Whatever I say, I definitely mustn’t call out in that husky, trembling voice that I felt bubbling up when the guards pronounced his name. If I can avoid that, the rest should be fine.
Chapter 39
(Nathan)
“Thank you, Bob,” I say into the phone before cutting the line.
So it worked. Eva is here. Heaven help me.
I don’t even have time to turn before her soft soprano jingles from behind me. “Hi…uhm…hi, Nathan. These are for you.”
I whip around.
Eva stands at the doorway, clasping the bouquet of daffodils I ordered for her brother. Her brows are set in the adorable wrinkle that makes scorn look almost as attractive on her as a dashing smile. Her lean legs are in a pair of curve-hugging jeans and she’s wearing a V-neck blouse. The neckline accentuates her delicate collarbones, drawing attention to the little hollow between them. It’s beating with a fast throb, which makes me assume that Eva is either very nervous or very angry. Possibly both.
“I sent those for Alejandro,” I say in a soothing tone.
“Well, he doesn’t need them,” Eva snaps and holds out the flowers. “So please take them.”
I walk over and reach for the daffodils, but I make sure to touch her fingers as I take the bouquet. I ignore the sizzles rushing up my own arm. I already know how my body, mind, and heart react to Eva. I don’t need more confirmation to know she’s the woman I want to be with. What I’m interested in is seeing how Eva reacts.
Her breath hitches as my thumb brushes over her skin. She drops her glance to her purse and rummages in it. After a second, she gives me back my card. “Here’s this too. I’m not sure why you felt obliged to make such a bogus offer to my brother. Wasn’t it enough that you tricked one of us?”
I expected that my invitation for Alejandro would prompt Eva to seek me out. She couldn’t possibly accept a chance like this from a man she believed to be more of a jerk than her biological father. But I didn’t think she’d doubt the legitimacy of my proposition. The palpable pain behind Eva’s last words is a strong kick to my stomach. I knew that I hurt her, but seeing just how profoundly my lie has wounded her, makes me almost unable to breathe.
Will everything I’ve done be enough to mend this? Will she ever be able to trust me again?
Well, Nathan, you first need to show her why she should, right?
I clear my voice. “It’s not a phony offer, Eva. It’s a legitimate traineeship position. If Alejandro decides to take it, he’ll be one of the first young candidates to participate in AMEA’s brand new Fresh Start program. I’d personally mentor him if he joins us.”
Eva snorts. “What is this, some new propaganda for your CEO position? A leader who cares for the youngsters?”
Oh, goodness! She doesn’t know…
When I sent the flowers, I assumed Eva would be aware that I’m not the chosen CEO. But now that I think of it, it was an entirely foolish assumption. How is she even supposed to know? Mother only just communicated Larry’s promotion to the press at lunchtime.
I capture her gaze. I suppress the warmth inundating my chest at the sight of her familiar charcoal irises that, even with their frustrated glint, are the most precious things I’ve ever seen. “Eva, I didn’t become CEO.”
Her eyes widen. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that I didn’t. I’m not going to lead my family’s company. At least, not in the next five years anyway.”
“But then why do you have a new office?”
It’s my turn to arch my brows. “Why would you think it’s a new office?”
It’s Eva’s first time in the building, so I can’t fathom how she’d be aware that I traded offices with Erica for a less attractive view but a larger sitting area to allow me to hold meetings with the traineeship participants.
Eva’s eyes flick to my comfy executive chair. “I remember you mentioning that you had some historic beast as a seating device.”
“You remember that?”
I can’t hold the giddiness in my voice under control. I did include in my bargain with Erica keeping Mother’s horrendous throne as a non-negotiable condition. If Eva recalls this tiny detail that I’d mentioned to her when we planted her begonias, then the change in her breathing might have the significance I wish it would.
Eva purses her lips. “Yeah. I’m not a complete nitwit, though it might be hard to tell, given that I fell for your act.” She sniffs. “Anyway, your guards told me you’re on a new floor, so it wasn’t hard to guess.”
“I have never thought you were a nitwit. Never.”
Eva shrugs. “It doesn’t matter.” She blinks back at me. “So, despite your new office, your bet didn’t go as planned. I’m sorry to hear.” She sounds everything but sorry. “Was it my disappearance from the party that ruined your promotion?”
“No, Eva it wasn’t. For better or worse, Murphy thought you fell in love with me.”
A muscle ticks on Eva’s right cheek, just beneath her eye. She presses her lips into a hard line. It’s obvious she doesn’t want to hear this and won’t comment.
But I don’t need her to. The only thing I need is for her to listen to me.
“It wasn’t your fault. Not becoming CEO is my own doing.” One of her brows arches, making me hope she’s interested to learn why, so I continue, “There are two reasons why I wasn’t promoted. First, because I haven’t won the bet. I failed at it. Badly.” Eva’s nostrils flair, but before she can insert a sassy snap, I add, “I failed because I fell in love with you.”
A myriad of emotions swims across her face in a split second, but her final expression settles on cynical bitterness. “Huh, you claimed this once already, Nathan.”
“I
