Jo
I angrily tied my tie, my jaw set in anger. I knew Jackson and I being in the same room wouldn't blow over well.
Two egotistical businessmen who loved, well, claimed to love, the same woman.
I let out an angry sigh, looking at myself in the glass.
Amanda leaned against my doorframe, her bottom lip in between her teeth. "You've yet to tell me why you're dreading this so much."
"It's not your business, that's why."
"It kind of is," she said, "and you don't get to talk to me like that."
I looked over at her, an eyebrow cocked up at her. "Is that so?"
She folded her arms over her chest.
"I'm going to the meeting room."'
"He's going to be here in ten minutes. His PA emailed me."
"Joy."
I walked out of my office and caught up to Fred. He looked over at me, a grin on his face. "Act a little more excited for me."
I shook my head. "I don't know what the hell's going to happen."
"You're going to be mature and rational," he said, nodding, "you've got this, man."
I busted through the doors into the meeting room, seeing Dad tidying up the table.
"I trust you two are well-rested," he said, looking over his shoulder.
I folded my arms over my chest, nodding my head. "Yeah."
Lie.
Dad nodded, standing upright. "At least eight hours?"
"Ten," Fred proudly admitted.
Dad just cocked an eyebrow up at him, looking over at me.
"Y-yeah," I stuttered out.
This had been weighing on my mind and not much threw my sleeping schedule off, but this did. I'd slept a total of two hours the night before.
He just nodded, his eyebrows in a furrow. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I said, nodding as I brushed past him.
"I know who Jackson Jones is, Jo," he said, "I know h-"
"Please don't mention it," I said, looking over at him. My jaw was set and I was hoping to convey the message I desperately needed to convey.
He just nodded, his understanding eyes boring into mine. "Okay."
I looked over my shoulder when the door opened, and felt my blood boil at the sight of Jackson swaggering in.
"Fred King, what a pleasure," Jackson said, grabbing Fred's hand.
If I wouldn't have known how much of an asshole he really was, I would've thought he was a genuine guy.
He shook Dad's hand and our eyes finally met.
He walked over to me and stuck out his hand, his award-winning smile beaming. "I've really been looking forward to meeting you."
I grabbed his hand firmly, squeezing it. "Likewise."
Dad looked at the two of us. I was absolutely sure Jackson had no clue who I was in relation to his fiancée.
"Let's sit," he suggested, smiling at me.
