"It could be closer," Jack said. "It's not the same as your being downstairs."
I nodded. I knew what he meant. But it was not like I could just move into his penthouse. I barely knew the guy.
"Can you stay for a bit?" he asked.
I shook my head. "I need to meet with the Airbnb host to pick up my key."
"You're staying in an Airbnb?" he asked.
"It's in Brooklyn near the restaurant. I'm going to stay there until Romance Creative sends me the prize money and I can find an apartment." I didn’t have to meet the host right that second, but if I stayed at Jack’s penthouse, it would only be delaying the inevitable. I needed to start on the next chapter of my life, and my relationship with Jack needed to either evolve to something more sensible or end.
"I understand," Jack said smoothly.
A part of me was a little upset that Jack didn't declare his undying love for me and demand that I tell the Brooklyn restaurant to go to hell and come live in his penthouse. But then I had just told him that I didn't want to stay and take advantage of him. Also, he was a gentleman; he wouldn't order me around. Jack was being respectful of what I claimed my wishes were.
"Um…What did you want to say?" I asked, remembering that he had wanted to tell me something.
"Nothing," he replied, "Just that I liked you and I wanted to keep seeing you, if you would be open to that."
"Oh." We looked at each other. "I like you, too," I said awkwardly. Then I reached up on my tiptoes and gave him a somewhat chaste kiss. I didn't feel all that happy, and Jack didn't look that happy either.
"I have to go."
"Let me know if you need anything," Jack said. He stepped forward and pulled me close and kissed me again. The kiss was deep, and he was making all the right motions, but it still felt cold somehow. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was making a big mistake.
62
Jack
"Dammit!" I yelled when Chloe left. I picked up a nearby glass vase and threw it at the wall. Milo barked. I didn't know what I was angrier about, that I was going to lose my tower or that Chloe didn't want to stay with me.
"Of course she doesn't want to stay here. You scared her. You yelled at her and made her cry." I went to the closet, grabbed a broom, and started cleaning up the glass shards.
I looked around the penthouse. It seemed cold without Chloe. In fact, the whole tower felt cold without her. Maybe I should just let Greg sell it. I didn't want to be here if Chloe wasn't here. The whole place would only remind me of her. I know she didn't say she was breaking up with me, but Brooklyn was far away. It wouldn't be the same as having her here.
Feeling grey and depressed, I put on my suit jacket and headed off to Platinum Provisions for the last board meeting of the year.
Hunter seemed annoyed when I entered the boardroom. I didn't know if it was directed at me or his brothers.
"Christmas seems very profitable," Greg said after I gave an update on the latest earnings. Hunter scowled at him.
"We're also making progress on preliminary research for moving a factory to Harrogate," I added.
"I can see after looking at these production numbers how it may be prudent to own at least a percentage of production capacity," Hunter remarked.
Liam smiled. At least someone's dreams were coming true.
"New Year's goals," Hunter said. "Liam is going to be spending more time in western New York, and Jack is going to have his hands full with his tower, I presume?"
"I don't know," I said. "Maybe we should just sell it. The Holbrooks won't move in."
"Look," Greg interrupted me, "the New York Bread Company isn't working. And, well, it makes financial sense to accommodate Mark Holbrook in the restaurant."
Liam was grinning ear to ear.
"Why the change of heart?" I asked after I recovered from the slight shock of hearing Greg Svensson change his mind.
"It's Christmas," Greg said. Hunter was smirking.
