Page 66 of Privileged (Adrenalin)

“No, thank you, Janice.”

She starts to retreat then pauses. “You know you have my support. Sloan, too.” She gives me a motherly smile, the kind that says she wishes she could fix things we both know are outside of her control.

“Thank you, Janice. I appreciate that.” I give her a little wave as her head disappears behind the door. Then I crack open the scotch I keep in my desk drawer, hoping it will help me come up with a backup plan in case the board sees things the way my father does.

Chapter twenty-one

Sloan

My bags have been unpacked less than a week, and already I’m regretting my decision to move in with Carter.

Instead of snuggling on the couch and indulging in the morning sex he enjoys so much, I’ve been going to sleep and waking up on my own while Carter hides in his office. He claims the stress of perfecting his proposal to the board has him focused on work, and I know in part that’s true. It just doesn’t feel like the whole truth.

I’m not sure how to explain my feelings—it’s not like I have any reason to doubt what he says—yet my gut tells me there’s something he’s not disclosing. By my fifth dinner alone, my patience has evaporated, and I have a burning desire to storm into his office and call him out. Instead, I make him a plate and grab a bottle of wine as a peace offering, despite the fact I’m not sure why I even need it.

“I’d ask if living with me is that bad, only I think you have to spend time in the apartment for us to actually call thislivingtogether.” Carter’s confused gaze follows me from the door to the front of hisdesk, a pained expression washing over his face as I set the food before him.

“You didn’t have to do that,” he says softly.

“As the only one of us who’s been in a relationship before, I know firsthand it’s a common gesture when one person misses dinner. The question is why did you miss it?Again.” I open the wine—thank goodness for screw tops—and pour a few fingers into the plastic cups I brought with me.

He takes one with a sad smile and swirls the liquid around, releasing the flavor.

“This doesn’t work if you won’t talk to me.” I point my finger between the two of us.

Carter opens his mouth and shuts it, twice, without saying anything. It’s the first time I’ve seen him struggle for words, which is saying something given the unconventional circumstances that brought us together. It puts me instantly on edge.

“Please,” I whisper.

“I spoke with my father.” His jaw tenses as he brings the cup to his lips and swallows half the wine in one gulp. “It didn’t go as planned.”

“What does that mean exactly?” I set my drink on the desk so I can wipe my now sweaty palms on my shorts.

“It means instead of telling him about you after the meeting, when he’d be less inclined to protest knowing our relationship hasn’t interfered with our work, I had to tell him last week. The day after you moved in.”

“He’d already heard about it?” My breath catches in my throat. This is the outcome we both dreaded.

“No. He wanted me to come home so my mom could set me up with someone. We went back and forth a bit, but the short version is Itold him I didn’t want to be set up because I already have a boyfriend. It went downhill from there.”

“When you say downhill, how bad is it?” I force my voice to remain calm despite the fact that my mind is racing.

“I don’t know yet.” He tosses back the rest of his wine. “I expected him to object at first, to lecture me about the legal risks of dating an employee, and he did. He said I was naïve if I thought I wouldn’t find myself in the middle of a sexual harassment lawsuit. I thought he’d come around after learning how serious we are though.”

“That didn’t happen?” The room is so quiet my nervous swallow echoes around us.

“No. I didn’t get to finish talking before he issued an ultimatum, you or the resort.”

“I… I.”

“I’m not choosing.” The conviction in his eyes makes them look more black than brown. “If the board doesn’t approve, they can get rid of me, but I won’t make that decision for them.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I say with more composure than I feel. “You’ve worked too hard to let them push you out over me. I won’t let you squander your dream on my behalf.”

Carter shifts his head slowly back and forth, a look of utter defeat etched on his face. “I knew you’d say that. I hoped you wouldn’t, but I knew you would. That’s why I wasn’t going to tell you.” He reaches for the bottle and pours himself another cup.

“You’d rather I ask you to sacrifice your job and the future of the town for me?” The knot in my chest causes my voice to squeak, forcing me to swallow down a sob before I keep going. “I love you for refusing to choose, but I can’t let you do that.”

“I can do whatever I damn well please.” He leans forward, bracing his forearms on the desk. “Until they tell me otherwise, I’m still theCEO of this resort, and I won’t let them, or you, make my decisions for me.”

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