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NERO
“So, we’re on target?”I demand. I’m in a meeting with Miles and my accountants, going over the projections for the construction site. “I don’t like these overtime numbers…”
“You can either have it cheap, or you can have it fast,” one of the numbers guys offers. “You’ll pay a premium now, but it’ll be worth it to get the place finished sooner.”
Another guy nods. “We budgeted for this. If you take a look at page seventeen…”
I zone out as they start discussing tax breaks and depreciation. I should be loving this, I’m usually all about the details, but today my mind’s a million miles away.
Across the Atlantic. With Lily.
She should have landed by now, I reckon. I wonder if she’s still furious at me, or if the excitement of the foreign city has taken the edge off her heartbreak.
I hope so. I don’t want her burdened with this pain for long. I can carry it for the both of us.
I’ll bear it until the day I die.
“Let’s wrap things up,” I announce, bringing the meeting to a close. “Gentlemen…”
They collect their files, and head out. “Wait up, Miles,” I stop him before he exits with the rest of them. “You clean everything up with the bookkeeper?”
“What?” he startles, eyes wide.
“You know, that missing money,” I remind him. “Tell them I need everything squared away, now the development’s full-steam ahead. Can’t risk an audit, or anything with the IRS.”
“Right.” Miles clears his throat, looking pale. “Yeah, sorry, I forgot to call. Will chase it down, no problem.”
“Good.” I nod. “And have them double-check last quarter, too. A hundred k here, another hundred there… Shit like that shouldn’t be falling through the cracks. If someone around here has sticky fingers, I need to know.”
His head bobs in a nod. “Yes, boss.”
Miles takes off, and I look at my desk full of paperwork and sigh. Every file and folder on there represents tens of millions of dollars in projects, cash that’s going to be pouring into the Barretti coffers. Hell, I’ve toiled for years to make this new development happen. I should be on top of the world right now.
But instead of enjoying my success, it’s a hollow victory.
Everything’s hollow without her.
I leave the work and make my way down the hallway to the main bar. It’s busy, and I need to catch a buzz if I’m going to face another night alone, thinking of Lily.
I take a seat on a stool, and the man behind the bar automatically grabs the bottle of Macallan that’s kept behind the bar just for me. It’s expensive shit, but it goes down smooth.
“Another?” the bartender asks, eying me as I knock the glass back in one.
I nod.
“I didn’t expect to see you here today.”
I turn as Avery joins me at the bar. “Is Lily meeting you?”
I frown at her. “Of course not,” I say curtly. “You know she’s in Paris by now.”
Avery looks surprised. “But I thought she decided not to go.”
My hand freezes, glass halfway to my lips. “What are you talking about?”
“She was here yesterday,looking for you,” Avery explains. “I figured you’ve been locked up together, celebrating your reunion all night.”
I shake my head, confused. “I haven’t seen her. She didn’t…”
