Page 54 of Her Billion Dollar Groom

“We could back out, but it would be a hit. We were relying on their user base for next year.”

I groan at this, knowing exactly what he’s insinuating. “Hang on,” he says as he watches me drop my head into my hands. “Let me add Millie and Doug to the video call.”

He does, and we spend a long time going back and forth on the pros and cons of the merger, what we’re willing to concede to the guys at Lemon, and what we need to hold on to for ourselves. It’s painful.

It’s excruciating knowing that losing a deal like this could mean the end of everything I’ve been working for, but I can’t let myself think like that right now. I’m not going to give up on everythingI’ve worked so hard for. If I have to do this without Lemon, so be it.

Suddenly, an email alert pops up on my computer.

I know I should have my head in the game right now, but my thoughts are spinning wildly out of control, and the others have taken the lead in the conversation, so the notification distracts me. Besides, I don’t usually get special email alerts. I only have news highlights turned on for a couple of topics.

Mindlessly, I click the notification. Then I read the headline.Pop superstar, Eliza Holt, taken to hospital after collapsing on red carpet.

I sit bolt upright as I skim the rest of the article. She fainted. She was freaking out, and then she collapsed. And I wasn’t there.

“Jason, are you alright?” asks Chris.

I shake my head. “I’m going to have to put a pin in this,” I stammer. “I trust you guys completely. I agree with whatever you’re going to say. But I’ve got to go.”

“Go? Go where? Jason, what’s going on?” Chris’s face falls as I start getting up.

“You guys can make this work. I’m sure you can. I’ll call you later.” With that I hang up and ignore Chris’s call four seconds later. They don’t need me.

Eliza does.

I’m almost certain that she doesn’t want to see me, but I know that her parents are out of town for the week, and I don’t think she has anyone else. Somebody should be there for her.She deserves someone to hold her hand more than our petty squabble matters.

I stumble downstairs and grab a coat. It’s too late for me to bother Oskar without having an appointment with him, so I jump into my car and drive myself to the hospital.

By the time I run into the reception area of the hospital, I’m breathless. I probably look like a complete disaster, but I only care about one thing right now.

“Where is she?” I ask, trying not to slam my palms down on the desk and yell in the poor girl’s face. “Eliza Holt? Where is she?”

“Mr. Burroughs,” she says, glancing up at me, tensing. “I’ll get someone to bring you up to her.”

I pace in front of the desk until a nurse comes to collect me. It feels like it takes an eternity for her to get to me. “Is she okay?” I demand when my escort arrives.

“Let’s just get you upstairs, sir.”

That doesn’t do anything for my nerves.

The nurse gently taps on a door, and I’m shown in. Eliza is lying in a bed, hooked up to an IV drip, wearing an ugly hospital gown. No doubt she will have one or two things to say about that.

“Jason?” she gasps. “What are you doing here?”

My ears burn hot red. “I heard the news. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“You didn’t have to come.”

“I wanted to.”

“I’ll leave you two alone for a moment,” the nurse says, excusing herself before we can really start talking. Clearly, she can sense we have a lot to talk about.

I rush over to her bed and then realize that perhaps that’s not what she wants. “May I sit?”

She nods slowly. “I’m really okay,” she tries to insist. “You didn’t have to come.”

“And leave my wife all alone in a hospital bed?” She chuckles, and I’m glad that my stupid joke lands. It was a risk.

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