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“I’ve never seen you happier,” Ty says. “And don’t let me hear any more of that shit about supermodels. This guy came chasing after you hard because you’re a beautiful, smart, generous woman. He sees through the stubbornness and the self-doubt. My advice is to grab on to him with both hands, hold on and enjoy the ride. Aliyah’s way more than I deserve, but I spend every day making sure I treat her so great she never figures that out.”
Ty takes another doughnut from the box, picks up his coffee and heads for the open door to the breakroom. He turns around in the doorway and says, “We good?”
I nod, a smile slowly spreading across my face. “Yeah. And thanks. You’re right.”
“Tell Frenchie I like boats. The bigger, the better.”
I laugh. “Now you want us to vacation together? Leave poor Nina here all alone?”
“It could be just me and Frenchie. A trip just for the guys. Just saying.”
“Uh huh.”
He grins. “Take off early today if you want.”
“I think I will. I guess I need to tell Olivier that my boss helped me figure out how wrong I was.”
Before I even finish talking, I’m digging through my bag for my phone. I send Olivier a text.
Me: Good morning. Do you have time to get together today? Afternoon or evening?
Olivier: Good morning, beautiful. Of course I have time. I’ve got meetings until 3:30. I could come by your office after that?
Me: That would be great. I’ll see you then.
Olivier: Looking forward to it. Have a good day at work.
Me: You too.
An excited swirling sensation fills my chest. I’m going to tell Olivier I want to be with him. No more questions and doubts. It’s not about how much money he does or doesn’t have. It’s about the man he is. And I’ve seen enough of that man to know we should see where things take us.
If I continue to feel this way with him, I can’t imagine wanting any man but Olivier ever again.
Chapter Nineteen
Olivier
I glance at my watch and wave Ben off as he holds the car door open for me outside the downtown bank I just exited.
“I’ve only got five minutes until my next meeting and it’s only a block away,” I tell him. “I’m going to walk.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be waiting outside the building when you finish.”
My phone rings as I say, “Thanks, Ben. It won’t be more than forty-five minutes.”
The meeting is about a real estate company I’m trying to buy, and if we can’t wrap things up by three this afternoon, I’m leaving so I can get to Daphne’s office on time.
She’s always on my mind. I always want more time with her and the more time we spend together, the more I can prove I’m a man of my word. Her defenses have started to lower and it’s like watching the sun peek out behind some clouds, everything getting brighter bit by bit.
I’m hoping she wants to discuss sneaking in a couple hours at her place soon. Like this evening. Giselle has band practice after school, and I’d like nothing more than to spend as much time as I can with Daphne before I need to get home for dinner.
“Hello?” I say, answering my phone as I make my way down the block.
“Dad!”
“Giselle, hi. Aren’t you supposed to be in class right now.”
“Yeah, I’m in the bathroom and I only have like a minute before my next class, but guess what?”
“I have no idea. Tell me.”
“Someone asked me to the spring dance!”
Her voice is filled with excitement, and emotion wells in my throat. I haven’t heard my daughter sound this happy in a long time.
“I’m not surprised at all; that sounds like a boy who knows a great girl when he sees one.”
“His name is Eric and he’s a drummer. I have to get a dress. Will you be able to take me shopping?”
“I sure can. Whenever you want to go. I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks, Dad. I have to go.”
“Okay, see you tonight, ma crevette. I love you.”
“Bye, love you.”
I end the call and put my phone back in my pocket, feeling light. Giselle has struggled so hard with depression; it means a lot to hear her excited about something again.
Pedestrian traffic is heavy downtown today. I wait in the back of a crowd gathered at the street corner for the light to change so we can cross over to the next block. As soon as I get to the other side of the road, I take my phone back out to text Hassan and tell him not to add anything else to my schedule today.
Daphne hasn’t explicitly said she’s made up her mind about us, but she doesn’t have to. When we’re together, the connection is undeniable. I can see it in the way she looks at me, feel it in the way she touches me. She has a long list of reasons why it might not work, but that hasn’t stopped her from getting closer to me.
