Five minutes earlier
Jaclyn tamped down her disappointment as she caught a glimpse of her father at his table, then hurried to an inconspicuous seat at Del Frisco’s bar. Everett’s date hadn’t yet arrived.
Shit. I can’t give him the phone yet. Not until his date gets here.
She watched like a hawk as her father perused the menu.
He’d better not order any booze.
“Welcome to Del Frisco’s. What can I get you?” the bartender asked.
She picked up the drink menu. “Got any Jefferson’s?”
“Ocean?”
“No, Cabernet. Neat.”
“You got it,” the bartender said with a professional smile.
Jaclyn glanced back over to see a man shaking Everett’s hand, then join her father at his table.
Richard? What’s he doing here? Could it be . . .
The thought that Richard could be asking her father for his permission to propose skated through her mind for a millisecond, but crashed to a halt when she saw Richard hand over a folder.
What the—
“Do I hear wedding bells?”
The sweet song of scandal rang from the woman’s voice as she interrupted Jaclyn’s suspicions.
Evelyn sat herself on the next bar stool. “Corporately speaking, of course.”
“Evie. What do you mean?”
As soon as the waiter set down Jaclyn’s drink, Evelyn took it and sipped, sitting tall in a poor attempt to appear less like the woman who’s had one too many. Swallowing her annoyance, Jaclyn motioned the waiter for another.
Evelyn snagged a toothpick and leaned over to spear a Luxardo cherry from behind the bar. “I mean, looks to me like the merger’s a go. And to think I still have some stock options.”
Jaclyn’s perplexed glance coaxed more from her inebriated companion.
“Look,” Evelyn said, “whatever you all are doing, you can’t fool me. Remember, I’m not just pretty. I’m thmart too.” She eyed her ring, comparing it to the succulent fruit, then popped the cherry into her mouth.
Jaclyn tried to swap her bourbon for some ice water, but Evelyn tapped a manicured finger to her arm.
“Hey, hey, hey. You can afford a drink with all the money you’re about to make.”
She pulled out her phone and showed Jaclyn a picture. It was Evelyn and Davis Black. Together. Definitely all for show, based on the uncomfortable look on his face.
“Was his new look part of the deal?” Evelyn leaned hard into Jaclyn.
The warmth of her boozy breath caused Jaclyn to turn away and shoot a quick glance toward the men.
Evelyn took another sip, then raised a perfectly plucked brow. “Got a thing for blonds?”
“Sure.” Jaclyn chuckled, thinking Evelyn must be lost in her own intoxicated world.
Evelyn’s fingers tapped at her screen, moving the image around until Jaclyn caught a closer look at Davis Black’s eyes. She grabbed the phone and expanded the shot. Even with the dark hair and stubble, those eyes were unmistakable. Her gaze returned to her father’s table.
Oh. My. God.
Evie’s right. I’ve been sleeping with the enemy.
Seduced by the CEO of Cash Transactions.
Fucked by the King of the Assholes.
As the waiter set a new drink before Jaclyn, she tossed it back in one go, exhaling its heat with a vengeance.
I fell for all of it. For him.
Just another whore in that man’s revolving door of a bed. Tasted that man’s forbidden fruit and fucking begged for more.
Even with my legs spread, I’ll be damned if I’m taking this lying down.
* * *
Richard’s heart stopped for a moment when Jaclyn stalked up to their table, her expression beyond furious. A tipsy Evelyn tottered up behind her.
Everett looked up at his daughter, then stood with a smile. “Jaclyn, we were just discussing you.”
“I’ll bet you were,” she said from between clenched teeth.
Richard jumped to his feet. “Jaclyn? What are you—”
“My father forgot his phone.” She waved the cell in the air, then slipped it in her father’s blazer pocket. “But, Richard, what are you doing here? Or should I call you Davis? That’s right, I know who you are, Davis R. Black.”
“Oh, he prefers Richard.” Evelyn stumbled onto Jaclyn for support in her sloshed state. She gave Everett a big smile. “Hello, Mr. Long.”
Everett greeted her kindly, accepting her as one does with a long history of familiarity. “Good evening, Evie. Good to see you again.”
She plopped down at the table and fawned on Everett, encouraging him to sit back down and relax. “Come on, you all need to lighten up if you’re gonna get in bed together.”
When Everett did as she asked but shot her a disapproving glance, she pointed her lowball in his face. “Oh, you know what I mean. Business wise.”
He grabbed the glass from her swaying hands and sneaked a sip.
“Speaking of which, did you know I’m getting married?” She flashed her ring at Everett.
“Yes!” Jaclyn and Richard shot back in unison.
Jaclyn snatched up the folder and slammed it into Richard’s chest. “All this time, it was about this? A deal? Well, I hope it was worth it. You won. You’ve got all the cards and left me a laughingstock.”
His heart sinking, he set the paperwork down. “That’s not true.” He grabbed her arms, but she flung herself away.
“Which part? The part where you’re not the mega-mogul making a cash pitch for my family’s company? Or the man who bedded me under the pretense of being just an average guy?”
“It’s not what you think it is,” he said in a low voice.
“Of course it’s not! Why should today be different from any other day? Since you first seduced me?”
“Seduced you?” Trying to control his temper, he glared at her. “Who initiated the first kiss, baby?”
“Don’t you dare call me that. How about we stick to Mr. Black and Ms. Long.”
“Well, that’s not what you said last night.”
Jaclyn’s face flushed, whether from fury or embarrassment, he wasn’t sure. Probably both.
When Evelyn pointedly cleared her throat, Richard looked over and caught her warning glance. He pulled in a deep breath, calming himself in the heat of the moment under Everett’s watchful eyes.
Desperately trying to backpedal, he said, “Yeah, you know last night, when we were sharing our favorite books, and you said from here on out you’d call me, uh, Mr. Darcy.”
The excuse came out as pathetic as it sounded.
Jaclyn’s hands shot to her face, her palms barely covered her blazing cheeks.
“I—" Richard’s voice cut out as Everett stood again and his massive hand landed on his shoulder. Even at six foot two, Richard was towered over by the man’s six-foot-four-inch frame, and he braced, half ready to take a punch.
Surprising him with a brisk pat on the back, Everett said, “This sort of excitement isn’t good for my heart. Let me know if you two work this out.” He kissed Jaclyn on the cheek and whispered something in her ear.
Her eyes wide, she whispered furiously back. After a knowing glance at them both, Everett left.
Richard and Jaclyn looked over at Evelyn, who slurred to him, “Pride and Prejudice. Nice cover.” She flashed him an exaggerated wink as she took another sip.
With a huff, Jaclyn stormed off. Richard dropped a hundred dollar bill on the table and rushed after her into the parking lot.
“Jaclyn, wait. Let me explain.”
* * *
Jaclyn paused before she slipped into her car, shaking her head with regret. “Of course you didn’t want to drive my car. Why would you? You have the exact same one.”
Before Richard could respond, she tilted her head, recalling snippets of every conversation they’d had.
“It’s funny. I thought I was the luckiest woman in the world. That I’d finally found a nice guy. A man who didn’t care about my money, or my status, but just about me. And the worst part about it is he couldn’t leave it at breaking my heart. He conned me out of my first and only true love . . . my company.”
Richard reached out to touch her cheek, and she smacked his hand away. Heartbroken, she searched his eyes for some semblance of the man she’d fallen for.
“Just give me a chance,” he said desperately. “You need to know—”
“The truth?” She got in her car, tears streaming down her cheeks as she let the door hang open. “The attorneys can work out whatever details you need. And you won’t need any ‘mutually agreed upon position for Jaclyn Long,’” she said, her voice breaking with a sob as she quoted from his offer. “Jaclyn Long is leaving.”
Through blurry, tear-filled eyes, she shut the door and sped away, music she’d been listening to on the way over playing softly. After wiping the onslaught of tears from her face, she cranked the volume higher to drown out her humiliation, completely lost in her own thoughts.
The volume dropped.
“Too loud.”
Jaclyn screamed, startled as Evelyn grabbed her arm. “Holy shit, Evie. How the hell did you get in my car?”
“I hopped in while you were pouring out your soul in the middle of the parking lot.” Evelyn waved the folder in her face. “You know, it’s a damn good proposal, if I do say so myself.”
Jaclyn gently pushed it to Evie’s chest.
Evelyn slid low into the seat. “Did I ever tell you that man broke my heart?” she muttered as her head dropped against her window.
Jaclyn looked at her unlikely friend, who’d apparently passed out, and began crying in earnest. “Mine too.”