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“Yes, actually! I’d love some. I had a date planned for last night—staying in, obviously. But he stood me up.”
I blink, taken off guard by his admission.
Jacob chuckles quietly.
“I… tend to be private about my personal life, Ella,” he murmurs. “If you could…”
“I think it’s safe to say we both prefer our private, personal lives to stay that way, Jacob,” I say gently.
“Thank you.”
“And hey, his loss,” I spit dryly. “Your date, I mean.”
He laughs loudly, which turns to coughing. But then he catches his breath again.
“Thanks,” he sighs. “I needed that. Oh, but on the bright side, The Charm, Inc anticipated price for our upcoming initial public stock offering issurging.”
“No such thing as bad press, huh?”
He chuckles. “Apparently not. Look, Ella, I hope this isn’t forward, or weird with the whole boss thing. Would you care to come over for dinner? Two nights from now, if you’re free?”
I grin.
“I would love that, actually.” I roll my eyes. “I could stand to get out myself.”
“Ahh, yes, locked up in a manor with tall dark and broodingly handsome.Quelle horreur.”
I giggle, blushing.
“Well, feel free to loop your husband into my private life. I’m sure he’ll be much more apt to let you come over if he realizes I’m hardly trying to get into your knickers.”
I grin.
“It wouldn’t hurt.”
Jacob laughs. “I’ll see you in two nights then, Ella.”
“Looking forward to it.”
When we hang up, I realize we’re almost at The Slipper. I reach over to the button and lower the partition.
“Hey, Liam? Would you mind terribly if I asked you to—”
“Wait in the car?” He grunts. “Oh, I’m not setting foot in the fuckin’ place.”
I grin.
“Aww, Harry’s not that scary once you get to know her.”
He glares at me in the rearview mirror.
“But I was also going to ask if you could drop me off around the corner?”
He gives me a curious look.
“Look, these are my people. I was part of this neighborhood, and I haven’t seen them in a bit.” I shrug. “Rolling up to the front door in a Bentley seems… distasteful?”
He chuckles, turning the wheel and bringing the car to the curb a block around the corner from The Slipper.
