today’s business climate—especially coming straight from that child himself. Who is now a very successful man in his own right.”
Royce smiled, though he knew it wasn’t a pleasant expression. “So I will warn you again—you keep your mouth shut. That is, if you want me to do the same.”
Jasmine kept herself busy. Since she knew she would need to leave sooner rather than later, she quietly made preparations to disappear once the midnight unveiling had happened. For the first time ever, she had no plans to stay at her event until the last guest had left and the last plate was packed.
Ivy seemed to have disappeared while Jasmine was upstairs, and she wasn’t answering her phone, so Jasmine went to the point person in each area to make sure they were covered. Plans had been made to close the party at 2:00 a.m. Every staff member knew what was expected of them. A cleaning crew would be here tomorrow.
She’d hoped her sister would stay behind as her eyes and ears, but she’d make do as best she could. Who knew how long she’d be able to hold all these emotions inside? And the last thing she wanted was to make small talk with Royce while wondering if he was simply humoring her to get her into bed.
There was nothing she wanted more than to get out of this dress and be home with her family. That was the difference between her and Royce. They were her comfort, her sustenance. Royce would have to settle for sleeping with cold hard cash if his success meant so much to him.
Jasmine’s hypervigilance allowed her to spot him when he came down the stairs. John wasn’t with him. Luckily, Royce paused with some guests, so she headed in the opposite direction. It wasn’t like she didn’t have plenty to do.
The waiters started to circulate throughout the ballroom with fresh trays of champagne while staff informed guests throughout the house that it was almost time for the midnight unveiling. Jasmine had been so looking forward to this part of the night. That romantic moment when masks were discarded, when the true person behind the mask was revealed.
Even though she and Royce recognized each other behind their masks, she’d still looked forward to meeting his gaze in that moment.
Now the last thing she wanted was to look at Royce without the protection of her mask hiding her expression.
She saw his sandy-blond head as he entered the ballroom. Even from this distance, she knew he was looking for her. And she couldn’t handle it. She simply couldn’t.
As she backed slowly away, her hand made contact with the wall behind her. That’s when she realized the panel where she stood was actually the door to the private ladies’ alcove. She hadn’t revealed the existence of the little room to the guests. Jasmine took a quick look around to see if anyone was watching, but they’d all turned their attention to the MC preparing the crowd for the pinnacle of the evening. So she opened the door and slipped inside.
Only seconds after she’d quietly closed the door, her phone vibrated. It was her sister.
“Ivy, where are you?” she whispered frantically.
It wasn’t as if there was anyone in the room to hear her, but she couldn’t help it. Her rapidly beating heart felt as if it was calling out across the room. What if Royce found her here?
She wasn’t sure she could face him.
“I’m so sorry, Jasmine,” her sister said from the other end of the line. “I left.”
“You what?”
“I left...with someone.”
Even though Jasmine should have been questioning her sister or concerned for her safety, she could only respond with panic over her absence. “I need your help. Right now.”
“I’m on my way to Paxton’s apartment.”
“What?” Oh, that was a bad idea. A very bad idea.
“I just... I want this, Jasmine.”
“Please don’t. I’m telling you, Ivy. This is not a good choice.” Jasmine knew that for certain. Now more than ever.
“But it’s my choice,” Ivy said softly. “And I’m going to make it.”
“Ivy!” Jasmine cried, but her sister had already hung up. “Damn it.”
Why wouldn’t her little sister listen to her? She was getting her own heart broken over a client right now. She knew just how dangerous those working relationships could be.
But Ivy, as the youngest, had been trying to prove she wasn’t a child for a while now. This act of rebellion might end up costing her more than her job.
As the sounds of a trumpet heralded the coming of midnight in the ballroom, Jasmine quickly gathered her purse and keys, a plan forming in her mind. She’d slip from the room while everyone was distracted and make her way to her car. She could send Ivy back to Keller House for the rest of her stuff tomorrow.
Right now, she just needed out.
Away from the fairy tale she’d thought was happening and home to the day-to-day drudgery and chaos that was her life. She’d find magic again, someday, but she’d learned her lesson. Never date a client. Never get so close you think you’re seeing behind the facade, only to learn the facade had been the reality all along.
Time to go.
Desperate to get away, Jasmine jerked the door open, only to find herself face-to-face with the one man she never wanted to see again. Well, maybe he wasn’t the only one. She’d be happy never to see his father again, either.
“Jasmine, where have you been?” Royce’s hard business tone scraped over her nerves.
“I could ask you the same thing,” she choked out.
“What are you talking about?” He frowned. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
“Why?” A small spark of her normal sassiness finally made an appearance. “Are you unhappy with my service in some way?”
“What?”
She shook her head, grief overwhelming that tiny spark.
“Jasmine, what is it?”
The words simply wouldn’t come. She had no idea whether to lay into him, scream and cry, or simply skulk away from the humiliation of knowing he’d lied to her. Granted, he hadn’t turned into some kind of super-involved family guy. If anything, at times he’d seemed lost.
But he hadn’t retreated, hadn’t rejected Rosie completely. And he’d made love to Jasmine with a passion she’d never experienced before and hadn’t been strictly business outside of the bedroom. Memories of him holding Rosie at the hospital, helping them get Auntie taken care of, talking about his mother’s death...he’d opened himself up to her and her family.
Had the confrontation with his father washed all of that away?
I have never let anything stand
