One Look Ch. 04

But staring at her reflection in the mirror, the conflict playing out in her head was almost deafening. What if she'd just given up the best thing that ever happened to her? Lord knew guys as incredible as Clark didn't exactly grow on trees. Then reaching for her toothbrush, she considered the idea that she might have been right, and just as the other women had said, he'd just been waiting for an opportunity to end it, so he could move on to his next conquest. And of course now she'd given him the chance.

Refusing to analyze it to death, Jamie got in the shower, which was also a pretty dumb thing to do, since it was original scene of the crime so to speak, where they'd made love so many times especially that first time they were together, that it felt strange to be doing something as mundane as just washing herself - especially without him.

Checking her phone once she got back in her room, she figured she had her answer, though, since there no missed calls or texts. Not a single one. Seems he really had moved on, and with her blessing, too.

Deciding not to spend her day in a funk in her room over losing him, she got dressed and went out to explore the neighborhood, and even if she was still feeling rotten, at least she was seeing a few new sights. With Victoria park right across the street from her hotel, she stopped, and stood fascinated, as a group of senior's a lot of them pretty elderly, did flowy slow motion tai chi exercises in an organized group, so deeply into it they seemed completely oblivious to the other people wandering past them. And further along, she thought the squeal of the kids running around was pretty cute, as they vied for places on the playground equipment. Gradually wandering down to the water, Jamie crossed a foot bridge, trying to decide if she had the energy to take the Star Ferry over to Kowloon side and maybe do a little shopping, since Hong Kong was world renowned as a shopper's paradise. But it sure didn't feel much like paradise, at least not to her anymore.

So, deciding it was time to eat something since she'd skipped breakfast, and her empty stomach was starting to protest, she stepped into a little café and ordered some spicy noodles and fresh mango juice, which was probably pretty tasty, but wound up tasting like so much sawdust, since she just couldn't find it in her to eat. Great, now instead of moping in her room, she was out in public moping with other people.

And the rest of the week was much the same. Getting up in the morning, she'd go through the motions of getting ready for work, then somehow make it through her day, before she'd return to her room again and basically veg out in front of the TV flipping channels, while forcing herself to eat. Having given up checking her phone, she decided she'd learned a valuable lesson. Having sworn off relationships after David, she should have followed through on that promise, and should never have allowed herself to get so involved with Clark. The whole thing had been a mistake from the beginning, no matter how good it felt. And if he called her now, she didn't even know what she'd have left to say to him.

The only good thing was, her boss Danny was away at a conference for a week, so at least she had until next Monday to try and get back in the groove of things before he noticed the way she was dragging her ass into work every day, since she'd also had trouble sleeping - especially all on her own.

But when Monday finally rolled around it was absolute torture, in more ways than one. If realizing her relationship with Clark was well and truly over, wasn't bad enough, seeing the simpering smile on her arch nemesis Roxanne's face the moment she walked in, was just too much to take. Sure it couldn't get any worse, amazingly it did, when the sneaky little bitch smiled and said, "Danny would like to see you in his office, Jamie. Seems he's got some pictures he'd like to show you, that someone appears to have sent him." Leaning close and cupping her hand around her mouth, she whispered, "Spoiler alert - they're all of you and Clark Philips looking all cozy at your hotel." Then standing back wearing the most self-satisfied smile imaginable she said, "Too bad you couldn't have lasted here, I think you would have liked Hong Kong. But I guess that's what you get for screwing around with a client - you get fired."

Not exactly surprised at the turn of events, since Roxanne had implied she knew about them, Jamie did her best to take the news in stride, refusing to let Roxanne see her upset. But seeing as they were standing right outside her office door, unable to take it anymore, Jamie took Roxanne by the arm and forcibly tugged her inside, then slamming the door behind her, hands on her hips, Jamie said to her, "I just want to know one thing. What did I do to make you this spiteful with me? You barely even know me, so what the hell could I have done to you in the short time I've worked here to make you this vindictive?"

Narrowing her eyes, Roxanne said, "You want to know?"

When Jamie nodded, Roxanne began to enlighten her, leaning in really close to her face. "Do you have any idea how hard I've had to work to look like this?" Running a hand up and down in front of her, she said, "I was the plainest looking thing you ever saw before I spent almost every dime I had to change myself into this. Unfortunately I was unlucky enough to inherit my father's beak of a nose, which was not an attractive thing on a girl, believe me. And once I had that fixed, I decided why not work on the rest. And you wouldn't believe how many courses I've taken to try and crawl up the ladder in a place like this, where men rule. And now you just come waltzing in here, straight off a plane from Canada, all blonde and pretty, and they just hand you the best clients they've got - like Clark Philips. And the moment I saw you two together I just knew that you'd even snagged him for yourself. So, you wonder why I feel about you the way I do, after all I've gone through, to see you walk in and just get handed everything I've worked so hard for? No damn wonder I'm bitter. Wouldn't you be?"

When she put it like that, Jamie could at least see where she was coming from - although life had hardly been kind to her, either. Bounced from one foster home to the next since birth, with no one to lean on but herself, education had been her salvation. And she'd worked damned hard to finish top of her class and land a top job at the bank once she'd graduated, and probably knew more than anyone what it felt like to sacrifice. Eating scraps from the kitchens she'd worked in to survive, working two jobs at a time while putting herself through university, no one had handed her a damn thing. But of course Roxanne probably wouldn't want to know that. Squaring her shoulders, Jamie finally said, "I have no grudge with you, Roxanne. And for your information, I wasn't just handed this job, I damn well paid my dues and earned it. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to see Danny." Then just before she walked out, turning her head to look at her, she said, "I really do hope you get the job you want one day, and I also that it'll be enough to finally make you happy, although I have my doubts."

Leaving Roxanne looking stunned, the short walk down the hallway to her boss Danny's office felt like a walk to the gallows, since Jamie imagined she'd be asked to leave the moment she walked through the door. But at least she'd already said goodbye to Clark, so that would be one less thing she'd have to deal with. Now she'd just have to check out of her hotel and get a flight back home - she blinked trying hard not to cry - but there'd be no Clark to help her deal with her fear of flying this time, like that first time when they'd met. God, she really was going to miss him. More than anything, it would be her biggest regret - that somehow they couldn't have made it work.

Taking a deep breath, standing at Danny's door, Jamie lifted her hand and gently knocked. And when he said, "Come in," lifting her gaze from the floor as she walked through the door, she couldn't believe her eyes, when she saw not only Clark, but at least a half dozen of his friends all standing around and happily chatting with Danny.

And the moment he saw her, Danny smiled at her warmly, saying to the rest, "And here's Miss Lockhart now." His face almost cracking from the size of the smile he wore as he looked over at Clark and explained to her, "Mr. Philips has decided he'd like to invest with us, Jamie, and has brought along a few of his friends, as well. And of course, all of them would like you to work with them as their investment strategist. And naturally, I told them I felt sure you'd be more than up for the challenge."

Her eyes meeting the unsure look in Clark's she actually felt herself melting just a little. Okay a lot. How much sweeter could he be - saving both her job and her reputation, and even calling on his wealthy friends to help, he really had to be the most amazing man she'd ever met. So maybe he had to care for her - at least a little to do something like this.

But once they were done with their meeting, shooting little looks at each other throughout, half expecting him to ask to talk to her alone, her stomach sank when he just nodded and said goodbye and then disappeared into the elevator with his friends. Then it hit her - it was the one last thing he would do for her before he moved on - help her to keep her job. Shoulders slumped, turning around to head back to her office she froze on the spot when she swore she heard him behind her calling out her name. "Jamie."

And when she turned around, she couldn't believe that he really was standing there, half wondering if her imagination was playing tricks on her, because she wanted it be happening so badly. But it was really him alright, telling her, "So, you've had your week on your own, just as you asked for..."

Starting to grin, she confessed, "And it was hell without you."

Flashing a relieved smile the moment he heard her say that, he threw open his arms and Jamie didn't hesitate, running straight to him, moaning as he lifted her right off her feet and kissed her hard. Not really caring where they were, smiling into his eyes, she told him the truth, "I've missed you so much, Clark."

"And I've missed you like crazy. Now what say we get out of here for a while?"

She didn't imagine Danny would mind if she told him she was meeting with their newest client, and she was right, when he told her to take all the time she needed. Seems when a boat load of money was involved, a few questionable pictures didn't matter a damn.

Holding her close to his side in the elevator Clark said into her ear, "I think we need to go somewhere and talk."

Looking slightly disappointed, lifting her gaze to his, she asked him, "Just talk and nothing else?"

Chuckling as he cupped her ass, he said, "Well, we'll start by talking this out, which we should have done in the first place, and then we'll see where it goes."

Leaning in close to him, she murmured, "Mmm, I think I like the thought of discovering where this could go."

Smiling down at her pretty face - he'd been denied looking at for an entire week - so did he. Now that she'd hopefully realized they were meant to be together, the rest should be easy.

Frowning, at least he sure as hell hoped so ...