The Billionaire Princess (24 page)

"I guess love lets you do things that you don't think you could ever do.” Callie gave her a small smile. "If you love Christopher as much as I think you do, then—”

"I should reconsider things?" Sara said interrupting her.

Callie shrugged. "Either that or talk to him. Give him a chance to explain his side.  It sounds like he deserves at least that much."

Sara left Callie almost as conflicted as when she arrived. She'd hoped that talking about the situation with a neutral party would somehow make it clearer, but even after the heart-to-heart it remained cloudy. Regardless, she didn't regret her visit. Callie's comments forced her to take a step back and view their entire relationship from the outside. Despite everything Jake had said during their conversation, she hadn't been able to look beyond her own perceptions.

Now back at her parents’ apartment, Sara scrutinized every aspect of her time with Christopher, starting with Jake's wedding. Heat blossomed in her body and spread outward as memories of that night returned.
It been spontaneous and so unlike her. Yet at the same time it felt natural, like they belonged together, until the next morning when embarrassment and guilt set in. If he'd agreed to some back-room deal with David Healy would he have avoided her afterward? Wouldn't he have tried right then and there to start something permanent with her?

Several weeks had passed before she saw him again at the fundraiser in Providence. That night he'd told her upfront that David invited him.  He hadn't given her some line about being there just to see her, which would've been a great way to show his interest.

Sara twisted a strand of hair around her finger. So far nothing from her memories pointed toward some grand scheme between Christopher and the senator. Their trip to California however, had been Christopher's idea entirely.  He'd convinced her to publicly support the plan and make the commercial with him.

Sara pushed everything about the trip from her mind, except that first night in her hotel room. He hadn't pushed her that night. When she backed off and insisted they stop, he respected her decision. Even now she remembered the gratitude she'd felt toward him for being so understanding. A man with an ulterior motive wouldn't act like that, would he? Her ex had pursued her like a dog in heat. Even now after all that had happened between them, Phillip tried to lure her back from time to time.

The longer she sat examining their relationship the clearer the truth became, she'd been wrong. Once again she'd let her fears and mistrust ruin a relationship. Anger and disgust toward herself boiled up inside making it hard to breathe. With her hand she wiped away the tears that rolled down her cheeks. How could she have been so stupid yet again? She'd been too trusting with Phillip and too distrusting with first Callie and now Christopher.  When would she learn?  Sara's tears turned to gut-wrenching sobs as the enormity of what she'd lost set in.

Hours later Sara stared at the ceiling wide-awake. Her head throbbed and her eyes burned from her emotional breakdown. Despite her physical discomforts and exhaustion her brain refused to rest. Instead questions ran through her head. Should she attempt an apology? Was it possible for them to pick up where they'd left off? Could she handle it if she made the first move and he rejected her? She needed answers. Unfortunately, she didn't have a single one and the only way to answer them involved further heartache.  Something she didn't know if she could handle right now.

***

His office door slammed closed with so much force the painting on the wall shook. Immediately, Christopher spun his chair around and came to his feet. He wasn't expecting any visitors and his sister wouldn't slam the door with such force.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Hall?” Jake moved toward Christopher’s desk, his jaw clenched tightly. "First you make my sister miserable, then you blow me off." Jake walked around the desk and stopped when they were only a foot apart.

Christopher almost wanted to laugh. He'd made Sara miserable? More like it was the other way around. She'd been the one making the accusations. "I don't think you got the whole story. She told me to leave."

Jake crossed his arms across his chest. "I know all about that. But you haven't even tried to talk to her."

Why should he bother? If she could think he'd used her for his own gains, she didn't trust him at all. How could they have a relationship if she didn't trust him? "It's none of your business, Jake."

"When my sister is miserable and heartbroken because of you, it becomes my business." Jake took a step closer.

"Heartbroken?" Christopher laughed bitterly at the absurd idea. "She'll move on in no time. She admitted to me after your wedding that going from guy to guy is normal for her."

Since the breakup he'd forced himself not to picture her with another man. Now that he mentioned it though, the image filled his mind. His hands balled up into fists as he pictured her lying next to some Washington politician, her silky blonde hair draped across a pillow as she slept.

"She told you what? And you believed her?"

Perhaps her exact words that morning in Hawaii had been more like things like this happen all the time but they were arguing semantics. "Something along those lines."

"She lied to you. You're the first guy she's been with since Phillip Young."

Phillip Young, the name sounded familiar. Christopher searched his memory.

"She broke up with him a few years ago when she learned he started their relationship to dig up dirt on our father during the campaign."

A light bulb went on inside his head. Phillip was the guy giving her a hard time at the fundraiser. He looked like the blackmailing type. "Okay, fine. She doesn't sleep around. That doesn't change a thing. If she wants to talk, she knows how to contact me.  And just for the record I didn't use our relationship to get that contract."

"You have no idea the number Phillip did on her." Jake ran a hand through his hair. “She hasn't been herself since. She was finally getting back to normal with you."

The anger he felt toward Jake for calling him out like this shifted to Phillip. The night he'd met him at the fundraiser he wanted to punch him because of the hard time he gave Sara. Now with this new knowledge he longed for the opportunity to do much worse. "I get it Jake, but that doesn't change the facts. She told me to leave." The final conversation was etched in his mind, right down to the expression on her face and the way she stood.

Jake took a step closer, his face a mask of controlled anger. "You're being an ass, you know that?"

Christopher teetered between telling Jake off and punching him in the face. Either move would be bad for their friendship. Instinctively, his hand formed a fist again. "I think you should leave, Sherbrooke." Christopher spoke through clenched teeth.

Jake narrowed his eyes as his jaw worked overtime grinding his teeth to dust. "Whatever. It's your loss."

Before Christopher could respond, Jake marched out of the room and slammed the door behind him.
Dammit.
What a mess he created. Christopher dropped back down into his chair and swirled around so he faced the window overlooking the garden. How much of what Jake said could he believe? Usually he'd say every word, but not this time. Sara's lack of trust in him cut deep even now, weeks after their argument. No matter how he felt, if any chance of them getting back together existed, she would have to make the first move.  He'd attempted to argue his side that night and she refused to listen.  He wasn't going to confront her again just so she could make more absurd accusations.  Who in their right mind would want to set themselves up for that type of treatment?

Long after the sun disappeared from the sky, Christopher remained looking out the window with a tiny seed of an idea in his head.  While he would not confront her again and beg her to take him back, maybe he could prove to her that he hadn't manipulated her into a relationship for his own benefit.

For the second time that week she had broken down in tears. Earlier that week Callie called asking if she wanted to talk anymore about her relationship problems. Almost immediately tears started falling, not as much in reaction to Callie's question as to Callie's thoughtfulness. The more she got to know her half-sister, the worse she felt about the way she treated her in the beginning.

This time her waterworks were set off by a picture on the cover of Today magazine. The picture showed Christopher and her together the night of her mom's birthday bash. The headline beneath it read "No Happily Ever After For This Sherbrooke."

"I think it's a great picture of you at least," Hannah said. She still held the magazine she brought with her when she stopped by to return a few things Sara had left behind at her office. "The article says you broke up with him after you found him in bed with another woman. Is that true?"

Sara bit down on her lip and wiped a tear away with a tissue. The media printed whatever got the most sales. "No Hannah, you can't believe everything you read. Remember that." She'd told the younger woman that on countless occasions, yet it still failed too sink in.

“I'm glad.  He seems like a nice guy.  Did you hear about what he did?

Sara shook her head. 

“He established a new grant program for elementary schools.  It's similar to the Reading First Grant currently in place but rather than provide money for reading intervention it will focus on math.  He's urging other large corporations to contribute.  So far two more are on board.

The words slowly sunk in.  She'd already reached the conclusion she'd been wrong about Christopher but this latest news really drove it home.  Sara pushed back her chair.  She needed a few minutes to regroup. "I'll be back."

Turning on the bathroom sink, Sara splashed cold water on her face. She couldn't go on like this much longer. Either she needed to bury her feelings or confront Christopher and attempt to salvage their relationship. "You've become a chicken," she said to the reflection gazing back at her in the mirror. "How did you let that happen?" The how didn't matter. Getting past it did.

Sara reapplied her mascara. What had Callie said to her about love? It lets you do things you never thought you could do. Maybe Callie was right. Straightening her back, Sara stared at her reflection and finally made her decision.  She'd make the first move. A wave of nausea rolled through her as she thought about confronting Christopher.  Even with it her confidence in the decision grew. She couldn't spend her life wondering what if.  She needed closure one way or the other.

“Hannah, thank you for bringing my things by.
  I appreciate it,” Sara gripped the back of a kitchen chair.  “Let’s get together soon.”

Once alone Sara reached for her phone, but held back from dialing. 
It's the right thing.

Hitting the contact icon on her phone, she scrolled through the list of names until she came to Caroline, Christopher's executive assistant. Before she hopped a plane and flew to California she needed to make sure he was around.

“I'm not at liberty to discuss Mr. Hall's schedule,” Caroline answered after Sara asked about his plans.

Sara knew this was a standard practice, but in the past Caroline had been forthcoming with such information. Obviously their breakup caused her to have a change of heart. “Please Caroline.  I have to talk to him and I can't do that on the phone.  I need to see him.”

“It's against—”

“I know all about company policy.  But please, I want to set things right between us, Caroline,” Sara pleaded, infusing all her emotions into her voice.

Caroline remained silent for what seemed like an eternity. “He'll be home tonight.  Tomorrow he's attending the Literacy Across America Charity event and Sunday afternoon he's playing golf with Congressman Stuart,” Caroline answered with reluctance.

It didn't give her much time, but she'd take what she could get.  “I'll be there tonight.  Please don't tell him.” She waited, unsure whether or not Caroline would agree.

“Okay.”

“One battle down
,”
Sara said after ending her conversation.   Now all that remained was convincing Christopher to forgive her.

***

Sara swallowed the bile rising in her throat as the wheels of the jet touched down. Releasing her death grip on the arms of her seat, she stood and took a few deep calming breaths. For once it wasn't her fear of flying making her a nervous wreck, but her fear of confronting Christopher that had her nerves working on overdrive.

"Right to your hotel, Ms.
Sherbrooke?" the limo driver asked when she stepped off the plane.

"No. I need to stop at this address first."

With a simple nod the driver accepted the paper as he held Sara's door open for her. Once she was inside, he closed the door and got behind the steering wheel.

I can do this.
Sara wiped her sweaty palms against her jeans. She'd chosen to dress casually today in jeans and a dark purple top. She'd even opted for a simple ponytail and just lip gloss. On several occasions Christopher commented how much he liked it when she dressed in jeans and skipped the heavier makeup.  Would he notice that she'd dressed with him in mind?  Or would he be so annoyed at seeing her after all this time that her efforts went unnoticed?  Only one way to find out.