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I chuckle. “Try it. I promise you’ll like it.”
She tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear before bringing the food to her rosy lips. Her eyes widen at the first taste.
“Okay, that’s really good.”
“Told you. Only the best for you, angel.”
She laughs, a soft, genuine sound that resonates against the clink of the glassware. I sip my wine, letting the taste of dark cherry and oak mingle on my tongue.
“So, what do you want to talk about first?”
There’s a pause, a heartbeat of silence before she says, “Let’s talk about you.”
I frown. “It feels like we’re always talking about me.”
“That’s because your life is so interesting, Ster. Filled with private chefs and vacations and business meetings around the world. I know you took a trip to China earlier this year, how was it?”
I arch an eyebrow. “You’ve been keeping tabs on me?”
“I was just curious,” she says on a shrug. “I guess I just needed to know you were fine.”
I lean backward, growing thoughtful. “After Marissa passed away, I spent the first few months trying to help Sean through his grief to make sure he was okay. And then I spent some time focusing on myself. Eventually, I got better. I started to put my life back together. My family was actually really helpful. Like you saw, Spencer and I are okay now. And my mother—” I hesitate, thinking back to how things were back then.
“She and Marissa were close. It hit her hard as well. And I guess that helped her to connect to me, in a way. It took losing Marissa for her to realize that her sons were important to her. She’s changed a lot. She’s more open and she’s apologized for the way she’s treated us all this time. We’ve still got a long way to go, but we’re getting there.”
“How about your grandfather?” Emilia asks.
“He’s still mostly the same. He gave me my position back. He said all he’s wanted all along was for me to ‘get rid of my inferiority complex and rise to my full potential.’ Grandfather’s always going to be a hard-ass. I respect him for it, though. And I know he cares in his own way.”
“And things are the company are good, too?”
“Yes, Spencer and I have been working together a lot. I don’t know if you’re aware but developments on the land in Edenton had to be stalled after I left. They’re nearly complete now, though. I’ve been overseeing it from New York.”
“Seems like you’ve got everything on track,” Emilia says warmly.
“Except one thing. There’s this woman I really like. She’s stubborn like a mule, makes me work ten times harder than anyone else. She’s strong and so fucking beautiful. I see her everywhere. Her face plagues my every thought. I’ve been thinking about it a lot and I want her by my side. I want everything she has to give. If she’s willing to give it to me.”
Emilia’s blue eyes turn glassy. “That’s so romantic,” she says softly. “Who is this woman? She sounds amazing.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m being serious, Emilia. I want you.”
Her expression sobers. “I want you, too. It’s just… hard.”
“What’s so hard? Just be with me, angel. All you have to do is be with me.”
She doesn’t reply, looking down at her plate. I can tell she’s holding something back. But Emilia’s always done that. It’s hard getting her to open up, but I’ll do whatever it takes to get her to do so.
“Alright, your turn. Tell me how you’ve been the past two years. Where do you work?”
She beams. “I work for an interior design company. I’m a part of a design team there. I also work as a liaison between clients and the team, ensuring all their needs are met and projects run smoothly. It’s pretty small. I never would have thought interior design would be my path, but Carson mentioned one time how I’ve always had a knack for decorating.”
I nod in agreement. “I remember thinking Emilia’s Café had a really nice charm.”
“Exactly,” she says brightly. “I did that. And it was really good. Plus, I’m patient when it comes to handling clients. I help them navigate their wants, guiding them into making the right decisions. It’s pretty fun, to be honest. I never would have expected a career path like this, but my journey has been smooth sailing so far.”
She seems genuinely content and I’m so fucking glad that she’s found this.
“So, what’s the plan? Are you planning on staying with the company?”