Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 75242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
I grab her suitcase. “Actually, I do. And I’m glad you took care of him, though in the future, you won’t have to. As long as you’re with me, I’ll take care of any assholes who dare to come near you.”
She gives me a sarcastic smile. “How noble.”
“Yup. I’m your knight in shining armor.” I glance at the exit. “So shall we go to your carriage, milady?”
~
“This isn’t the office,” Violet complains after we get out of the car in front of a restaurant.
“No,” I tell her. “This is one of the best restaurants in Chicago.”
“And we’re here because?”
“We’re having our first meeting over lunch, which also doubles as your welcome party.”
She pauses. “But I thought I wasn’t starting until tomorrow.”
I hear the worry in her voice so I turn to her with a grin.
“Don’t worry. It will just be a short meeting.”
She touches her hair and the front of her dress. “But I… I’m not dressed for… work. I haven’t changed yet. I…”
So Violet can get flustered, too, can she? It’s a refreshing change, but I decide not to torture her any longer.
“I’m just kidding. We’re just here to eat.”
She pouts and glares at me.
I shrug. “I thought you might want to have something to eat now that you’re on the ground. I know you were in first class but I, for one, can’t eat any airplane food. Did you?”
“I ate a little,” she answers, her voice back to being cold.
“Then you must be hungry. I know I am.”
I walk up the steps to the restaurant and the maître d’ opens the door.
“Welcome, Mr. Hawthorne. I have your table ready.”
I acknowledge him with a smile before following him.
“Wait,” Violet says. “I’m not hungry. I’ll just wait in the car.”
“Nonsense. You’re staying here with me. You don’t have to eat much. Just have something. Anything. Everything on the menu here is delicious.”
“But—”
“It’s just lunch, Violet,” I cut her off as I face her. “And the company’s paying.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.”
“No. You’re worried I might try to seduce you, especially since there don’t seem to be any other customers around. I can explain. This restaurant usually doesn’t open until five, but for us, they’ve made an exception. It’s not the first time. Also, I can assure you that I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Violet doesn’t look convinced, so I put my hands up.
“I promise I won’t flirt. Like I said, it’s just lunch. And no, it’s not a date. Just two people eating good food.”
She sighs but doesn’t raise any more concerns.
“Good.”
I walk to the table. She follows silently. We place our orders—mushrooms, lamb and a glass of wine for me, salad and a cup of coffee for her. As we wait for them to arrive, Violet takes out her phone and focuses her attention on it in a clear effort to avoid talking to me or even looking at me.
I don’t know why she hates me so much. It’s like she took one look at me and slammed the door in my face. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.
Well, that woman with the black curls did slam the door in my face, too. And with her, I never got another chance—but with Violet, I’ll have plenty. Now that we’re going to be in the same country, in the same building, on the same floor, she won’t be able to run away or hide from me. I just have to keep knocking on her door.
“Do you miss Switzerland already?” I ask her as I pick up my glass of wine.
“A little,” Violet answers without looking up from her phone.
“What do you think you’ll miss the most about it?”
“The fact that people there mind their own business.”
In other words, she wants me to shut up. But I’m not going to. I don’t get what I want, she doesn’t get what she wants.
“Have you lived there all your life? Are your parents Swiss?”
She narrows her eyes at me.
“What?” I ask her.
“My God, you really don’t have a clue, do you?”
I’m still confused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
For a moment, Violet falls silent. Then, to my surprise, she bursts out laughing.
I’m glad I finally heard her laugh. I want to laugh with her. But something tells me the joke’s on me.
“I’m sorry, but what’s funny, exactly?”
“You,” she answers after she calms down and takes a sip of her coffee. “But not in a good way.”
I shake my head. “I still don’t get it.”
She grins. “Nothing new.”
What does that mean? Does it mean we’ve met before? When? Where?
“I don’t understand,” I tell her.
“And you never will,” she replies.
Just then, the waiter arrives with my mushrooms and her salad. Violet places her napkin on her lap and picks up her fork. I’m still at a loss.
“I thought we were here to eat,” Violet says before stuffing some greens inside her mouth. “Mm. You’re right. The food here is good.”