That this is the end, and I’m going to go forward with this ridiculous proposal with a dutiful smile on my face.
I bite back a satisfied grin. He’s in for a huge surprise.
CHAPTER TWOAsher
My future wife steps into the room looking like she wants to set the whole building ablaze.
I can’t say that I blame her. I watch as she pointedly leaves two seats between her and her father and rigidly angles her body away from him when they sit down. There’s no doubt in my mind that she’s just received exactly the same news I have.
You’re going to marry the Davies girl. Get us into the aviation industry. Do something right for once.
I wonder if her father was as blunt as mine. If he gave her any room to argue back, or if he simply uttered his command and expected her to agree.
I shoot her what I hope is a sympathetic smile from across the table. I’m not used to having anyone to commiserate with when it comes to my father’s schemes and, as ridiculous as this one is, I’m glad I’m not alone.
She doesn’t return the smile. She doesn’t even look at me. Her jaw is set, her chin lifted, and there’s a steely determination flashing in her eyes. Imani Davies looks like she’s preparing to go to war.
My father clears his throat suddenly and my attention snaps right back to him. Everyone’s does.
‘It’s so good to see you again, Malcolm,’ my father says with a wide grin. I think he’s trying to seem friendly and approachable but, just like always, it feels off. Forced. ‘And you, Ms Imani. I’ve heard so much about you.’
Imani offers my father a stiff… Well, I wouldn’t call it a smile. More like a grimace. Her jaw is still tightly clenched as she bares her teeth at the two of us. ‘I’m sure you have.’
My father blinks at the obvious hostility radiating off her.
Malcolm shifts beside her. ‘Yes, it’s a pleasure, Georgios.’ He inclines his head in my direction. ‘Asher.’
‘It’s a—’ I start.
‘Shall we get down to business?’ My father cuts my greeting off without so much as a cursory glance in my direction. ‘I’ve got a call in twenty with our publicist and I’d really like to go to her with some good news.’
If Malcolm is thrown off by my father’s abruptness, he doesn’t let it show. His face is a mask of neutrality as he leans back into his seat and steeples his fingers together. ‘Then let’s begin.’
‘Yes,’ Imani says icily, speaking up before my father can launch into whatever spiel he has planned. ‘Let’s begin. I’m sure you’ve noticed the tension in the room?’
I blink. The tension in the room is palpable, yes, but I’d assumed it was between Imani and her father. But she’s currently staring daggers at me, like I’m her worst enemy and just being in the same room with me is enough to tip her over the edge.
I shift uncomfortably in my seat and quickly flit through my memories, trying to remember if I’ve ever had an interaction with Imani Davies to warrant this kind of ire. I know we studied at university at the same time, but we weren’t even remotely close. Not for lack of trying on my behalf. The Vouvalis’ have had money all our lives, but it’s only in the last decade or so that we’ve been propelled into the upper echelon of society, and I was still definitely on the outer rim back at university. Still am, if I’m being honest.
It’s been nearly a decade since I last thought of her, but suddenly a vague memory of Imani grinning at me over the rim of a wine glass slams into the forefront of my mind. It was during our first year at university and, up until that moment, I’d never interacted with her. I don’t remember what brought me to that party that night – I have to assume Teddy had dragged me out with him, because I’d never been much for the social scene even back then – but I went. And she was there. Our first interaction of the night was entirely uneventful. She wordlessly passed me a bottle of wine not long after I arrived, probably not even registering who she was passing it to. But I can fully recollect our second interaction.
The party was winding down and there were just ahandful of us left. I was wondering if Teddy – who had disappeared into some dark corner with the host – would even notice if I left without him. Almost certainly not. Just as I’d made the decision to leave, a burst of laughter cut across the room. The kind of beautiful sound that makes you turn your head without thinking. Imani was perched on the kitchen island, surrounded by a small handful of friends, swinging her legs and idly twirling the stem of an empty wine glass. She reflexively glanced up as I slipped past her and I was treated to a soft smile.
‘Heading out?’ she asked and I had to fight the urge to point at my chest to check she was actually talking to me.
I cleared my throat. ‘Yeah. Got an early start tomorrow.’
She nodded once, then reached for a bottle of water poking out of an already open twenty-four-pack beside her. ‘Since our gracious host is currently AWOL…’
I felt my cheeks heat on Teddy’s behalf.
‘… I guess this is up to me. Here. Take this. You’ll feel less awful tomorrow.’
Our fingers brushed as I reach for the bottle. It was only the briefest of touches, but it was enough to send a strange flutter shooting through my stomach.
‘Thanks,’ I murmured.
‘Night. Get home safely,’ she said with a small smile. It was absolutely the kind of smile a person might give to a stranger in the street, but somehow it felt like it was just for me. She turned back to her friends immediately and the moment – if you can even call it that – was over as quickly as it had begun.
