of two.
“Thanks. We want them close in age.”
“Do you want a boy this time?”
“Actually, no.” He said it like the revelation surprised even himself. “Now that I have Suzie I want another little girl. She’s just so cute…and looks just like Francesca.”
I smiled. “Suzie does look just like Francesca.”
“I wanted to name her Francesca so we could call her Little Frankie but she didn’t go for it.”
“Suzie Taylor is pretty good.”
“Everything goes great with my last name.” He gave an arrogant smile.
I eyed the window and waited for her to arrive. A moment later her figure came into the window. She carried her big purse so she could fit her iPad and paperwork inside.
She walked inside and scanned the tables to search for Hawke. When she found him she immediately walked over. It took a moment for her to recognize me, and when she did she stopped in her tracks.
I did my best to look surprised.
She gripped her purse then stared at Hawke with accusation.
“Sorry, do you two know each other?” Hawke asked, eyeing us back and forth.
I kept up my confusion, trying to make it seem as sincere as possible. “Uh…we’ve worked together before.”
Rose took a moment to recover from the shock. I was obviously the last person she expected to see that afternoon.
Hawke eyed her, keeping up with the charade. “Would you like to sit down so we can get to work?”
She eyed the chair before she slowly sat down, her defenses high.
“Kyle is my legal expert on the matter. He’s going to be my legal representation for the company.” Hawke casually lied out of his ass, doing a remarkable job. “In my line of work you can never be too careful.”
“Business isn’t good?” She pulled everything out of her bag and didn’t make eye contact with either of us.
I knew the question was meant for me. “He gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
“I see…” She pulled out all of her supplies then got ready to take notes. “So, let’s talk about your plans.”
Hawke’s phone rang right on cue. “Hey, Muffin. I’m at a meeting right now.” He listened to Francesca talk over the phone. “Baby, are you alright? Yeah, I’ll be there in a second. Love you.” He hung up and rose to his feet. “I’m so sorry, Rose. My wife is at the hospital with our newborn daughter. I have to go.”
“Oh…” Rose stiffened in her seat. “Is your daughter okay?”
“I’m not sure,” he said. “Something about an infection. But Kyle can take over.”
“We can just reschedule,” Rose argued. “You have enough on your plate—”
“It’s really okay.” He patted her shoulder and walked out. “Kyle has my full confidence.”
When he was gone she turned back to me, the surprise still heavy in her eyes.
I stared back at her, longing to see her like I never had before. Her auburn brown hair looked softer than usual, and her green eyes were brighter than a lit firework. Those lips were full—ready to be kissed.
God, I missed her.
All the anger burning inside my body disappeared in that moment. Love conquered fury, and I was left with nothing but desperation. Despite my feelings I had to keep it cool. Right now, I was supposed to be astonished she was there.
She gripped her pencil so tightly it might break in half.
I had to remain indifferent, not to mention the relationship at all if I were going to succeed. “Well, shall we begin?”
She clearly wasn’t expecting me to say that. “What?”
“With the design? Hawke and I have discussed it extensively and I know exactly what he wants.”
She spun the pencil between her fingers, what she usually did when she was thinking. “Did you arrange this?”
“Arrange what, exactly?”
“This.” She pointed between us.
I tried to sound as sarcastic as possible. “Yes…I convinced a random guy to pay you to design a building he doesn’t even want.”
That wiped the suspicion off her face. “Why are you working for him?”
“He
“Thanks. We want them close in age.”
“Do you want a boy this time?”
“Actually, no.” He said it like the revelation surprised even himself. “Now that I have Suzie I want another little girl. She’s just so cute…and looks just like Francesca.”
I smiled. “Suzie does look just like Francesca.”
“I wanted to name her Francesca so we could call her Little Frankie but she didn’t go for it.”
“Suzie Taylor is pretty good.”
“Everything goes great with my last name.” He gave an arrogant smile.
I eyed the window and waited for her to arrive. A moment later her figure came into the window. She carried her big purse so she could fit her iPad and paperwork inside.
She walked inside and scanned the tables to search for Hawke. When she found him she immediately walked over. It took a moment for her to recognize me, and when she did she stopped in her tracks.
I did my best to look surprised.
She gripped her purse then stared at Hawke with accusation.
“Sorry, do you two know each other?” Hawke asked, eyeing us back and forth.
I kept up my confusion, trying to make it seem as sincere as possible. “Uh…we’ve worked together before.”
Rose took a moment to recover from the shock. I was obviously the last person she expected to see that afternoon.
Hawke eyed her, keeping up with the charade. “Would you like to sit down so we can get to work?”
She eyed the chair before she slowly sat down, her defenses high.
“Kyle is my legal expert on the matter. He’s going to be my legal representation for the company.” Hawke casually lied out of his ass, doing a remarkable job. “In my line of work you can never be too careful.”
“Business isn’t good?” She pulled everything out of her bag and didn’t make eye contact with either of us.
I knew the question was meant for me. “He gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
“I see…” She pulled out all of her supplies then got ready to take notes. “So, let’s talk about your plans.”
Hawke’s phone rang right on cue. “Hey, Muffin. I’m at a meeting right now.” He listened to Francesca talk over the phone. “Baby, are you alright? Yeah, I’ll be there in a second. Love you.” He hung up and rose to his feet. “I’m so sorry, Rose. My wife is at the hospital with our newborn daughter. I have to go.”
“Oh…” Rose stiffened in her seat. “Is your daughter okay?”
“I’m not sure,” he said. “Something about an infection. But Kyle can take over.”
“We can just reschedule,” Rose argued. “You have enough on your plate—”
“It’s really okay.” He patted her shoulder and walked out. “Kyle has my full confidence.”
When he was gone she turned back to me, the surprise still heavy in her eyes.
I stared back at her, longing to see her like I never had before. Her auburn brown hair looked softer than usual, and her green eyes were brighter than a lit firework. Those lips were full—ready to be kissed.
God, I missed her.
All the anger burning inside my body disappeared in that moment. Love conquered fury, and I was left with nothing but desperation. Despite my feelings I had to keep it cool. Right now, I was supposed to be astonished she was there.
She gripped her pencil so tightly it might break in half.
I had to remain indifferent, not to mention the relationship at all if I were going to succeed. “Well, shall we begin?”
She clearly wasn’t expecting me to say that. “What?”
“With the design? Hawke and I have discussed it extensively and I know exactly what he wants.”
She spun the pencil between her fingers, what she usually did when she was thinking. “Did you arrange this?”
“Arrange what, exactly?”
“This.” She pointed between us.
I tried to sound as sarcastic as possible. “Yes…I convinced a random guy to pay you to design a building he doesn’t even want.”
That wiped the suspicion off her face. “Why are you working for him?”
“He
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