Pleasurable Expectations

f o r t y - o n e

My car pulled up to the hotel, my eyes admiring the intimidating exterior. I threw a small thank you and a smile over my shoulder as I exited the vehicle. I took a deep, steeling breath before I placed one wobbly foot in front of the other as the drinks I had caught up with my body. I maneuvered throughout the bodies lingering in the lobby and made my way to the front desk, the man working there directing me towards the restaurant. I was in the elevator what felt like seconds later, a shaky breath shuddering through me as my teeth gnawed at my bottom lip.

As the elevator ascended, all I could imagine was Jeremiah's reaction. He no longer had the benefit of my cluelessness on his side, so he wouldn't be able to explain this away like he normally would. His other defense of deflecting wouldn't work either, because I wouldn't let him. He'd try and table the conversation, but I wouldn't let him do that, either. Our promise of the end of the week shattered the moment my eyes read the article headline Cameron sent to me.

The door dinged open and I took a tentative step forward. I paused just next to the elevator as I allowed myself one more moment to collect my thoughts. The host addressed me as I entered the restaurant and I quickly explained I was here to meet someone with a polite smile.

My eyes scanned the rooftop, a chill settling over my body. I wrapped my sister's coat tighter around me as I continued to move forwards, deep voices pulling my attention in all different directions. I made it halfway across the floor before I stopped in my tracks and shook my head at myself. What was I even going to say to him? Was I really going to interrupt his business dinner with our relationship drama? Pissed as I may be that he's been lying to me, would I really let that get in the way of my professionalism? My parents raised me to know better than to disrupt a business negotiation.

A laugh interrupted my thoughts. Parting pleasantries met my ears before my focus pulled to my left, where, sure enough, Jeremiah was shaking the hand of a gentleman a little way ahead.

Well, I didn't have to worry about interrupting his meeting anymore, I guess.

The stranger took his leave as Jeremiah sat down, his back to me. I took a few steps forward at my opening, but halted once a server arrived to take care of the bill. They exchanged words before Jeremiah stood up, smoothed out his suit jacket, and turned around.

The uncertainty I felt turned into resolve of some sort. Jeremiah was going to see me standing in front of him and he was probably going to crack some kind of joke, thinking that nothing was wrong. And the probability of that itself angered me. It angered me because I knew he'd be confident enough to think I'd be clueless to his interview, and I gave him no reason to believe otherwise.

The moment Jeremiah saw me, his lips parted in surprise. He looked around before he slowly approached me, a confused smile tugging his lips.

"Ki? Baby, what are you doing here?" Jeremiah asked. "I thought I was gonna see you at the end of the week."

"Yeah, I thought so, too," I said in a flat tone.

His eyes searched my face as he asked, "What's wrong?"

I pulled my phone from my bag with a humorless chuckle. Jeremiah's eyes fell on my phone before darting back to my face, his eyebrows furrowing as his lips pulled into a frown.

"Jeremiah Diamond, CEO of Diamond Jewelers, details secrets to bring your business back from the brink of bankruptcy," I recited.

I looked straight at Jeremiah's face, his expression slowly changing to something like dread mixed with guilt.

"Maybe you should tell your friends not to send me shit like this when you're lying to me about, well, your entire career."

I stared at him as he just looked at me. This was the first time since I've known him he's been utterly speechless. No quick response, no calm explanation, not even a bit of deflection. Just shock.