Uncontrollable Bachelor (Bachelor Tower Series), стр. 11

Jace responded. WANT ME TO PICK YOU UP?

He obviously doesn’t know that I’m staying in my father’s house. My father never was…nice to Jace. He thought Jace was a bad influence on me. It really was the other way around. Jace was what had kept me grounded back then. From the looks of him, that might not be the case anymore.

I’LL MEET YOU DOWNTOWN.

I waited, expecting him to argue, but he didn’t. It made me feel as though tonight might not be his idea. Was Betsy manipulating the situation again? I’m going to need to have a sit-down conversation with her if that was the case. But tonight, I want to get some answers from Jace. He should know this isn’t easy for me. If he doesn’t, then I’m about to let him know.

Taking one last look in the mirror, I debated changing my outfit. I was comfortable, but there weren’t many opportunities to wear a dress. For a September day, the temperature was fantastic – bright, sunny, and warm. Pulling my shirt over my head, I tossed it onto my bed and slipped out of my jeans. I walked over to the closet and pulled out a sundress that still had the tags on it. This wasn’t a sexy dress at all. It gave off strong ‘sweet and innocent’ vibes, but I loved daisies. They were magical, and no matter what my mood, they always brought a smile to my face.

I tugged the tags off and slipped the dress over my head. As I looked in the mirror a second time, I liked what I saw. This dress made me feel…. pretty. This had nothing to do with Jace. I just felt like wearing something different. If he made any smart-ass comment that he thought otherwise, I’d set him straight as well.

With the outfit change, I was cutting it close on meeting up with Jace. If I was late and he decided not to wait, so be it. I was going out for ice cream with or without him. It was too nice of an evening to spend indoors.

I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs. I had already made arrangements with the doorman to have a taxi waiting. My father would have no issue with me taking the limo, but that would mean he had access to my whereabouts. I enjoyed my privacy, what little I’m allowed here. Since my father worked late, he probably wouldn’t even know I had gone out.

The doorman held the taxi door open for me and gave me a knowing wink, as though he understood my plight. It was well known that Ralph Hamel had to control everything. Maybe that is why he handled the vendors who serviced some of the elite buildings in Boston. You couldn’t even deliver clean linens without his approval and a thorough background check. Unfortunately, that type of scrutiny was unbearable if you were his child. That fact is I’m not a child any longer. I’ve given up trying to get him to see that. That’s why I come back to Boston as little as possible.

The drive wasn’t long at all, and the taxi pulled over to let me out. I looked around but didn’t see Jace anywhere. “Would you mind if we waited here until my…friend arrives?” Even the word ‘friend’ was more than generous for who Jace was to me.

“It’s your bill, lady. I’ll stay parked here all night if you want to pay me,” he replied in a dry, ‘I don’t give a fuck’ tone.

Gee, that’s so nice of you.

There were times I missed being in a small village overseas. Things weren’t so rushed all the time. The problem was money. They didn’t have any. But even here in the heart of the city, I can see the poverty and sadness on the streets. Here you can’t just walk the streets and help someone, treat their medical needs. There’s a long list of paperwork to fill out, and you get caught up in all the red tape. The ones who end up suffering are the ones who need help in the first place. I need to be someplace where I’m making a difference, not just hoping to.

Looking around at all the people in their business suits talking on their cell phones, I knew this life wasn’t for me. My father thrives in this environment, but I hate it. I have no idea how Jace can even work for one of these guys. What happened to his dream? We used to spend hours lying in a field and he’d tell me how someday he’d build a log cabin by hand and we would live up in the mountains. Each morning he would go out and fetch eggs from our hens and I’d cook him breakfast.

Mountains were replaced by skyscrapers, apparently, and the wildlife – well, those were the rude, unruly humans all fighting for success. I chuckled. My heart ached for Jace being stuck in this. He must be miserable working here. He’s not the type who’d want to claw his way to the top. I bet his boss takes advantage of his good nature. He’s probably stuck working late tonight.

It would be easy enough to find out. All I had to do was reach out to Betsy, who would be more than happy to share any information. But I can’t ask her not to butt in and then ask her questions. Usually when she and I speak, it’s about her and her husband, not about work. The only thing I know about her work is that she’s Jace’s secretary or something.

I chuckled. What kind of friend am I that I don’t even know what Betsy does for a living? For all the talking Betsy does, I sure haven’t been a good listener.

“Hey, lady, I’m doubled parked. If you want, I’ll drive around the block, but I can’t stay here much longer.”

I might not enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city, but I’d rather be