Page 89 of Her Ruin

After parking at the hotel, I gathered my work stuff and made my way inside. Guests would be arriving in under an hour, and I had some final checks to make before everything was declaredready. My boss was also coming today, which he didn’t usually do, but this had been a major project, and I guessed he wanted to see where his event planner had been for the last few months.

Vases of flowers adorned the reception area, and I held my breath as I made my way to the conservatory. I didn’t need the floral bombs to attack me today. I was using the conservatory as my base point. I wanted nothing out of place in the ballroom before the event started.

It had to be perfect.

It was perfect.

God, please let today be perfect.

I had a flashback of Zayn on the stage in Elixir, taking the gala away from me, and I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. I hated that he had done that. I hated that he had made me feel that way. And I hated that I knew it was just business to him. I might have spent the weeks after in his bed, but it still didn’t mean the hurt of that brutal act had lessened.

I probably needed a therapist.

I blinked hard, shaking the memory away as I stood in the conservatory. With purposeful strides, I made my way to the ballroom. Today, I was at the reopening of this hotel, which no one could take away from me. Every step I took was measured. I was determined to show the world I was in control, knowing I didn’t need to prove myself to anyone and striving to do it anyway.

Yup, I definitely needed counseling of some sort.

The ballroom was quiet and empty. The tables were set out, the glasses catching the afternoon sun. The tablecloths were crisp and even, and the chairs were perfectly angled. The navy and silver tile looked almost light blue in this light, and I loved the effect. The chandelier had been carefully lowered and painstakingly cleaned.

“It’s beautiful,” I said to myself as I took it all in.

“Isla.”

Turning, I watched Gerard enter the ballroom. He was in a dark-navy linen suit with a bright yellow shirt underneath and a floral cravat. I think I forgave him every gray hair he’d given me over the last months for the very fact he hadn’t dressed up for this. No, that wasn’t right; he hadn’t gone overboard. He had remained completely true to himself.

“You’re looking very dapper,” I complimented him as he approached. So many people would be telling him to change, that he would look out of place, but he looked uniquelyhim. “For a man who clung to the vintage art deco–look so long,” I teased, “I’ve never once seen you in a pinstripe suit.” I smoothed the lapel of his jacket, and from a box I’d carried in with me, I pinned a floral—no pollen—buttonhole to his jacket. “Perfect.”

Gerard smiled down at me. “And you look beautiful, my darling girl.” He looked around the room, his eyes becoming suspiciously misty. “It’s turned out…perfectly. Everything has, and I couldn’t have done any of it without you.”

“You’re welcome.”

He met my gaze. “I don’t know why you won’t come and work here,” he said with a sniff. “There’s so much more to do, and I no longer trust anyone else to do it with me.” He saw my look. “I won’t interfere. I won’t. I will just be the bankroll.”

“Does your bank still roll?” I asked him as I tidied the buttonhole box away. “We went so over budget on this.”

“Worth every penny,” he whispered as the doors opened and the event staff started to file in.

I didn’t hate his changes. I hated the way he went about making them. But I couldn’t deny that hisextraswere elements that just added to the overall work that had been done.

“I want you to enjoy this afternoon,” I reminded him. “Soak it all in. We have three rooms operating simultaneously. We need to be in all of them to make sure your guests feel welcome and also so we can get those bookings,” I added with a wink.

“I am yours to command.” He gave me a flourishing bow, and I laughed.

“If only you had been this subservient a few weeks ago,” I said with a teasing smile. “I need to check with the kitchens and fix that server’s waistcoat. Are you good?”

“Perfectly content,” he assured me, and I hurried off to complete my checklist, switching to work mode.

The first guests started arriving, and soon, every event room and the lobby were busy. The hum of conversation and the clink of champagne glasses were the music I listened to as I filtered through each room, working the event and ensuring everything ran smoothly. I’d spoken to Gerard a few times, and he had told me the inquiries to book were flowing in and each time he told them to come speak to me.

I moved towards The Grand’s entrance, determined to greet any late-coming guests. I’d already passed the hotel manager, who had complimented me on the work done. All the staff I saw had a new lease on life and a sense of pride as they did their jobs. I saw a few empty champagne flutes in the foyer and caught the attention of one of the servers. “Can you clear them away, please? Let’s make sure everything is running smoothly and cleanly, okay?”

After my circuit back through the three rooms, I stepped back into the ballroom. The room epitomized the hotel’s new identity. The atmosphere was as buoyant as before, and I allowed myself to feel the thrill of success—of reclaiming control over this project. Yet, every time I caught a glimpse of a shadow on the edge of my vision, I braced myself for Zayn being here.

Which was ridiculous. He wasn’t even invited. Hewasa reminder though, and I’d ensured every detail of today was coordinated meticulously. Never again would I not control the whole of the event space.

Julian had texted to tell me he had been held up at work and wouldn’t make it. I hated that he was going to miss it, but he would see it later. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t had some input.

As I moved away from greeting another group of guests, I found myself momentarily alone in the corner of the room. For a moment, I allowed my back to press against the wall, taking a few deep breaths to steady my racing heart. I knew what Zayn had done at Elixir still troubled me, but until today, I hadn’t realized how much resentment was still lingering. I really needed to address that, especially if I continued to have sex with him. I pushed it aside; I needed to focus on the here and now, and he nor my emotions were what I needed to be thinking about right now.

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