Page 83

My phone buzzes on the table.

Nova.

I send it to voicemail. I’ll call her later. Maybe she’s confirming our plans to meet at Bhut Kitchen in two hours. Or maybe she’ll tell me what’s been bothering her since she came back from her ballet event last night. I asked her earlier, but she said it wasn’t anything I should be worried about.

“I disagree with you,” I begin again, “because your approach makes no sense. The guidance—”

My phone buzzes again.

Nova.

My pulse ricochets—the foreboding reminding me ofwhat I felt last week when the winds barreled against the windows at the apartment.

She’s not canceling on our dinner, right?

Hairs stand on the back of my neck as my palms grow sweaty.What the fuck, Ethan. Even if she cancels, you can always reschedule.

But something doesn’t sit right with me.

“Excuse me,” I murmur, holding up my phone, “I need to take this.”

Chuck swivels in his seat, a smarmy grin on his face. He and Martha whisper as I step outside the room and answer the call.

“Lexy, is everything okay?” I pat my suit, feeling the ring box nestled safely in my pocket. But this time, it doesn’t give me the same feeling of security.

Instead, I hold my breath, bracing myself for whatever she’s going to say.

“E-Ethan. I n-need y-you.” Her voice sounds shaky, but it could be static because the reception isn’t good and the roaring winds and rain make it damn impossible to figure out what’s what.

“What? Sorry, I’m in a dead zone. Just stepped out of an important meeting.” Quickly, I make a right and walk to a quiet corner by the windows. “Is this better? Can you hear me?”

“I c-can hear y-you. Something u-urgent came u-up. Will be driving. Can’t find Charles. W-Will come to y-you.”

Urgent? Charles? The unease simmering in my gut before is now a category 5 hurricane. I look out the windows but can barely see anything outside. A thick fog has rolled in, twisting with the rain into something otherworldly and sinister.

“Need me to find you? Pick you up? The roads are bad outside.”

Alexis doesn’t drive a lot, usually opting to walk or take public transportation. She rarely uses her family’s drivers or car services. It’s something I like about her—she has no airs. If you meet her on the street, you won’t know she comesfrom money.

I hear honking in the background and strain to listen to her response. “B-But you’re in an i-important meeting, right?”

“Yeah, but if you need me, I can get out of it.” It’ll disappoint Trey, and Chuck will make sure Dad and Maxwell know about it. I grimace, thinking about excuses I’ll need to make up to get them off my back.

We Andersons don’t shirk from our responsibilities.

A frantic gasp comes across the line. “Ethan…I-I’m so—”

The hairs rise on the back of my neck. “Lexy? What’s going on? I’m worried. You sure you don’t need me to come get you?”

Screw Chuck and my brothers. Alexis needs me. I walk toward the conference room, intending to call the whole meeting off.

“I-I’ll tell you about it w-when I see you. Y-You’re busy. Don’t come. I’ll call you when I g-get there.”

The line cuts off abruptly and my stomach flips as I stare at the screen—a photo of Lexy with her back turned toward me, her vibrant hair draping over her back as she stares out the hummingbird window.

Acid makes its way up my throat and I have the sudden urge to throw up.

She’s fine.It’s probably the poor reception making everything sound odd. Alexis can take care of herself.You don’t need to worry about her.