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No. That wouldn’t be quite true. If I’m honest with myself, I’d have to admit that I’ve always sort of liked him. Thought he was handsome. Didn’t mind running into him around the office.

Then, when he offered this situation, and I went to stay with him, it was like holding a spark to the tinder that was already there. I wanted to kiss him that day in his living room.

I want him to want me back. And the sad part is, I even think he just might.

But I don’t think he wants me more than he wants the job. More than he wants Dunne Tech, or Moreno Toys. To him, building a business legacy is far more important than building a family.

Which is fine. I just need to get that fact through to the part of me that wants to roll around in the snow with him.

“Dunne Tech will suffer from your loss,” Patrick finally says, pulling his wrist out from my grasp. His voice is cold, professional. Nothing like the Patrick that was out in the snow with me today.

With that, he turns and walks into the bathroom, closing the door behind him and shutting me firmly out.

CHAPTER 21

PATRICK

Tonight, dinner is a traditional Finnish meal, starting with rye bread with soft butter. Baskets of it appear among the wine glasses and pints of beer, and little hands reach for slices immediately. Apparently, rye bread is very popular here, which makes sense; we’ve had it at nearly every meal.

Cami sits across from me in a deep green velvet dress, looking radiant. Her hair is half up, the bottom part falling around her shoulders in soft curls. She hardly looks at me, instead making conversation with the women around her. Asking Bailey about her pregnancy and if she’s found it hard to eat here in Finland.

“So, how did you and David find the pub earlier?” Chris asks, distracting me from staring at the woman seated across from me.

Behind him, a massive fireplace crackles merrily. This restaurant, like every other place in Helsinki, is decorated to the nines with holiday paraphernalia. Even the servers are dressed in green and red, their aprons sparkling. I can see why the Morenos chose this as their destination.

And I can imagine it makes Cami pretty homesick.

“It was good. David is a great guy. It’s been a pleasure to get to know him and the rest of your family.” I take a sip of my drink now, because I don’t know how much of our conversation is something David wants shared with his father. Certainly not the part about him not wanting to carry on the family’s company legacy. Though, I’m sure if David just talked to Chris about it, the older man would understand. He’s all about family.

Which is something he proves by tipping his head in Cami’s direction. “It’s been a pleasure getting to meet her, Patrick. To see the two of you together. And you know how important it is to me that the company goes to someone who understands the importance of family. You strike me as the kind of man who’s never put success ahead of the people you care about.”

With my cup to my lips, I glance at Cami again. The lights from the chandelier glint off the golden barrettes in her hair as she laughs with some of the children, teasing like she’s going to steal food from their plate.

I can’t believe she’s quitting. Resigning. Leaving the office. Which means, after this whole thing is over, I probably won’t see her again. She’ll be off finding the perfect man to start her family, and I’ll be back in the office. Like always.

And without her, the place won’t be as bright. Literally—I don’t know anyone else willing to put in the same level of effort when it comes to decorations.

At the start of the month, that would have been the only positive to her leaving. Now, it makes my stomach feel like a pit.

“Patrick? Beer getting to you?” Chris asks, letting out a booming laugh and waving a hand in front of my face. I tear my gaze away from Cami before she can notice me staring at her and return my attention to the man next to me.

My focus should be on him, anyway. That’s why I’m here. I just need to get my brain back on track. I’m here to get Moreno Toys, not wonder what Cami is thinking. Not watch her, thinking about how radiant she looks tonight. How the cold makes her flush like that, rosy cheeks and bright hazel eyes.

“Right. I’m glad you feel that way, man.” I tap my drink against Chris’s. “It means a lot to me. To us.”

Even as I say it, guilt sweeps up inside me. It’s a lie; when have I ever put anything above my business? Everyone else I know in the industry would call that dedication.

Cami and Chris call it a mistake.

And maybe they’re right. The way it feels, sitting at this table and carrying the weight of this lie—it makes me think they might be onto something.

It makes me feel like I might have been a bit of a jerk to her earlier, reacting to her letter like that. I just wish she had told me in all this time that we’ve been together. The date on the letter was from the day I asked her to go along with this lie. She’s had nearly two weeks of watching movies together, shopping, and spending time together to come clean to me about her plans.

But I also understand why she didn’t want to tell me.

“Lohikeitto,” a server says, before bowls of a fishy-smelling soup are delivered to us. To my surprise, the kids around the table don’t refuse to try it; they gamely dig in. Maybe that’s what it looks like to have a well-traveled family. They’re willing to take at least one bite of anything. “It’s a traditional Finnish soup. Made with salmon, potatoes, carrots, leeks, and a touch of cream. We hope it keeps you warm on this cold night.”

Everyone digs in, spoons clinking against bowls. Beside me, Chris goes on about his family, occasionally breaking away from our conversation to join others. My mind is racing too much to really keep track of anything that’s happening.