Page 177 of The Silver Fox Brother

"I have."

Kate pauses. "Are you still in love with him?"

The question catches me off guard.

"What?"

"You're not being forceful enough with him, Winter. It seems like maybe part of you is still holding on."

"I'm not."

"Then why aren't you more direct?"

I close my eyes.

"Because feelings don't just disappear overnight, Kate. I spent two years with him. I loved him. That doesn't evaporate just because he cheated."

"So you do still have feelings."

"No." I open my eyes.

"What I had with Rowan was just a moment in time. That's it. My heart is still mending from what he did. But I'm not in love with him anymore."

"Then what's holding you back from telling him that definitively?"

I don't answer right away. Because the truth is more complicated than I want to admit.

Knox has helped me move on. Working beside him these past months and being with him intimately in Naples showed me what it feels like to be with someone who actuallyseesme. Who challenges me. Who makes me feel alive in ways Rowan never did.

I'm falling for Knox. But I don't know if he feels the same.

"Winter?" Kate prompts.

"I just need Rowan to get the message," I say finally.

"That's all."

Kate sighs. "Okay. But if he keeps this up, you need to do something more serious."

"I know."

We talk for a few more minutes before hanging up. I look at the peonies on my counter. Then I pick up my phone and block another one of Rowan's numbers.

***

That same evening, I'm getting ready for a charity gala. One of my clients, Mrs. Patterson, invited me weeks ago. She's on the board of a foundation that supports arts education in underserved communities, and the annual gala is their biggest fundraiser of the year.

I almost declined when the invitation first came. These events aren'tusually my scene.

But Mrs. Patterson insisted. She wanted to introduce me to potential clients, and I couldn't turn down the opportunity.

I put on a navy dress, simple but elegant, and pull my hair into a low chignon. Minimal jewelry. Classic heels. By the time I arrive at the venue—a historic mansion on the Upper East Side—the event is already in full swing.

The main ballroom is stunning. Crystal chandeliers, floor-to-ceiling windows, live orchestra playing in the corner. People in expensive gowns and tuxedos mingle with champagne glasses in hand. Mrs. Patterson finds me almost immediately.

"Winter, darling, you look beautiful. Come, let me introduce you to some people."

She leads me through the crowd, making introductions. A couple looking to renovate their Park Avenue apartment. A developer interested in hiring a designer for a new boutique hotel. An art collector who wants to redesign his gallery space.