Bait for a Gentleman novel Chapter 28

Layne lowered his voice. "Mr. Garrison, please be patient. Mr. Hawthorne is currently... occupied with a matter."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. "I saw the livestream. Don't tell me he actually got a taste of the action?"

Layne had absolutely no idea how to respond to that.

Carter continued, "I'll give your boss ten more minutes. If he's not out in ten, I'm assuming he's not showing up tonight, and that bottle of Romanee-Conti is mine."

Layne stammered, "...Mr. Garrison, Mr. Hawthorne is—"

"Don't make excuses. Excuses are just cover-ups. Hanging up."

Layne stared at his black screen, silently slipped the phone back into his pocket, and backed away a few more steps.

The office door finally opened, and the people inside stepped out.

Sebastian looked completely unfazed as he instructed Layne, "Take Ms. Monroe home first."

Layne quickly snapped out of his thoughts, but before he could reply, Audrina interjected.

"No need. Mr. Hawthorne, remember what you said tonight."

...

Carter Garrison had been sitting alone in the private room at Vantachi for exactly fifty-eight minutes.

After downing several glasses of alcohol in frustration and refreshing his phone three times, he checked his watch and let out a curse.

He sat there, exchanging awkward glances with the waiter.

He and Sebastian had been college roommates for four years. After graduation, Carter had become the most insufferable, unemployed trust-fund baby in their social circle.

A cynical playboy through and through, he changed girlfriends faster than he changed shirts.

Last month he had paraded around a minor celebrity; this month he switched to a blonde beauty, only to break up with her the moment he landed.

His excuse? "I can't do long distance."

In the eleven hours it took to fly from France to Kingshire, he managed to experience a lifetime's worth of long-distance relationship angst.

Carter was quickly losing his patience. He pulled out his phone and texted Sebastian:

[Man, are you coming or not?! Give me a straight answer!]

Carter pulled out the keys to his Pagani and tossed them lightly in his palm.

"So they haven't broken up." He slammed the keys onto the table. "I'm going to hold onto this car for you for now. Let me know when you actually win her over, and you can have it back."

Sebastian glanced at the keys, then picked up his glass.

"Suit yourself." He took a sip and set the glass down. "Will be mine sooner or later."

For a second, Carter couldn't tell if he was talking about the car or the woman.

Whatever. It didn't matter.

"By the way, I caught your livestream right as I landed." Carter leaned in, eager for gossip. "So... what stage are you two at?"

Sebastian leaned back against the sofa, taking his time to light a cigarette before exhaling lazily and offering two words: "You guess."

As an experienced veteran of the dating game, Carter instantly saw right through Sebastian's smug expression.

"You're unbelievable... Absolutely shameless! If I want to find a wife in the future, am I going to have to parade her in front of you first for your approval before I can even consider it?"