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“Way ahead of you. Already bought a ticket,” I announced. Because even if he rejected me, it would still be worth it.
Row was worth it.
Worth getting my heart broken.
Worth trying and failing.
Worth breaking my bank account and my savings for a ticket to a foreign land I’d never been to.
Worth sitting in a metal tube for half a day, basking in the unknown, headed to a love declaration that was one hundred percent going to be awkward and klutzy, like my entire being.
“So what do you need from us, exactly?” Dylan frowned.
“Some help finding a few things in the clutter that is my room.” I pushed up my sleeves. “I’m going to win him back if it’s the last thing I do.”
Mom grinned. “Your father would be so proud. Go get him, Callichka.”
ROW
Another restaurant opening night. Another reason to want to shoot myself in the face.
The only thing stopping me at this point was the fact the floor was pure amethyst crystal. I’d dropped $50K a slab on that shit.
“Full house tonight.” Tate turned to his assistant, Gia. “Too bad it’s full of fucking nobodies. Didn’t I tell you to invite actual celebrities?”
“The entire cast of Wicked and The Lion King RSVP’d. Three MPs and a duke too.” She was frantically brushing her thumb over her iPad, the blue screen lighting up her face.
I wanted to turn around and walk out of here. Nothing felt worth doing since I’d parted ways with Cal. And the worst part was, she kept on texting me, and every time she did, it took all my fucking mental strength to ignore her.
I couldn’t settle for half-assed. No matter how lovely said ass was.
“You’re giving me politicians and West End actors? Do you want to lose your job? Are you allergic to money?” Tate snapped. We were sitting at the bar. The kitchen was running smoothly, thanks to Taylor, whom I’d brought with me. Sure, in my own asshat fashion, I’d had to be all the way in London before I had given him a call and offered him a position, an apartment, and a one-way business-class ticket. But it was the right thing to do. My head wasn’t in the game. I needed someone with an eagle eye to watch over people.
“I’m allergic to assholes,” Gia muttered to her iPad.
“What was that?” Tate scowled.
“If you’re going to ruin everyone’s evening, kindly get the fuck out,” I growled at Tate. My mood was shitty without the added bonus of his unpalatable personality. Glitzy people roamed the place, taking selfies, cooing at the décor, at the designer plates in front of them, and at the delicious food on them. Wineglasses clinked. Black caviar mafaldine and aromatic pork buns floated on pink brass trays across the room. I should have been on top of the world, but I felt six feet under.
“Didn’t that friend of yours, Ronald, say he was going to be here?” Tate scowled, glancing around.
“Huh?” I checked my phone for the millionth time this evening. If she was going to text now, I was going to break and answer her. “Said he would. Guess he’s late.”
The truth of the matter was, I didn’t care one iota about Rhyland not being here. I only cared about one person. A person who had sent me her podcast two days ago. I’d listened to it three hundred times since. It was funny, adorable, smart, interesting, enchanting, her. It was her.
“Well.” Tate grabbed his whiskey—neat—and knocked it back. “I am exceptionally bored. Excuse me while I go find someone to bury my dick in.” He stalked off.
“Please, God, make that someone be a great white shark.” Gia pressed her palms together in a silent prayer, looking heavenward before continuing to work on her iPad.
“You don’t have to stand up, you know.” I patted the stool next to mine.
She shot me a polite smile, taking a seat. “Tate calls people who sit down at the office slackers. He bought everyone treadmills for their laptop stations.”
“Why are you working for this douche canoe?” I parked my elbow on the bar. I was genuinely interested to know. And it wasn’t like I was needed in my own fucking kitchen for my debut night. Taylor was doing a fantastic job.
Gia considered my question with a small frown. “While as a person and as a boss, he is a complete disaster, he actually pays a lot and is generous with my bonuses too.” She glanced down, a little embarrassed. “I tried to find another job several times. But each time I get an offer, it’s like he senses it. He calls me into his office and gives me a twenty percent increase or something ridiculous like that. I am making mid–six figures for an admin job while all my mates make a fraction of that and work the same hours in banking and HR. I’d be mental to leave.”
I opened my mouth, about to tell her that it seemed to me as though Tate Blackthorn had a crush he couldn’t articulate properly, when something caught my eye beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows of the restaurant. A flash of light. Neon light. My neck snapped up, and I looked over Gia’s slender shoulder.
