26. Believe You

26

BELIEVE YOU

T here wasn’t a hole big enough for Laken to hide in.

She was conflicted over calling her mother and blasting her and explaining one of the most embarrassing things she’d let herself fall for in her life.

She’d get to her mother soon enough.

Until then, she had to tell the man she loved that she’d been an idiot.

“When I first moved to Manhattan, I was focusing on work. West, Braylon and I—we were out there doing charity events. Mingling and working hard to keep building his empire.”

“Did you like going out and doing those things?” he asked.

She shrugged. “It was expected. It’s fine. It was more about making contacts than anything.”

“You did it for your brother,” he said.

“We do most things for those we love in our family. It’s a bad trait at times.” Something her mother was going to get an earful about soon enough.

“Good and bad,” he said. “Go on.”

“At one charity event, I ran into this guy. He was a few years older than me. His name was Alex. You could call him a socialite I guess. He’s got some long lines of family money and likes people to know.”

No reason to give Alex’s full name. It didn’t matter.

“How long ago was this?” he asked.

“Five years,” she said. “Give or take. It was right about when I came to live here. He was bored and noticed I was getting some air outside. We started to chat. Next thing I knew we were spending most of the night next to each other.”

She remembered how Alex got her to relax and almost trust him. That he knew what it was like to have famous relatives too and that he had these obligations and did it to keep everyone happy.

She believed him when she shouldn’t have.

“Then you started to date?” he asked.

“We did. We dated for a few months. Things were good in the beginning. We were both left alone and could come and go without anyone knowing who we were unless we ran into someone. But little by little Alex would ask more questions about West. Or want to be places where West was.”

“He was using you to get to your brother?”

“Not to get to him so much for a business opportunity. More like attention. While I was busting my ass working, Alex was living off his parents and family wealth.”

“I can’t see you being with someone like that,” he said.

“Oh, he worked. He had some fluff job his family created for him, but he barely showed up or did anything. I didn’t realize that until later on. To him, he was just out partying and making sure he was known. I also found out he was hoping for a reality show made around him and his family.”

“And he thought if he had ties to West that would work in his favor?” he asked, appalled.

“The short version is yes. West was getting annoyed that Alex kept showing up where he was. Even without me around. I wasn’t telling Alex where West was, but I realized that he’d be looking over my shoulder at my phone at times. He’d see things or try to find information. I’d be out of town and Alex would show up at some event West was at and be by his side. He’d make sure pictures were taken and put on this fake happy scene. Since it was known we were dating, the public would believe West and Alex were close.”

“And West wouldn’t dispute it publicly,” he said.

“No. He wouldn’t. It was West that realized what was going on. He and Braylon got word of the reality show and dug some. When I found out, I confronted Alex and he thought it was great. Like it would give everyone publicity and West should thank him when it came about.”

“I don’t think your brother would have felt that way,” he said.

“No need to go into that and the legal battle that West threatened. Alex and I were done. I broke up with him then and there. Nothing about me or my family could be submitted for his show. I hate to say this, and I’m not sure, but it’s my guess that West made sure the show never had a shot. Not that I think it would have anyway. Alex was a jerk.”

“Jerks make for good TV,” he said.

“They do, but his life was boring. There wasn’t any substance to him other than him wanting to surround himself with other people and be part of what they did. I don’t think he had a shot regardless and he knew it.”

“Did you love him?” Jamie asked.

“I don’t think so. I didn’t feel for him what I do for you so I want to say no. But I was a younger different person back then too.”

“We all do stupid things when we are younger,” he said. “It’s what we learn from it.”

“Tell me about it. It’s still bitter in my mouth. My family was all aware of what happened. From that point on I’ve been very selective who I let in my life. We all have been.”

“Because West did so much for your family and no one wants to pay him back by making things harder on him and betraying his trust and loyalty?” he asked.

“That’s it,” she said, putting her head on his arm.

He moved back and let her slide under to cuddle into his side. “Laken, I’m glad you told me and now I know. I also understand you not wanting me to know. We’d be here all week if I confessed every idiot thing I did with a woman. I don’t want you to think I’m hiding anything. I’m not. If you hear something or see something or want to ask anything, don’t hesitate. I’ll be honest. But I can’t sit here and confess it all for fear you think I’m hiding something or have a hidden agenda.”

“I like that,” she said. “I like what you said and believe you.”

Which was saying a lot for her because she didn’t always believe a lot of people, but Jamie had given her no reason not to trust anything he said.

“What is this with your mother now and why you’re mad at her?”

She let out a laugh. Not a funny sound either. “My mother has a history of planting seeds to get her way.” She told him how her mother tricked West into a vacation by setting up a fake fight with Talia.

“That’s pretty sneaky,” he said. “I don’t know that my parents have ever cared enough to try to give me a positive nudge.”

“Hmm,” she said. “I’ve never thought of it that way. That she does it because she cares. We all know she cares. But she is sneaky.” She told him about the conversation she had with her mother yesterday. “I wasn’t keeping you from her. I know she can talk circles around Nelson. That is how he spills things. But she brought up the possibility of your intentions and then said never mind.”

“She did it to make you want to know,” he said. “So it was your decision.”

“She’s good that way. I should have realized it when she ended the conversation about wanting to meet you to apologize about a fight.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t catch on by the sounds of it.”

“I was too worked up,” she said. “If you’ve got time, do you want to meet her and watch me win?”

He laughed. “Meet her how?”

“Video call,” she said.

“Sure,” he said. “But are you so sure you’re going to win?”

“Probably not,” she said.

She moved over and got her computer, sent her mother a quick text to see if she was up to talk and made the call.

“You’re easier than your brother,” her mother said when she answered the call. “I didn’t think I’d get to meet Jamie this quickly. I only thought that you’d tell him about Alex to clear the air and not worry if it came up later.”

Her shoulders sagged. Her mother won on two levels.

“Don’t tell Jamie I’m easy. He might think poorly of me,” she said. “Mom, this is Jameson Wilde, but he goes by Jamie. You know that, I’m sure. Jamie, my sneaky mother, Aileen Carlisle.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Carlisle.”

“He has manners,” her mother said. “No one told me that.”

She elbowed Jamie. “Don’t suck up to her. She just caused us to fight.”

“Clear the air,” he said. “I like the sounds of that better.”

“Call me Aileen,” her mother said. “Everyone else does. I’m thrilled to meet you. Laken, she’s a stubborn one and needs to relax some in life. I hope you’re able to help her there.”

“Mom, Jamie is the last person you need to whine to about me working too hard. He works a lot too. He could be living comfortably for years to come and yet he’s starting a business.”

“You’d never be with anyone that didn’t work almost as hard as you,” her mother said. “It’s a trait you like. But don’t burn yourself out.”

“I’m trying not to,” she said. “Now that you met Jamie, I can hang up. You got your work done just like you planned.”

“Parents are good that way,” her mother said. “Hope to meet you in person before West’s wedding, Jamie. Bye.”

The call disconnected then. “Don’t be mad at your mother,” he said.

“I’m more annoyed,” she said. “I know she means well.”

“She cares,” he said. “I want Penelope to know that. No matter what mistakes I make in life, I want her to know I care enough to put her first. I can live with the rest.”

“She’s going to know,” Laken said softly.