Chapter 3: Chapter 3

“Would you mind introducing me to this lovely lady?”

“Sure, meet my sister, Kat.”

“Your sister?”

He flashed her a smile, relieved to learn she wasn’t his girlfriend or secret lover.

“Nice to meet you, Miss Reynolds.”

“Thank you. Kurt’s told me quite a bit about you.”

“I hope it’s all good.”

“Actually, quite the contrary,” she blurted out without thinking.

“Kat!” Kurt shot her a stern look, shocked at her audacity.

“Don’t be hard on your sister. I appreciate a woman who speaks her mind. I’m not oblivious to what people say about me. Now, fetch us some champagne.”

As Kurt left, Xander refocused his attention on her.

“Judging by your tone, I gather you’re not a fan of mine.”

“I only know what I’ve heard. But I don’t appreciate how wealthy people like you treat their employees so poorly.”

“How am I being cruel?”

“By threatening their jobs if they don’t attend your parties. They might have valid reasons for not being able to make it.”

“What valid reasons could there be?”

“Take Kurt’s wife, for example. Her father suffered a stroke, and she had to fly to Texas to be with him. Kurt should have accompanied her, but he had to be here, or he would have lost his job.”

When Kurt returned with champagne for him and his boss, he handed her a glass of water with a slice of lemon.

“I thought I asked for champagne for all of us?”

“I’m not in the mood for drinking tonight,” she answered for Kurt.

Turning to Kurt, “I heard about your father-in-law’s stroke. You should be with your family, not here.”

Kurt swallowed hard, glancing at Kat. He was upset that she had spilled the beans to the boss, and he felt humiliated.

“Sir, you made it clear that our presence here was mandatory.”

“Maybe I was wrong. You should leave now. Pack your things, and I’ll arrange for a driver to take you to my private jet. You’ll get there faster.”

“Are you sure?”

“I don’t say things I don’t mean. Leave before I change my mind.”

“All right, I’ll drop my sister home first.”

“There’s no need for her to leave the party early. I’ll ensure she gets home safely.”

He wouldn’t usually let Kurt leave, but he wanted to spend more time alone with Kat.

Kurt was hesitant about leaving her and wanted to confirm if she was okay with staying.

“Kat, are you okay with this, or would you prefer I take you home?”

She had a hunch that if she left, Mr. West might change his mind about letting her brother leave.

“I’ll stay.”

“I’ll only leave if you’re sure you want to stay.”

“I am, now go.”

Once he was gone, she turned to Xander and noticed the smirk on his face.

“Tell me, Mr. West. Would you have let my brother leave if I hadn’t agreed to stay?”

“You’ll never know. Now, let’s go upstairs and watch the party from the window. I’ll get you a proper drink and some caviar.”

She followed him upstairs into a room with a window overlooking the crowd below. The room had a mini bar, a sofa, and a couple of chairs.

“Please, have a seat while I pour us some champagne.”

She sat down, feeling a wave of nervousness wash over her. When he returned and handed her the glass, she knew she shouldn’t drink it. He also placed a plate of caviar and unsalted crackers on the table.

“This is the finest caviar money can buy. Have you ever tried it?”

“No, I haven’t.”

He picked up a cracker, topped it with a bit of caviar, and handed it to her.

“Here, give it a try.”

She took a big sip of her drink before accepting the cracker from him. The moment she put it in her mouth and swallowed, she felt sick.

“It’s awful,” she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

“It’s an acquired taste. The more you eat, the more you’ll want.”

“No, I hate it and I don’t plan on eating it again. It’s ridiculously expensive and tastes like shit. I can’t understand why anyone would eat it.”

“Are you single?”

His question caught her off guard, and she looked at him, surprised.

“What?”

“I know you heard me. Are you seeing anyone, and if so, how serious is it?”

“It’s none of your business, but no, I’m not seeing anyone. Now, I have a question for you. You insist that everyone here brings a date, so where’s yours?”

“I never bring a date to my business parties. It wouldn’t be fair since I wouldn’t have time to spend with her.”

“Why not?”

“I would be occupied with my clients. Do you have any more questions for me?”

“Not a question, more of an observation.”

“Go on,” he urged.

“You claim you don’t have time for a date because of your clients. Yet, here you are, alone with me and not mingling with them.”

“I decided to break my rule this time because I find you incredibly attractive and I want to get to know you.”

His confession made her nervous, and she felt like she was going to throw up. Clutching her stomach, she stood up.

“I think I’m going to be sick. Where’s the bathroom?”

He noticed her pale face and trembling hands. Taking her hand, he led her to the bathroom and followed her in. As soon as she entered, she rushed to the toilet, knelt down, and vomited.

He held her hair back.

“Please leave; I don’t want you to see this.”

“I’ve seen worse; I’m not leaving.”

When she was done, she took the hand towel he offered and wiped her mouth. She got up, went to the sink, and rinsed her mouth.

“I’m so embarrassed.”

“Don’t be. Rest for a bit, and then I’ll take you home.”

He handed her a cracker, saying it would help settle her stomach.

“This is my fault. I shouldn’t have made you eat the caviar. Let me know when you’re ready to leave, and I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, you didn’t force me. I want to leave now, but I can take a cab.”

“No, I’ll take you. We’ll use the back exit to avoid any interruptions. Did you bring a coat?”

“No,” she replied, standing up.

“You’re probably freezing. Here, take my jacket,” he offered.

She was moved by his unexpected kindness, and it made her wonder why he kept this side of him hidden from the world. Then, her eyes fell on the stain marring the lower part of her dress.

“No, oh no,” she gasped.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, his mind jumping to the conclusion that she might be sick again.

“I’ve messed up the dress, and it’s not even mine. I borrowed it from my sister-in-law. She’s going to be furious.”

“It’s just a dress, don’t stress over it,” he tried to reassure her.

“You don’t get it. It was expensive, and Clara never lets anyone borrow her clothes. I shouldn’t have worn it.”

“I know someone who can remove the stain. She won’t even know it was there. Ready to go?” he offered, trying to lighten the mood.

Even through the thickness of his jacket, she could feel the warmth of his hand as he gently guided her out by placing it on her lower back.

After he helped her into his car and settled into the driver’s seat, he turned to her. Something about her stirred a protective instinct in him.

“Feeling better?” he asked.

“Yes. The fresh air helped. I’m sorry for dragging you away from your party,” she apologized.

“You actually did me a favor. Those clients were dull as dishwater. All they wanted to talk about was work and their favorite foods. You’ll have to tell me where you live,” he said, changing the subject.

When they arrived at her apartment building, he insisted on accompanying her to her door.

“Thank you,” she said, fumbling for her key in her purse.

Her hand was trembling, and she struggled to unlock her door. The key slipped from her grasp and clattered to the ground. He bent down, picked it up, and unlocked the door for her.

“Thanks,” she said, about to close the door, but he stepped inside, much to her surprise.

“What are you doing?” she asked, taken aback.

“I can’t just leave you alone like this.”

“I’ll be fine. A cup of tea before bed, and I’ll be right as rain,” she assured him.

“You go freshen up, and I’ll make the tea,” he offered.

“You don’t know where everything is,” she protested, her anxiety flaring up again. His presence wasn’t helping.

He glanced around the small apartment and chuckled.

“I think I can manage. I’m not leaving until I’m sure you’re okay,” he insisted.

She didn’t have the energy to argue, so she left him to change out of her dress. A few minutes later, she emerged in her nightgown and robe, holding the stained dress. Her heart sank when she saw him standing there, her medication in his hand.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, snatching the small bottle from him.

“This is pretty strong stuff,” he observed.

“I don’t take it regularly, just when my anxiety gets bad.”

“Did you take any before the party?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“You should have told me,” he said, sounding more concerned than angry.

“Why? It’s none of your business.”

“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have given you champagne or caviar. I’ll remember that for next time. Sit down, your tea is ready,” he said, changing the subject.

She sat down, perhaps more because of his tone than anything else.

“What do you mean by ‘next time’?” she asked, confused.

“Next time we go out.”

“I have no intention of going out with you, and I think it’s rather presumptuous of you to assume I would,” she retorted.

He sat down across from her, and he felt a strange fluttering in his chest.

“Yes, you will. I’ll call you next week when you’re feeling better. Finish your tea and get some rest. I’ll take the dress to be cleaned,” he said, standing up.

“I appreciate that, and I’ll pay whatever it costs, but I’m not going out with you.”

“Do you love your brother?” he asked, out of the blue.

“What kind of question is that? Of course, I do. He’s not just my brother, he’s my best friend,” she replied, taken aback.

He stood up, picked up the dress, and leaned over her, whispering in her ear.

“When I call, you’ll go out with me. Until then, take care of yourself,” he said, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

She sat there, stunned. She couldn’t believe he was implying that her brother’s job depended on her going out with him.

What was she supposed to do? If she refused, he might not promote Kurt. That job was Kurt’s dream, and she couldn’t risk jeopardizing it. She would have to go out with Mr. West for Kurt’s sake.

She figured, what’s the harm in one date? A man like Xander only wanted what he couldn’t have and would soon lose interest in her. Deciding she had nothing to lose, she resolved to accept his invitation when he called.

***

Xander felt a pang of guilt for what he’d said, but it was the only way he could think of to get her to agree to go out with him. What he hadn’t told her was that he’d already decided to promote Kurt, regardless of whether she went out with him or not. But he wasn’t about to reveal that, not yet.