Page 39 of Let it Breathe
"Yeah."
"I am sorry it didn't work out. Chai doesn't deserve this."
"She doesn't. She deserves the world." I hung up before he could respond.
"Fuck," I said again under my breath.
I rubbed my head and paced in the bathroom. I had to tell her. I didn't want her hearing about it from someone else. I had let her know I would help her through it. But I had no proof, and I couldn't go off and accuse her brother, her family.
Maybe it would be best to wait until we got back to California.
I opened the bathroom door. Chai stood in the middle of the room and pushed her hair out of her face. Her body wrapped in a sheet from the bed.
God, her beauty blew me away.
"Hey, baby." I rubbed my head.
"Who were you talking to?" she asked.
"It's no one." I pulled my gaze away from her probing eyes.
"Don't lie to me. I heard you say my name. What don't I know about?" She cocked her hip to the side.
I stepped to her and wrapped my arms around her, but she stepped out of my grasp before I could get a good hold of her.
"Donovan, tell me," she pleaded.
I turned my back to her.
"It was Calvin. He wanted to finalize some items on our proposal for the winery, but I told him to hold off." I felt like a dick. "I'm sorry, but I won't be investing on the vineyard. It's just not a wise business decision for me."
"What? Wh ..."
The pain in her voice gutted me. I hated hurting her, but I'd rather her hate me than hate her family.
"But you said you would invest no matter what happened between us."
"I did, but the more I thought about it, the more it didn't feel right." I rubbed my hands together. "We are in such a good place. I don't want to complicate it by mixing business and pleasure."
I turned around.
"What are you talking about?" She blinked back tears. "You told me you only do business with people you like."
"I know, but this is different."
Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"I just decided."
"You just decided between passing out drunk last night and a phone call with Calvin this morning." Tears streamed down her face. "What is wrong with you?"
I pulled her to me, but she pushed me away.
"I'm sorry." I rubbed my face. "Look, I'll help you find more options, but—"
"I can't believe you brought me all the way out here and were going to reject me anyway."
"I didn't reject you, Chai. I'm rejecting the deal. It has nothing to do with us."
