“Parker Global?” I blink, confused. “That’s your family’s company?”
He nods. “My mother’s family, specifically.”
“Oh, I see.” Interesting. Parker Global is huge. It far exceeds the wealth and fame Holloway Architectures has accumulated through the generations. Running a conglomerate like that is no small task. “And you’re taking it over when you’re thirty-five?”
“Yeah, it’s a deal my grandfather and I made. In the meantime, though, he wants me to start building up a good reputation. You know how it goes. Can’t risk tarnishing the family name.”
I snort, feeling a strange sense of relief hearing him talk about his own family issues. For once, I might be having a conversation with someone who actually gets what I’m going through. Someone from a similar background who can relate to the lofty expectations of a family with a last name with so much weight. “Oh, I get it.” I say. “My parents are so convinced I can’t handle my future responsibilities for Holloway that they’re trying to marry me off to that sleaze I slipped away from. It’s not the first time they’ve presented me with a ‘suitor,’ but they’ve never been so insistent before.”
Jayce winces. “Yikes. That sounds like a fucking nightmare.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
We both chuckle, but I choke on the sound when I see Leon step out of the crowd. He spots me and frowns as he marches over. I don’t realize my knee is bouncing nervously until Jayce lays a gentle hand on it. I’m practically panting too, my breaths wheezing as I lock eyes with him.
“You okay?” he asks softly, gently squeezing my knee. His touch is oddly grounding. Warm and strong, but it’s hard to focus on Jayce when I see Leon getting closer and closer.
I don’t know what to say—my tongue feels swollen and I can’t get words out—so I just give him a pleading look.Help me!
“Sutton!” Leon cries out in a whining tone. “Why did you run off like that? Do you know how humiliating…how…”
He trails off when Jayce stands up and puts himself between the two of us. Leon is tall, but Jayce towers over him.
“Excuse me,” Jayce says in a low, firm voice. “Sutton and I are having a private conversation.”
Leon stares up at him wide-eyed for a moment before he pulls himself together and scowls.
“Nothing is private between me and my soon-to-be wife!”
My stomach clenches at his words, and I want to curl up into a little ball and disappear.
“Look, this is part of an NDA,” Jayce replies without missing a beat. “Unfortunately, until you’re on the paperwork, I’m afraid what Sutton and I discuss has to stay between us. It’ll only be a few more minutes. Why don’t you go find someone else to talk to while we finish up?”
Jayce is so cool and calm, I’m genuinely impressed. He doesn’t sound irritated or defensive in the slightest, but so easily polite that it appears to disarm Leon.
“Oh.” He blinks several times before clearing his throat and nodding. “I… all right. I suppose I can understand that. NDAs and all. I’ll, uh, leave you to it for a bit and just be, um, right over there.”
He points to the other end of the bar, and Jayce gives him a pat on his shoulder.
“I appreciate your understanding.”
It’s like Jayce has hypnotized Leon or something because he turns and wanders away without further argument.
“Holy shit,” I murmur. “How’d you do that?”
Jayce turns back to me and winks. “I have a way with people.”
I release a breath of relief. “Well, thank you. I really appreciate it.”
He sits back down and rests an elbow on the bar. “So, your parents really want you to marry that creep?”
I take a long drink of my martini before answering, “Yep, seems so.”
“Are you going to?”
I nearly spit out my drink. “Marry him? Fuck, no…I mean…it’s, uh, complicated.”
I can’t help but think of my parents and how badly they seem to want this marriage to happen.
