Page 57 of A Mutually Beneficial Proposal

Owen

This has beenthe longest day of my life. Ella was gone from our room by the time I made it back, and she hadn’t left a note like I did. I tried calling her only to find her phone on the table. I stayed as long as I could, in hopes she’d be back before I had to leave again, but I didn’t see her before I headed to the morning gathering.

Jack is in better spirits today and has made my tasks easier. He thinks he ruined what I had with Ella thanks to his karaoke stunt, but I don’t bother to tell him that she still did more than sleep in my bed last night.

Instead, I mentioned my interest in Natalie again. When Jack encouraged me to go to her, I didn’t object. Though, I wanted to when he reminded me that getting closer to Natalie could mean big things for me. I’m not sure what Jack thinks will happen if I actually date Natalie, but I let him believe he’s on to something instead of the other way around.

The day goes just as I hope. I convince Natalie to put on a brave face and stay close to Jack. The three of us and a few other department heads spend most of our time together, and my relationship with Jack is back to being as obediently superficial as it was before we got to Saint Lucia.

I’m waiting with Natalie in the lobby, and it’s nearing dinner time. I need to get to the room and see if Ella’s been back, but Jack asked us to wait for him.

“What do you think he wants?” Natalie asks me while I let her lean against me and keep my arm around her.

The action feels wrong, but the more I physically get close to Natalie, the happier Jack gets. Since she knows that this is nothing more than a show—especially after meeting Ella last night—I try not to let myself get too tense.

I glance down at her and smile. “I have no idea, but we’ll find out soon and then you can go back to your room. I’m going to try and get invited to Jack’s for dinner.”

I haven’t told Natalie that I need information from Jack’s laptop. She doesn’t need to be involved more than she already is, like Bill said, but I don’t want her to feel in the dark either.

She lifts her hand and rests it over my chest while leaning closer. “You don’t need my help with that?”

A shudder ripples through me at the contact, and I try not to grimace. “No, Jack won’t open up with you around. It’s better if I’m by myself.”

“I can’t say I’m disappointed by that fact,” she whispers.

“Owen, come on over here,” Jack’s voice booms from the coffee bar.

My eyes cast down to Natalie. “Looks like you’re off the hook already. I’ll see you later.”

Her smile widens, and she pats my chest. “Have fun.”

Fun. Right. Not likely.

I waltz over to Jack with a grin on my face and reach for a mug. “Hey, Jack.”

He’s standing there, stirring too much sugar into his drink. “I thought after watching you run after that girl that Natalie didn’t have a chance in hell with you, but, in this instance, it’s nice to be wrong.”

I turn to watch Natalie waiting at the elevators. “Ella was fun, but I only wanted one thing from her and I got it.”

When I’m facing Jack again, he’s grinning. “I’m glad to hear that. You see, Natalie has some leverage against me, and I need some over her. Maybe some pictures that could be rather embarrassing should they get out, if you know what I mean?”

He has to be fucking joking. I know he’s not, but damn, I wish he was.

“I know what you mean. I don’t think I can make that happen here, but once we’re home, I’ll do my best to get something for you quickly,” I say, distracting myself with the coffee machine as I speak to hide the disgust on my face.

Jack clasps a hand over my shoulder. “I knew I could count on you. I have a dinner date, but if you’re not busy tonight, come by my room and we’ll share a drink while we talk about some more things that are long overdue in regard to your role at Harrington Enterprises.”

I bite my cheek to keep from rolling my eyes or saying something that I shouldn’t. There is no amount of money in the world that could ever convince me to treat a female with such disrespect, but I manage to nod and force a smile to my face to keep up the farce.

“I’ll reach out when I’m free and you can come over,” he says.

I busy myself with my coffee so I still don’t have to verbally respond. He gives my arm another pat before heading for the elevators.

I shake my shoulders once he’s gone and finish most of my coffee in a few gulps before setting the cup on the tray at the end of the counter.

I need to get back to the room and find Ella. I haven’t seen her between events today, and she hasn’t responded to any of my messages, which likely means she never went back to get her phone.

The sinking feeling in my stomach I had earlier hasn’t left me all day, and I think that’s because I haven’t told Ella everything about Natalie. Ella hadn’t asked when I gave her the opening, but I shouldn’t have used that as an excuse to stay quiet. I shouldn’t have been a coward about the situation.

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