Chapter Fifty-Two
“That’s how I know Addie isn’t over you. Because you’re you. You’re Braden. You’re not a construction worker. You’re not a billionaire. You’re just Braden Black, and you’re incredible.”
He smiles. Really smiles. Maybe now I’ll see that real smile more. But it lasts only a moment before he frowns.
“What’s the matter?”
“You know my secret now.”
“About you and Addie. Yeah. I’m sorry she got hurt.”
“So am I, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I always wanted to be rich on my own terms, but I’m not. You know I had help setting up my company.”
“You mean Brock Ames’s money?”
He nods.
I laugh. I seriously laugh almost uncontrollably.
“I don’t see what’s funny about that from where I’m standing.”
“Aren’t you the one who told me that opportunity is opportunity? That I should use all resources available to me as I build my career? My God, I spent weeks thinking I wasn’t good enough. That I was only wanted because I was Braden Black’s girlfriend. Even that the contacts I had were from Addie.”
His lips quirk up slightly.
“And besides, it wasn’t Brock Ames’s money. It was your money. You and he made a deal.”
“Which I just broke.”
“For me. For us. And you have my word that the story won’t leave this room. I swear on my mother’s life. On my father’s life. On my own life. On my love for you.”
His lips quirk up farther.
“Besides,” I go on, “you had an ironclad stalking case against Addison. You dropped it in exchange for half a million dollars and assurance that you wouldn’t be prosecuted for something you didn’t do. Brock Ames probably got off cheap. It would have cost him a lot more to fabricate a case against you and pay off everyone to see things his way.”
“All true,” Braden agrees.
“So it wasn’t Brock’s money. It was yours.”
He chuckles then, shaking his head. “This right here. This is why I love you, Skye.”
“This is why you love me? Because I helped you see something you already knew?”
“Well, this and about a thousand other reasons.”
I melt into him and wrap my arms around his neck. “Better.” I brush my lips across his.
He still hasn’t told me about his mother, but we’ve had enough for one day. I won’t push.
“I need to get ready for my dinner with Eugenie,” I say.
He nods. “I’m sorry I can’t join you.”
“Are you sure? I really want you there.”
“I wish I could, but there’s something that needs my immediate attention.”
I sigh. “Okay, but I have to tell you something first.” I relay the story of the hashtags.
“Good for you. You shouldn’t sell simplyskye. It’s yours.”
“And susieglow?”
“I’m okay with that. You wouldn’t be using it for anything other than your work with Susanne anyway. Companies pay for creations all the time.”
A bag of bricks falls from my shoulders. Braden agrees with me. I did the right thing. I knew it at the time, but I feel great knowing he agrees and would have advised me the same.
Maybe I’m ready to truly make my own business decisions. I’ll love his input, of course, but I can make the final decisions myself.
For a minute, I’m wearing a tight Wonder Woman suit. I feel totally empowered.
And I like the feeling. I like it a lot.
Braden gives me a searing kiss. “I have to go. I’m sorry. The limo is downstairs and will take you to dinner when you’re ready.”
“I understand. And thanks.”
“For what?”
“For trusting me.”
He nods briefly and within a few seconds, he’s in the elevator heading down. Away from me. To do what? Something about Addie? Something about Tessa? He was going to look into the ketamine situation, where Addie just happened to be that night.
It can’t possibly all be related. Can it?
No time to think about that now. I dress for dinner in a pink camisole, black skinny pants, and a gray blazer. Businesslike yet sexy. I like the look.
I have a few minutes before I need to head down to the limo. A good time to check in on Tessa.
“Hey,” she says into my ear.
“Hi. Just checking in. How are you feeling?”
“Good as new, to be honest. No aftereffects from the drug. I swear, Skye. I will never do any kind of drug again.”
“Well, this one wasn’t exactly your fault.”
“I know that, but I did the ecstasy before. No man is worth this.”
“True story,” I say.
“Garrett and I are through, no matter what. Whether he gave me the ketamine or not. And I just talked to Betsy.”
“About what?”
“About her and Peter. I told her what happened, and she agrees that she wasn’t quite herself that first night.”
My heart drops to my stomach. “Did she sleep with Peter that night?”
“Yeah, and a couple times after.”
“Braden’s looking into it,” I say.
“I know. Tell him thanks again.”
“I will. He’s not here right now. I’m getting ready to leave for dinner with Eugenie.”
“Without Braden?”
“Yeah, something came up for him.”
“What was it?”
“He didn’t say.”
“Well,” she says, “I hope everything’s okay.”
“Yeah, me too. I’ve got to run. I’ll check in again tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay. Love you.”
“Love you, too.” I end the call and head to the elevator.
Eugenie, here I come.