AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My grin widens. I fucking bet they weren’t. “I had some unfinished business.”
I step toward his desk, and Uncle Bill cocks a brow. “I see.”
I shrug, shoving my hands into my pockets. “I thought I’d let you know about my plans.”
Uncle Bill gestures that I continue. But instead of talking, I dig into my suit pocket, pulling out the small velvet jewelry box that I collected on my way to the airport in New York. I toss it across the room. Uncle Bill deftly catches it, opening the box and smirking down at the ring I carefully selected with Ani in mind. He snaps the box shut and places it on the edge of his desk for me to collect. Strolling over, I pluck it up, putting it back in my pocket for safekeeping.
“Very well.” Uncle Bill nods, sounding smug for some bizarre reason. “Ms. Kasan, I presume?”
I’m not surprised he guessed. I wasn’t exactly subtle about my anger at not being able to get in touch with her. After all, I hung up on him. “Yeah, it’s for Ani.”
He nods, turning back to his computer. “Well, I hope that I’ll see you both before you leave. When you’re ready to head back to New York, organize with Cathy to take the private jet home.”
Effectively dismissed, I nod to him and turn on my heel, striding out of the room. I have the town car swing by my favorite deep pan pizza place to pick up dinner on my way back to Ani’s cramped little apartment. I have no idea what her roommate eats, so I grab a vegetarian option too.
When I get back to the apartment, my suitcase has disappeared from inside the front door and the whole place is looking a little cleaner and tidier than it was before. Ani isn’t wearing her adorable overalls anymore, but jeans and that fucking red sweater. I think it has grown on me. It’s become one of my favorite pieces of clothing to see on her.
“Pizza?” I hold the boxes up and they both grin over at me.
“Ohh, I love this place, but they’re pricey,” the roommate sighs.
“He’s a Westerhaven, he can pay,” Ani snorts, nudging me with her elbow. I wink at her, setting down the pizzas on the crooked wooden coffee table as she fetches some sodas from the kitchen. If everything goes as planned, she will be a Westerhaven soon too. Then she can buy this pizza for her roommate when she visits her back here in Chicago.
Ani and JJ, the roommate, laugh and chat about someone at JJ’s work while we eat in the lounge, which doubles as their dining room. Finally, Ani flashes JJ a smile, collecting the empty soda cans and pizza boxes.
“We’ll head to bed.”
“Goodnight.” JJ winks, and Ani giggles. I slip into the bathroom, washing up and heading to Ani’s bedroom. She joins me after ten or so minutes, and we curl up in Ani’s small bed together. It might be a full size, but after my bed, it feels tiny. Not that I have any complaints. The size of the bed means that Ani has no choice but to curl up in my arms. I missed this. We could be on a threadbare mattress on the floor, and I’d think it was the best bed ever.
I stroke the hair off Ani’s face as she outlines her ideas for her new website, a color scheme, and a business model. I give my insights when she asks. I might not have started Haven Property myself, but I’m not a complete dunce when it comes to running a business.
“I’m hoping to get some referrals from Haven Enterprises. I left on good terms when I resigned. And I was going to ask for permission to use some of my work from there, like my designs for Haven Property on my website. But only if Mr. Westerhaven gave me permission.”
I swallow a snort. “I think he’ll give his permission.”
She flushes with pleasure, sounding insanely hopeful as she speaks. “Do you really think so?”
I nod, thinking about Uncle Bill’s smirk when he saw the ring. You know, he might be happy to give her business a boost.
Anica
David is smiling mysteriously. I snuggle up in his arms, still reveling in the feeling of him being here. It’s so surreal.
“What about a name? You haven’t mentioned that.”
Oh, for my business. Yeah, not yet. I pause, rubbing my nose with the heel of my hand, and sigh. “I haven’t really got that far.”
I was going to design everything but the logo and hope that inspiration struck. It’s probably best that I haven’t thought up one yet. What if I made it Chicago-based and now I’ve agreed to move to New York with David. No. It’s best I keep it place neutral. That way I can advertise America-wide, anyway.
David watches me, tracing his fingers over the lines on my palm, where it’s lying on the pillow between us. “What about Haven Designs?”
His eyes fixed on my hand and my eyebrows shoot up. My heart is thumping in my chest. He realizes that this is something that I want to do on my own, doesn’t he? I’m not looking for a handout from anyone. I want to work for myself, not for some company that Mr. Westerhaven sets up for me because I’m living with one of his nephews. The silence stretches, and David’s eyes dart up to mine. I go for nonchalant.
Quirking a brow at him, I smirk and purse my lips. “Why would I call it that? That’s what Mr. Westerhaven would call a design company.”
David’s eyes fix on my face again. “You could call your company that. I don’t think that Uncle Bill would mind.”
Okay. Cryptic. I stare at him for a beat, wondering how to tell him I think Mr. Westerhavenwouldmind if I called my company that and refused to let him run it.
