“What women?” he asks, looking genuinely confused.

“Oh, come on,” I huff. “Like you didn’t notice them staring at you?” I do a perfect imitation of twirling my hair just like the receptionist before batting my eyelashes at him as Brittany had done.

If I thought my words would bother him, he proves me wrong as he begins full-blown laughing. He can barely buckle his own seat belt as he shakes. “You’re jealous,” he wheezes. “Ah, baby, I fucking love that!”

“You’re such an ass,” I snap, ready to hit him over the head with my purse. Could he be any more insensitive to my feelings?

As if suddenly clueing into the fact I wasn’t joking, he sobers immediately. “Lia, honey, you’re really upset, aren’t you? Shit, baby, I’m sorry. I thought I’d made it clear that I don’t notice other women anymore. You’re all I see. You and our baby are my sole focus. I couldn’t care less if another woman looks at me or flirts because I’m not interested. I have everything I want; there is nothing they could offer that would change that.”

Once again, I start crying like the basket of hormones I am. He just holds me until I’ve stopped then cleans me up as best he can. “I love you,” I blubber out, which comes out more as “I wuv you,” but he appears to understand. Before he can start the car, I get up the nerve to ask, “Do you have some time this morning to have breakfast with me before you go to the office?”

I know he has a million things to do, but he answers immediately. “Of course, baby. Where would you like to go?”

I pull my phone from my purse and scroll down my old text messages until I come to the one with a name of a restaurant on it. “Seraphina’s on Main Street. Do you know it?”

He looks curious at my request but shrugs and pulls out into traffic. “I’ve been there before since it’s close to the office.”

As Lucian navigates traffic, I nervously clasp and unclasp my hands. I should tell him that it’s not the desire to eat that has me asking to eat at a restaurant I’ve never been to before. I just know that this is a mistake—but he’s texted me the same thing every day for the last month. Why I decide to give in this morning, I have no idea. My musings abruptly end as we come to a stop in front of a quaint building. There are tables with colorful tablecloths set up on a patio; flowers and green plants provide each table with some privacy. Lucian walks around to open my door. He takes my elbow and helps me to the pavement while I look around. I must admit, I’m surprised. This is hardly the type of place that I’d expect my—

“Lia, Lucian, I’m happy you could make it this morning.” Both Lucian and I whirl around to see Lee Jacks smiling at us. Lucian looks down at me, clearly nonplussed at my father’s appearance. Shit, why hadn’t I told him he would be here?

Being the polished businessman he is though, he recovers quickly, extending a hand to the other man. “Lee…this is a surprise, but obviously only to me. Lia forgot to mention we were meeting someone.”

I shoot him a look of apology as Lee points to one of the tables in the corner of the patio. A nearby server takes our order before leaving us in uncomfortable silence. I am opening my mouth to make some sort of explanation when Lee beats me to it. “I’ve texted Lia a few times letting her know that I’d be here every morning at this time for an hour if she wanted to talk. I’ve gained five pounds from eating these elaborate pastries for the past month.” He grins ruefully.

Lucian relaxes slightly, but I can see he’s still annoyed that I didn’t tell him beforehand. I can’t blame him. I wouldn’t want to be blindsided either. I hadn’t started out planning to come here. I’d scoffed at each text, thinking, Yeah right, that’s not going to happen. I had wondered how he’d gotten my cell phone number but figured it was simple with his connections. After all these weeks had passed, a part of me didn’t believe he’d actually be here today so it had seemed easier not to make a big deal out of it. Still though, there is no excuse for not preparing Lucian. I’ll be groveling for his understanding and forgiveness later. 

Lucian pulls a chair out for me before seating himself. Lee settles into a chair on my other side. As is so often the case when I’m nervous, I begin rambling. “This is a really nice place. Isn’t that your office across the street?” I ask Lee. Before he can answer, I look at Lucian. “And your office is nearby. You two should meet for lunch sometime. You’ve probably got a lot in common, with the whole taking over the world one million at a time thing, right?” Lucian grins while Lee surprises me by laughing. I think I expected him to be subdued and uptight, but so far, he is anything but. He seems happy for the lack of a better word. Maybe he’s a morning person.

“Regretfully, Lucian and I aren’t lunch buddies. If I’m in my office, Liza usually brings in something.”

“That’s your assistant?” I ask, vaguely remembering the attractive woman who helped me at Lee’s office.

“Ah, she’d never agree to be called anything so simple. She runs my office and everyone in it. Including me,” he says fondly. His answer has me wondering if there’s more between them than a simple employer/employee relationship. After my initial wave of anger at his absence from my life, I’d been curious enough to Google him. There are random pictures of him at different functions with women, but much like Lucian before me, the same woman rarely appears more than once. There were no mentions of previous marriages or relationships. He flies below the radar where his romantic encounters are concerned and I have to believe that is strictly by design. He is a very handsome man, who could easily pass for someone in his thirties rather than forties. “Are you out of school today, Lia?” Lee asks, jolting me back to the flow of conversation.