Mr. Handsome A Billionaire Romance(46)

I made a beeline for her and when she saw me approaching, she smiled and moved her legs from the other seat so I could sit before someone took the chair. “Thanks for holding the seat for me, you’re amazing,” I said and Vanessa laughed.

“It’s all in the attitude, plus this place is the only nail salon that gets things right, even with an appointment, the wait is ridiculous.”

I took in the packed salon and nodded, she definitely wasn’t exaggerating.

“So how are things with you and Jeffrey?” Vanessa asked me almost knowingly. I wondered if she knew that Roxanna had re-entered Jeffrey’s life.

“Well, we agreed to be sort of exclusive, I guess, but the infamous Roxanna has wiggled her way back into his life somehow…” I said distastefully. Vanessa made a face and she shook her head.

“That bitch, she’s only after his money. They had been friends ever since college but that was it, completely platonic. Then she learned that Jeffrey wasn’t just studying to be an engineer to work at Stargate, but that his father owned the billion-dollar company. That’s when their relationship became romantic, sort of. This is all according to Victor. I joined Stargate when the bitch left him high and dry.”

I smiled, Vanessa was a bit caustic, but I liked it on her. She was blunt and to the point. She continued to fill me in on Jeffrey and Roxanna’s history. “So when she found out that Jeffrey’s father owned the company and that Jeffrey was well off, she was ‘in love’ with him. But then, when Jeffrey showed no interest in running the company as a whole, Roxanna realized there was no future for her and an engineer so she just left him without a word or reason as to why she left.”

“Wow…” I took all that in while Vanessa nodded sagely. That was seriously messed up of Roxanna, how could she play with Jeffrey’s heart like that and be so cold? I simply shook my head and hoped Jeffrey cut off whatever contact he opened with Roxanna, it didn’t sound like she led to blue skies.

“I just wish she’d disappear, honestly,” I said truthfully and Vanessa snorted, fully agreeing with me.

“Yeah, Victor hates her. So by association so do I.” Vanessa cracked a smile and then we both started laughing.

“So how long have you and Victor been together?” I asked.

Vanessa hesitated and then she sighed.

“Well…for a while now, but we only just recently told Jeffrey about it. Or Victor only recently told Jeff about it, I should say,” Vanessa amended.

“Why’d you guys wait to tell Jeffrey?” I asked curiously and Vanessa pursed her lips.

“Victor was afraid he’d freak out and fire me, since at the time we first started actually dating was right when I was hired, pretty much. Victor didn’t want me to lose my job.” Vanessa smiled fondly and I could imagine her relationship with Victor must have been great.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey and I were getting off to a really rocky start. That couldn’t be good for our future could it?

“Uh-oh, what are you thinking about over there?”

I sighed, everyone always knew when I was mulling something over in my head, maybe I was too expressive.

“Nothing…it’s just, things with Jeffrey and I are intense and I worry, you know?” Vanessa nodded and her eyes seemed far a way for a second.

“Yeah, that’s how it was with Victor and I at first. We were mad for each other and completely wrapped up. But that just means you’re right for that person and your bond will last. Roxanna will fade to grey, trust me. Jeffrey is crazy about you and it’s obvious for anyone to see.

She’ll get the picture soon enough,” Vanessa assured me and I hoped like hell she was right.

By the time Vanessa and I got our nails done, we decided to have a drink at a local happy hour. I really liked Nessa, she was fun and witty, and told it like it was.

I got home just in time to shower and get ready for my date with Jeffrey. Seven o’clock came around and Jeffrey hadn’t shown up. He was only a few minutes late, twenty minutes past, and I figured something happened with Carl his driver. I sent Jeffrey a text, but there was no reply. I got a bit worried and called his cell, but he didn’t answer, so I left a message.

“Hey…I hope everything is okay. I’m worried, so let me know you’re alive.” With that I hung up and wondered if he really wasn’t hurt and did I really want to face the possibility that he stood me up. Once eight thirty came around, I changed into my fuzzy pajamas and simply crawled into bed feeling really low.

* * *

I woke to the sound of my phone ringing loudly and I floundered to answer it. I had it underneath my pillow for some reason. Great, I possibly had a brain tumor by that point.

“Christina…” Jeffrey’s voice brought me to awareness, he sounded remorseful and as if he was about to give a million and one excuses. I simply hung up on him and refused to cry myself to sleep. Instead, I stayed awake for a long time before exhaustion took over.

The next morning when my phone alarm went off, I woke with the all too familiar morning headache and it was back with a vengeance. I groaned and went to take a couple of Motrin before getting ready for work.

When I went downstairs to walk to my car, I saw the all too familiar black Audi SUV parked behind Ol’ Betty. Jeffrey got out with a single rose in hand and I felt tears threaten at the back of my eyes. I started shaking my head before Jeffrey even made it all the way over to me.