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“I didn’t suggest that. I agreed to let you return to the hotel. You just have to allow Amano to stay close.”
I nodded.
Dane said, “It’ll be okay, baby. I promise.”
I wasn’t wholly convinced. But I believed in him. So I said, “All right. Whatever you want me to do. Please don’t worry about me.”
“Impossible. I love you, remember?” He mimicked my words.
“Now’s not exactly the time to joke.”
“No joke,” he said in a fierce tone. “I love you, Ari. And no one’s going to hurt you or take you away from me. Ever.”
That riveting sentiment elicited a thrill as much as it alarmed me as to the lengths he’d go to keep me from becoming a victim of the Lux’s troubles. But the former turned out to be a much stronger sensation and I told him, “I trust you. Thank you for telling me everything—and for standing your ground. It scares me, but you’ve worked too hard to let anyone steal your glory. I love 10,000 Lux, too, Dane. I don’t want you to lose it.”
“I won’t.”
His confidence was reassuring. Yet there was one more tidbit that burned in the back of my brain.
Given that Dane was currently being forthcoming with information, I took the opportunity to ask, “What about Mikaela? How does she factor into your life?”
“I’ve known her since we were kids. She was my closest neighbor in Philadelphia. Her father is gone a lot—estranged from the family, actually. He served as a U.S. ambassador in France for some time and now he’s in England. The latter assignment started not too long after 9/11, when there were numerous threats against the embassy in London. The perimeter was barricaded with a security post and armed guards were placed at all four sides. The building was difficult to get into, even if you were an American. There were even concerns about snipers on the rooftops of adjacent buildings, dignitaries and their families being their target. Mikaela wasn’t allowed to visit.”
“I’m sure that was difficult.”
“Yes, it was very hard on her. Maybe that was why we bonded, initially. I didn’t have a father, either.”
I absorbed that a moment, recognizing the significance. Then I asked, “And now?”
“Now when she needs help with something, I’m there for her.”
I had to wonder how often she “needed help.” But then, I couldn’t bristle too much over her presence in Dane’s life. He didn’t seem to think of her as more than a friend. Maybe even a sister. I didn’t doubt for a second that Mikaela’s take on their relationship was more skewed, that their connection was more romantic than sibling-related in her mind. She was a little too touchy-feeling with him, a little too flirtatious. And for that matter …
“Why is she in Scottsdale, rather than Philadelphia?” I asked.
“She came out to look at the Lux when we broke ground and decided Old Town would be a great place for her new shop. She just needs to work through the politics a bit better. Mikaela’s used to getting whatever she wants. The City Council isn’t quite so accommodating.”
And if she got her tenant issues worked out, she’d be around for the long haul. I wondered how much of her we’d be seeing.
Dane didn’t seem to dwell on thoughts of his childhood friend. He kissed my forehead and said, “Let’s go back to bed.”
We snuggled under the covers, me finding my happy place despite it all, now that Dane’s body surrounded me and he held me to him.
chapter 20
On Sunday, we played a round with my dad at his golf club. The disapproval over my and Dane’s obvious relationship radiated off him, but he kept his comments to himself. I think it disturbed him greatly that he couldn’t help but like Dane. They were constantly engaged in conversation, though I noted that my father didn’t miss the way Dane kept one eye on me. I felt their protective presence with every move I made.
After lunch at the nineteenth hole, Dane and I parted ways with my dad and returned to the house so I could continue my research. Kyle sent me an e-mail to say he’d been offered the Marketing Specialist job.
Like just about everyone else, Patricia apparently worked the weekends, too. There was just so much to do. And about five seconds later, she sent me a list of those candidates we’d narrowed down for my department, indicating she’d make offers in the morning. I was about to officially have a full staff. That helped to take some of the pressure off.
I shot a note back to Kyle.
Congrats! I suspected all along you’d slay it!
No need to mention he was a shoo-in because it was what I wanted. I truly had been impressed with his online portfolio and didn’t want him to think I had any sway over his hiring.
The VP of Marketing told me in the interview that my main projects, if they selected me, would be the invitations to the grand opening and all the events leading up to it. Nervous much?
