I spent the better part of an hour going back and forth with myself, trying to decide how to respond.
Eventually, manners won. A call to thank him was only appropriate … and maybe I would get a hint about his motivation. I picked up the phone and dialed his number. My heart raced faster with every ring, my mind matching my heart beat for beat.
Do I even care what his motivation was? Does it change anything?
Of course it doesn’t … does it?
On the fifth ring, Cane picked up. “Alexander,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Hey, Cane. It’s Jada.”
“What can I do for you?” His voice was the epitome of professional and completely devoid of emotion.
“I was just calling to thank you for the flowers. They are beautiful.”
“Flowers?” he asked, distracted. “Can you hold on for a second?”
Without waiting for a reply, I could hear him talking to someone else.
“I’m sorry, Jada. Flowers—you got them?”
“Yes. Thank you. They made me smile.”
“I’m glad. I will tell Lucy that she did well yet again.” His voice was only marginally warmer, and my chest tightened.
Any hope I had been holding on to vanished.
“Please do. Have a good day, Cane,” I said quietly for fear he would hear my voice crack.
“You, too, Jada.”
I clicked the END button and stared out the window. I wasn’t sure how I felt. Embarrassed for thinking that maybe he had wanted me, and angry that I had allowed myself to think that.
Damn him! Why can’t he just go away?
This is precisely what I wanted to avoid. Yet he’d wormed his way into my life. Despite being very clear to him what I did and didn’t want, my self-confidence was shaken. I sighed.
He had been very clear, too. He had never denied that he didn’t want anything serious, as he used women for entertainment. This was just a chess move.
I am his entertainment.
Or maybe he pitied me. Either way, it pissed me off.
I wasn’t some naïve,I-need-a-manwoman. I didn’t need anyone, especially not someone like him. I had promised myself that my next relationship would be with someone who wanted me. If I had to guess what Cane was thinking every time we interacted, he didn’t qualify.
Fuck Cane Alexander.
I moved the flowers to the windowsill so I wouldn’t have to look at them and got back to work.
FOURTEEN
Anger proved to be an excellent motivator. I accomplished more in the next few hours than I had all week. Every time I felt like taking a break, I looked at the tulips and found myself furious all over again.
He’s just another asshole trying to bring me down. He’s trying to get in my head. He means nothing. Get focused and kick ass.
I didn’t stop working until it was a few minutes past quitting time. I was gathering my things to leave when Alice buzzed in. “You have a call, Jada. It’s Simon Powers.”
“Put him through, please.” Once the phone buzzed, I picked up the receiver. “Hi, Simon.”
