Jordyn’s POV“You did it!” Ellie squealed, clapping her hands together like a child. “Thank you thank you thank you! That lace will be so amazing for my wedding dress. You have no idea.”Ellie leaned into kiss my cheek but I leaned away from her. She was grating on my nerves, as usual. When she found out I was going on this cruise, she insisted she come. I tried to tell her that I was going for business, not pleasure, but she threw a fit and then pouted for three days!“How will it look if you don’t bring your fiancé?” she had demanded the night I told her, slamming the salad tongs in the salad bowl like a woman possessed. “I mean, come on Jordyn. People will talk. You have to bring. I’ll make it worth your while.” She gave me a sly, sexual smile, and I knew what she was insinuating. But a blow job wasn’t worth the hassle of having her tag along on the cruise. I honestly really did just want to focus on my work there. I knew the cruise would be full of business execs and CEOs and I wan
Cassandra’s POVI was speechless when the staff set down the Earl Gray lace at my feet.“There’s been a mistake,” I told the staff. “I was outbid. This isn’t mine.”But just then, Jordyn’s voice ripped through the air, declaring that he’d bought the fabric for me.“What the hell?” Stella asked as all eyes turned to Jordyn. The room fell silent and I was painfully aware that everyone was staring at us.This didn’t make any sense. Why would he buy ME the fabric? Clearly Ellie wanted it. She shot daggers at me with her eyes as I struggled to understand what had just happened.Then I realized…he was just showing off. He was being arrogant. That had to be it. Why else would he spend a fortune on this lace and then give it to me? He was being his usual jerk self.“Why did you do that?” Ellie asked, her voice high and tight. Jordyn waved her off, his eyes fixed on our table.I glanced down at the lace. It was even more beautiful up close. I resisted the urge to reach out and fondle the delica
Jordyn’s POV At first, I was stunned. I couldn’t believe Cassandra hadn’t accepted my gift! Couldn’t she see that I was only trying to help her? She was an assistant for crying out loud. She couldn’t afford to spend fifteen thousand dollars on a roll of fabric.I knew from the moment she saw the lace that she wanted it. I didn’t really know much about the lace, but I knew it was rare and I could see the look in her eyes. So when she started the bidding, I knew what I had to do. I would win the lace for her. I didn’t know what she wanted to do with it. I mean, she wasn’t exactly a designer herself or anything. Maybe she planned on getting someone to make her a dress? It didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she wanted the lace and I was in a position to give it to her.But when the staff placed it down at her feet, she refused to accept it!Anger boiled up inside me. Ellie was yipping away at my side, complaining about what I’d just done. Ellie assumed I was buying the lace for her
Cassandra’s POV Stella and I ran down the cruise ship hallway, giddy, with the roll of fabric tucked under my arm.“That was fucking fantastic!” Stella giggled as we ran. “Did you see the look on Jordyn’s face when you whipped out that card? It was priceless!”I giggled along with her. I’d seen his face all right and it had given me more satisfaction than I could put into words. We opened our cabin door and dropped off the roll of fabric. I gave it a loving little pat before we left to head back to the banquet gala.Stella saw me pat the roll of fabric and rolled her eyes teasingly.“Don’t worry,” she said, wrapping her arm around my waist. “It’s all yours now. It’s not going anywhere.”The banquet was taking place in another room, a grand room with a dance floor and tables upon tables of food. Dillon and Cam had claimed a table near one of the food tables. They waved us over. We rushed towards them, my face plastered in a euphoric smile.I felt like I’d done it. Like I’d finally put
Jordyn’s POV I saw Cassandra the moment I walked into the banquet. She was sitting with that damned boyfriend of hers again, and I watched as various people approached her table. They were networking with Stella, since she owned Hot House Flower, but I couldn’t help notice that Cassandra was basking in all the attention. She collected their business cards and tucked them away into her purse. Stella had mentioned that Cassandra had taken over some of the chief designer’s duties while she was away on personal leave. I was proud of Cassandra for stepping up and taking on more responsibility. I hoped it didn’t go to her head though. The Hot House Flower Chief Designer would be back soon enough and Cassandra would have to step back down to her assistant position.In the meantime, though, it looked like Cassandra was having the time of her life. I sat at a table, absently chewing on my filet mignon and crab legs. I was approached too by my fair share of business execs, and I was polite and
Jordyn’s POVI couldn’t fucking believe it. I squinted. Maybe I’d made a mistake. Maybe it wasn’t Ellie. I mean, was she really that brazen? To sneak around on a cruise ship and kiss another man right under my nose?But her head turned slightly then and there was no denying it was her. He had his hands wrapped in her hair. They were really going at it. I could even hear their little moans of pleasure and kissing sounds from where I stood.Who the hell was this man? I couldn’t see because his back was turned to me. I stood in the shadows, watching them make out, not even twenty feet away from me. He grabbed her waist then and turned her around, pushing her against the wall. It was only then that I saw his face.It was Brock. That weasel. He was an executive from one of our competitors. I’d always felt like something was off with him. I’d even suspected that he and Ellie had something going a few times. I saw the way he looked at her once during a business event. But I pushed the though
Cassandra’s POVStella and I had more business cards than we knew what to do with. By the end of the banquet, I was feeling pretty wiped so I decided to go for a walk to get some fresh air. I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the amazing night and all the incredible things that had happened. Stella, Dillon, and Cameron decided to go to a late night karaoke bar. I told them I’d meet up with them in a bit.The night was stunning. I mused at the star-speckled stars and the dark, expansive water below. The air was comfortable with a warm breeze blowing off the water. The deck was fairly empty, with just a few people strolling by. But as I approached the front of the deck, I heard someone sniffling.I turned to see a woman crouched near the railing, her knees drawn up to her chest, her head in her hands. As I approached, I recognized her from that afternoon. She was Brock’s wife, the man who was having the affair with Ellie.Her exasperated sighs and tear-stained face could only mean o
Jordyn’s POV I had marched away from Ellie, furious that she’d cheated on me and even more furious that she wouldn’t just own up and admit. But there was something about her behaviour that had me worried. So I stayed around and watched her from a place in the shadows where she couldn’t see me.More and more lately, Ellie had been showing signs of being unhinged. Her frequent temper tantrums and sudden outbursts had me worried. I was really pissed at her, but something inside of me told me to stay. Perhaps it was a sixth sense, or intuition.She and Brock talked for a moment in whispered tones. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but judging by the looks on their faces, they were both angry with one another. I didn’t blame Brock for being mad at Ellie; she’d tried to throw him under the bus, claiming that he had coerced her into the affair and she was innocent in all this.Ellie was a far cry from innocent. She was a fucking train wreck, destroying everything in her path. How could
Jordyn’s POVIt was stupid, I know. Thinking that just because our companies merged, they’d all somehow accept me as their friend. But the pressure and the lack of sleep were catching up to me, and my thoughts were hazy.All I knew as I stood there in that door at Dillon’s house, was that I wanted to be inside, with them, celebrating whatever it was they were celebrating. Our business collaboration was over so Cassandra had no need to see me anymore. And given the way I was treated at the hospital, I doubted any of them would ever willing hang out with me.BUT…if our companies merged and I was working alongside Cassandra, if we were colleagues, then they’d have to include me. It sounds so pathetic, now. Like I’m some kid on the playground, sitting alone on a bench because no one will play with him. But that’s honest to God how I felt.I harboured no delusions of winning Cassandra back. Not anymore. I just wanted to…to be her friend. So, in my twisted way of thinking, there was a lot mo
Jordyn’s POVAs soon as I said the words, I was embarrassed. I hadn’t meant to just blurt that out. I blamed the alcohol. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I’d been drinking all day.Cassandra’s face contorted into a shocked expression. I didn’t blame her. Hell, I was shocked too. I’d known the company had been in trouble, but I hadn’t known how bad. Apparently, we had a very irresponsible CFO and he’d gotten us into some really hot water. He’d brokered some bad deals, big ones, without really crunching the numbers. And now?We were fucked, for lack of a better term.I’d received the frantic calls while we were in the hospital with Dillon. First from my business partners, then from the members of the board of directors. Our quarterly financial reports had just been released and all hell had broken loose. We were spending way more than we were bringing in. And the business deals that the CFO had made went bust.At first, I’d been convinced that we could dig our way out. We had assets that we c
Cassandra’s POVI glanced down at my arm. He was holding it way too tightly. I saw anger flash in his eyes, but then as quickly as it had come, it dissipated. A shadow crossed his face as he furrowed his brows and frowned.“Let go of my arm,” I told him curtly. He did, but his gaze remained fixed on me.“Please,” he said. “You can’t cancel the meeting. You have to…think about it. The merger.”I remained standing. I didn’t want to think about. Hell, I already had. But Stella had seen it all so clearly. The merger would benefit Jordyn’s company far more than ours. Hot House Flower was on the up and up. We were becoming quite well known. That was all Jordyn care about. He wanted to exploit the little bit of fame we’d built.I knew how his business mind worked. His company was not the right match for us. We didn’t have the same values. We didn’t want to be a corporation, not in that sense. We cared about our brand, our image, and our employees. If we merged, we’d lose all sense of what ma
Cassandra’s POVI pulled up to Jordyn’s house, our old house. I paused, staring at it from the street. I hadn’t been inside our old house since the day I left. I was surprised Jordyn had kept the house after the divorce. Part of me thought he’d sell it. He’d asked if I wanted it, but I refused. There were too many memories in that house, and I wanted a fresh start.I walked up to the front door and knocked, but there was no answer. I figured maybe he was out, but then I heard something inside. So I knocked again.Crash. It sounded like a glass breaking. I saw a figure move across the living room from the window, hunched over. I tried knocking once more, but when he didn’t answer, I tried the doorknob. To my surprise, the door was unlocked.“Jordyn?” I called at the front door. “Are you home? It’s me, Cassandra.”A low moan came from the kitchen, and moments later, Jordyn emerged.The sight of him stopped my heart in my chest, but not in a good way. His shirt was crumpled and wrinkled,
Cassandra’s POV“Are you crazy?” Stella asked me when I told her about the conversation with Jordyn. It was Sunday afternoon and we taking a walk through the park. Jordyn had scheduled the meeting for the next day, and since I still hadn’t told Stella, I figured I better do it sooner than later.“Why in hell would we merge with his company? We’re doing so good, Cassandra. On our own.”I listed off some of the benefits that would come with a merger, but Stella shot them all down.“Jordyn’s company is huge. It will swallow us. He’ll take control of everything. He’s a greedy mother fucker that just wants to ride the coat tails of our fame right now. He doesn’t care about us, or our brand. Come on, Cass. You’re not seriously considering this?”Well, when she put it like that, yeah, it seemed like a really stupid idea. We paused a park bench and sat down to sip our coffee. Stella looked really cute in a matching track suit, her hair pulled back into a pony tail. I, on the other hand, was we
Cassandra’s POVI didn’t know what to say. This had completely come out of left field.“You want to what?” I asked, staring at Jordyn in disbelief. I couldn’t wrap my mind around why he would possibly want to merge our companies. His company was huge, and way more successful than ours. It didn’t make any sense. Not to mention that the fact that he was in the PR and media space, and we were in fashion design. It had made sense to collaborate, since we both had something to offer for that particular project. But an actual merge?“Just think about it,” he said. “Our company could give you the media advantage you need. And all the PR. And in turn, we could rebrand and become a fashion powerhouse.”“I don’t understand,” I told him, my arms still crossed. “You want o rebrand your company and advertise Hot House Flower exclusively? But why?”Jordyn looked away for a moment. I caught another whiff of his body odor, and tried not to wince. Jesus, when was the last time he had a bath. He really
Cassandra’s POVI leapt to my feet. I knew from Dillon’s tone who was at the door. I couldn’t believe it! I rushed to the front lobby and sure enough, there he was, standing with his hands in his pockets and his head bent.“Jordyn!” I exclaimed. “What the hell are you doing here?”“You wouldn’t return my calls, Cassandra. You left me no option. I drove by and saw your car out front and…”“You’ve been stalking me?” I asked, aghast.“No. I was just…trying to find you. I figured you’d be here so I drove by and…”“What do you want?” I snapped. Dillon was holding onto the door, a temperate look on his face. My expression wasn’t so calm though.This was my night. OUR night. It was supposed to be a private celebration with the people I cared most about. Jordyn was the last person I wanted here.“I’m sorry to just barge in like this, I really am,” Jordyn said to Dillon. Dillon shrugged.“It’s not me you have to apologize to,” he replied. “But since you’re here, come in.”Things between Dillon
Cassandra’s POV“Come on! It’s staring!” Stella squealed, motioning for us all to join her. We were at Dillon’s, eagerly awaiting the start of the televised red carpet event for the launch of Lucinda Starke’s new movie. True to her word, Lucinda had ordered a custom dress from Hot House Design to wear to the event. I’d worked tirelessly on the dress myself, making sure that it was perfect. Now it was time to watch her prance down the red carpet in it.It was a Saturday night, and we were only a couple weeks away from our vacation now. Dillon was back to his old self and had been given the green light from the doctor to go on a holiday. I hadn’t told Stella about my strange phone call with Jordyn regarding the fashion show bill. The phone call had been almost a week ago, and despite his promise to pay the bill, I kept getting calls from the venue.I tried to push the stress aside so I could really enjoy the evening. Dillon had cooked us all his famous lasagna, and we’d eaten outside, si
Cassandra’s POVI asked the person on the phone to clarify. What did she mean Jordyn hadn’t paid the bill! I asked for the amount of the bill and balked. It was a massive amount of money, since the venue included décor, food, lighting, and drinks. Jordyn had arranged everything, promising to foot the bill, as per our collaboration. And clearly, he’d spared no expense.Don’t get me wrong, the venue had been magnificent and Jordyn had really outdone himself. But I never, in a million years, would have made some of the choices he had if I’d known we might have to pay for it.I thanked her and told her that I would take care of it. I hung, feeling upset. Hot House Flower didn’t have that sort of money just sitting around. But as co-signers of the event, we were on the hook for the bill if Jordyn’s company reneged on the payment.Which it looked like they were.My mind spun. Sure, we had a company account, but paying off a bill that large would put a massive dent in our company funds, and w