Chapter Three

Gabriel

 

“What are you waiting for?”

“Huh?” Gabriel blinked as Noah’s question traveled through one ear to the other. It seemed to bypass his brain because all he could focus on was the woman sauntering out of the room, her long legs disappearing as she rounded the corner. Never in a million years had he expected to see Seraphina again.

Sure, they both lived in Silicon Valley, but it wasn’t like they ran in the same social circles. Not that he socialized much to begin with. During high school, Seraphina had always kept up with the Joneses, or in her case, anyone who wore designer shoes and drove the fastest cars. She’d been a pampered little thing with her false lashes and manicured nails. Rumor had it her father had even paid for a nose job the summer after graduation. From the looks of it, Gabriel guessed that one was true. Her pert nose was just about perfect, along with the rest of her face. She was what his brother would call drop-dead gorgeous. But that attitude? No surgery in the world would be able to fix that.

Gabriel realized his friend was still waiting for him to answer. He had no idea what Noah’s question was though. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“The driver brought in our bags. Care to show me to my room?”

“Oh, right.” He glanced around for a moment to gather his bearings. Too many late nights at work, coupled with the weariness of a five-hour flight, had his thoughts jumbled. Getting into a verbal sparring match with Seraphina hadn’t helped either. Her presence reminded him of how hard he had worked back in high school to prove that he was just as good as the rich kids. Little did he know he would one day be like them—sans the streak of entitlement.

He led Noah through the bright and airy living room with its large windows facing the Pacific and down a long hallway. The path took them to a guest bedroom, the smallest of the four bedrooms in the 7,000-square-foot house. Small was a relative word, considering it had its own sitting room and bathroom. The walk-in closet was larger than the bedroom he’d had growing up. He knew most people would jump at the chance to stay there.

Noah was obviously one of them. He took one step into the room and declared it his. “This is perfect. I’ll take it, if that’s okay.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to check out the other rooms? There’s also another guest room similar to this one, a secondary master suite, and a grand master bedroom suite. The suites are much larger and have their own door to the pool in back.”

“This one is as big as my whole apartment. Anyways, Laurene would appreciate having more space.”

“You’re right. Her shoe collection alone needs its own room.” Gabriel rolled his eyes. It was a wonder his sister still qualified to be a billionaire, considering how much she spent on retail therapy. Fortunately, she had a knack for picking the right stocks to invest in. At least she made an effort to earn money, unlike a certain woman he knew who depended on her father to provide. He shook his head. How had Seraphina squirmed her way into his thoughts again?

Noah set his luggage on the floor and placed his laptop bag on the king-sized bed. He eyed Gabriel curiously. “So, I take it you and Sera went to the same high school? I’m surprised you never mentioned her before.”

Gabriel shrugged as he took off his tie and unbuttoned the top three buttons of his white dress shirt. He looked out the open window, savoring the clean scent of the ocean breeze wafting in. “We weren’t exactly friends. We didn’t get along, as you can imagine. Most of the time we were after the same awards and rankings. She was a worthy competitor though, I have to give her that.” Perhaps that’s why he’d had a soft spot for her, despite their strife. Seraphina had the power to both infuriate and intrigue him at the same time.

“I assume she’s well-off?” Noah chuckled. “That’s probably an understatement.”

He turned to face Noah. “Well, if you used any personal care products today, you have her family to thank for it. Her dad’s Maxwell James.”

Noah’s jaw dropped. “As in the founder of James & James? I buy their stuff all the time—lotion, mouthwash, pain meds. Wow. She’s gotta be loaded.”

“Yep, loaded and full of it.” Gabriel scoffed. “I doubt if she’s ever worked a day in her life like the rest of us mere mortals do. Probably travels all the time and takes extravagant shopping trips on her daddy’s dime.”

Noah frowned. “That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think, Gabe? She didn’t come across as a spoiled brat.”

“Rich kids are all the same. I should know; I grew up with them.” Or apart from them, to be more exact. His department store labels and hand-me-down car had never allowed him to penetrate their exclusive club. A bitter taste coated his mouth as old feelings of jealousy tightened his chest.

“Hold on a minute.” Noah pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped on the screen. “Seraphina James—that name sounds familiar. I’m pretty sure I read some news about her recently. Let me find that article.”

Could it be that Sera had made the pages of some celebrity magazine? Gabriel imagined someone with her clout could easily mingle with actors or models. Then again, Noah was the last person he’d expect to be reading tabloids. Business-related news was more his style.

“Here it is,” Noah declared as he read from his phone. “James & James to gain new board member. Effective August first, Seraphina James will take her father’s place as CEO.”

Gabriel quirked a brow. He couldn’t have heard Noah right. “Come again?”

“Sera does more than shopping, Gabe. She’s set to become the head of one of the world’s biggest companies.” Noah’s voice was filled with wonder. “I’m impressed.”

“Who’s impressed?”

Gabriel spun around and came face-to-face with the very woman they were talking about. The smirk on Sera’s face revealed she had overheard their conversation. He crossed his arms across his chest and set his jaw. “No one.”

“You really should let other people speak for themselves, Gabriel.” She flashed him a wry smile.

Gabriel swallowed hard. He was having trouble speaking himself with how beautiful she looked leaning against the doorframe. Her hair was clipped up, allowing a few soft tendrils to fall around her heart-shaped face. She had changed out of her robe into a white blazer, a lace top, and tailored shorts that showed off her golden tan. Once again, her long shapely legs called out for his attention. He had to tear his eyes from them to meet her gaze.

“I was just telling Gabe how impressed I am with your job advancement,” Noah piped up. “He had no idea you were taking over James & James.”

Seraphina pursed her full, red lips as she gave Gabriel a stern onceover. “There’s a lot he doesn’t know about me. But we’ll have to save that conversation for some other time. I just wanted to let you know that my staff has tidied up the place for you and my driver will be picking me up shortly. It was nice meeting you, Noah.”

“Nice meeting you, too, Sera.”

With sarcasm dripping from her voice, she remarked, “Congrats on the house, Gabriel. It’s all yours.”

Before he could say a word, she left the room, the sound of her heels clicking against the marble floor. He clenched his jaw, feeling irritation seep back into his body. Without thinking, his own feet followed her down the hall. He chalked it up to an old habit he’d had when they were kids. The last one to speak always won the argument. There was no way he’d let her walk away now without getting in one more word.