Rise of the Billionaire (28 page)

Due to the upcoming winter holiday, the campus was unusually empty when Jeisa arrived at WIT, and that had worked out well for her. With most of the student body gone, she was able to meet with the project head several times. She’d rented a small condo in a quiet area a short way from the university and had spent her evenings furnishing the modest one bedroom.

It was impossible not to wonder how Jeremy was
, or feel some sadness at the realization that things were truly over between them. His frequent attempts to call her had dwindled to once a day and then had finally stopped altogether.

Things happen for the best, isn’t that what everyone says?

Maybe I needed to have my heart broken to find myself.

Jeisa
went into the main building that housed the GWP and used her access code to enter the administrative offices beside the lab. She hadn’t expected an office of her own. Most of the people in the department were given a corner of the large central office—some even shared desks. Perhaps they thought being the daughter of a well-known politician made her a valuable member of the team. Still, it was a bit of a surprise, considering the honesty she’d exhibited during her interview regarding her lack of real experience.

All in all, everyone had been very nice
—a little odd at times, but nice. The spike-haired blonde grad student who had adored Jeremy during their first visit sighed dramatically each time she saw Jeisa. On Jeisa’s second day in the department, she dropped by her office and asked, “What is it like to be you?”

Not quite sure what the woman was asking her,
Jeisa had referenced the room around her and said, “I am grateful for the chance I’ve been given, and I intend to work my tail off to show everyone that I deserve it.”

The woman had looked up at the sky, sh
ook her head, said something beneath her breath, then left.

Jeisa unlocked the door to her office now and smiled when she saw the fruit basket on her desk. She walked over and reread the card. “Please join us for dinner this weekend. We’ll send a car. Nicole and Stephan
.”

Gifts had arrived daily and had become somewhat of a joke in the office.
Abby had sent a care package full of office supplies—everything from personalized stationary to a very practical stapler. Every corner of her office was full of flowers from the Andrades, chocolates from Maddy, and cards from both her American and Brazilian friends. The overwhelming support she’d received was humbling and made her a little ashamed that she hadn’t trusted them to support her dream.

Even her father had changed his stance. He’d sent her a ridiculously expensive leather chair to put behind her desk. She wanted to say, “I’m working, not dying.” But she didn’t.

I don’t need sympathy, I need a kick in the ass.

She looked out the window of her office and watched a couple walk by, hand in hand, laughing about some secret joke. She wanted to
open the window and warn them to savor every second of it in case it didn’t last.

Marie had said you find yourself when you fight for something that
’s important to you. Do you lose yourself when you don’t?
WIT was everything she’d dreamed it would be, but being there hadn’t made her as happy as she’d thought it would.

Because when it mattered, I ran.

The view from her office window blurred as Jeisa turned her thoughts inward. She found herself back in the Andrades’, waiting for Jeremy to come. The kitchen scene faded as she remembered how his helicopter had looked overflowing with roses.
If I had been braver, he would have proposed. If I had waited for him to return to me that night, we might still be together.

But I was hurt.

And angry.

And afraid
—too afraid to risk opening my heart up again to the kind of pain I felt when he left with Alethea.

Jeisa took out her
cell phone and called her father. In Portuguese she said, “Dad, are you busy?”

“Jeisa?
What’s wrong?” he sounded concerned, and she instantly felt guilty that she never called him. Instead of telling her father what she needed from him, she’d always avoided confronting him. She was beginning to see a pattern in her behavior, and it wasn’t one she liked.

“I’m fine, Dad. If you have a minute, I want to ask your opinion on something.”

She heard her father tell his secretary to hold his calls and then close the door to his office. “Talk to me, Jeisa. You know I’ll help you with whatever this is.”

Jeisa’s eyes filled with tears
. She choked out a question she’d been asking herself too often recently. “Do you think I’m a coward?”

With a voice deep with emotion, her father said, “Oh, baby.”

Sniffing, Jeisa persisted. “No, I’m serious. I lie when I don’t want to upset someone. I run away from what I don’t want to face. What if that is who I am? How do I stop? What do I do?”

Her father didn’t say anything at first, then he cleared his throat and said, “Only you know the answers to those questions, but my daughter is not a coward.
My daughter left home to follow her dreams and she is making a difference in the world. She is a brave and beautiful young woman. Part of growing up, Jeisa, is taking responsibility for the role you play in your own mistakes and your own destiny. Maybe you weren’t ready to do that before, but you’re ready now. Things get better when you make them better.”

Wiping away one stray tear, Jeisa said with growing resolve, “I
will, Dad. I really will.”
No more excuses. No more wasting time trying to figure out who was wrong or why I’ve made the mistakes I have.
You’re right, the only way things can get better is if I take responsibility for my happiness. Maybe it’s too late for Jeremy to forgive me. Maybe I’ve doubted him right out of loving me, but he deserves to hear my apology. Our love deserves a chance and I’m going to give it one. I won’t hide behind anger or fear anymore. I am going to be the kind of brave that Jeremy has always been, and if we are meant to be, he’ll forgive me.

After a brief pause she said, “
I have next week off for winter break. Would you want to meet me in Boston?”

“Boston?”
her father asked quickly.

“
I’ve decided to fly back there, Dad.” As Jeisa said the words, she became more and more sure it was the right thing to do.
What’s stopping me from flying out tonight?
Nothing.
She said, “I will find Jeremy and apologize to him. I need to make things right between us. I won’t jeopardize what I have here, but I’ve let my fears keep us apart for too long. I love him, Dad, and if he still loves me I’m going to marry him.”

Jeisa’s father made a gurgling sound
. “Don’t leave California just yet.”

What is he not telling me?
“I thought you liked Jeremy.”

With a groan, Romario said, “I do, but you have a surprise coming and you have to be in California to receive it.”

A surprise? This is about more furniture?
“Dad, I told you I don’t need anything else.”

“Just promise me you won’t leave until tomorrow
night.” The strength of his request dissolved Jeisa’s remaining protests. Waiting wouldn’t be easy, but her father had never asked for something like this, so she agreed.

“
Okay, I’ll book a flight for the next day and I’ll call you when I get the package.”

Romario
answered vaguely, “Call me when you get a chance. No rush.”

“I will.” Just before she hung up she said, “I love you, Dad.”

“I love you, too, baby,” Romario said and hung up.

The
blonde grad student came barreling down the hallway. “Jeisa, looks like you have another delivery.”

Already?

Before she’d gathered her thoughts on the matter, four older men dressed in white shirts, white pants, and red striped vests walked into her office. Behind them, the skeleton crew of the department gathered. One of singers introduced themselves as WIT’s a cappella group. They hummed to harmonize and began to sing:

Jeisa, Jeisa, here you are

Wish you hadn’t moved so far

Don’t be sad, you’re not alone

We’re just as close as your phone

Hope you like your new job there

Call me if you want a beer

Abby said you’d hate this attention

So if she calls please don’t mention

Jeisa, Jeisa, don’t be blue

Hope you laughed

We love you

From Lil
and Jake

Happy tears gathered in Jeisa’s eyes. Never in her life had she imagined that so many wonderful, caring people would surround her.

One of the singers
awkwardly asked, “Should we sing it again or just go?”

Jeisa smiled through her tears and reached into her purse, handed one of them a generous tip and said, “No, thank you. You were great, though.”

The blonde grad student lingered after the others had left. Jeisa struggled to remember her name and hated that she’d wasted so much time mourning what she’d lost instead of appreciating the good that had entered her life.

The woman said, “You must miss your old friends very much.”

And the name came to her finally. “I do, Geneva. I do.”

The woman appeared to waver between retreating without saying more
, as she normally did, and continuing the conversation. “We all left something behind to be here, but it’s an important project.”

Her words touched Jeisa even more because of how uncomfortable the woman looked as she voiced them.
Geneva was putting her own discomfort aside in an attempt to cheer Jeisa. And it worked. “It is, isn’t it? The water project could impact a third of the world’s population.”

“And you’re part of this n
ow. You’re part of the solution,” Geneva said with quiet sincerity.

Jeisa raised her chin as the words filled her with pride.
“I am, aren’t I? I will make a difference here.” Deciding to share more of herself, Jeisa added, “I’ll be returning to Boston soon, but I’ll be back just after the holidays. I’d love to go out for coffee with you when I return.”

The woman smiled. “I’d like that.
Are you going back to Boston to celebrate Christmas with your family?”

Jeisa turned and looked out the window again. “No, I’m going back to do something I should have done weeks ago. I had the perfect man and I let my fear come between us. He was kind. Smart. Funny. Hot as hell, but didn’t know it
. . .” She stopped when she realized how her description had teetered on too personal.

“Hot as hell, huh? I like that.”

Jeisa whipped around when she heard Jeremy’s voice behind her. “What are you doing here?” She looked around and noted that the others had left and they were alone.

He closed the door behind him and crossed the room slowly toward her. “I am far from perfect, though. And not nearly as smart as I thought I was
, because I hurt you and I never meant to.” He ran his hands down her arms and took both of her hands in his.

Sheer surprise held Jeisa immobile.

He came!

Jeremy pulled her closer, bringing her body flush against his and tucking her hands behind her back. His warm breath fanned her cheek, sending a tingle of awareness through her. “I was wrong,” he said as his held her against him, his eye
s burning with a mix of desire and emotion. “Wrong not to see what we had. Wrong to allow you to believe I was choosing between two women, because from the moment you kissed me, it was all about you—just you.” He released her hands and raised one of his to caress her cheek. “I had to help Alethea that night at the Andrades’, but if I had known what she’d said to you, I would have brought you with us. I thought I was protecting you.”

With a shudder, Jeisa said, “I should have given you a chance to explain. I should have trusted you.”

Jeremy’s eyes darkened with pain. “I didn’t give you a reason to. It’s a good thing you didn’t answer my phone calls, Jeisa, because you gave me time to process what I’d done. These past few months were all about me. What I wanted. What I needed. I didn’t stop to ask you what you wanted.”

“I’m not sure I could have told
you if you had. I’m only now sorting it out.”

“Let’s
figure it out together then.” Her heart soared at his suggestion. Could he really forgive her this easily?

Even as Jeisa’s heart began to
speed up with excitement, she attempted to tamp down her emotions long enough to ask, “What are you saying?”

“I’ve enrolled at
WIT as a full-time student.”

Did that mean
. . . ?

She didn’t dare allow herself to believe he was saying what she hoped he was saying. “Why?”

“I want to be with you.” He pulled her gently against him again, this time resting his hands lightly on her hips. His head bent and his lips explained what he struggled to find the words to express. She hesitated for only the slightest second before her arms wound around his neck and she lost herself in his kiss. When he broke off, they were both flushed, and their ragged breathing was the only sound in the otherwise quiet office. “We don’t have to rush. We can start over and date if you’d like.”