closed her eyes for a moment. She sighed. "Nate and I had a fight."

  "About what?"

  "Geraldine gave us our new schedule and we have to leave the day after tomorrow for another three weeks. I'm going to miss Nate's birthday party and he's pissed about it." Jason nodded and took a drink. He looked thoughtful, as if he wanted to say something but was afraid if he did, Sloane would be upset. "What?" she asked.

  "I can understand why Nate's upset," he said slowly. "Twenty five is a big year. He's been planning this party for two months."

  "I know," Sloane whined. "But what am I supposed to do? I asked Mom if we could reschedule a couple of our interviews and she refused. You know how she is."

  "I do." He refilled his glass, and then hers. "But this is your life, Sloane. How long are you going to let your mom run it?"

  "She's not running my life, just my career."

  Jason cocked a brow and shook his head. "And your career is your life, love."

  Sloane didn't know why, but she had an inexplicable compulsion to defend her mother, even though Jason was right. "It's not my whole life."

  "Oh really?"

  "Shut up." She laughed.

&n
bsp; "Okay, we'll come back to your mother. Right now, tell me what happened with Nate."

  "I told him I wasn't going to be here for his birthday and he flipped out, told me that if something didn't change, we were over. Then he said if I wasn't around to go with him, he was going to take someone else."

  Jason nearly choked on his wine. He wiped his mouth with his fingers. "He said that to you?"

  "Yeah." Sloane downed the rest of her wine just so she wouldn't cry again. And Jason's scrutinizing gaze wasn't helping matters, either.

  "Then let him take someone else."

  Sloane jerked her head and looked at Jason, her shock unmistakable. "What?" Why on earth would Jason take Nate's side on this?

  "If he's stupid enough to give you an ultimate like that then just let him take someone else. He'll realize what he lost by being a dick to you."

  She turned back in her seat and contemplated what Jason just said. Was he right? If she called Nate's bluff and let him take another girl to his birthday party, would he realize how much he loved her? How much he wanted and needed her? Or would he like a girl who was around all the time? Either way, it was risky. The entire situation sucked. She loved Nate. And she thought he loved her, too.

  "Now, about your mother…"

  "No, we're not finished talking about Nate yet. I can't let him go with another woman. What if he likes her better than me?" There, she'd voiced her fear. It didn’t make her feel any better to say it aloud though. If anything, it made her feel weak and needy and pathetic.

  Jason shifted in his lounge chair so that he could look at her. "I see it this way. You either let Nate to whatever he's going to do or you stand up to Geraldine and stay here for Nate's party. But it's clear that you can't have both. He made it clear what his intentions are, and he doesn't strike me as the type of guy to go back on his word."

  Once again, Jason was right. Nate was nothing if not honest and dependable. If he said he was going to do something, he did it. "I'd love to stand up to my mother, but if I do, what happens to Candice? This isn't just my career that I'm dealing with here."

  "Candice is a smart girl. I'm confident she can make it on her own. You don't have to leave for another day. Talk to your sister. She might be on the same page as you on this."

  "You think?"

  "Yes." Jason held up the bottle of wine. "More?" Sloane nodded, and Jason refilled her glass. The bottle was now empty. "You know, if you fire your mother, you could hire a new manager who would be more willing to meet your terms. It would be the best of both worlds."

  Sloane had fantasized about firing her mother. In fact, she and Candice had talked about it numerous times. But, it was there mother. Their relationship was strained as it was. Firing her would guarantee that they never spoke again. And where would they find another manager? Neither she nor Candice knew anything about the business side of things. Geraldine had always handled all of it—since they'd started modeling at age two.

  "Care if I get another bottle?" She stood.

  "Help yourself."

  She went inside and this time got dry white wine. Having drunk half the first bottle on her own, she was feeling the effects. Things didn't seem so hopeless anymore. Jason always knew how to make her feel better. He was good at it, and she'd be lost without him. He's the reason she stayed sane during her times away from home. All she had to do was call him and he'd fill her in on everything that was going on. "So, how are things with Liam?" she asked as she walked back outside and took her seat.

  Jason waved his hand dismissively. "Liam is so last week." He held out his glass and Sloane filled it to the rim. "He was too clingy. There's a guy at the coffee shop that has been flirting with me though."

  Sloane smiled. Jason went through boyfriends like she went through shoes. "Do tell."

  "He's tall, dark, and handsome. He always has my coffee ready when I get to the counter. This morning he wrote his phone number on my cup holder."

  "Have you called him?"

  "Not yet. I don't want to seem too eager." He laughed. "But I'm definitely going to. His name is Carter. He's single, has one cat, and he's working his way through business school."

  She giggled. "Only you would have that much information about someone you've never been on a date with."

  "I do my homework." He winked.

  Sloane sighed and yawned. It had been one hell of a day. All she wanted to do was curl up in Nate's arms and fall asleep. Her jovial mood disappeared. She stood and stumbled slightly. "I have to go find Nate. I have to apologize and tell him I love him, tell him I don't want him going to the party with another woman."

  "You're not in any shape to go anywhere."

  "I'll call a cab," she said, setting down her glass and looking around. "I want to be with Nate. I have to make things right."

  "Good luck. Call me if you need anything." Jason walked her to the door and kissed her on the cheek before she left.

  The ride to Nate's apartment building seemed to take forever. Sloane stared out the window, her mind racing and her eyes soaking up the scenery. She loved the city. There was no place on earth like New York City. It was so full of energy and excitement and possibilities. It was such a shame she didn't get to spend more time here, enjoying what the city had to offer. It would be nice to wake up some morning and take a walk through Central Park with Nate.

  The stuff Jason said to her raced through her mind. He was usually right about a lot of things. Was he right about this, too? If she and Candice decided to hire a new manager, then they could set some ground rules. Sloane could be here for Nate's birthday party. Candice would be allowed to take her final exams. The more Sloane thought about it, the more excited she became. Plus, if they weren't constantly fighting with their mom about their schedules, the three of them might be able to have a normal relationship.

  As the cab came to a stop in front of Nate's building, Sloane decided that she would tell him her plans, and hopefully he would give her a little time to put them into action. Sloane paid the cab driver and got out. For the first time in a long time, she felt confident and excited about the future.

  Chapter Seven

  "Nate?" Sloane knocked on his apartment door. It hadn't occurred to her that he might not be home. "Nate? Come on, open the door." There was still no answer. She dug through her purse to find the key he'd given her. It had been a pleasant surprise to get a key to Nate's apartment. He'd given it to before she'd left the last time. He'd said it was so she could come over as soon as she got back, regardless of what time of the day or night it was. She remembered telling him how sweet he was and how she wished she could be with him all the time.

  Thanks to the copious amounts of wine she'd drunk at Jason's, she fumbled getting the key into the lock. After three failed attempts, she finally managed to get the door unlocked and opened. "Nate?" she called again. He was definitely home. All the lights were on, and he never left the lights on when he wasn't at home. He was too conscious of the cost of electricity.

  Sloane glanced at the clock. It was well after midnight. He was probably sleeping, which was odd because he normally turned all the lights off at night, too. It was the one reason she hated spending the night at his apartment. When she'd have to get up in the middle of the night it was so dark she'd always trip on something or stub her toe. Thankfully, Nate didn't have issues with staying at her apartment most of the time.

  She made her way toward the bedroom. It would be nice to strip naked and surprise him in bed, she thought with a smile as she quietly opened the door. She expected to see him asleep in bed. She did not expect to see him stark ass naked, on his knees, his cock buried balls deep in some woman, both of them moaning and grunting with pleasure. "Nate! What the…Mom!" Sloane shrieked.

  "Sloane," Nate said, his body stilled and he looked mortified. "What're you…I can explain…this isn't…"

  She was mortified! Nate, her boyfriend, was fucking her mother? This couldn't be possible. It had to be some sort of horrific, alcohol induced nightmare
. Nate wouldn't do that to her. Her mother wouldn't do that to her. They both loved her. Sloane shook her head, trying to rid herself of the image in front of her. It was useless. The sight of her boyfriend in bed with her mother was forever burned into her brain.

  Without another word, Sloane slammed the door and turned around, intent on getting the hell out of Nate's apartment. Tears coursed down her face in a steady torrent; her stomach rolled, forcing her to stop for a moment and take a deep breath. She wanted to vomit.

  "Sloane!" Nate yelled, coming out of his bedroom wearing a pair of silk boxer shorts. His body glistened with sweat and his hair was disheveled. "Please, let me explain."

  Behind him, Geraldine walked out of the bedroom, pulling Nate's bathrobe tight around her waist. The sight of them angered her. Whatever hurt she'd felt a second ago was replaced with undiluted anger and hatred. Sloane straightened and wiped the tears from her face, glaring first at Nate then at her mother.

  "I called your mom to try and convince her to let you be home for my birthday party," Nate said, taking a few steps toward Sloane. She backed up an equal number of steps. He sighed. "She said she'd come over so we could talk about it. We had a few glasses of wine and next thing I know—"

  "Oh, don't lie to the girl," Geraldine said, combing her fingers through her hair. "This has been going on for months now." She waved her hand in the air as if it were no big deal.

  "Months?" Sloane looked at Nate. The guilty expression on his face was all the answer she needed. "My mother?" She walked up to him and shoved his chest. "You're disgusting." She spun to face her mother, pointing her finger at Geraldine. "And you! How could you do this to me? You're my mom for crying out loud. Do you know how sick this is?"

  "You always were so dramatic. Honestly, Sloane, give it a rest. This angry victim, indignant act isn't working for you."

  Sloane clenched her hands into fists, her nails digging into her palms. She may have had too much to drink, but she had enough sense see what was going on. "Grow up, Mother. You're a forty something divorcee. Stop trying to live vicariously through me and Candice. Get your own man and your own damn life."