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“Delayed?” Cari asks, a hint of disbelief in her voice. She’s watching me closely. It’s the first time I see her displeasure so clearly. Usually, she hides it well. “Your flight was delayed?” she asks again.
I don’t like the stone-cold edge in her tone. “You sound as if you don't believe me, and I don't blame you. But yes, it was. Something about a hydraulic leak.”
“I did remind you that it was cutting it close,” Cari points out. She seems to gloat in reminding me of my shortcomings.
“I couldn’t leave Monaco any earlier because of a meeting that couldn’t be moved,” I say, wearily. “Maybe I should have missed it, but then I would have the wrath of my father to contend with.” I scratch my jaw, wondering why I put up with his shit. My daughter should come first, and it’s about time I started making sure she does. As far as my father is concerned, family doesn’t matter. Money. Empire. Legacy. That’s all he cares about, but maybe some things need to change.
Cari shrugs and fiddles with the gemstone on her chain. “Okay, Jett. Whatever you say, but you let Brooke down. You need to make her understand and make it up to her.”
“I came as fast as I could,” I tell her. Brooke clings to me, her tiny arms tight around my neck. Despite all her friends, the magician, the popcorn, and the balloons—she just wants me. “I chartered a flight out when they told us it would take at least two hours,” I announce, looking at Cari as if I'm expecting brownie points.
She doesn't give them.
She looks unsure. If anything, her expression remains cool, her eyes distant. I clear my throat. “My brothers are calling you Superwoman.”
“Why?” she remarks, as if she’s clueless about her superpowers.
“Because you always get things done, and you’re good. But you’re here as a guest. I hope you haven’t been helping too much.”
A smile spreads across her face. “I’ve been having fun.”
“I bet my brothers have been no help whatsoever.”
“At least they were here on time, which is more than I can say for you.”
Ouch. She’s really mad at me, even though I explained. At least she’s calm and collected, even if she can’t bring herself to look at me. I side eye her, taking in her gorgeous tresses which I’m only now seeing up close for the first time. And the way she’s dressed down is different. Somehow ... refreshing. I like her like this.
“It wasn’t my fault, Cari.” Maybe she’s a little off because of that concert she’s going to later. I offered to pay her for today—but maybe that’s not the point. Especially since she’s not taking the money. I don't care what she says. I'll slip it into her paycheck as a bonus, because she always comes through for me and for Brooke.
“The magician wants you back, Brooke,” Cari says. I let Brooke down gently and see the way she takes Cari’s hand, giving Cari no choice but to walk her back to the front of the room.
Cari is like a diamond in a sea of mediocrity. She’s dependable, smart, and irreplaceable. If I could clone her, I would. I’d have one Cari as my assistant, and one for Brooke. No one else can be trusted. No one else gets things done without being told twice. She’s a rare breed, in a world where people seem to have stopped thinking for themselves.
Though I’m starting to find her brittle tone and her frosty demeanor unsettling. I don't know when it happened, when I started to care so much more about her opinion of me.
Chapter 5
CARI
“I have things to do, babe. I need to go,” Alicia’s arm snakes around Jett’s waist, possessive and casual all at once. His arms remain folded, his body rigid like he’s holding something in.
“You want to go now?” His voice was cool, but I can’t quite read his expression from behind them. Their body language, though, tells me everything I need to know. After a few days in Monaco together, I expected them to be inseparable. Yet, the lack of any passionate, completely-in-love vibes make me wonder if all is well.
“It’s not my scene.” Alicia leans in, kissing his cheek, but her attention already seems elsewhere. “I’ve got to unpack. There’s so much to do.”
“It’s Brooke’s birthday,” Jett reminds her, his voice a little sharper, a hint of frustration slipping through. He rarely lets that mask crack, but there it is, just for a second. She only smiles then kisses his cheek again.
“Let’s take her out for dinner tonight,” she offers, brushing it off like it’s nothing. It’s not a question. It’s her solution. As if this can fix the disappointment in Brooke’s eyes. Jett doesn’t respond, and my heart twists.
I spot a little girl sitting by herself at the edge of the room, looking lost and I go over to see her.
“Hey, sweetheart. What’s wrong?” I ask softly.
“I need to go to the washroom, but I don’t know where it is,” she whispers, her big eyes full of worry.
Phew. At least it wasn’t the kids ganging up on her like I’d feared, or any drama like that. “No problem, I’ll show you.” She slides her tiny hand into mine, and I lead her out.
We reach the washroom, and bend over to her level. “There you go. I’ll wait for you right here, okay?”