Page 88 of Some Kinda Romance

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DASH

Something else had gone wrong. I didn’t know what yet, but I knew she wouldn’t have asked to see me otherwise. Although I was worried about what might’ve happened, I didn’t ask in my message because I was just happy that I was finally going to get to see her.

Whatever problem we had now, I’d solve it—but only once I’d seen her. If I risked asking via text, she might’ve decided not to meet with me after all and I couldn’t have that.

Ever since she’d ended things, I’d only heard from her via text message and it was only ever a brief update about wedding stuff. I hadn’t spoken to her. Hadn’t received any messages to me personally. Hadn’t caught so much as a glimpse of her in person.

After my talk with Richard, I’d tried reaching her a few more times, to no avail. All my efforts had been in vain and while I knew it had to be something big for her to have summoned me like this, I was still okay with it.

I could take anything except never seeing her again.

Immediately after I received her message, I stood up and popped into Lance’s office on my way to the car. “I have to go see Serenity, so you’re going to have to take the Robertson meeting by yourself.”

His nostrils flared and he narrowed his eyes at me as he shook his head. “That doesn’t work, Dash. They’re a big client and I need you here. They requested you here.”

I shrugged at him. “I’ll try to make it back on time, but there’s some issue with my mother’s wedding. Depending on what it is⁠—”

“Never mind,” he grumbled. “Don’t bother. I’ll take care of it. Just save your mom’s wedding so that it can be over. God knows, I don’t think the estate can handle the thing having to be postponed.”

I chuckled. “You’ll be fine and so will the estate. Just apologize to the Robertsons and throw in a freebie for their kid’s wedding. Also, I don’t postpone events. Whatever it is this time, I’ll sort it out but my mother is getting married next weekend.”

Lance nodded. “Let’s hope. Good luck.”

“Thanks.”

I hated leaving him with the Robertsons. They were a big-name family and they had guests flying in from all over the world for their only child’s wedding. We’d be hosting them for a whole weekend and I knew they were expecting me to be present today, which meant Lance was going to have to take the brunt of their irritation over my absence when they arrived to find out I wasn’t here, but I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.

Besides, even William Robertson would understand that I had to take care of my family first. Lance would be great in the meeting and I already knew the family loved him or I wouldn’t have let him take it without me.

Just to be on the safe side, I had my second assistant prepare a list of complimentary items we could offer the Robertsons to make up for it. On the drive over to Serenity’s offices, my heart raced and my palms got sweaty.

I couldn’t remember the last time I had been truly nervous, but I sure was now. Today was my chance to apologize. To look her in the eyes and explain what had happened with that reporter. I didn’t intend on leaving until I’d done it.

As soon as I walked into her office, that clean, aquatic, feminine scent enveloped me and I almost groaned out loud. God, I’ve missed that smell.

Not nearly as much as I’d missed the woman sitting behind the desk, though. My heart lurched when I saw her, my mouth drying up at the sight of her in person after what had felt like years. I swore, she’d gotten even more beautiful in the last couple weeks.

Her hair was loose, a curtain of gold that framed her face before it tumbled to her waist. Those gorgeous eyes seemed bluer than ever, shimmering as she looked back at me. Wearing a navy dress with a white suit jacket, she looked so professional. So put together and sure of herself.

I smiled. “Hi.”

“Have a seat,” she said briskly, checking something on her phone before folding her hands on her desk. “I’m afraid I have some bad news. Our chef broke a few bones in his hand this morning and his sous chef will be taking over for him. We don’t have to make any changes to the menu and nobody has to know. Unless you have any objections, of course.”

“No objections,” I said easily. I didn’t feel the same way I had in the beginning about the way she was running her business. “Thank you for letting me know so quickly. You’re handling this exceptionally well. I’m sure the sous chef will do an amazing job.”

The shocked look on her face told me she hadn’t been expecting that at all. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened as she stared at me. Blinking a few times, she finally pressed her lips back together. “That’s it? No admonishing? No snapping?”

“Nope,” I said, offering her another smile. “I mean it, Serenity. You’ve got this. You’re handling it like a pro and⁠—”

“Okay,” she said suddenly, cutting me off as she waved at her door. “In that case, thank you for coming in and I’ll keep you up to date as the week progresses.”

Obviously, the shock over my reaction hadn’t thawed her to me. I nodded in response to what she’d said, but I didn’t get up to leave. It felt like the script had flipped and she was the standoffish one now, but thankfully, I knew how to deal with standoffish.

“Now that business is out of the way, I’d like to talk to you about that article. The reporter⁠—”

“No.” She lifted her arm, glancing at her watch and shaking her head. “Now that business is out of the way, we don’t have anything left to talk about.”