“You’re right. Seems Isla is my best bet.” I shook my head at the phone even though Casey couldn’t see me. “What a fucking mess. Thanks for the help.”
“That’s why I make the big bucks.” She let out a light laugh. “Now I have to get back to bed. I have an early meeting. Unless you want me to cancel?”
“No, I need you there tomorrow. Let me know how that one goes. It would be nice to have a job in the UK for a change. I’m tired of all this traveling.”
“Come on. Tokyo was fun.” She chuckled. “After that project, Nicolas’s network should be a piece of cake.”
I was lucky enough to have a job that made me a ton of money, and on top of that, was also fun and challenging—in a good way. But as much as I loved my job, lately I’d been missing home.
“It sure was. I guess I’m getting too old for this. Good night, Casey.” I waited until she said goodbye, then ended the call.
Like an idiot, I stared at the screen, thinking about the next person I had to call. An image of the perfect arse she flashed me last night appeared in my mind almost like a reflex, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for me to be thinking of her like that. I had to forget what I saw.Especially now that I had to do the right thing and re-hire her. Would she be agreeable to this new proposal, or would she tell me to bug off? Only one way to find out, I supposed.
I inhaled. The second I realized I didn’t have Isla’s number, a text from Casey appeared with Isla’s contact info. I made a mental note to give Casey a bigger bonus and tapped on Isla’s number. She picked on the first ring, puffing breath after breath on the phone. Was she crying?
“You have some nerve calling me after what you’ve done. Go to hell.” She hung up.
Fuck me. If the heavy Brooklyn accent was any indication, she was beyond furious. She didn’t even let me explain.
I turned to face Joseph and gasped. He was awake, eyes wide as he shot glances to his left then right. As soon as he spotted me, his eyes welled up with tears, and then all hell broke loose. The cry was like nothing I had ever heard before.
6
THE CAVEAT
Isla
I wandered around my small and very empty apartment as I seriously considered calling the police. Fuming, I gripped my phone tighter. How could I have been so stupid? When Steve asked me if he could move in a few of his things, I thought our relationship was finally going somewhere. As it turned out, he just needed a place that was closer to the train station. He also needed my rent money to finance his latest side hustle.
The landlord had tried to contact me directly for the past three months, but Steve found a way to make sure I didn’t find out he wasn’t paying the rent. Not only was he not putting in his portion, but he also pocketed my half of the cash as well—to the tune of five thousand dollars. I leaned against the wall and let my butt slide all the way to the floor. Why did I tear the check Declan offered me earlier? I could’ve used that money to pay the landlord the past due amount to settle the eviction notice he served me days ago—an eviction notice Steve signed for and then decided to hide from me.
Steve had been sure he’d be able to win the money back at the Crucible. Spoiler alert: he didn’t. He lost even more. No doubt he would get fired as soon as his boss found out how much Steve had gambled while pretending to be Mr. Moretti. What a mess. Of course, Steve had freaked out. His quick solution had been to take off with all my furniture while I was at work. Even if he managed to sell my things, I seriously doubted he would get the amount he needed to pay off his debt. But that was Steve, he rarely thought things through.
I glared at the bare walls and the dust bunnies on the worn hardwood floors. Steve had even taken the Pottery Barn lamp Mom and Dad had gotten for me after graduation. Honestly, it was the only thing of value I owned. Everything else, the futon, the full-size mattress, even the pots and pans were old hand-me downs.
I pushed off the floor and went to check the cupboards. Son of a bitch. He even took the dishes. Who would buy that from him? I pressed my forehead against the wall and told myself it was okay to cry. But the tears didn’t come. I wasn’t even sad Steve was gone. I was angry at myself for wasting my time with him. Now I knew for sure I never really loved him. I liked the idea of a boyfriend, someone to hang out with on weekends, someone to love, and make plans with. That wasn’t Steve. He was barely around, and he wasn’t much of a planner.
The phone rang again, and my blood boiled. What could Steve possibly want to say to me? Did he think I had anything else of value? I sent the call to voicemail anddarted to my bedroom closet. I blew out a breath. Everything was still there, except for a pair of leather boots—the one thing in my wardrobe that was worth anything.
I glanced down at my phone and dialed nine-one-one then hovered my thumb over the send icon. What would I say to the police? My boyfriend ran off with all my things. I tapped on the red phone and cleared the screen. I scrolled down my contact favorites. I cringed at the idea of calling Mom and Dad to ask for help. My stomach turned when I pictured myself telling them what Steve had done and how it was all mostly my fault. No, my parents were not an option.
Then a new call came in. My heart raced while I stared at the name…. Declan Winston Noble. Why was he calling? Shit. Shit. I glanced around me and picked up a pillow off the floor and laid it neat in the corner. A second later, I realized he couldn’t see me or the state of my apartment.
“Hello.” My voice sounded so tentative and mousy; I didn’t recognize it.
“This is Declan. Don’t hang up.” He released a loud breath.
His sigh of relief and that accent stirred things in the usual spot between my legs. Really? Had I not learned my lesson? This was the guy who had fired me not three hours ago. I couldn’t be having dirty thoughts about him. He was a complete jerk.
“Mr. Noble, why are you calling me?” I switched to speakerphone so I wouldn’t have to keep the device close to my ear. The cries coming through were excruciatingly loud. “And what is that noise?”
“That, Ms. Vendetti, is a baby.”
“Um. What are you doing with a baby?”
“It’s a long story. The short of it is, I—” He cleared his throat. “—I need your help. I literally have no one else to call.”
When he spoke again, he sounded like he was far away from his mobile and shuffling things. I laughed then covered my mouth as I tried to piece together what was happening. Somehow Declan had a baby with him, neither of them were doing well, and for whatever cosmic reason, he decided I was the only person he could reach out to.
