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“Harper, you are beautiful, intelligent and witty. The last few days with you have been a joy. Move to Rome not as my CFO but as the woman that will one day be my wife.”
My mouth drops open as Owen’s earlier words echo in my head.
“Why can’t I be both?” I ask, and Antonio shakes his head as if I’ve asked a silly question.
“Cara, my wife cannot work at the business, she needs to handle the socializing. It is as important as any other part of my business, and then one day there will be children. No Cara you would be much too busy running the household and chasing our children to have time to take on the demands of a CFO.
I take a long drink of my wine, it tastes bitter on my tongue. I stand from the table.
“I thank you for your kind offer, Antonio, but I have to refuse, both on the business and the personal levels.”
“Cara, what have I done to offend you?” He looks genuinely perplexed.
“Believe me, we would not have worked out. On the business side, you should go exclusive with Slade they will make you millions.”
I stand up and walk out of the restaurant. The last few days have been a whirlwind. I pull out my phone and schedule a flight home the next day. The ticket is monstrously expensive, and I can feel my credit card crying. It doesn’t matter though, I want out of this city as soon as I can.
Chapter 10
Owen
“Have you heard from her at all?” Ryker asks, sitting down in front of my desk. I glare at him, but he doesn’t seem to be at all moved by it.
“No, and you know that. You are married to her best friend. I’m sure the three of you have had a time of it bashing me and gleefully pointing out all my faults.”
Ryker shrugs, “Not gleefully, at least on my part.”
“Get out of my office,” I tell him in a measured tone.
“My assistant quit without notice and I’m up to my ears in work.”
“I heard that you got the canvas account. Good work,” Ryker says, and all I want to do is walk around the desk and punch him right in the face.
“You know that Harper landed us the account. Besides to poke at me, why are you here?”
“Contrary to your belief o’ brother of mine, I’m here to help you.”
I frown at him, “No you are distracting me from my work, and I don’t have time for idle chit chat Ryker.”
“You need to go to her Owen. Make some grand gesture. She loves you and is as miserable and cranky as you are.”
I narrow my eyes at him, “You don’t care about me, you just want your wife back. Not seeing much of Liv these days?”
He has the grace to look embarrassed, “Can’t I want you to be happyandsee some of my wife other than when we are at work?”
I sigh and sit back in my chair, “Ryker there is no fixing this. I said things that I shouldn’t have said. Besides she is going to Italy, isn’t she? That is fine, she will marry the Italian stallion and waste her potential arranging flowers and popping out babies.”
Ryker lifts one eyebrow, “You haven’t heard?”
“Heard what?” I growl at him.
“She isn’t going to Italy, she didn’t take the job.”
The words reverberate in my head. I stand up, grab mykeys off the desk and walk out of the office.
“Why you are there can you please send my wife home?” Ryker calls out at my retreating back. I flip him off in answer and hear him chuckle. If she isn’t going to Italy, there is still a chance I can make this right.
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