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I haven’t taken my eyes off the blue door. “You have thirty seconds.”
“Someone got wind of your idea. The price has escalated by another ten million.”
“Ten million!”Fuck.“We both know my offer of fifteen was generous, especially when it’s worth five in the current condition. Twenty-five mill is fucking ridiculous when I need to spend another thirty mill before reopening.”
“Someone is messing with you.”
“You fucking think.” I work my temple with my thumb and finger—there’s a hint of a headache coming on. For a few minutes, we discuss strategy.
“What’s your next step?”
I shake my head. “Nothing. We’re done here. I’m not playing this game. Call me on Monday and let me know how any other deals go down.”
I check the time. I’ve wasted ten minutes on calls. I jump out of the car and knock on the door. In a matter of seconds, my mood is black. What I should be doing is heading to the office to make some calls, sort this shit out, and figure out who is trying to ruin my deal. Only someone is inside waiting for me, and I want to be with her more than I want to fix this crap. Being around Penny is like having a set of imaginary hands working my shoulders and neck, and I always come away from time with her feeling unusually relaxed.
I need her in my life.
The thought has me taking a step back.
What the hell am I thinking?
I can’t be involved with anyone.
The blue door opens to Aidan awaiting me. “Mr. Hendricks, Ms. Gilbert is waiting for you.”
“Thank you.”
He leads me along a narrow hallway with dim lighting. Rubbing my temples one last time, I expel the conversation from my mind as the door opens to the restaurant. Penny is in the corner. Head dipped. She’s reading the menu. Only she’s not moving at all. When I come closer, I notice a dent between her eyebrows.Is she worrying about the price?
She stares at me, her expression unchanged. I lean down and kiss her cheek before taking my seat. “Is everything okay?”
She picks up a glass of water and downs it. Frowning, she says, “You tell me?”
“I apologize. I had to take a call.”
She shrugs her shoulders. “I could have stayed in the car with you rather than sitting here feeling like I’ve been stood up on a date.”
I lean forward. “I thought you could have enjoyed a glass of wine while you waited. No one gets stood up here when it takes at least a month to acquire a table.”
She raises one eyebrow. “When did you book? Was it for someone else?”
Aidan places the white napkin over Penny’s hips. I lean back for him to do the same to me.
“Sir, would you like the usual tonight?” he asks.
I look to Penny. “Are you drinking white or red?”
She picks up the menu, glances over the wine, then places the menu aside. “I’ll have whatever you drink.”
I nod to Aidan. “We’ll have a bottle of chardonnay along with a glass of Blanton’s on ice.”
She peers down at her hands in her lap.
“What is it?”
She shrugs again, and it annoys me.
“Just say it, Penny.”
