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“Thanks.”
“Here’s the agenda and the revised blueprints for the plaza.” Margaret approached and placed the papers on his desk. “Oh, what an adorable cat.” Her eyes widened as her gaze shifted past him to the computer screen. “Is that an adoption site? Are you getting a cat?”
“Perish the thought.” Hunter set the screen back to the search engine.
“I have a mixed breed named Misty,” Margaret remarked. “She’s the sweetest thing. I don’t know what I’d do without her. I only wish I had room for more animals. If I didn’t live in the city, I’d have a menagerie. You should think about adopting a cat. They’re wonderful pets.”
“So I’ve heard.” He pushed back his cuff to check his watch. “I’d better get up to the conference room.”
He shrugged into his suit jacket before picking up his briefcase filled with Oceanview paperwork. He took the silent, mirrored elevator up to the top floor.
As he stepped into the plush lobby, he pushed all thoughts of Aria and cats out of his mind. Time to focus on work.
Bruce, Juliette, three of the company lawyers, and another VP were already seated around the massive oval table. An aerial photo of Bliss Cove was displayed on the presentation screen. After greeting everyone, Hunter took a seat across from Juliette.
“Welcome back.” She met his gaze levelly, one arched eyebrow lifting. “How is your progress on the Mariposa deal?”
“I have ten verbal commitments now. Two more will give us a majority.”
“Hmm.” She pursed her lips. “Who’s holding out?”
“Must be that little bitch from the cat café.” Bruce huffed out his annoyance. “She emailed me…what, one or two days after she got the contract? She probably doesn’t know the first thing about real estate.”
“Her name is Ariadne Prescott,” Hunter said coldly. “She’s not going to change her mind.”
One of the lawyers, Mark, shrugged. “We can put pressure on her.”
“No.” Tension gripped Hunter’s shoulders. “No one contacts her.”
“We might not need her vote.” Juliette tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Who else is undecided, Hunter?”
“A woman who owns a new-age shop. She’s leaning toward a yes vote.” He narrowed his eyes on the projection screen. “You didn’t call this meeting to ask me about my progress on Mariposa.”
“Of course not.” Bruce stretched his lips into a smile. His phone lit up with a notification. “Just that our investors are getting a little anxious with the vote coming up.”
He picked up the phone, his brow furrowing. “What the hell is she doing here?”
He pushed the phone toward Hunter. The notification screen displayed a text from Bruce’s assistant.Sorry, but urgent! Woman here—Aria Prescott—says she needs to see you, wants to come up to the mtg. Security?
Aria? Here?
“No idea.” His voice level, he handed the phone back to his boss.
“Let her come up,” Juliette suggested, her attention on Hunter. “Maybe she wants to tell us she’s finally ready to make a deal.”
With a shrug, Bruce responded to the text. Hunter excused himself and went into the corridor. He strode toward the elevator, his heart racing.
Forget “aura cleansing.” Aria had come to New York. But why—
The elevator doors opened. He struggled for a breath. He almost didn’t recognize the polished, elegant woman walking toward him. She was dressed in a fitted navy suit, a crisp white shirt, and heels with her hair pulled back into a tight knot at the base of her neck. Little silver earrings dangled from her ears, and she was wearing makeup.
Though she was a vision of loveliness, she looked totally different from his tousled Aria with her flowing cotton dresses, jangling silver bracelets and loose, disheveled hair. As she neared, he saw that she’d even taken out the crystal stud in her nose.
What in the—
“Hello, Hunter.” She smiled, and his tension eased for a second. But it wasn’t the warm, private smile he’d gotten used to over the past couple of weeks, the smile he craved like a drug. The one inviting him to touch her. The one that said she was his.
Now she looked as if she were behind a pane of glass. Unreachable.
