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His father stood and Gavin sent up a silent thank-you.
“If you change your mind, Fredrick and I are meeting at five o’clock. Fredrick’s daughter, Laurel, will be there as well. I was hoping to introduce you to her.”
Gavin had known Fredrick much of his life, but he’d never met his only daughter. From all accounts the woman was and always had been a high-maintenance spoiled princess.
“Isn’t she married?” The only reason he remembered the woman had gotten married was because Piper had been her flower girl. She’d talked about little else for months leading up to the ceremony three or so years ago.
Dad shook his head and sat back down again.
Me and my big mouth.
“Her divorce from Blake Goldman was finalized back in the winter, and she just moved back to the city. I think the two of you would get along well together.”
Never in his life had Dad showed any interest in his love life. If he was doing so now, it wasn’t because Dad wanted him to be happy. No, he had a specific reason, and Gavin had no interest in knowing what it was.
“Set her up with Harry. I’m not interested.”
“After the way he blew things with the Sherbrooke woman? Not a chance.”
Before he heard any more and had even more reason to dislike his father, he needed to nip this one in the ass. “I’m with someone.” And he needed to get back to work so he could focus on her for the next two days. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a few things to finish up before I call it a night.”
Dad didn’t argue, but the muscle twitching in his jaw told Gavin everything he needed to know. “Have a nice weekend,” he offered up before he exited the office.
I plan to.
Gavin carried his laptop and legal pad back to his desk. Opening the device, he got ready to get back to work. The ringing coming from his pants pocket stopped him.
Immediately he assumed the call was from Erin. Leah never called him during the day. Instead she sent him a text message, and if she needed to talk, she’d ask him to call when he had a moment. Vivian rarely called him before eight o’clock, his time.
Pulling the device out, he checked the screen. Instant dread shot through him when he saw Leah’s name displayed there.
“Are you okay?” he asked in lieu of a proper greeting, because if she was calling at three in the afternoon, something must be wrong.
“Of course,” she assured him. “I just need to know what’s the earliest you think you can get home tonight.”
He ran through his mental to-do list. He had enough to keep him here well past dinnertime. “Why?”
“I have something special planned, and I need to have an approximate time.”
Curiosity piqued, he replied, “Does six work?”
“Yep, thank you.”
“Do I get any hints about what you have in store for me?” Over breakfast they’d talked about playing it by ear this weekend rather than making any specific plans.
“Nope. I’ll see you in a little while.”
Leah ended the conversation and dialed her cousin’s flight crew so they knew approximately when to expect her and Gavin this evening. With their travel plans settled, she turned back to the open document on her computer.
As the global chief communications and public affairs officer for the company, one of her many responsibilities was to oversee Sherbrooke Enterprises’ philanthropic efforts. One project they were considering getting involved with was Anderson Brady’s Clean Water Matters project. Although her meeting with Anderson had been promising, before she moved ahead she needed to review the large amount of information he’d presented her with. Since the meeting was still fresh in her mind, she’d start wading her way through it before she left.
The office door opened and Diane, her personal assistant, stuck her head inside. “Mr. Talbot is here to see you. Are you available?” she asked.
“Please send him in.”
Dylan Talbot, the current CEO of Sherbrooke Enterprises, entered her office, closing the door behind him. Although not related except through marriage, she’d known Dylan her entire her life and thought of him as more a cousin than a mere friend and coworker.
“How was your meeting with Anderson?” he asked in his oh-so-lovely British accent. Regardless of how she viewed him or the fact he was married to her cousin, she would happily sit around any day of the week and listen to him speak, even if it was to deliver a weather report.
