Dante and I didn’t speak of our garden date again, but it hovered in the back of my mind for days after.
Not because of the sex, but because of the vulnerability. The patience. The glimpse at how our relationship would be different this time around.
For the first time, I truly believed reconciliation was possible.
Maybe not now, but one day. Like Dante said, we’d get there.
We were walking off dinner at the top of the Empire State Building on our third date when my phone buzzed.
I paused in the middle of telling him about Buffy Darlington’s offer to plan her sixty-fifth birthday. She was becoming a loyal client, which was both a blessing and a curse. Her expectations were higher than the building we were currently standing on.
I checked my phone, and my pulse jumped when I saw the caller’s name. “I’m sorry, I have to take this. It’s my sister.”
It was the middle of the night in Eldorra, and I hadn’t talked to Agnes since I told her about my showdown with our father. Did something happen to her or Gunnar?
“Of course.” Dante tucked his hands into his pockets and nodded at the other end of the observation deck. “Take your time. I’ll be there.”
It was hard to reconcile this Dante with the rude, arrogant CEO I’d met last summer, but we weren’t the same people we were nine months ago.
Old him wouldn’t have been this patient or understanding. Old me wouldn’t have held out this long against his charm offensive. And old us wouldn’t be here, trying to rebuild from the rubble of our relationship when it would be so much easier to abandon the project and move on.
“Thank you,” I said, my heart strangely warm.
I waited until he was out of earshot before I picked up.
“You have to save me,” Agnes said without preamble. “Mother is driving me up the wall. ”
Relief loosened the knot of anxiety in my chest. “It’s four a.m. your time. Did you really call to complain about Mother?”
“I couldn’t sleep, and yes, I did. She tried to redecorate our house, Vivi.
Twice. And she’s been here for less than a week.”
According to Agnes, my mother had gotten into a massive fight with my father when she found out he disowned me. She was currently staying at my sister’s place in Eldorra, which was how I knew things were bad. She hated Agnes’s animal menagerie because they shed so much.
“What do you want me to do? I’m in New York.” I glanced at Dante, his tall frame cutting a striking figure against the city lights. “You shouldn’t be talking to me anyway. Father will be upset.”
“Please. I’m upset with him, and this fight is between you two, not us.”
She hesitated, then added, “That’s another reason I called. He’s here. In Eldorra.”
My stomach plummeted.
“He’s trying to make amends with Mother and says he needs some time away from the office while the board ‘discusses how to move forward.’”
Translation: they were thinking of firing him.
Lau Jewels’s stock value had stabilized since Sunday, but it was lower than it should’ve been. The negative press coverage had done a number on the company.
“You should visit,” Agnes said.
I couldn’t contain a scoff. “Come on, Aggie.”
“I’m serious. We need to stand together as a family now more than ever.
Not fight. What he did was awful, but he’s still our father, Vivi.”
“At what point is that not enough?”
If I was confused about my feelings toward Dante, I was twice as confused about my feelings toward my father. Did I want to reconcile with him, or was our relationship irreparable?
Agnes fell silent. “Just give it a chance,” she finally said. “Please. For me, Mother, and you. Talk it out now that everyone’s had a chance to calm down. Even if you don’t make up, you’ll get closure. Plus, I miss you. I haven’t seen you since last fall.”
“This is emotional manipulation.”
“I learned from the best.”
“Mother,” we said in unison. When it came to guilt trips, Cecelia Lau was a diamond status frequent flyer.
“When’s he leaving?” I stared at the city below. If only I could stay here forever, removed from the worries and uncertainties plaguing life on the ground.
“Monday. I know it’s short notice, but if you can make it, I’d love to see you.” Agnes’s voice softened. “I really do miss you.”
My teeth scraped my bottom lip. I could breathe now that the Legacy Ball was over, and I hadn’t visited Eldorra in over a year. But was I ready to see my father again so soon?
Indecision twisted my insides.
“I miss you too,” I finally said. “I’ll see what I can do. Say hi to Mother for me, and get some sleep. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
I hung up and rejoined Dante by the edge of the deck. “Sorry. Family stuff.” I sighed and pulled my jacket tighter around me. The wind had died down, but a chill remained. “My parents are in Eldorra, and Agnes wants me to visit. Talk things out with them.”
Dante was an odd person for me to discuss this with, considering his history with my father, but I didn’t know who else to talk to. He was the only one besides my father and me who had a full understanding of the situation. Even Agnes and my mother didn’t know the role he’d played in Lau Jewels’ troubles, though they were aware of everything else.
His expression was one of studied neutrality. “Do you want to go?”
“Maybe.” Another sigh. “I do want to see my sister, and I need to talk to my mother in person. But I don’t know if I’m ready to face my father alone again. He’s leaving Monday, though, so I have to make a decision. Fast.”
“You should go.”
My head jerked up in surprise.
“If you don’t, you’ll always wonder what if. ” The moon cast Dante’s face in light and shadow—sharp lines and bold features, but with a softness in his eyes that slayed me. “Do I want you to be near your father? No. I don’t think he deserves to have anything to do with you. But I have a feeling you need more closure than what you got in Boston. So, for that reason, you should go. See your sister. Find some clarity.”
“Right.” I released a long, controlled breath. “I guess I should look up flights soon.” It was Thursday night. Realistically, I wouldn’t fly out until Saturday, which left me with a day and change in Eldorra.
“You could.” Dante paused. “Or you could take my jet.”
My eyes widened.
“You said you might not be ready to face your father alone again. If you want, I can go with you.” His voice grew soft. “Given my…complications with your family, I understand if you don’t, but the offer’s on the table. You can take my jet either way. It’s easier than finding a flight at this late notice.”
My heart fluttered without my permission. “If you go, it means you’ll have to stay in the same house as my father.” There were no hotels or inns near my sister’s estate. It was too remote.
A shadow crossed Dante’s face. “I know.”
“You’d be okay with that?”
“I’ll survive. It’s not about me, mia cara.”
Warmth curled low in my stomach. “And work?”
He gave me a crooked smile. “I think I can convince the boss to give me a day off.”
The warmth spread into my veins.
Going on a long-distance trip with Dante was a bad idea…but going to see my father without backup was worse.
“Can we leave tomorrow?”
