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“So you’re telling me you can never be spontaneous?”
“Not when spontaneity gets in the way of my business,” I fire back.
Bren frowns, and I see the clouds behind his eyes swirling into a full-blown storm. I’m fast becoming an expert at recognizing Bren’s rising anger. Anger he can shove where the sun don’t shine.
“Any woman,” he says, “would jump at the opportunity to—”
“Do you not know yet, Bren?” I cut him off.
He raises a brow in question.
“I’m not like the women you know.”
His forehead smooths out, and he smiles weakly. “I’m sorry,” he says. “I really want to break this cycle of fighting just when things are starting to get good again. I was just trying to do something nice.”
“And I appreciate it.” I bite the inside of my lip, unsure I should ask him what’s on my mind. But if I am trying new things, then communication should be a part of it too, because what do I have to lose? Nothing. Not my heart. That’s for sure.
“Bren,” I say with a voice like I’m approaching a wounded wild animal. “Besides models, have you ever dated a woman with her own career or business?”
Bren’s jaw slackens. He blinks, then shakes his head. “I hadn’t thought about it, but no. Not really.”
I smile at him. I know he really did mean well with the trip and his attempt to whisk me away. “I know you meant well with the surprise trip, but I can’t drop my business at a moment’s notice any more than you could cancel a tour midway through.”
His eyes avert from mine when I say that, like I’m actually making some sense.
The swinging door busts open. “She can go!” Joe all but yells as he comes into view, his voice an octave too high for him. I glare at him, and he doesn’t so much as flinch. “I can handle it, Sofia. Really. You can go.”
This idiot listened to our entire conversation? Bren looks at me with equal parts shock and a question in his eyes. I know what he wants to ask. Can he trust Joe to keep his trap shut about us? I tip my chin in affirmation, and Bren’s shoulders drop as he relaxes them.
“Joe, I can’t—”
“Yes, you can,” he reassures me as he keeps looking at Bren. “Let me earn the raise you just gave me.”
Joe’s raise was well-deserved. I can’t afford to lose him. He is my right hand, and I need him exactly where he is. Even if he oversteps when he shouldn’t.
“Joe—”
“See?” Bren interjects. “He can handle it.”
I shake my head. “We still need staff.”
“I’ll get Tracy or Ileana to come in. Don’t worry about it.”
I know what Joe is doing. He is kissing Bren’s ass. Bren, for his part, grins at Joe and nods in approval. I don’t like the bromance brewing here—not one little bit.
“Ileana has worked more days this month than she wants to. I don’t want to push her too hard to where she no longer wants to come in anymore.”
“Fine, I’ll get Tracy or someone new. Don’t worry about it.”
Bren is nearly bouncing where he sits, and I can’t keep finding excuses.
I sigh from deep within my chest. “Fine,” I say. “Let’s go to Napa Valley.”
TWELVE
Sofia
As we approach the villa, Andreas drives us through the tapestry of the vineyard. Pine trees flank the winding road leading to the secluded property. He enters a code into a keypad, opening the massive gate in front of us. He drives forward until we get to a circle of trees encasing a water fountain in front of the villa.
