Chapter Twenty–Eight
George Really Is A Jerk
Jordan watched the women come out of the room. Charlotte looked stunning but her face looked strained. Stressed from keeping up with the gossipy old women, no doubt. It didn’t seem like her kind of conversation. She was saying something to Mrs. Liebowitz in a low voice.
Lauren leaned over from the back to top up her champagne glass. They were all laughing but the laughter didn’t touch Charlotte’s eyes. He tried not to listen in, suspecting he wouldn’t want to know anything that Lauren and Mrs. Liebowitz would think of as funny. He should have told Charlotte to be careful.
He respected the fact that Charlotte was trying to impress these people. Jordan was always the strong one, the one that never flinched, the one who did what needed to be done. And he appreciated seeing that strength in her. She wouldn’t simply expect him to do all the work. She pushed herself and always stepped up to a challenge. She would never be the one to blink first, not if she could help it.
Then he smiled broadly as Mrs. Butrey came through the front door. He dashed to her. “Good to see you!”
“I’m sure you are the only one who is pleased, young man,” she said, looking around the room. “But I heard you were getting engaged to your young lady and I thought I’d come by and see what you were up to.” Her gaze was stern. “Moving a bit quickly, aren’t you?”
Jordan gave her a pleading look. “It’s a long story.” He glanced towards Charlotte, who was by the buffet table, picking at the strawberries. She smiled and nodded as Mrs. Liebowitz lectured her on something or another. Probably roping her into one of her charity projects.
Mrs. Butrey followed his gaze and watched her as well. “There’s something familiar about her. The set of her eyes, I think. Or maybe it’s the nose. She seems to be trying very hard to fit in with those vultures.”
He nodded. “She can never resist a challenge.” How far would she go to make things work? Being with him would make a big difference to her, wouldn’t it?
He had a sudden urge to tell Mrs. Butrey everything but he didn’t dare, not here. The thing was, Charlotte must be working at least two jobs and it was clear she was struggling to get by. She said she was sending money to her mother, too. It seemed like it was taking everything she had to keep everything together.
Would she be willing to take any man, someone like him, in order to get away from the money troubles and the problems? He didn’t think Charlotte would settle for anyone who didn’t live up to her ideals. But sometimes, it worried him. “She frightens me,” he admitted.
“Being frightened is good for your soul,” said Mrs. Butrey. “Your father was never afraid of anything and look where that got him.”
“He seems to have done ok for himself.” George was talking to Frank Forden, an investor who lived on the edge of Haven. They saw him looking and started to head his way.
“Only if you don’t look too far under the surface,” said Mrs. Butrey. “Oh, and here they come! I shall make myself scarce before I get thrown out for gate crashing. Enjoy your party, Jordan.” She moved away before he could stop her. It hadn’t occurred to him she wouldn’t be invited: she was the only resident of Haven he had any real affection for. But it was too late, she was gone.
He scowled as the men came over, Frank Forden grabbing his hand to shake it in congratulations. Frank was a friend of George’s and he wanted to discuss whether Lovett Industries might want to open a satellite office in a new tech center in Riverside, coincidentally a new tech center Frank had heavily invested in.
Jordan simply politely nodded and smiled without making any direct statements on the subject. He watched Charlotte, her bright smile starting to slip into something lopsided as the group of women ebbed and flowed around her, everyone with some advice to give her, no doubt. Lauren kept refilling her champagne glass after every sip and he wondered if Charlotte had noticed how much she was drinking. Meanwhile, Frank pulled George over to appeal to him directly about the deal.
Jordan sighed as the two men ganged up on him. The company had no need for a second office in Riverside. There was no way Jordan was going to split the staff up like that. He’d finally finalized the cafeteria make-over to offer quick lunches to everyone, not just the upper management, and the departmental reorganization was doing a lot to get people talking to each other rather than sending snippy emails. Separating everyone into two locations made no sense.
George, of course, thought it was a grand idea. Frank Forden was a golfing buddy and part of the good old boys’ network, where everyone was expected to look after each other. “You have to think big to grow big,” said George, clapping him on the shoulder. “The new site will give you space to expand.”
Meanwhile, Charlotte had been button-holed by Mrs. Adams, who organized charity lunches for the Rotary Club. Charlotte was probably at risk of dying of boredom. Jordan waved her over, hoping to distract George and Frank at the same time. “Are you having a good time?”
“I’m having a wonderful time, darling! I’ve been having a lovely chat with… well, with everyone!” Her voice was high-pitched and smooth as honey, a mimicry of the voice the women of Haven used, all thrilled and girly. The same voice they all used when talking to a man.
It was like some sort of cocktail party tradition—the women would chatter together about how stupid their husbands were and then talk like they were too ditzy to hold a serious conversation. He didn’t like hearing Charlotte trying to sound like them. “You’ve had enough,” he whispered. He reached for her champagne glass, intending to tell her later that she’d had more than she knew but she gripped it fiercely.
“Listen,” said Frank, clearly frustrated by the interruption. “I can do a deal on the price per square meter but only if you sign up immediately. These offices are going to fill up fast. I’m trying to give you a chance to take your pick and become the premier client of the business center.”
“I’ll leave you to your conversation,” said Charlotte, tugging her glass away from him with a glare.
“No, stay here.” It came out harsher than he meant it to and she scowled at him. He smiled back through gritted teeth, hoping she’d get the message that he was sorry, and faced her towards the men. “Frank, have you met my fiancée?”
Frank didn’t take the interruption well. “Nice to meet you. I guess this isn’t the time. Jordan, I really do wish that you’d consider it. Next week will be too late.”
Jordan shrugged. “I’ll think about it, I promise.” Frank didn’t look convinced, but at least he moved on to talk to someone else.
George growled in frustration. “Frank Forden is trying to work with you and you keep putting him off.”
“Well, sorry, but we just don’t need the space.”
“You would if you’d focus on expansion instead of wasting your time on renovating the break room. Besides, you never know when you’ll need something from him.” He shook his head. “Listen, Frank can do a lot of favors for the company, but you have to scratch his back if you want him to scratch yours.”
“I don’t need a lecture.” He put out an arm to catch Charlotte as she leaned against him, clearly unsteady on her feet. How much champagne had she had?
George wasn’t letting up. “You have to work with people.”
“By people, you mean members of your country club.”
“If that’s what you want to call it, sure. I call it people who are easy to do business with. People who will cut you a break or do you a deal. But you have to be on the inside.”
Jordan clenched his teeth. He did not want to be having this argument tonight. “All I’m saying is that the tech center is not a good deal. I can get more space for half the price.”
“That’s not the point!” George thumped the sideboard, the ice in his whiskey glass clinking against the sides. “You think you don’t need your old man’s advice. I just made the family fortune, that’s all.”
“Fine. Maybe you are right. I’ll look into it and phone him tomorrow.” Anything to get George off his back.
Charlotte shook her head. She gave him a brittle smile. There was something angry in her eyes. “I’ll leave you all to your men talk,” she said and stalked off, muttering something about good old boys as she went.
“She’s not bad on the eyes,” said George, following Jordan’s gaze. “But you could do better. You should really think about the future when looking at a woman. She’s fine as a mistress. I’m not saying you shouldn’t enjoy yourself. But in the long run—”
Jordan stared and brought his voice down to a whisper. “No. I’m not taking marriage advice from you. That’s just...” He shook his head. “No.” He walked away, leaving his father still mid-sentence.
He caught up to Charlotte and took her hand. She gave him a scathing look that left no doubt in his mind she’d heard George’s words. Jordan sighed and took a long drink. This was turning into a long night.