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“You got drunk?” I find myself repeating after him, not following. His eyes narrow at me, and I wonder if he thinks I am making fun of him.
“Well, I wasn’t ready to admit I still had feelings for you. That was the only way I could cope.”
I don’t know why I am admitting this, but when my lips part, I don’t want him to feel silly on his own.
“I kept a scrapbook.”
“A what?” He blinks. I shrug, an embarrassed movement.
“A scrapbook. You know all those things you talked about. About becoming your own man, not just being part of your family legacy. So, I followed you in the finance section of the news and I kept clippings of when you started up your own business and the scrapbook kept growing bigger and bigger as you came into your own.”
I can’t define the look on his face.
“You kept all of that?” His voice is soft, sounding almost humbled. I fidget in my seat.
“Yeah. I mean, I hated you, of course. But every time you achieved a milestone, I wanted to preserve that moment. I was proud of you. Low-key proud, because I definitely hated you as well.” The tender look in his eyes makes my heart beat just a little faster. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Philip twines his fingers with mine on top of the table.
“Because every minute with you makes it harder for me to even think of letting go of you. I don’t deserve you. But I don’t care. I still want you all for myself.”
My cheeks flame red but before I can say anything, the server shows up with our food.
I have no idea what it is, but it smells delicious, and my stomach rumbles at the sight of it. I see the way Philip is hiding his amusement, but I ignore him.
The creamy garlic sauce covers a medium rare steak that melts in my mouth, making me shudder.
“Fergus has an amazing chef.”
Philip grins.
“It’s not the chef. Fergus makes this himself. The man put himself through a number of culinary schools. Every dish in his restaurants is an original or his own twist on something.”
In awe of Fergus, I decide to sit him down some day and poke his brain.
But now, I am in the company of a man I hold extremely strong and complicated feelings for, and I am enjoying a delicious meal. I decide to enjoy the moment.
Good moments don’t always last, however.
I am reaching for my glass of water when I hear the maître d’ welcome someone.
“Mr. Mason. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”
My hand jolts on hearing a familiar voice respond. Philip’s eyes narrow when he sees my shocked face.
“Charlotte?”
“Charlotte?”
I hear the disdain in the voice of the one man I could have happily gone my entire life without seeing again.
I look up to see Erik standing there, in one of those pompous suits he was so fond of wearing, staring at me. Madison also stands there, her brown hair styled to perfection, her eyes full of a hatred I can’t understand.
Philip doesn’t let me respond; instead he gives Erik a cool look.
“Do you have some business with my wife, Mason? You’re disturbing our meal.”
Erik’s face flushes and I see the ugliness in him that I always closed my eyes to.
