Fortunately, my business was straightforward. It was machine-operated, and people needed canned tomatoes for everything. Food never went out of style, so I was always safe. Marketing in the food space was the opposite of what Titan was doing. Preserving old labels made the product seem more antique, and that’s what people preferred in my realm. For everything else, like makeup and technology, it had to seem as modern and sleek as possible.
Autumn wouldn’t be joining us that afternoon because she was busy in her lab. She only met with us when we discussed numbers and branding. The rest of the time, she was concentrating on creating or improving new products.
Titan’s phone lit up so she glanced at it. “I should get going. I have to pick up the dress from Chase.”
“Can’t you send someone to do that for you?”
“You think I’m gonna let anyone touch my dress?” she asked incredulously. “I wouldn’t even let Diesel touch it.”
I stared at my paper and scribbled another note. My mind wasn’t in the game that afternoon because I kept thinking about Autumn. When I’d left the next morning, she was just as quiet and timid as she was the night before. When I asked her about it, she said she was fine.
I knew she was lying, but I couldn’t get her to tell the truth if she refused to share it with me.
“Thorn?”
“What?” I blurted without looking up.
“Did you hear what I said?”
“Yeah, you need to pick up your dress.” I clicked the back of the pen so the tip disappeared.
“No. After that.”
Shit, I must have missed it. “Uh, what?” I looked up, meeting her penetrating gaze.
“Everything alright? You’ve been weird all day.”
“Didn’t sleep well last night. That’s all.”
Titan saw right through that. “You drag everything out of me, so you know I’m gonna drag everything out of you.”
I spun the pen in my fingertips, fidgeting even though I wasn’t the kind of man to fidget. “I mentioned a convenient marriage to Autumn, and she seemed open to the idea in the beginning…but then she brushed me off.”
“Just because we understand the perks of it doesn’t mean other people will.”
“I understand. But she didn’t hate the idea in the beginning. When I told her we didn’t have to be monogamous, that’s when I lost her. She said she wouldn’t want another relationship…then she walked off into the shower.”
“Hmm…sounds like she’s looking for a real partner, then.”
“Maybe.” I stared at my pen.
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah…I guess I’m just disappointed. If she said yes, that would be perfect.”
“Perfect because?” She propped her chin on her knuckles.
“Because Autumn is perfect. I’d have a trophy wife who’s also a genius. Come on, what could be more perfect than that?”
She leaned back into her white leather chair and crossed her arms. “Thorn, why don’t you just do the actual marriage thing?”
“Because I don’t want to. You know this.”
“But you obviously like Autumn a lot. Maybe see where it goes.”
I shook my head. “You know I’m not the committed type. Her last man left her for someone else. I’d kill myself if I ever hurt her. I never want to cause her pain. She’s a good person and doesn’t deserve that.”
A slow smile formed on her lips. “You’ve got it bad.”
“Just because I respect the woman doesn’t mean I’ve got it bad.”
“If you respect her, then yes. You’re really into her. Come on, Thorn. When have you ever respected anyone?”
“Uh, you?” I said like a smartass.
“And we’re best friends,” she said slowly. “We’ve been together for over a decade now. You love me, and I love you. Now this woman has come into your life, and you feel close to her too…but you’re attracted to her. Do I need to spell it out for you?”
I had stopped fidgeting with my pen, but now I started up again. “I’m glad you’ve fallen head over heels for Diesel, but that doesn’t happen to everyone.”
“True. But you need to stop dismissing the idea completely. Keep an open mind.”
I dropped the pen into the inside pocket of my jacket. “People don’t change.”
“Some do. I know I have.”
I rose to my feet and came around the desk. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
She didn’t move. “Thorn, as your friend, it’s my job to tell you what you don’t want to hear.”
“Well, stop being my friend for two seconds.”
She sighed then left the chair. She grabbed her purse off the table and pulled it over her shoulder. “Let me put this into terms you’ll understand.” She moved to the front of the desk, facing me on the other side. “If you don’t make this work, some other guy will come into the picture and make it work. She’ll move on and forget about you, and you’ll sit around thinking about the woman you can’t have. Now, is that a fate you’re willing to accept? Is that a chance you’re willing to take?” She stared me down, watching every single expression I made like a scientist studying something under the microscope.
I clenched my jaw and held her gaze, but I felt the tightness in my back and shoulders. I could lie to myself and say I wasn’t jealous when other men looked at Autumn. I could pretend she didn’t mean anything to me when we both knew she did. But the idea of moving forward terrified me.
Because I didn’t want to hurt Autumn.
I didn’t get much done during the first twenty minutes because I kept thinking about what Titan had said about Autumn. It circled in my mind over and over again. Was Titan right? Or was I right? Finally, I started to focus again and get stuff done.
Then Jessica shattered my concentration. “Sir, I have a Bridget Creed here to see Titan.”
My blood stopped circulating in my body because it froze. I’d never forget that name because of the implications of her relationship
