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COLE
I hiredcontractors to completely redo Windsor’s unit on the floor below me so Jenny could have her precious space. This whole thing had been my idea, but it was making me miserable. I spent the entire weekend fuming, drinking too much, and watching endlessThundergame replays.
I knew I could make a bad day worse, so I did; I called my father. There was no hiding from his wrath. If I didn’t tell him about Jenny, and he saw pictures of us online, there’d be hell to pay.
The last time I spoke with him, he told me that if I stayed with Jenny, he’d disinherit me.“What happens to our family legacy is not a joke.”My father was a lot of things, but being open-minded wasn’t one of them. He refused even to consider that Jenny was something besides an escort—she was an actual person.
“Cole,” he said, sounding wary. “I haven’t heard from you in a while.”
“I need to update you on something,” I said. “James and Audrey are getting married in a few weeks. James asked me to be his best man.”
“I’d say that congratulations were in order,” he drawled. “But I understand his fiancée worked at the same agency as your former ‘girlfriend.’”
“About that.” I sighed. “I’m calling you as a courtesy—one that you don’t deserve. Jenny is Audrey’s maid of honor.”
My father didn’t say anything. He met my statement with total silence.Fuck.It was worse when he was quiet; at least when he was yelling, I knew what he was thinking.
“James organized some events leading up to the ceremony, including a trip,” I continued. “Because we’re both in the wedding party, I hired Jenny again. I want to keep up appearances, and I thought it would be best so the paparazzi didn’t start digging.”
“I see,” he said. He went quiet for another moment. “You know how I feel—I’ve been upfront about your inheritance. A prostitute isn’t a good look for our family,” my father finally said. “I expect that the arrangement will end after the wedding.”
The fact that he wasn’t going ballistic took me entirely by surprise. He’d been so upset about Jenny before. He’d threatened to disinherit me, and even though it was ludicrous, he’d seemed pretty fucking serious about it. “So you’re… You’re okay with me hiring her?” I asked.
“I’m not okay with any of it,” he said quickly. “But it seems like you’ve come to your senses. You have a reason for what you’re doing. You were upfront with me—and I appreciate that.”
“Okay,” I said. I felt relieved my father wasn’t raging, but his change of heart seemed too quick, too good to be true. Still, I’d take it. I had enough to worry about at the moment.
“A business arrangement is a business arrangement,” my father said. “Speaking of which, what’s going on with Ramos? I still haven’t gotten those approvals yet, and my client’s starting to get cold feet…”
The conversation turned to real estate, and it ended with me promising to call Ramos again to plead my father’s case. He didn’t say another word about Jenny. It seemed too easy, but my father was never one to spare my feelings. If he said he was okay, he was okay. Therefore, I considered the matter closed. At least one thing was off my list.
But I still had to deal with my escort. I refused to think of Jenny as more than that right now. It hurt too much.
First thing Monday morning, I headed to the South End of Boston. While my stomach churned, the driver parked my enormous Escalade in front of AccommoDating’s office. I should have been excited to see Jenny, but I only felt mild dread.
And it was getting less mild by the minute.
I dialed the number for AccommoDating. The Madame picked up on the first ring. “I’m out front,” I snapped.
“Hello, Mr. Bryson,” Elena said smoothly. “Jenny’s ready for you.”
“I’ll send my driver in to collect her things.” I hung up and asked him, “Can you bring her out?”
He nodded, left the car running, and hustled inside the agency. My head throbbed. I’d offered Jenny a million dollars to come back, a deal she obviously couldn’t refuse. I was getting what I wanted—at least, it was what I’dthoughtI wanted.
I tugged on my shirt collar. Jenny would be in the back of the Escalade with me shortly. That unfamiliar, unpleasant feeling swept over me again—nerves. I swallowed hard. I could close a multi-million-dollar deal without hesitation or doubt, but seeing my escort again had me breaking out in a cold sweat.
Just. Fucking. Great.
When the driver returned, he carried several suitcases and led a very aloof-looking Jenny to the SUV. She wore black leather leggings, high-heeled sandals, a cream, off-the-shouldertop, and enormous sunglasses. Her hair was loose, her long, dirty-blond curls tumbling down her back.
She looked gorgeous, but she was frowning.
The driver opened her door, and she climbed in. I was momentarily stunned by her familiar, coconut-y scent. It overwhelmed me, making my traitorous mouth water. I wanted to hug her, to pull her to me.
But Jenny sat on the other side of the car, her spine straight, shoulders back, any icy chill emanating from her. “Hey, Cole.” Her voice was gravelly.
“Jenny.”