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“Three weeks in Bermuda,” Dex adds with a wink. “No wonder he wasn’t on his A game.”
“Fuck you,” I growl, downing my whiskey in one go and motioning for the waiter.
“But she’s leaving.” Zach still looks dumbfounded.
“She is,” I admit.
“Is she pregnant?” he asks, wide-eyed.
“Shut the fuck up,” Dex snaps at Zach. His head whips toward me. “Tell me she’s not.”
“She’s not pregnant,” I grind out, teeth clenched. “She resigned before we left,” I add quietly.
“Are you going to let her leave?” Dex asks, his tone sharp.
“I’m not holding her prisoner.” I pause, exhaling heavily. “But we’re going to figure this out. Her working for me wouldn’t be a good idea now.”
“You and Cari are sleeping together?” Zach blurts out.
I level a hard stare at him.
Dex chuckles. “Oh, I’m sure they’ve fucked each other’s brains out—”
“Shut the fuck up. Don't ever talk about us like that.” I snarl, cutting him off.
Dex leans back, affronted. “You’re in love with her, brother,” he says quietly. “It’s written all over you. You look fucking miserable.”
“I am miserable,” I admit, pinching the bridge of my nose. “She’s gone cold on me. And the old man…” My voice trails off as my father’s looming expectations sit on my shoulders, heavy like bricks. “He’s still pushing for me to marry the heiress.”
“What heiress?” Zach asks.
“Fuck.” I shake my head. “You tell him, Dex. I’ve got a sneaking suspicion the old man’s going to bring it up at the family dinner.”
And if that’s the case, I need to get my ducks in a row.
Cari’s too.
***
Later, I stand outside her apartment, the city buzzing around me. Cari opens the door, her expression guarded. Her walls are already up, and I haven’t even said a word.
She steps aside to let me in, her arms crossing defensively as she leans against the kitchen counter. “What are you doing here, Jett?”
“I needed to see you. I’ve been out of the office and I miss seeing you,” I say, moving closer. Her eyes retain the glimmer of hardness, and she doesn’t back down.
“Well, you’ve seen me. Now what?”
Her cold tone cuts, but I push forward. “What’s wrong?” Has she forgotten our kiss from the other day? I sure haven’t.
“Nothing.”
I lean in and try to put my arms around her to kiss her, but she moves back and out of my reach. It’s like this, is it? “Don’t lie to me, Cari. Tell me what’s bothering you. Orwho’sbothering you.”
She looks away, her fingers tightening on the edge of the counter. “I’m leaving, Jett. It’s probably best if we leave what happened in Bermuda there. In the past, in our memories.”
She just sucker punched me with her words. “Just like that?” I manage to say, feeling winded.
Her gaze locks on mine, and I can see the conflict swirling there, but she holds firm. “We’re back in the real world now. We have to face reality.”