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“Miss you, too. I’ll see you tonight.”
She told her assistant she had some errands to run and tried to ignore the guilty feelings that came along with ducking out of work early. After retrieving a carrot cake from the bakery around the corner from Jacob’s building, she let herself into his apartment.
It was certainly strange to be in his place on her own. What would it feel like to come home here? Even with the spaciousness of her own apartment, it didn’t have the sprawling splendor of Jacob’s penthouse, nor did it have the magnificent Central Park view. She could be more than comfortable here. She could be happy. That would be a wonderful life, if she could ever get to that point. She sensed Jacob was proceeding with caution and how could he not be? Her brother hated him. That would scare even the most formidable man away.
A half hour later, she was making good progress with dinner. She wasn’t the world’s greatest cook, but she could hold her own with pasta and a salad, and it wouldn’t be the same if she’d ordered takeout. Luckily, Jacob was easily pleased. A big guy who worked out five days a week, he’d eat virtually anything you put in front of him, especially if accompanied by a glass of good wine.
Even though the dining room table could easily accommodate ten, she set it for two, placing them side-by-side at one end. She found some candles in the buffet, dimmed the lights. Then she returned to the kitchen to finish the preparations. He was only a few minutes late when he strolled into the kitchen.
“What’s all this?” He smiled, seeming genuinely perplexed.
Anna rushed over to kiss him—a surreal moment, for sure. Was that what it would feel like to be husband and wife? She might not have much time to get dinner on the table if and when she became CEO, but she enjoyed this glimpse of domesticity. It felt especially comfortable with Jacob. “It’s a surprise. For your birthday.”
His brow furrowed. He now seemed even more confused. “How did you know it was my birthday?”
“You had your passport out on the dresser the other day and I wanted to sneak a peek at the picture.”
“So you were snooping.” He smirked, suggesting he wasn’t entirely disappointed in her.
“A little. But that’s beside the point. I wanted to do something nice for you. Honestly, I’m a little surprised you never told me about it in the first place.”
“I don’t really celebrate my birthday.” He loosened his tie. “I never have.”
“Really? Why?”
“I spent a lot of time away from my parents as a kid. They were always doing their own thing, I was away at boarding school. It just doesn’t mean much when you get money wired into your bank account and a phone call.”
It was about the saddest thing she’d heard in a long time, but she didn’t want to dwell on the negative. She took his hand and led him into the dining room, where she sat him down and poured him a glass of red. She held out her glass to clink with his. “Happy birthday.” Something about the sentiment fell short, like she was supposed to add something about their future or that she loved him.
As to what tomorrow held, or even a month from then, she didn’t know. As to the question of love, she knew in her heart that she did. He understood her in ways that no one else seemed to—he appreciated her aspirations, he encouraged her, he commiserated when she’d had a difficult day at work. He was always so focused on her, everything she wanted and needed. No one had ever done that, and he made it seem so effortless. Even better, he accepted her affection unconditionally. He never had an agenda outside of being with her.
It was perfect. He was perfect, or at least he was perfect for her. But that made their situation all the more frustrating, stuck as she was between him and her family.
She served their salads and took the seat next to him. How could he have gone his whole life not celebrating his birthday? Her heart felt unusually heavy—birthdays had always been a big event in the Langford household. Always. She wanted him to have that, to have everything she’d had.
“Maybe today can be the start of a new birthday tradition.”
He offered her the faintest of smiles. “That’s a nice idea.”
* * *
The start of a new tradition. Did Anna really mean that? Did she see a future for them? Because as incredible as it was to be with her, it felt as if the universe was conspiring against them. It was only a matter of time before the War Chest takeover surfaced.
He ate his salad, listening to Anna talk about her day, feeling more guilty with every bite. Hours before, the War Chest had staged their coup against him—ousting him from the group for daring to push them so hard, vowing to continue with their hostile takeover of LangTel. They’d done to him what he’d once hoped they could do to Adam. Being on the receiving end of vengeance wasn’t fun. These people were dangerous, all deep pockets and determination. Experience told him that it didn’t take much else to be successful. Not even luck.
