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He smiled, thinking back to the rare times they’d talked about anything other than sex or business.
“She was the only one I remember fondly,” he said. “Although I wasn’t a good cooking student. She crossed herself a lot when I was using the stove and yelled, ‘Attenzione, ragazzo!’”
Hartley laughed again. “I can guess the first part, but what is ‘ragazzo’?”
“Boy. I was always boy to her, but when I behaved nicely I was caro, or dear,” he said. “However, you never had nannies, if I remember correctly. So you know nothing about cooking, is that right?”
“I never needed to cook,” she said, holding her hands up. “My parents weren’t as wealthy as yours, but my mother hired a personal chef. I figured out how to dump food out of a container and heat it in a microwave. So I survived.”
His laughter echoed in the kitchen, drawing a startled look from her. She turned away, continuing to look through cupboards. “So, how do you feel about becoming an uncle?” she asked, pulling out a box of crackers then frowning when she shook it and only a few crumbs rattled around.
“You know, I forgot it meant I was going to be an uncle until just now. I’m happy for them,” he said, putting the items in the garbage bag. “I think I’m still coming to terms that Eli’s even married.”
“Well, if you can cook spaghetti and meatballs, they’ll love you as an uncle.” She shut the last cupboard with a disappointed sigh.
“And since I’m pretty sure that’s not what babies eat, I’ve got some time to perfect it,” he said. “What about you? How do you feel about being a…” He searched for the right description. “Sorority aunt, I guess?”
“Well, I can’t win the baby’s love with food like you, so I’ll have to buy it with designer clothes,” she joked. “Honestly, I don’t know how to feel. Happy, certainly. Because Claire’s happy.”
“Are you worried about what it will mean for Cavendish? You may have to find someone to take over HR,” he said.
“No. I mean, I’m not worried about that. She’s here now. They’re both helping make Cavendish successful again despite the danger. That has to mean something, right?” Her words petered out as she walked over to stand beside him. She moved the items around in the garbage bag absently.
“I think it means they’re dedicated to finding whoever is fucking with Cavendish,” he supposed, watching her.
“You know, I regret that we didn’t…talk about having kids,” she said in a husky voice. Every muscle in his body stilled. “Obviously I don’t regret not having them, now that we’re divorcing, but…I mean, they would have been fucking amazing.” Her voice wavered between uncertainty and sarcasm, but the look she gave him was fragile.
“Yes, they would have been amazing. But shieße, they would have been a handful.” He groaned into a laugh, watching her fragility melt away.
“No doubt a nightmare, with two type-A parents,” she agreed. “But a beautiful nightmare.”
“How could they not?” he joked. “Look at us.” He stared at her, her intelligent eyes, her round mouth.
She cleared her throat, and when he met her eyes, they were blank. “You’re leaving for Beijing in a few days, aren’t you?” she asked, her voice crisp.
“Yes.”
“Is it a regulatory issue?”
“Yes,” he replied. He was glad for the shift in the conversation. He could get his straying thoughts under control.
“You’ll get them to approve it,” she said with confidence.
“Is that so? Do you know somebody on the inside? Maybe their chief of foreign business is a Cavendish member?” he teased.
“No, I just know you,” she countered. “You never go down without a fight, and you never stop fighting until you get what you want.”
Her words made him smile, but the weight of belief behind them made his gut clench. He knew she noticed, because the teasing in her eyes turned to something darker, warmer.
“Sometimes going down on you needed a fight,” he breathed, the words coming out before he could stop them. Her eyes widened, but not in anger.
“You,” she admonished, whipping his thigh with a towel. “I think I like this teasing Monty. He’s a new side of you.”
“Hey,” he complained when she whipped his leg again, the towel stinging.
Her laughter rang out, genuine and free. It seemed to quiver against his skin like something trying to get inside him. She was getting through the barriers he’d erected today, and that left him equal parts intrigued and worried.
CHAPTER18
