Page 46

Gabriel
“Ms. Sweet,” I nod, passing by Mackenzie in the conference room as I take a seat at the boardroom table.
“Mr. Bishop,” she murmurs in reply, the words sounding much more seductive when she says them to me than to my father.
I swear there’s a flirtatious look in her eyes, but maybe that’s just me projecting my own wants. After that hot kiss yesterday afternoon at Haven, I haven’t been able to get her out of mind.
Not that she was far from it to begin with.
She’d denied the use of my town car after I’d met back up with her outside Tina’s office, and I’d been half afraid I’d completely blown it making a move like that, despite her apparent enthusiasm during the kiss itself.
But she’d squeezed my arm reassuringly, giving me a small smile before reminding me about the check-in meeting with my father today, her demeanor letting me know she wasn’t mad.
But I’m still not surewhatit is she’s feeling. And it can’t only be me feeling something after that kiss. Not after how close we’ve become.
I watch her out of the corner of my eye, not wanting to give Dad any clue about what’s going on between us. There’s a reason he’s grown so rich. His modus operandi is to find out his opponent’s weakness and ruthlessly capitalize on it.
He shifts in his seat at the head of the table and checks his watch, indicating for Mackenzie to get started. “I’ve got fifteen minutes. Go.”
God, could he be any ruder?
She smiles that smile I’m coming to recognize is purely for show. “Well, we’ve made a lot of progress since the last time we spoke in person. We have a venue for both the ceremony and reception, a date locked in, wedding attire purchased and currently being altered, and caterer, baker, photographer, minister, and live music booked.”
He sniffs, unimpressed with everything she’s accomplished in just a couple weeks. It normally takes people months to do all these things.
“Now that we have a date set in stone,” she continues, “I’ve sent word to the printer for the invitations and already approved a final draft. They’ll go out in the mail tomorrow.”
“And you didn’t think to run it by me?” he asks coldly. What’s he got a stick up his ass about today?
I may be used to his coldness, but Mackenzie’s not, her eyes flashing panic for a second before she remembers herself. “You gave me autonomy,” she replies coolly, holding her ground against him.
And my respect for her just shot up twofold.
“I have a proof here I printed out if you’d like to look at it. The final invitation will be on heavyweight cardstock with more vibrant colors, though. And I made sure it was a date you had preapproved as being free on your calendar.” She pulls it out of the folder in front of her, sliding it over to him. “Gabriel helped pick out the design.”
He makes a noise of derision. “Oh, he helped?”
I stay silent, knowing nothing I say will change his mind, but apparently, Mackenzie hasn’t gotten the memo.
“He’s been instrumental in the planning of this wedding,” she says, more fierceness in her voice than I’d expect. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without him.”
Dad glances up at her in surprise, but I barely attend to him as my eyes lock with hers.
No one has defended me to Dad since… Mom died. Connor tried but was quickly shot down, and if Archer ever has, I’m certainly not aware of it.
“So you took my warning seriously?” he asks, turning to me. “Or did you pay her to say that?”
Before I can open my mouth to respond, Mackenzie beats me to the punch. “Gabriel is an honorable, dependable man. He would never try to bribe me.”
He purses his lips, visibly annoyed. “Then remember who’s cutting your check,” he grits out icily.
She swallows, but doesn’t kowtow to him. “I’m aware, sir.”
My eyes dart between the two of them, not liking the direction this meeting is going. As much as I appreciate her defense of me, I don’t need him chewing her out, or worse, firing her. “I did what you asked me to, Dad. I’m following all your stipulations.”
“You’ve only taken one photo with Serena,” he says peevishly, thankfully turning his attention from Mackenzie. “I wanted photos all over town with the two of you.”
“Serena’s been… busy lately,” she chimes in. “But I can take one of them during their dancing lesson after this.”