I flush. I haven’t told her about his private plane.
“What?” she snaps at me.
“He has his own plane,” I mumble, embarrassed, and it’s only two and a half thousand miles, Mom.
“Wow,” she mutters. “Ana, there’s something going on between you two. I’ve been trying to fathom it since you arrived here. But the only way you are going to sort the problem, whatever it is, is to talk it through with him. You can do all the thinking you like – but until you actually talk, you’re not going to get anywhere.”
I frown at my mother.
“Ana, honey, you’ve always had a tendency to over-analyze everything. Go with your gut. What does that tell you, sweetheart?”
I stare at my fingers.
“I think I’m in love with him,” I mutter.
“I know darling. And he with you.”
“No!”
“Yes, Ana. Hell – what do you need? A neon sign flashing on his forehead?”
I gape at her and tears prick the corner of my eyes.
“Ana, darling. Don’t cry.”
“I don’t think he loves me.”
“I don’t care how rich you are, you don’t drop everything and get in your private plane to cross a whole continent just for afternoon tea. Go to him! This is a beautiful location, very romantic. It’s also neutral territory.”
I squirm under her gaze. I want to go and I don’t.
“Darling, don’t feel you have to come back with me. I want you happy – and right now I think the key to your happiness is upstairs in room 612. If you need to come home later, the key is under the Yucca plant on the front porch. If you stay – well… you’re a big girl now. Just be safe.”
I flush stars and stripes red.
“Let’s finish our Cosmos first.”
“That’s my girl, Ana.” She grins.
I knock timidly on room 612 and wait. Christian opens the door. He’s on his cell. He blinks at me in complete surprise, then holds the door open wide and beckons me into his room.
“All the redundancy packages concluded?... And the cost?... ” Christian whistles between his teeth. “Sheesh… that was one expensive mistake… And Lucas? ... ”
I glance around the room. He’s in a suite, like the one at the Heathman. The furnishings here are ultra modern, very now. All muted dark purples and golds with bronze starbursts on the walls. Christian walks over to dark wood unit and pulls open a door to reveal a mini-bar. He indicates that I should help myself, then wanders into the bedroom.
I assume it’s so I can no longer hear his conversation. I shrug. He didn’t stop his call when I entered his study that time. I hear water running… he’s filling a bath. I help myself to an orange juice. He ambles back into the room.
“Have Andrea send me the schematics. Barney said he’d cracked the problem… ”
Christian laughs. “No, Friday… There’s a plot of land here that I’m interested in… Yeah, get Bill to call… No, tomorrow… I want to see what Georgia will offer if we move in.”
Christian doesn’t take his eyes off me. Handing me a glass, he points to an ice bucket.
“If their incentives are attractive enough… I think we should consider it, though I’m not sure about the damned heat here… I agree Detroit has its advantages too, and it’s cooler… ” His face darkens momentarily.
“You didn’t answer my question,” I murmur.
“No. I didn’t,” he says quietly, his gray eyes wide and cautious.
“No you didn’t answer my question or no you didn’t love her?”
He folds his arms and leans against the wall, and a small smile plays upon his lips.
“What are you doing here, Anastasia?”
“I’ve just told you.”
He takes a deep breath.
“No. I didn’t love her.” He frowns at me, amused yet puzzled.
I can’t believe I’m holding my breath. I sag like an old cloth sack as I release it.
“You’re quite the green-eyed goddess, Anastasia. Who would have thought?”
“Are you making fun of me, Mr. Grey?”
