Roses

Chapter 33

Adam

"It was really nice to meet you, Mr. Thorns," Andrew Bullara says as he gives me a firm handshake.

He is favored to be the new CEO of Bullara Properties, a real estate giant in Echo Rocks with branches in every major city in the country. I had refused their previous CEO's request for a meeting several times in the past, knowing full well there was no way I would sell any of my properties to them.

Once a company as big as theirs enters Roses, it wouldn't be too long before others follow and swiftly destroy everything I've built.

But he is sharper than his father, the previous CEO who stepped down a year ago due to his ailing health. He cornered me outside the Cartier store I was at earlier today and pitched his idea right there.

His terms were completely different from everything Alfred, his father, had proposed in the past. In his words, he was nothing like his father, with far too much emphasis on nothing. I suspect a strained relationship between the two. No judgement though, for obvious reasons.

Long story short, I had to follow him to his office and have a proper meeting. On any other occasion, I may have actually enjoyed talking to him.

Not today though. I was itching to get back to my girl. There were far too many miles between us.

"Likewise," I offer him a polite nod before opening my car door. "I'll be in touch." I get in the backseat and Sam starts the way back to Roses.

Bullara's office is in the poshest area of Echo Rocks. I watch the skyscrapers on both sides slowly turn into less attractive looking buildings as we cross over to the poorer neighborhoods. But it's not till we join the freeway that I release the breath I didn't realize I had been holding.

I smile to myself as I think of my predicament: I feel physically sick when I'm away from my girl. I wonder if she even notices my absence while I pine for her. A while ago I would have believed she didn't. But now, something tells me things have changed.

She is slowly but surely getting there.

I take out the small box from my suit pocket and open it. The custom made engagement ring shines like a star inside it.

If it hadn't been ready for pick up, I wouldn't have left her to go to a different fucking city at all. But since I got the text that it was ready yesterday, I've been wanting to hold it in my hands.

It's beautiful, but it will look absolutely ethereal on my girl's finger.

There's only one problem. I am not sure she is quite ready for marriage. Even though over the last two weeks our relationship has progressed enormously, looking too far into our future still scares her.

Nevertheless, I needed the ring in my pocket now. I will carry it for her till she's ready to have it.

I close the box and put it right next to my heart for safekeeping. Then I pull out my phone and check the camera feed from my home. Thinking so much about her has made me desperate to see her face in real time.

I'm a little surprised when I don't see her on the feed from my father's bedroom. And then quite a bit surprised when she appears on the feed from my home office.... with Chief Michael.

Why is she there all alone with him?

As if on autopilot, I tell Sam to hurry home. Then I quickly wear my headphones and unmute the audio. Even though I trust him, whatever they're talking about is for my ears first.

I feel my entire body go stock-still as their conversation continues and my fear of losing Zoey wraps itself around me like an old friend.

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