Chapter 30

ASHER

I check my phone for the hundredth time, but there’s still no word from Nathan. Even though my world is falling apart all around me, I still mustered up the strength to go to work, sitting through one boring meeting after the next. Contracts and business deals used to consume every waking moment of my life, but right now I want nothing more than to be out looking for Jade. I can’t even pretend to care about the proposals being presented.

Nathan said he would find her, and I should just trust that he will. He’s never let me down before. I stare off into space, oblivious to the fact that my name is being called and all my colleagues are staring at me.

“Huh, what?”

“The projections,” says Joe, waving a thick stack of papers at me. “We’re still waiting on you to sign off on everything so we can move forward. Have you had a chance to go over the documents yet? We were hoping to get this squared away today.”

I flip through the huge stack of papers in front of me and my mind draws a blank. Usually, I have things highlighted, with several pages of my own notes to go over, but this is the first time I’ve laid eyes on these documents, and there’s no telling what kind of deal has been contracted.

Is it a front-loaded deal, or will there be installments? Have the inspections been completed for us to get the necessary permits? The honest answer is, I have no clue, therefore I don’t know where to start with my line of questioning.

“Um,” I begin. “I haven’t looked at these just yet, but I will. Things have been a little hectic lately, but I’ll be back on top of everything soon.”

Joe looks around the room, and I see the nervous glances being exchanged between everyone.

They’re starting to doubt me, and to be honest, I would too.

“I’m more than happy to hand this off to someone else if they want it,” I say. “It’s not mandatory that I be the one to review it.”

Let them run the numbers and panic over the possibility of failure. Right now, I’d be perfectly okay taking that chance if it takes some of the responsibility off me.

Several people cough, and others suddenly become very interested in the glasses of water in front of them.

“Um,” says Joe, interrupting the silence. “No worries, we’ll extend this project another week or so to allow you the opportunity to review everything. We value your input, and I think I speak for everyone when I say, we wouldn’t feel comfortable moving forward on a project you haven’t signed off on. Now, on to the next order of business. The McGillys have contacted us about a liquidation acquisition. The CEO, and head of their family, recently died and neither heir has a desire to continue running the company. Personally, I don’t think this will be a worthwhile move on our part, but the McGillys have been longtime associates of ours, and they really want us to be the one to broker a deal for them.”

My phone suddenly goes off, causing everyone to look around the room angrily. Under normal circumstances, phones are forbidden in our meetings, but these aren’t normal circumstances, and there’s no way in hell I was leaving my phone in the office.

What’s the use in being the boss if I can’t occasionally bend the rules a little?

I check the caller ID and realize this is the call I’ve been waiting for, so I jump up from the table, leaving my stunned business associates behind.

“Yes, hello, Nathan? Did you find her?” I ask, already making a beeline for the elevator.

“Yes, sir, I found her. She’s in a hotel, and I’m texting you the information now,” he says. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get the room number yet, but I figured you would want what I have as soon as possible.”

“What you have is fine, I’ll figure out the room number myself even if I have to knock on every door until I find her.”

I jog the rest of the distance to the elevator and hit the button several times.

“Asher, wait!” Joe calls after me. “What’s going on? Is someone hurt? Do you want us to finish the meeting or wait for you to come back?”

Right now, I don’t give a shit what they do.

“Honestly, I don’t care.”

I’m a man on a mission and I have somewhere to be. I step inside the elevator and push the button to close the doors just as Joe makes it to me. I hate to run out on everybody like this, but Jade is far too important to me and I can’t sit here waiting for the meeting to end.

I have to get to her and see for myself that she’s okay.

“Thanks, Nathan, you’ve been a lifesaver,” I say into the phone. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“Any time, boss,” he says. “I’m just here to help.”

I haven’t slept well since Jade disappeared and I know Nathan hasn’t either. He’s been working around the clock to find her and I know he hasn’t billed me for all the hours he’s invested.

“Make sure you update your timesheet so I can get you squared away,” I say. “I know you’ve logged a lot of hours on this, and I’m eternally grateful.”

“Boss, don’t worry about me, worry about getting to Ms. Sinclair. You and I both know you can’t put a price tag on what the heart wants. I wanted to find her just as much as you, and now I can rest easy knowing I’ve done my job.”

“Thanks again, Nathan,” I say.

“No problem,” he says, “and good luck.”

I end the call just as the elevator reaches the lobby, and I sprint to my parked car. For days now, I’ve kept Ed on notice to stay right out front just in case I need to make a quick getaway.

Luckily, most of the reporters who’ve been camped outside the building have somewhat dissipated, leaving only a handful of stragglers behind.

“Mr. Jordan, where are you going? Where’s the mystery blonde?”

“Give us a smile for the cover story!”

I brush through the small crowd, ignoring the questions they’re firing at me.

“Do you have a lead on you know who?” asks Ed in a hushed voice. He flicks his cigarette butt on the ground, and crushes it with his foot.

“I sure do, Ed,” I say, sliding into the car. “Let’s go get her, but I want you to shake these reporters off. The last thing I need is them interrupting what’s bound to be an awkward reunion.”

I give him the address and hold on to the armrest to keep from falling over as he speeds off into traffic. He cuts this corner and the next, making last-minute turns to help keep the press at bay.

While I know he’s driving as quickly as he can, I still count the passing seconds as they grow to long agonizing minutes. We get closer to the hotel with each passing moment, and I find myself transforming into a ball of nerves. Part of me wants Ed to stop the car for a little time to rein in my frazzled nerves, but I know that’s not possible.

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.

“Hello?”

“Jade, it’s me, please don’t hang up.”