"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so pushy. Long morning." I ran my fingers through my hair as she glanced up.
"The conference room is this way. I'll show you to it." She ignored my apology, not that I didn't completely deserve it, but it stung nevertheless. The day was sure to be shit, but I only had it to get through and then I could go home. I even considered looking for a red-eye flight later that night. The sooner I got home and spent some time around my family, the better I would feel. It was hard to be around them and not leave filled up with love and acceptance. They were just good like that.
"Mr. Parks. What a treat." Eliza Tarrens stood in the open doorway of the conference room, her ego taking up what little bit of space her portly figure left available.
"Miss Tarrens. The pleasure is all mine." I extended my hand to her and shook hers quickly before releasing her.
"I see you have a full schedule today." She pressed her fingers to her lips. "Is there any way I can twist your arm to have dinner with me tonight? We have a new dish we're going to be introducing to the restaurant soon."
"I appreciate that, but I have two resorts to inspect today, and my flight leaves late tonight. I could ask Kevin Jarrett to come by and sample the new dishes if you like?" I clasped my hands behind my back and tried not to notice how her dark gaze moved off my face and down my body over and over. The idea of being intimate with anyone but Viv left me cold, unmoved.
Fuck.
"No thanks. Kevin Jarrett is a weasel of the worst kind. I'll be putting in a comment on just how much of an ass he is." She growled in disgust and moved back out into the hall. "Let us know if you need anything. Make your interviews to the point and don't waste our time, good?"
"Never. Time is money." I glanced down and busied myself, not wanting to give her another moment of my attention. If Kevin was a weasel, then she was a shark. I couldn't stand either of them. Jon and I would have to have a long talk when I got back from Los Angeles. Things needed to change, or we would soon find some of the goodwill associated with Wilmington and Branch diminished.
*****
I worked through the day, trying hard to keep myself on an even kilter and not act like the demanding ass that I felt like. The hotels were both in pristine shape, but I would expect nothing less from Eliza. She knew what we looked for, having worked for my boss for many years before I darkened the door of the company.
The ride back to La Mage was long due to the hordes of people who lined the city streets in search of love, excitement, and pleasure. It was Saturday night and I had one more meeting to wrap up my visit. Kevin hadn't been on my radar in the latter half of the week, but I assumed it was because he was busy with his responsibilities, and besides, I was
wrapped up in Viv.
Vivian.
My heart throbbed in my chest as I pulled back into the resort’s driveway. She wasn't going to soon be off my mind. I needed to close things down completely with her or ask her to be mine. The latter sounded like a much better plan, but she was hardheaded. The chance of her denying me was relatively high, seeing that she'd done it multiple times already.
I walked into the hotel and stopped by the front desk. "Evening. Can I speak with Jeffry when he's free?"
"Of course, Mr. Parks. There's a private room at the back of the bar. Would you like to wait there, and I'll send a server in with a drink and dining menu?"
"Sounds brilliant. Thank you." I turned and walked toward the bar as a bulky guy with brown hair turned and pinned me with a hard stare.
"Hey. Aren't you the guy from the club earlier this week? The one who thinks he has a shot with my girl?" Jackson cracked his fingers and took a step toward me.
I sighed internally. Now wasn't the time. I needed to wrap up this meeting and get the fuck back to New York. What Vivian ever saw in the behemoth in front of me was beyond me. He looked like every other football-playing, dip-chewing meathead I'd ever known.
"She's not your girl, Jackson. You decided to fuck around on her, remember?" I drew my shoulders back, more than happy to remind him of who he was dealing with. I was the guy that wasn't scared to put his ass on the floor. I'd proven that.
"You don't know shit, dude. Being with the same woman for ten years is a drag. Even someone as great as Viv." He let out a deflated sigh and lifted his eyes to the ceiling. "Or so I thought. I fucked up...bad."
"Yeah, you did. I have a meeting right now, and I'm not really looking to console anyone for hurting Vivian. So enjoy your stay, and keep away from her. I'm not beyond putting a hurting on your ass again."
He chuckled. "I get that. I tried to talk to her this morning, but she went ape-shit on me. Just do me a favor – don't hurt her, or I'll find you and bring some friends with me. She's a jewel, a really, really good woman. One of the last, I'm afraid. Cherish her, dude. I didn't, and I'll regret that shit for the rest of my life."
"Right. Thanks for the advice." I moved past him and walked toward the darkened door, wanting a stiff drink and a dark room to force myself to sleep in. My body ached, and my mind was growing fuzzy from lack of sleep, but the dull pain that vibrated through me over and over had everything to do with diminishing hope.
Jeffry glanced up from the single table in the center of the large wine room. "Easton. Glad you had a minute for me. Please, come and sit down."
"Of course. I'd have made time for you if necessary." I sat down and unbuttoned my coat before accepting the highball glass he offered me.
"You're a man who appreciates whiskey, I'm sure."
"I appreciate anything that warms my blood and helps me forget my troubles." I gave him a cheeky grin and enjoyed the resounding laughter that left him. A heaviness sat on his shoulders that worried me a little. "Talk to me. What's going on?"
"It's about your associate, Kevin Jarrett. He's..." The older man poured me a glass of whiskey before dropping a few ice cubes into the glass and sitting back. "He's entitled to his opinion of course, but his reviews from this week are scathing. And in all honesty, I know I shouldn't have, but I checked his room ticket and the cameras and noted that he didn't even haunt the steak house. He reviewed several dishes from the restaurant, but there is absolutely no way he ate anything from there. I'm just at a loss as to what to do."