"Stuck in the past century much?"
He frowns. "Not really. They all have a choice. They can choose to work, like Christie, and strive on their own. They just don't want that."
I stare at him, and have the impression this is the first time I really see him. By the courteous way he always addresses the lark, I would've never guessed what he really thinks of her. I wonder if I wasn't too quick in thinking that he likes me. I don't think I was.
“I thought Natalie owned part of your and James’s company,” I say.
“She does. A small part. But she’s not really involved in anything. Just passes by the office from time to time. I think she wanted to get involved just for fun, and because she likes to tell people she has something to do. Though investors seem to like her very much,” Parker says with an expression that tells me he questions the sanity of the investors.
I cannot hold back a smile, and then try to turn the conversation away from Natalie. "I'm sure James dated plenty non-blue-blooded girls before me."
Parker snorts. "Boarding school was full of them. Even at Stanford, he only seemed to stumble on that kind."
The perks of having a trust fund worth a few millions, I think to myself. Then I realize, how the hell does Parker know?
"How would you know that?" I scoff. "You went to college in England."
"You'd be surprised how much you find out about James's life in college if you're stuck next to Natalie for a few hours in a plane," he smirks.
Always, always Natalie.
"Do you want to see Jess?" I ask.
"Sure, that's actually the other reason I'm here. She made me promise in the bar before the whole mayhem started that I'd tell her a few things about London."
I bite my tongue to stop myself from laughing, pondering whether I should tell him that a few things are synonymous with one hell
of an interrogation round. I decide against it. When I offered to give her tips on things to do in London, she blatantly told me she needs another source of information because I left London such a long time ago all my tips would be outdated. She’s probably right.
"Yeah, she had to reschedule that interview because she's going to have that cast on her leg for quite a while. Her room is that way." I point with my thumb to my right. "Just don't tell her you came here by car. She'll try to make you drive her around."
I brought her car here yesterday, thinking I might need it in case James eventually had to leave. When she saw the car keys, she begged me for half an hour to take her for a ride, claiming she couldn't bear lying in bed anymore. I tuck the keys safely away from her in my jeans ever since.
"I thought she seemed a little nuts in the bar," he winks and I burst out laughing, elbowing him.
"That's a very rude thing to say."
"Well, this will sound even more rude," he puts an arm over my shoulder, and I lean in, curiously. "I think she—"
A low, angered voice makes us both freeze.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
I leap from under Parker's arm instantly.
"James, you're back early," I say, shocked. It's not his return that shocks me, but his white, livid skin and balled fists.
"You're in good company," he says in a slicing voice, staring at Parker.
"Yeah, Parker stopped by to see how Jess was."
"How considerate of him," James says in a sneering tone. At least he loosens his fists. His eyes have that strange glint in them they had a few times before. The recognition bewilders me like nothing else.
Jealousy.
I expect Parker to strike back, possibly in an equally sneering tone, but after a few long seconds in which he watches James in silence, he asks in a tone that couldn't be more natural, "How did the meeting go?"
"They canceled," James answers and I’m relieved that his voice almost sounds normal. "I suited up for nothing." He undoes his tie. "We rescheduled for tomorrow."