55

AUDREY
At least two hundred employees of Stark Apparel were invited to witness and join the sports fest, which was being held at Valley Golf and Polo Club in Southampton—another property of the Starks. The acres of land were spread beyond my sight’s reach. I couldn’t tell anymore where it ended. The place was also said to be featured in the Exclusive. As expected for the Starks. They always just astound people with their wealth.
The sports fest would take two days, so night lounging was provided for the players and important guests inside the estate.
While the first team started warming up for the first game, my job was still to make sure everything was in order and faultless. We had visitors from the media other than the people from the magazine and guests from another firm we had a partnership with.
I was practically occupied, walking here and there, I didn’t notice I bumped onto Gabriel and stumbled, but he caught me.
“You okay?” he asked softly, and I almost melted to earth’s core with his voice alone.
I looked up at his magnificent face and noticed he was casually dressed in a white Fendi polo shirt and sports shorts and a pair of designer custom tennis shoes. The air almost abandoned my lungs by how much I longed for his touch again, but it was as if I was struck by lightning when I found the redhead next to him, wearing matching clothes.
I moved away immediately. “I’m fine, Mr. Stark. I’m sorry.” I looked away from his magnetizing gaze and headed on to my actual destination, but he caught my arm and brought me back.
“Audrey, can you see me later?” he whispered near my ear, making me shiver.
“I don’t know. I promised I’d join Chelsea for dinner.” I yanked away from him, but he caught my arm again.
“I insist,” he said, and he let me go. The redhead glanced at me and flashed a smile, but I wasn’t sure if she really was smiling at me. I shook my head to concentrate on something else, and I marched away from them.
The games went on, and it was a frantic day for everyone. I watched from the audience in the upper box but kept my eyes attentive to the situation. The game Bryan involved me with was second to the current game—which was soccer. I was told the game I participated in was actually tennis.
Peach and Chelsea, from the same department, abruptly appeared at my side, getting ready for the next game, which was volleyball. Both girls were already in their uniforms.
“God. The teams were unfair,” Peach complained. She was Chelsea’s team partner in the department whose real name was Hailey, but she colored her hair peach. “We are against taller players.”
“Height doesn’t matter,” I said. “You have a spring on your jump, so you’re going to be fine.”
Chelsea stretched out his arms. “Looks like our bosses are playing tennis for the last games for today.”
“Hence the outfit,” Peach remarked. “But who’s with Stark today?”
“The redhead?” Chelsea asked.
“Yeah. She looks familiar.” She pointed out the lower box to our left, where Stark and the woman were sitting together watching the games.
“Francesca Moretti. She’s an Italian tennis star and an artist,” Chelsea said, which she had already told me at home last night. “They’re playing in pairs today, I guess.”
“What?” My eyes grew wide.
“Oh, right.” Chelsea grinned. “You must be playing against them with my boss, Audrey. How fun,” she meant the last word sarcastically because I told her Stark and I got into a fight, but I couldn’t tell her everything yet.
“You’re playing with Bryan Jameson?” Peach asked unbelievably.
“Unfortunately, we will both lose because the last time I played tennis was in high school.” I rolled my eyes. “And against a tennis star? Was Gabriel serious?”
“I think he’s serious,” Bryan’s voice mingled in our conversation. He was already in his outfit for our game later, and he studied me. “It’s still better than not having a team at all. Why don’t you change now, Audrey, so we can go for a warm-up? There’s a court out there near the polo club.”
I looked down at my outfit, and it definitely wasn’t for warming up. This morning, Bryan provided a uniform for me.
“Oh, I got it.” I nodded. “Chels?”
“Yes?”
I gave her my ledger and a pen. “Please look after this for me for a moment. You can give it to Mark later when your game is on.”
“Oh, sure.” She smiled. “Go for it, Audrey, and show Stark what you’ve got!” she said head-on. She was angry at him yesterday about bringing another woman into the office, but she didn’t actually know it was me who asked him for space.
I exhaled. “He apparently doesn’t look like on the losing side.” I turned around and headed to the dressing room and laid out the uniform, and it turned out to be the same as Bryan was wearing.
It looked like a couple-vs-couple to me now. I heaved a sigh. Bryan outdid it this time, but I was thankful I wasn’t out of place.
Suddenly, I heard someone come into the dressing room, and the door was shut. I looked around and covered my almost bare self immediately, but then someone snatched me from behind, and I was pinned against the cold surface of the lockers.
“Shh.” Gabriel’s face appeared in front of me, making me gasp.
The gapless distance between us caught me off-guard, and I felt suddenly intense. “Gabriel?”
“You need to see me tonight.”
“Why? I told you I can’t.”
“I’m going to introduce you to someone.”
I gulped hard, and my heart was beating so fast again. “Who?”
“Just come, and I’ll tell you?”
“What? Your new girlfriend? No thanks.” I looked away from his gaze, but he made me face him again with his fingers on my chin.
He frowned. “You’re my girlfriend, Audrey. Don’t twist your mind out of anything else.”
“But I thought everything about us was done? You were avoiding me… not even talking to me—”
“Audrey, you’re the one who asked me for it,” he pressed. “You wanted space. I’m just giving you what you want. But allow me some of your time tonight, and I will let you go back to whatever you’re doing right now.”
“Who’s she?” I asked. My mouth just slipped. I regretted it right away.
“As I said, I will tell you later, okay? She knows about you.” He tucked some hair strands beneath my ears. “See you at the game later. Don’t worry. I’ll go easy on you.” He kissed my forehead.
I smirked. “Getting cocky already?”
He stared at me for a moment as if he was going to say something else, but he left.