Chapter Five

Sierra

I carefully climbed out of bed as not to awake Cameron, but before my other leg hit the floor, I felt his hand grab my arm and pull me back.

“Where do you think you’re going?” He smiled.

“I have to take a quick shower and run to the office.”

“Come on, Sierra. It’s Saturday.”

“I know, baby, but I have to. There’s a couple of things that need to be looked at before Monday. I won’t be gone long.” I kissed his lips.

“I hope not. Ava’s party starts at one.”

“I know and I’ll only be gone an hour. Two at the most. Go back to sleep. We had a long and exhausting night.” I grinned.

“We sure did.” He closed his eyes.

I hopped into the shower, got dressed, and gave Cameron a kiss goodbye. Climbing into my BMW, I drove to a Starbucks in Santa Monica where I was meeting Ashton McCarroll for coffee. When I walked through the doors, he was sitting at a table with two coffee cups.

“Sierra Adams.” He stood up. “Long time no see.” We lightly hugged.

“Hello, Ashton. You’re looking good.”

“Thanks. I can say the same about you. I will admit that I was surprised to get your text message last night. So what did you want to talk about?”

Taking the coffee cup between my hands, I took a small sip.

“How are Jaime and the girls doing?”

“They’re good. Doing really well.”

“That’s great. I hear you’re opening up a nightclub on Wilshire.”

“I am.” He slowly nodded his head.

“Congratulations. I also hear that you’re looking for a contractor.”

“That’s right. How do you know all this?” He narrowed his eye at me.

“Have you forgotten that I know everything?” I lightly laughed.

“Spit it out, Sierra. You were never one to beat around the bush. What’s on your mind?”

“There was a contractor that put in a bid for your nightclub job. His name is Cameron Cole.”

“Hmm. Let me see. Ah yes, good-looking guy. He came in a little too high. Why are you asking?”

“Listen, Ashton, he needs this job, and I was hoping that you would hire him.”

“I don’t know, Sierra. Like I said, he was higher than the other guys and I have a budget.”

“But his work is worth it. You want your nightclub to stand out above all the thousands of nightclubs in Los Angeles. You want Luxe to be the one everyone is talking about. Am I right?”

“Yes, of course, but—”

“Then you’ll hire Cameron.” I smiled.

He took in a sharp breath and leaned back in his chair.

“I can’t. I told you I have a budget.”

“Budget my ass, Ashton. You’re worth millions, and your family has more money than God.”

“Who is this guy to you?”

“He’s the man I love and he needs work.”

“Wait a minute.” He waved his hand in front of his face. “Sierra Adams is dating a carpenter?” He laughed.

“Yes, I am and I love him very much. Need I remind you of the night I walked into your hotel room and saw you in bed with some random guy you picked up at the hotel bar one week before your wedding day?”

He leaned across the table with a stern look in his eyes.

“That was a one-time thing.” He pointed at me.

“Really? Because I distinctly remember seeing you and that same man a month after your wedding at Franco’s. Then Kirsty told me she saw you about six months ago with a different man at Venice Beach. What do you tell your wife you’re doing when you’re with these men? And to be honest, Ashton, why don’t you just come out of the closet?”

“Because you know damn well what my family would do to me if they ever found out. I’ll hire Cameron on one condition.”

“What’s your condition?”

“I want free advertising from your agency.”

I arched my brow and gave him a small smile as I stuck out my hand.

“Deal.”

“Okay. I’ll give Cameron a call on Monday and tell him he got the job.”

“How about you call him later this afternoon?”

He took in a long deep breath.

“Fine. I’ll call him later.”

I got up from my chair and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“It was good to see you again, Ashton. Can I offer you a piece of advice?”

“Sure. Why not?”

“Do what makes you happy. Because sooner than later, you’ll end up living a life full of regrets. It doesn’t matter what your family thinks. All that matters is that you’re happy.”

“Thanks, Sierra. You know, for a girl, you were a good fuck.”

“Thanks. So were you.” I winked.

Ashton McCarroll was my first suit. But, unlike many of the others, he was a one-time thing. We decided to become friends without the benefits because we had more of a connection on a friendship level. Plus, he was trying to convince himself he wasn’t gay. Not too long after we became friends, he met Jaime. Her family carried a social status as did his and he thought it was the right thing to do. I didn’t know he was gay until we were at a business conference together, drinking and having a good time. He slipped me his key to his room earlier in the day because Kirsty was in our room sick as a dog and I had my eye on someone at the conference. He told me that if I needed his room, it was mine and to just put the do not disturb sign on the door. That was something he failed to do himself and he got caught.