Page 62 of Boss Abroad
“Prop?”
“Yeah, you were using me to make your boyfriend jealous back there, and I played along.” My face jerks to the side—a fitting reaction, since I feel like I just got bitch-slapped.
But it doesn’t last long. I face him, head held high, and give it as good as I get. “You were getting a kick out of pissing him off, too, Preston. Come to think of it, you started the show, and I went along with it.” He gets more pissed, because he knows I’m right.
A waiter passes by and Pres grabs a glass that he gulps down so fast, I don’t even register what was inside it. Did he?
“What the fuck, Jett? We’re going on live TV in a matter of minutes,” I whisper shout at him.
“I’ll be fine. It’ll help take the edge off.” He waves a hand to dismiss my worry. “You told me it was a one-time thing. And you’ve never lied to me before, April.” To a passerby, he might come across as a jealous man. But those who know us would see what I see—Pres is just acting like a concerned and caring father. Like the one I never had. “Were you ever going to tell me the truth?” Where is that waiter? That drink clearly didn’t help.
“For fuck’s sake, Dad. Bring it down a notch, will you?” I try to lighten the mood. “It just happened yesterday, when my whole life was getting fucked over too, so it seemed fitting.” I plaster a smile on my face, trying to cut through this tense as fuck atmosphere with some awkward humor. The edges of his mouth twitch upwards and I take it as a win.
“I could really use a friend right now, not an overbearing father.” I give him my best puppy eyes and he pulls me into a hug. “Perfect. Now. Is Liam watching? Can you see foam coming out of his mouth?”
“You asshole.” He pushes me away and messes with my perfectly styled hair.
“Hey, this took hours,” I cry as I push the pins back in until they pinch my skull.
“Okay, one more round of fatherly advice and I’ll zip it. Deal?”
“Deal.” Fists up in the air, I jump from foot to foot like a boxer in the ring. “Hit me.”
“Be careful.” His tone carries more warning than his words. “You’re the one who’s got something to lose.” My shoulders slump with this reality check. “Be very careful not to let word get out. You don’t want to jeopardize your name and career because of him. I don’t know if I can help you again if whatever is going on between you two hits the newspapers.”
“I will.”
“Put yourself and your job first. Promise?” he asks, as if that wasn’t already my mantra in life.
“Yeeesss, Daaaddy.” I elongate the vowels and make the nasal, bratty voice I know he hates.
And that’s when I feel a spray of liquid soak my sleeve. I look to my left to find Liam coughing and Noah roaring a raucous laugh. I didn’t even see them coming our way. That makes it the second time whiskey comes flying out of Liam’s nose tonight.
“Told you so!” I catch Noah telling Liam as he slaps his brother on his back.
Liam’s still catching up his breath, his face bright red. But I can’t tell if it's the choking, or anger painting his skin.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
liam
All guests have turned into die-hard Chelsea fans with the prime content we have just provided them during the welcome drinks. By the time we invite the press to the conference room, the mood is set just right and spirits are flying high.
So when they sit down to listen to Dr. April Hadden speak—with the prestigious Dr. Preston Jett right there beside her and the entire board of HHS nodding along on the screen behind them—they eat up every word she has to say.
All their questions corroborated what a distinguished surgeon she is, what a remarkable job she had done with Max and I’m confident tomorrow's news would paint a much better, and truer, picture of her.
April doesn’t know, nor does she need to, but I have hackers bringing down the pages with the fake news tarnishing her name, so when people search for her online, those won’t be the first results they’ll find.
The feisty little doctor was in prime form tonight. Sharp tongue whipping down on the sexist, slandering, click-bait culture of tabloids. She held her own up there as well as she does with me. Never recoiling, only pushing forward.
My chest expands with the realization that her wit, the sting of her comebacks and her sarcastic humor turn me on, maybe even more than her figure. And fuck me, that's a tough act to beat.
Conference over, the charity game is done and we all gather again at the reception, now with a band. Everyone seems to be having a great time. Everyone but me, of course. I hate that I don’t get to bask in April’s happiness.
She’s glowing and from where I’m standing, I can swear people around her can feel her warmth. I want to be there too. In all honesty, I want to stand right in front of her and steal that heat for myself. Give her back tenfold at the risk of burning this place down.
“You’re frowning harder than normal, big bro. Wouldn’t have to do with the good doctor dancing with her boss, would it?”