Page 64 of Billionaire Neighbor

What if she won’t see me? What if she starts yelling and screaming that she hates me and never wants to see me again?

I can’t allow such thoughts to invade my mind, not right now, because Jade should see me, she has to. Once I fully explain what happened and get everything off my chest I’ll force myself to accept whatever decision she makes.

Damn it, I should have gotten flowers.

I glance down at my watch, but there’s no time to make any stops. I don’t want to risk missing my last chance with Jade.

We pull up to the hotel at the same time a car resembling Jade’s pulls in.

It is Jade, and she looks just as stunning as the first day I ever laid eyes on her.

“Do you want me to pull up next to her?” asks Ed. “Or should I stay out of sight?”

“Let’s definitely stay out of sight. I don’t want her to see me and drive off. Just give me a second to pull myself together,” I say reluctantly. My palms are sweaty and my stomach is doing a series of backflips. I wasn’t this nervous when I closed my first million-dollar deal, but now I’m sitting in the back of my car sweating bullets.

I watch Jade step out of her car as she practically skips inside the hotel with a thick folder tucked under her arm with a wide grin spread across her face.

She looks so… happy. For a split-second I consider just leaving her alone. Maybe she’s better off without me?

The thought is fleeting, because deep down I’m selfish, and I know I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t at least try. I always proclaim not to give up easily, and I’m not about to start doing it now.

If nothing else, she deserves to know the truth, and the chips can fall where they may.

I take a deep breath and prepare myself to exit the car. She needs to know everything, and she needs to hear it from me firsthand. It’s the least I can do considering the hell I’ve put her through.

“Good luck, sir,” says Ed. “I hope you get her back. Ms. Sinclair is a very special woman.”

I nod and pull my lips into a tight line, praying luck is on my side. I close my eyes, exhale again and stroll into the lobby like I own the place. Confidence is key when you need someone to do you a favor.

“Hello there, Mr. Jordan, I don’t believe we have a reservation on file for you,” says Barbara, the concierge behind the desk. She searches for my name and checks the clipboard in front of her. “If you’ll give me a few moments, I’ll get you booked into the penthouse suite in no time. I hope one of our newer employees didn’t goof on your reservation, if so, please accept my apologies.”

“No,” I say. “That won’t be necessary, I’m actually here to surprise someone and I’m hoping you’ll be a doll and give me the room number for a Ms. Jade Sinclair.”

“Oh, Mr. Jordan, that’s against hotel policy. I can lose my job if I give that information out, it’s private.”

I lean over the counter and flash Barbara my widest smile. I hate to do it, but I’m not above flirting just a little to get what I want. She obviously knows me well from my previous reservations, and while I’d typically never ask such a favor, I’m sure she can fulfill the request.

“I’d never want you to lose your job, but my heart is on the line, and I certainly won’t tell if you don’t. I’d never wish to go against hotel policy, but I’d certainly appreciate a favor just this once. Besides, I conduct a lot of business with this hotel, so I’d never do anything to harm that relationship on purpose. I swear to be on my best behavior if you can find it in your heart to do this for me.”

Barbara sighs and looks around nervously. “I’m sorry, Mr. Jordan, I can’t tell you anything about the guests here in the hotel, but if you look around, you may stumble across something useful.”

Her finger taps the notepad in front of her where she has scribbled a room number in red ink.

“Thank you,” I say with a wink. “You’ve helped me out tremendously.”

Barbara smiles and promptly discards the tiny slip of paper into the paper shredder.

It pays to be well known and connected sometimes.

I pull out my phone and call Jade’s room, hoping she’ll pick up. The only problem is, I’m not exactly sure what I’ll say if she does.

Do I immediately apologize? Ask her to meet me in the lobby?

My heart pounds in my chest and suddenly I feel my tie is cutting off my air supply. No other woman has ever made me want to jump through such hoops to win her back. Normally, I write them off as a lost cause if I’m no longer satisfied with their company, but I can’t do that with Jade. She not the type of woman you let go without a fight, and I’m willing to risk it all and go down with the ship, all for her. The phone rings once, twice and then finally on the third ring, she answers.

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