Page 24 of Something Beyond Fame

I knew Claudia had seen me. It was the way she angled herself in every movement to purposefully avoid my gaze. Whoever she was talking to had power over her, and more importantly, held her respect.

They all talked further for a few minutes and then dispersed. Maybe I was reading too much into it, but I felt like I saw her take a deep breath before she turned to walk toward me.

Then I saw the look in her eyes and I knew I hadn't read enough into it at all.

“Would you like a drink?” I started, but my voice faded off as she shook her head.

“No, sorry I can't stay.” Her tone was clipped and brisk. The old frosty Claudia shone through loud and clear.

“Okay, what about later? Would you like to get dinner or—“ I was overcompensating. Extra sunny, extra smiley, reaching for her hand, trying to bring her back to me, but she shrugged me away.

“I can’t do dinner, but you can come by my room. Do you have a show?”

I dropped my hand. “No. No. I don't. What time?”

She glanced at her watch. “Maybe at 8? Then you can get dinner afterward.”

“Oh, okay. Sure.” For the first time since she’d strode over, her gaze found mine. It cut like ice to feel that coolness.

“See you at eight.” And with that, she turned and strolled out, never looking back.

I watched as minutes turned to seconds that had spaces in between. Could a digital watch conspire against me? It seemed to. I got ready, then I changed, then changed again into nearly the same thing in a different shade. I hated my hair. My makeup was smudged. I couldn't get anything right.

The world was upside down, and I was waiting for the bomb to drop. I knew it was coming. Something. I just didn't know what.

I’d lost the bounce in my step. I took a slow meander to her room, and after all that waiting, I was almost late. Not that she would have noticed. She was on the phone when I knocked, beckoning me in as she continued to talk a hundred miles an hour.

“Yes, I get that. No. No. The merger prep is here. Alistair has the other file. It’ll be sent across. Yes, I’ve already confirmed that. Okay. And the NY office? Right. Mmmm. Well, sure, but it won't be until tomorrow when I can get off this damned boat.”

Sting. I felt that one. I started to look around and I noticed her things that had once been neatly situated around her suite were now away, gone. Her closet was open and all of her clothes had been removed. Then I saw the suitcases peeking from the other side of the bed.

“Sorry about that.” She cut through my thoughts to bring me back into the moment with a thump.

“It's okay,” I managed, but I felt the lump in my throat.

“Raven. Things have changed.”

She stayed standing as I sat perched on the edge of her suite lounger. Already the dynamic was off.

“My company has decided that with the takeover, I am needed in the US.”

I sat back and let that process. I mean, it wasn’t ideal. But Claudia and I had been too lazy to talk about the future. I assumed she would stay in London, which meant I’d need to make some changes and see how I could accommodate that to spend as much time with her as possible.

New York was a past life for me, but with Claudia, I could see the possibilities.

“Okay. I mean it isn't ideal, but you know we can figure something out. When do you have to go?”

“I leave in the morning. The thing is, Raven…” She started to pace. “The thing is, that I guess we could figure something out. But right now, I need to be focused. I need to be in the office. I need to be working. I need to get this job done.”

“Well, I understand that, Claudia. I know how important your work is to you. I wouldn't get in the way of that. I think you know that.”

She sat down on the bed with a frustrated sigh.

“Yes, I know. But the problem is, Raven, is that you already do. I know that isn't your intention. I really do, and I take responsibility. But my company is going through a billion-dollar merger. This is all I’ve been working on for years and now you’ve come into my life at the worst time. Everything I need to do I can’t do because I’ve been so wrapped up in you. I should have been fired earlier for the terrible mess I made in that meeting. I just wasn't prepared. And that can't happen again. I won't let it happen again.”

“Well, what does that mean?” I asked in a small voice, regretting it the second I asked because I knew she was going to spell it out.

“I’ve had a wonderful time with you on this boat. Ship.” She corrected herself quickly, and I would have smiled if it weren't for the tears I was holding back.

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