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I glance around at the chaos surrounding me—contractors, broken pipes, the never-ending list of problems at this hotel. The last thing I need right now is another Bennett to deal with. Still, I can’t exactly ignore him.
“Meet with me? About what?”
“Preferably in private.”
His words are clipped, professional. But the demand annoys me. “Alright, how about my apartment? Six o’clock?”
“Works for me.” Before I can respond, he hangs up.
I pull the phone away from my ear, staring at it like it just insulted me. Great. No pleasantries, no explanation. Andrew could borrow some charm from his brother. At least Daniel knew how to talk to people, even if he was a spineless coward. Andrew’s all business. Cold, efficient.
I text him my address, without expecting a response back.
I’m surprised when he texts back,Thank you. Not such an asshole after all.
I pocket the phone and turn back to the mess in front of me. My anger, which had been simmering beneath the surface, flares again. Andrew probably wanted to explain his brother’s actions. Maybe even apologize.
What good will that do me?Damn Daniel.This is probably the hundredth time I’ve cursed Daniel since last night.
The coward couldn’t explain why he was bailing on a wedding that was more than just a union. It was the key to saving Riviera. No explanation would be sufficient anyway. How could they tell methere was a good enough excuse to ruin my hopes? To ruin dad’s legacy?
Now I’m left picking up the pieces; being civil enough to talk to his older brother, and processing whether there was any other option, anything at all, that we could do for one last effort to save Riviera.
I spend the rest of the afternoon at the Army Base Riviera and finally leave in time to get home and take a shower before Andrew arrives. As I wash off the grime of the day, I remember Daniel mentioning that his brother had served on a military tour.
Soldiers are sticklers for time, and the last thing I want is for him to show up and catch me fresh out of the shower, wrapped in a towel.
I dress quickly, choosing something simple but presentable—a cream blouse and jeans. As I towel-dry my hair, nervousness takes root in the pit of my stomach.
At exactly six o’clock, the buzzer rings. Of course, Andrew would be punctual. I let him up, thankful I’d had the foresight to warn the doorman I was expecting a guest.
I stand by the door for a moment, taking a breath, trying to push down the tension swirling in me.
A knock on the door pulls me from my thoughts, and I open it to find him standing there, as serious as ever. Andrew steps inside, his eyes sweeping the room in that calculated way of his, like he’s taking in every detail and filing it away.
“Andrew,” I say, trying for casual as I lead him toward the living room. The tension between us is palpable, thickening with every step. “Can I get you something to drink?”
He sits on the couch, looking taller, stronger somehow. For the first time I notice the way his body moves, with a calculated sort of grace. It reminds me of a wild cat on the prowl, ready to pounce at any moment. He is well defined, his shirt barely hiding the expanse of his tones chest, muscled thighs barely poured into his jeans. I purse my lips, realizing what I’m doing and fake a cough to cover up my embarrassment.
“Just water,” he replies curtly.
I’m shaken by my ogling. The thought of pouring ice cold water over my body sounds like a good idea all of a sudden. Taking a deep breath, I carry the two bottles back to the living room.
I hand one to Andrew as I sit down across from him on the couch. He takes the water, his expression unreadable.
There’s a long pause, and I can feel him studying me, those blue eyes too sharp, too focused. Finally, he breaks the silence.
“I want to apologize for what my brother did.”
I exhale sharply, irritated. I was right. He wanted to meet to apologize, something he could have done over the phone. “You don’t need to apologize on Daniel’s behalf. He’s a grown man and can apologize himself.”
Andrew doesn’t flinch. “That’s not why I came.”
“Oh?” I raise an eyebrow, caught off guard.
“I have a feeling that you, unlike Daniel, understand how important that marriage would have been to both our family businesses.”
I stare at him for a moment, processing his words. “Go on.”