Jensen
down on Del Mesa without a cloud in sight, greeting Jensen as he stepped from under the red-tiled roofs. The weather struck a perfect chord for the early June afternoon and his packed schedule.
Beyond a few meetings and group meals peppered throughout the week, everyone was encouraged to fill their days with whatever floated their boat. With the Ridge’s four pools, golf course, local excursions into town, hiking trails, and other relevant activities, the world was Jensen’s oyster.
He had rearranged his schedule before arriving at the Ridge, finding himself inundated with more free time than he initially expected. His family, however, eagerly volunteered to include him in all their plans throughout the month. He appreciated the thought, accepting a few offers from the bunch.
Crossing the plaza between the Waves and Shore Buildings, Jensen kept his head down with his hands in his pockets and a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. Every excursion out of his room ran the risk of encountering Delaney and her new boy toy. While he no longer loved her, the anger hadn’t resolved yet.
He avoided her since their relationship fell apart, and he stayed out of the townhouse when she came to collect her things, supervised by Piper and Hayley.
Undeterred, Delaney called him half a dozen times and texted him plenty more. He blocked her everywhere; he didn't want her excuses or explanations—it wouldn't fix what she broke.
So, the less Jensen saw of her out and about, the more of the retreat he would enjoy. Out of sight, out of mind.
“Stop thinking about her,” Jensen grumbled under his breath, approaching the wooden posts marking the entrance to a hiking trail along the beach. A winding but less steep walkway to the sandy beaches adjacent to the Ridge offered a good view and the quickest route to meet his family. “If you don’t see her, she doesn’t exist.”
Before Jensen managed to escape the plaza, a hand on his shoulder stopped him cold. From behind him, a familiar voice called his name.
“Jensen! Glad I caught you.” While not the person he intended to avoid, Kenneth Malone was close enough in Jensen’s eyes. Delaney and he met through Kenneth, Delaney’s grandfather, so Jensen considered him Delaney-adjacent. “Could we borrow you for a moment?”
Sweat gathered along the nape of Jensen’s neck, but not from the heat hanging in the air. We? He swallowed hard, still facing away from Kenneth, before clearing his throat. "Sure. What can I help you with?"
He spun on his heel, expecting Delaney to be with her grandfather. Instead, luck sided with him—he spotted the faces of shareholders like Tristan Merritt and several members of the board of directors. Thank fucking God.
The shareholders weren’t technically invited to the retreat on behalf of the company. Yet, their presence on the Ridge wasn’t unexpected since many paid for personal memberships.
“It’ll be quick. The fellas and I planned to find you this morning but didn’t see you at the breakfast hall,” Kenneth said while leaning onto his cane. His stark white hair hung shaggily around his face. His floral Tommy Bahama shirt fit with the other guests milling around the plaza. His dark eyes gleamed coolly while looking at Jensen.
“I grabbed breakfast earlier in the morning. I hit the gym while it was still dark out.”
“Ah, to be young again. I remember what it’s like to have endless energy to do things, not getting winded after walking up the stairs.”
"It's why elevators are man's greatest creation." Jensen shrugged to laughter from the directors and shareholders. His lips fought a smile; he should make corny comments more often if they'll elicit that reaction. He would joke his way into the CEO position if necessary. "I'd love to spend all day shooting the breeze with you, but my family's expecting me down at the water. If I'm late, my sisters will never let me hear the end of it."
Tristan clapped a hand on Kenneth’s shoulder, stepping forward to stand beside him. “We won’t monopolize your time for much longer. Several of us thought scheduling lunch for this week would be a good idea, and you're invited. Six months might seem like a long time, but it'll be here in the blink of an eye."
"Oh, I understand. Is this off-the-record or in an official capacity?" asked Jensen. Part of him hoped he could leave the CEO talk in the city and enjoy his vacation along the coast, but Kenneth had other ideas.
“Your dad knows we’ve got some tentative plans set, but he excused himself from the lunch. Something about plans with your mom. We understood,” Tristan replied. If his dad knew, then Daisy would know.
“When’s this lunch supposed to be?”
“Two days from now. Is that a date that works for you?”
“Yeah, it works great. Do you need me to tell Daisy about lunch, or is she next on your list?”
“We’ll tell her,” Kenneth interjected before Tristan, fanning at his ruddy cheeks. Underneath the heat, his slumped posture and sweaty face looked like the early stages of melted ice cream on the sizzling sidewalk. “Don’t worry about it.”
Jensen nodded. “Sounds good. Thank you for the invitation, gentlemen.” He and Daisy hadn’t said more than a passing “hello” when they occasionally ran into each other in their shared space, but he would’ve tracked her down. He didn’t need to play dirty to win.
Besides, the other night replayed in his head on a loop. He had left Daisy’s room before her shower finished, laid up in his bed with the feel of her hands lingering like phantom pleasure. The space between their rooms shrank with the knowledge that a simple knock on her door might pull Jensen back into Daisy’s bed.
“Of course. We’ll see you in two days. One of our assistants will forward you the information." Tristan waved, and the shareholders and directors headed to the Shore Building with him.
Well, almost all of them.
Kenneth dabbed at his face with a handkerchief, which he slid quickly into his pocket. His eyes met Jensen's as he beckoned him closer. "I know things are awkward right now, but thank you for working with such grace under pressure."
Jensen couldn’t be sure if he meant with the CEO promotion or things with Delaney. . . or both. His lips pulled taut, hoping the expression leaned more toward a smile than a grimace. “It’s my job to be professional, no matter the circumstances.”
"It's why you'll make a fine leader for the company, young man. I've always admired that about your father, and now it shows in you. I'm proud to be in your corner. I'm sorry things didn't work out with you and Del," Kenneth sighed.
"Didn't work out" sounded a much kinder phrasing for "getting cheated on by the girl he thought he'd marry" in Jensen's mind. Yet, he knew better than to be surprised.
He never disclosed the reason behind his and Delaney’s break-up to Kenneth. A year ago, Kenneth experienced serious cardiac issues where stress nearly put him in the hospital. Although Delaney deserved some serious karma, her grandfather having a heart attack because of him wasn’t on Jensen’s to-do list.
“Sometimes things don’t work out. That’s life.”
"I hope the break from the office does you some good. I'm glad to see you two in relatively good spirits."
“It's the Ridge." Jensen almost twitched hearing about Delaney's happiness but held his shaking composure with a vice grip. "Spending time with my family in sunshine and fresh air helps me keep my head on straight."
Kenneth nodded, stepping back. "Speaking of which, I won't hold you any longer. It was good to see you, Jensen."
“You too, sir,” Jensen’s smile held long enough for him to turn around. He jogged onto the hiking trail, dropping his smile into the dirt. He stayed silent for Delaney's benefit, and her bullshit bit him in the ass again. Being the bigger person sucked harder than it was worth.
Despite the soreness in his legs after his early morning in the gym, Jensen’s jog sped up to the dull thud of his sneakers. He descended the cliffs until the path spat him out at the golden sands and the tall grass growing in patches along the bike path.
He spotted his parents and sisters dressed in summery clothes at the wooden dock big enough for boats and jet skis to rest. His dad stood beside a speedboat with Piper glued to his hip, speaking with a stranger dressed in a Royal Ridge uniform polo.
Jensen cut across the sand while jogging over to the dock, but the creak of the wood under his feet announced his presence the moment he stepped onto the pier. Hayley and his mom's attention snapped up from their side conversation. Jensen quickly found himself sandwiched between them.
“Mom… Hales… Can’t breathe-” Jensen coughed until they released him, brushing off his untucked white tee and the unbuttoned half-sleeve shirt layered over it.
"We started to worry that you weren't coming because you decided to mope in your room," Hayley remarked, earning a pinch to her bicep from their mom. She yelped while rubbing her arm, eyes narrowed and pouting.
Their mom shook her head. “Ignore your sister. She’s cranky because I told her no alcohol on the boat.”
“I was promised mimosas!”
“I’ll take you to get a drink later, Hales.” Jensen fumbled into his pockets for his sunglasses. Sunlight glinted off the waves; the serene Pacific waters of that morning made for perfect boating conditions.
Hayley crossed her arms, face scrunching up as she smiled. “Have I told you that you’re my favorite brother?”
“I sure hope so, seeing as I’m your only brother.” Jensen and their mom shook their heads in perfect unison. He might look like the spitting image of his dad, but the mannerisms belonged to his mom. “Now, are we going to stand here all day?”
“Nope. Everyone get your asses on the boat!” his dad interrupted at the perfect moment, holding the keys up. Piper eagerly climbed on first, beelining for the helm.
Jensen and his dad helped the rest of the Ramsey ladies onto the boat, climbing after them. While his dad started the engine to the raucous cough from the motor, Jensen slid to the padded bench in the back.
Hayley handed him a basket of snacks, likely packed by their mom. Jensen pillaged around until he grabbed some extra granola bars. He fixed his sunglasses but lost the baseball cap, ready to hit the waves.
“You know, you’ve been looking better these days!” his mom shouted over the engine when the speedboat left the dock. She, Hayley, and Jensen smushed together while the boat navigated further into the water. “Hayley and I were talking about that before you arrived.”
“Really?”
“Yeah! Mom mentioned it, and I said that you looked way better. Like you've got this post-breakup glow after the first night.”
If the boat hadn't bounced too hard on the waves, Jensen choking on his saliva would be an out-of-character reaction. His mom and sister weren’t the only people who mentioned his changed attitude. Several coworkers commented over meals about how his frown appeared nowhere in sight.
Of course, the reason for his improvement usually sat across the table from him, enjoying her meal so much she needed to lick her lips clean between every bite.
The other night with Daisy, with the vague promise of "if it happens again," pushed Delaney out of his mind for a while. He needed the break from overthinking every moment of the break-up.
Jensen rubbed the back of his neck as the boat glided onto calmer waters. “It’s the pool. It’s been helping me keep busy.”
He should feel bad about lying outright, but he and Daisy agreed. No one could know about their indiscretion, not even his family.
Two days passed, bringing the first week at the Ridge to its promised end. Although Jensen tried to embrace the relaxing vibes, work found a way to shred his peace.
His hands adjusted the tuck of his crisp, white polo into the waistband of his linen pants for the tenth time since leaving his room. Jensen woke up that morning with an undeniable case of nerves. Unfortunately, his escape to the gym didn’t cure him of its presence.
Jensen approached the open deck seating of Pearl & Port, the newest restaurant on the Ridge, which was ironically one of Daisy’s suggestions for expansion. He admired the driftwood arches and the canopies hanging off the overhead beams, drawn to the almost rustic vibe radiating off the outdoor deck.
As much as he clashed with Daisy, she possessed an exacting eye for aesthetics and décor, evident by the pleased patrons when entering the open-air deck.
Jensen jogged up the sandstone staircase, sweeping his slightly sweaty hand to knock away any specks of lint or sand. He spotted the packed table with Kenneth and a few of the directors before anyone noticed him first. Yet, he also noticed the missing presence of the greatest thorn in his side.
Where was Daisy?
He pulled out the chair at the head of the table, managing a grin despite his confusion. “Afternoon, gentleman. I see you’re enjoying our newest addition to the Ridge.”
"Jensen! Order whatever you'd like. Your dad approved company funds for this luncheon." Kenneth’s laugh bellowed with its heartiness while he eagerly slapped Jensen’s shoulder in that familial affection. Old habits die hard, huh?
"My dad's generosity knows no limits," Jensen mused, earning a round of glasses raised, toasting to his dad in his absence. "So, is this a more informal lunch, or should I be prepared to campaign?"
“No need. Today is to celebrate you and how we’re close to celebrating the second generation of the Ramseys being such influential men in Los Angeles’ business sphere,” Kenneth said.
Jensen held back his smile when his breathing eased, signaling for one of the waiters. “So, have you been enjoying your stay at the Ridge, gentleman? It’s my job to ensure our clients’ satisfaction.”
Several directors chimed in with their comments, overlapping but overwhelmingly positive from what Jensen picked up. He accepted a glass of ice water from a waitress, still smiling.
His eyes swept across the table, searching every chair for a still-missing Daisy. It wasn’t like her to skip any meeting or corporate event, no matter how dull and dry.
In her own words, many years ago, she made it her mission to show him how much more she liked the company. Ever since, Jensen attended every meeting open to him but always saw her there.
No one else matched her unswerving dedication to pissing him off.
Jensen sank lower into his chair while the directors chatted amongst themselves, off on a side conversation he knew better than to interrupt. Instead, he ran his eyes across the faces of nearby tables out of sheer curiosity but stopped at the flash of sandy blonde hair and red beside the deck.
Standing with two women he didn't recognize, Daisy lounged in the sun without a care. Her mouth moved in rapid-fire conversation, adorned with lipstick the same shade as the wide-legged jumpsuit she wore. However, her demeanor shifted when her eyes landed on him, narrowing into thin slits.
Being at the receiving end of her glare wasn't unusual for Jensen. After their tipsy hook-up, they agreed that neither should act out of character. Within the public eye, they were to trade their usual snarky remarks and detest one another’s company.
Daisy seemingly possessed no issue in playing her part.
Jensen excused himself, not waiting for permission before rising from his chair. He walked across the deck, beelining toward Daisy as her expression changed from pure disdain to confusion.
He kept his eyes on her face, having already swept his gaze down the plunging v of her jumpsuit’s neckline while seated at the table. He scowled, “You’re late.”
“First of all, were you raised in a barn? It’s rude to interrupt someone’s conversation,” Daisy replied, raising an accusatory finger at him. Her companions exchanged glances, stepping back from the conversation when Daisy moved forward. “Second and more importantly, what the fuck do you mean I’m late?”
"I don't have the time to argue with you. Either you'll keep the directors waiting, or I'll take the opportunity myself."
Daisy said nothing more, but Jensen watched her face flash with several indistinguishable emotions. She appeared torn between a flush several shades lighter than her dress and the paleness of shock.
Instead of speaking, Daisy grabbed his wrist to drag him toward the stairs. She marched ahead with purpose while Jensen stumbled after her, righting himself in a few strides and yanking his hand from her grip.
The two approached the table as a chorus of “Hello, Daisy” rang out from the directors. They smiled with the same politeness they gave Jensen at his arrival—all except Kenneth, whose face slid into a quiet pensiveness while he drank.
Jensen pulled out his chair but gestured to Daisy. “Take my chair. I’ll grab another one.”
"That's unnecessary," she started, but Jensen had already grabbed another chair from an empty table nearby. He slotted the new chair between Daisy's and Kenneth's, leaving the rest of the table to shift and accommodate the late arrival. “Thank you.”
“Sure. Now, we can get started with lunch. Most of us at the table aren’t pretty enough to get away with being fashionably late,” Jensen hummed. When several members of the table broke into laughter, he fought a smirk.
Jensen sat down when Daisy slid into her chair. In his peripheral vision, Jensen noticed the tight twist of her lips, which quickly vanished when she reached for her place settings still wrapped in the napkin.
"Perhaps, but some of us are late because of massive news that's too important to wait," Daisy said, tone dancing along the edge of coy. Jensen witnessed as half of the directors leaned closer to her, captivated by their curiosity. "I'll keep it brief, but I was late because I secured assurances from Gryphon Capital Group and Xie Zhihao. They have agreed to add their financial backing to the Big Bear developments.”
Immediately, the table clamored with a slew of questions. The shocked but delighted faces of the directors ripped the spotlight from Jensen. Making them laugh earned him a small splash, so Daisy decided to cannonball without remorse.
Stealing his thunder was a habit of hers.
"I was in talks with Gryphon and Zhihao. They never voiced their final decisions on the matter." Jensen cleared his throat. That didn't make sense; client acquisition fell under his purview.
“Oh! They contacted me directly to ask for my opinion. It seems they trust my judgment and honesty on the venture.” Daisy smiled at the table, but her words stabbed Jensen through the chest. Investors trusted her more than him.
Easily pleased, the directors erupted into half a dozen fractured conversations and calls for celebratory champagne. In their distraction, Jensen scooted closer to Daisy, jaw clenched.
He whispered in her ear, "I thought you secured their support before we left for the retreat. I recall you mentioning this same feat during our last debrief with my dad."
"I did," Daisy smirked, turning to face him. Their closeness should've set off sirens in Jensen's head, but Daisy's whiskey eyes hooked him in. "But since that knowledge isn't public, it makes for a good alibi when you try to ruin my reputation.”
“Me? You were the one who almost didn’t show up for lunch. If anything, you’re ruining your reputation by not taking this CEO thing seriously.”
"You have no idea how seriously I regard that promotion. Take your head out of your self-centered ass for two minutes, and you'll realize I've always taken it more seriously than you’ll ever understand.”
Beyond their usual sassiness, Daisy’s words hit him hard. Those damn eyes glowed with such intensity that Jensen couldn’t look away from them, no matter how his head screamed for him to act normal. As if he knew what normal was when it came to Daisy anymore.
People are watching. Stop staring at her.
Look away.
Daisy's gaze held Jensen's with the same look she chose on the night they drank too much whiskey and blurred their already shaky boundaries. Jensen's lips parted, but he swallowed every comeback on the tip of his tongue, choosing to avert his eyes instead.