CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: CHLOE

Over the past five years, I’d been introduced to a vast variety of gentlemen courtesy of my dear auntie.

On her part, they were genuine introductions to eligible, respectful young men she felt suited me. She wasn’t just setting me up with people for the sake of it—she went to the effort to vet her future nephew-in-law and make sure we were actually compatible before ever connecting us.

It was a wonderfully thoughtful act that never failed to put me in an awkward situation.

Not because I didn’t like any of the men that she introduced me to. On the other hand, I often found myself getting along splendidly with them. They were kind, thoughtful, respectful, and to this day, only one of my many potential suitors had taken my rejection badly.

That was a testament to my aunt’s taste in men.

The problem was that I’d always thought that Aunt Fizz’s taste in men and mine were vastly different.

The one thing her dates always had in common was that they were all handsome, successful, and more than just a little financially comfortable. Some even had some personal connections to the aristocracy and fancy rich people with more money than sense, and a lot of them meant I’d never have to work a day in my life again.

In other words, they were all the very kind of man I worked for—and I knew enough about that life to know that I wanted no part of it outside of the office. I’d always imagined myself marrying someone who was successful enough to have job security but who’d never have to work twenty-hour days, had a solid salary, and wouldn’t be intimidated by the fact I’d one day receive an inheritance from my aunt that would set up our future children and then some.

Idealistic? Perhaps.

Possible? Yes.

I could say that with confidence because the man in front of me was a mix of both Aunt Fizz’s type and what I considered mine to be.

Alex Mullner was thirty-two-years-old with a face that would stop traffic if it were on a billboard… and he had a bank account big enough to put said face on a billboard without breaking a sweat. He’d started his own investment firm after his grandfather had handed him five hundred pounds and told him to start a business if he wanted to inherit shares in his company, and he’d done just that, blowing all his siblings and cousins out of the water.

Hed even handed his grandfather’s money back to him so he wouldn’t be in his debt.

And… he was nice. Really, he was perfectly lovely. He looked at me when he was speaking to me, pulled out my chair for me, and listened to every word I said.

In fact, if my heart weren’t so jumbled, I might have felt very differently about him.

As it were, it took every bit of energy I had to keep my head in the game and pay attention to him.

Well, most of my head. There was a little part of my brain wondering where the fuck my arsehole cousin was and why he wasn’t getting me out of this conversation like he was supposed to.

I was going to beat his arse when I saw him later.

Alex’s phone rang and he excused himself, and I waved him off with a smile. As soon as he left, I let my shoulders sag as a sigh escaped me.

What was worse at this point? Staying in Buckley Heath with the boss I was sleeping with, or being back in London, pretending I wasn’t missing him?

It felt like a lose-lose situation, no matter how I looked at it.

I propped my chin up on my hand with another sigh. All this trip had confirmed was that I really did have feelings for Theo and that I would have to deal with them one way or another.

It was crazy. Twenty-four hours without him, and I was itching to pick up my phone to check flights and trains to see if it would be possible to go back to Buckley Heath earlier than planned.

I cast my gaze across the room, and it landed on Alex. He was laughing with one of Aunt Fizz’s friends and her daughter, and I pursed my lips as I stared at him.

What was wrong with him? Even with my feelings for Theo, there was no reason for me to feel so blasé about Alex. He was clearly interested in me, and had we have met before this business trip, I might have been able to return that sentiment.

As it was, when I looked at him, I just couldn’t help but think that something was missing.

The part that was missing was blatantly obvious.

It was simply that he wasn’t Theo.

“Hey.” Harvey grabbed the back of my chair and leant down to whisper in my ear. “Why didn’t you tell me Theo came with you?”

I froze. “What are you on about? I flew down alone last night, and I’ve been here all day.”

“Huh. What’s he doing here, then?”

“What do you mean?” I jerked around to look at him and grabbed his arm. “Theo is here?”

Harvey raised his eyebrows. “You didn’t know?”

“Why would I know that? I spoke to him this morning, and he was still in Buckley Heath.”

“And he didn’t mention coming back?”

“No. If I knew, I’d have told you.”

“Hm. I wonder why he’s back without telling anyone.” Harvey looked around the party. “Mum did invite him, but I didn’t think he was coming.”

He wasn’t supposed to be coming.

So, why was he here?

Wait.

No.

He wasn’t here for me, was he? He’d said this morning that he wanted to talk properly face to face, but this was a heck of a journey just to bring a conversation forward by twenty-four hours.

Then again, I really wouldn’t put it past Theo to do just that.

“Maybe something came up,” Harvey said after a moment. “He might not have wanted to tell you since it’s not work. He doesn’t look like he rushed down here at the last minute.”

I followed his gaze across the garden to where Theo was standing with a group of people that I vaguely recognised but couldn’t quite put a name to. One of the women was standing extremely close to him, resting her hand on his arm as she laughed at something he said.

All right.

She was laughing way too hard.

He wasn’t that bloody funny.

Theo turned his head in our direction almost as if he could sense us staring, and the moment he made eye contact with me, my cheeks warmed. I spun my head and looked in the opposite direction, which just so happened to be in Alex’s. He caught my eye and smiled, and when he visibly excused himself from his conversation, I turned away from him, too, and looked at the floor.

God forbid I made eye contact with anyone else.

The way the last sixty seconds had just gone, I’d probably summon a bloody demon.

“Interesting,” Harvey muttered.

“What is?” I asked, jerking my attention towards him instead.

He chuckled and patted my shoulder. “Everything.”

“I hate you.”

“Sure, you do.” He squeezed my shoulder and grinned as Alex joined us. “Long time no see, Alex.”

They did that weird handshake-hug combo thing men tended to do, and I stared into my wine glass. There was no way I’d be able to focus on Alex now. My mind was consumed with thoughts of Theo before I knew he was here, so now I was absolutely going to be shit out of luck.

What a nightmare.

“I see you managed to extricate yourself from the clutches of Angelica Holland,” Harvey said.

“It was no easy task.” Theo’s smooth voice was the one that gave the reply, and I stiffened. “I thought I should come and see my secretary before she goes any more rogue than she already has.”

Rogue?

Me?

This bastard.

I jerked my head up to look at him. “I would hardly call attending my aunt’s party me going rogue, sir.”

Amusement glinted in his grey-blue eyes, and he waved his phone. “You weren’t answering this.”

“I don’t have to on a Saturday,” I shot back. “And this wasn’t on your schedule, so forgive me for not greeting you.”

Harvey looked between us before squeezing my shoulder and settling his attention on Theo. “I didn’t think you were coming. What are you doing here?”

“Making use of my invitation,” Theo replied dryly. “Excuse us, we’re being extremely rude. Theodore Black.” He held his hand out to Alex.

“Oh. Ah, Alex Mullner,” Alex replied, shaking it. “It’s good to meet you, Mr Black.”

“Likewise.”

“Alex is the CEO of Conch Investments,” Harvey said to Theo. “I’ve been meaning to introduce you for a while.”

“I’m familiar with it.” Theo nodded his head and reached into his pocket. He pulled out his wallet and handed Alex a card. “I’m in the Lake District for another two weeks on business, but if you call my office, we can arrange a meeting when I’m back. I’m sure Chloe would be happy to set it up, right?” He peered at me, a hint of darkness in his eyes.

I smiled tightly. “Of course.”

Alex glanced at me. “Are you all right, Chloe?”

God bless him. “Actually, I do have a bit of a headache. I think I’ll go inside and take a breather.” I got to my feet and grabbed my bag.

“Will you be fine alone? Let me come with you.”

I forced myself to smile. “No, please enjoy the party. I won’t be long.”

Concern flashed through his gaze. “Are you sure?”

“Perfectly sure.” I shrugged off Harvey’s hand. “Please excuse me.”

I ducked away before anyone could say anything else and made my way through the outdoor crowd, careful to avoid eye contact with anyone. Thank God that Aunt Fizz’s idea of a party was closer to an evening gala type event than loud music and a dancefloor—it was an easy event to slip in and out of as needed, and slipping out of it was exactly what I needed to do right now.

I walked back inside the hotel and headed for the elevator. Aunt Fizz and Uncle Jay had booked several rooms as rest spaces, and I had the key for one as I’d gotten ready here earlier this afternoon after we’d had our hair done. It was the one thing they always did for a party—Aunt Fizz said you never knew who’d fall ill or have too many drinks at a party, and they were able to book rooms for emergencies.

This wasn’t an emergency, but it was my hotel room. I had no intention of staying here tonight, but I was glad I’d listened to her earlier when she’d told me to keep hold of the key for now.

Aunt Fizz was smart.

When I grew up, I totally wanted to be her.

I let myself into my room and kicked off my heels. I itched to reach back and unzip this stupidly tight dress, too. If I did that, I’d never end up back at the party, and then I’d really hear it from Harvey.

Not to mention I had better manners than to skip out completely on Alex. It wasn’t his fault that my heart was all kinds of mixed up. I at least owed it to him to say goodbye properly at the end of the night, regardless of my intent of seeing him again.

Or not, as the case was.

Even without my irritating feelings for Theo, there was simply too much going on in my life right now to add a relationship with a stranger into it.

Crap.

The mere thought of that made me want to sigh.

Was I being responsible or gaslighting myself? That was the million-pound question right there.

Three light knocks sounded at the door, and I flinched.

Who was that?

I walked over to the door and peeked through the peephole. I wish I could have been surprised at the distorted face of Theodore Black on the other side of the door, but I really wasn’t.

I was all out of surprise.

Hmm.

If I ignored it, would he think he had the wrong room and leave?

“Chloe? I know you’re in there. Your aunt told me the room number.”

What a traitor.

“Ugh.” I latched the chain and opened the door, peering at him through the crack. “What do you want?”

Theo reached out and flicked the chain as a smirk etched onto his face. “Is the chain really necessary?”

“It’s there to stop unwanted people entering the room, so I’d say it is.” I pushed my hair from my eyes. “What do you want?”

He held up a bottle of water and box of paracetamol. “You said you had a headache, so I thought this would help.”

Shit.

This was where he got me.

That stupid, considerate cinnamon roll side of his.

I opened my mouth to tell him I’d unlatch the door, then stopped. No—I wasn’t going to get sucked in. I was irritated by his sudden appearance at the party. I was pissed he hadn’t told me. I was still mad at his stupid, childish behaviour from a few days ago.

I wasn’t going to give in easily.

I shoved my hand through the gap and said, “Thank you. That’s very thoughtful.”

He pulled it back out of my reach. “Are you really not going to let me in?”

“What part of ‘the chain lock stops unwanted visitors’ doesn’t you understand?”

“The ‘unwanted’ part.”

“Theo, if you come in here, I’m going to tell you just how unwanted a visitor you are for me right now.”

He tilted his head to the side, maintaining eye contact with me. “Well, I am here to talk to you, so if it’ll make you feel better…”

“That’s not the point!”

A middle-aged couple in obviously expensive clothes passed behind Theo, and the woman shot me a dirty look that said I was being too loud and needed to shut up.

“Ugh.” I pushed the door shut, unlatched the chain, and yanked it open again. “Fine. Come in. But I can’t stay away for too long, or Aunt Fizz will worry. We probably only have twenty minutes, and I’d really rather you weren’t here for that entire time.”

“You’re unrelentingly honest tonight,” Theo said, closing the door behind him. He reached up and loosened the knot on his tie, then unbuttoned the collar of his shirt. “Take these first.”

I accepted the water and paracetamol. I scarfed down two of the pills and washed them down with a good gulp of the water. “Thank you.”

“Anytime.” He shrugged off his jacket and tossed it over the back of the chair.

“For someone who was just told not to stay for long, you’re getting awfully comfy,” I told him. “Why are you here?”

“In London?”

“Yes, in London. Weren’t you still at the cottage this morning?” I folded my arms across my chest and leant against the windowsill, glaring at him. “Why are you here? How are you here?”

He ran his fingers through his hair, meeting my eyes. “I drove here. To see you.”

“Are you aware that the reason I left early was to get away from you?”

“No. You never said.”

“Because you were avoiding me.”

“I wasn’t avoiding you. I was just following my schedule. I was shocked when I came back last night, and you were packed and ready to go to the airport.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I didn’t have a chance to say anything before you left.”

Shit.

He was right.

And worse, I hadn’t given him the chance before I’d hightailed it out of there, had I?

I relaxed my arms until I was hugging my waist and looked at the floor. “That’s true, but there’s still no reason for you to come all the way here.”

“Of course, there is.”

“What is it, then?”

“I told you this morning. I missed you, Chlo.”