I lead Brady away, needing to put some distance between myself and Josh so I can get myself under control. He’s derailed me just by being here, and the scary thingis that I kind of like it. The challenge, the opposition that he puts forth, fuels that dark need to be in control that lives within me. I want him to drop the pretense, to try and overpower me like he did that night, so I can put him in his place and show him who’s in charge.
“You OK, buddy?” Brady chuckles. “Gotta say that I see now why you are so invested in this Union shebang. The guy is the kind of trouble I wouldn’t want to stay away from either.” When I glower at him, he raises his hands in a placating gesture. “If I was into his type. Which I’m not. He’s all yours.”
“Shut up. There’s nothing between him and me,” I protest, nodding and smiling as we pass by people eager to greet us.
“Uh-huh. Sure. Whatever you say. Just… leave the fun for after the party, yeah? I want your game face on, bad boy—we are about to stir the viper’s nest.”
Brady is such an idiot sometimes, but it does feel like I’m about to walk into something I don’t want to walk into as we join Christine by the fountain. The coast is clear as Mr. Charleston has just moved on, though if I had to guess by his slightly grumpy expression, whatever he offered my ex was turned down.
“Hey Christy. Kelly,” Brady pipes up, sounding as if he’s genuinely happy to see them.
“Hi, Brady.” Christine leans in and they exchange air kisses. To me, she only offers a tight smile. “Hi, Alistair. Congratulations.”
I lace my hands behind my back, not sure what to do with them. “Thanks. How is it going? It’s been a while.”
“It has been indeed,” she agrees coldly, giving me a slow, scrutinizing look. Despite its intensity, it doesn’t giveme the flutter I felt earlier when Josh was sizing me up, which is intriguing. “You look good.”
Some of the knots in my stomach untangle. “You do, too.”
I take a moment to check her out then, glad to find that it’s true. Even if she’s my evil ex, she looks stunning, she always did. She’s wearing a designer dark blue dress that makes her blue eyes pop and her tits look bigger. Or maybe she went ahead and got implants? They certainly weren’t this big, from what I remember. Her blonde hair rests in perfect curls over her shoulders, with pearls and blue gems that match her massive necklace woven into the top portion of her do.
It’s nothing like the casual style Josh was sporting. But it also doesn’t make me wish to run my fingers through it, or to pull on the silky locks just to see a row of teeth bared at me.
That last thought makes me smile to myself, though unfortunately my attempt to mask it by clearing my throat fails me as I receive glares from both Christine and her PA. Mercifully, they don’t make any remarks.
Remembering why I’m even bothering to engage with my ex, I plaster on a smile and say, “So, I actually wanted to speak to you about the opening of our hotel in Singapore—”
“Yes, I already spoke to Lewis,” she cuts in. This is one of the things she used to do a lot while we were dating and I see it hasn’t changed. Back then I wouldn’t have let her get away with it though, but I have two reasons to do it now: first, I need to be on her good side so she agrees to do the event for us, and two, I want to get this over with so I can find Josh. “Chris & B is interested,” she says, but her tone suggests there’s more to it.
Of course, nothing is ever simple with her.
“But?” Brady beats me to it, he too well aware of her usual tactics. As much as the event will benefit her company too, she needs it a lot less than we do since she’s already all that the media and social outlets care about right now.
“I’m launching a line of luxury bathroom furniture and supplies, and I need a face for the ad campaign.” Oh, I see, so that’s what she wants in exchange. I’ve done a few campaigns already, mostly for suits and perfumes, but that was all on pause during my studies in London and I can’t say I missed it too much.
“And you want me to be that face, I’m assuming?” I seek out to confirm, then glance behind her as I spot a familiar yellow Hawaiian and set of green eyes. They meet mine for a heartbeat, then look away as if embarrassed I’d caught them looking.
God, he’s such a devil.
“Yes. This is a good opportunity for both you and me,” Christine elaborates, narrowing her eyes at the sliver of a smile I let slip. It’s not aimed at her, but she doesn’t need to know that.
To be honest, I don’t have a choice other than to accept her proposal or she won’t agree to organize our Singapore opening. And my dad reallyreallywants it, to the point where I’m sure he’ll demand my head if things don’t go the way he wants. “Of course. I’ll do it.”
The indifference on her face gives way to a hint of self-satisfaction as she crosses her arms and lifts the glass of champagne to her mouth. She smiles at me in that soft way she used to when we first got together. It’s a nice smile on her, I suppose, objectively, and the reason I noticed her to begin with, but it’s lost its potency or maybe it simplydoesn’t work on me anymore. All I can think nowadays is that rebellious grin of a certain green-eyed brat.
Christine swirls the champagne and when I notice that she’s not wearing a ring, I stare maybe for too long because when I lift my gaze to her and offer a belated smile, she’s observing me in a calculating way that makes my skin crawl.
“Angel and I are separating,” she informs us casually, like it’s an afterthought. “As per mutual agreement and on good terms. We’ll make the announcement next week, so I’d appreciate it if you kept this to yourselves until then.”
I don’t really know what to say to that. I also don’t know what to think about the fact that she decided to drop that bomb on us. By the looks of things, neither does Brady.
But he recovers first. “That’s… quite the news. And, of course. We don’t leak to the media unless it benefits us in some way.”
The edge I was feeling from earlier intensifies, transforming into something less pleasant. I consider pulling out from her campaign, but I don’t do it, because it will only aggravate dad. Plus, it’s good for the company and it’s a great move I can use to show him that I am serious about taking over. That I am ready and can put the company before my own wants.
Nodding, I mirror Brady’s reassuring smile. “As Brady said, since it’s not our business, you don’t have to worry about leaks.” With the meaningful part of our conversation done, I’m ready to leave.
“Great. I expect the contract for Singapore by the end of next week. I’ll have Kelly email you over the ad campaign agreement in the meantime.” She smiles sweetly at me and grips my arm, rubbing gently. “I look forward toworking with you, Alistair. Let’s not let our past get in the way.”
