I moved to the first stall where my horse stayed and let myself in. Muscle memory kicked in, and I brushed the horse from top to bottom, allowing my hands to feel the animal's strength beneath my palms.
As I worked, the thoughts in my head started to turn, trying to come up with a solution. I went back through the list of things I could sell. I added to it the things I could fix instead of replacing. It was not an easy task to consider getting rid of the things my father loved, but I would lose it all if I didn’t deal with it the dilemma at hand.
As I was about to move to the next stall, my phone started ringing. Lucas' name popped up on the screen, and I answered him, curious as to what he wanted since he was never one to call instead of text.
"Hey, Lucas," I greeted. "What's up?"
“Finally,” he said with an edge to his voice. “I have been trying to get in touch with you all afternoon. I started to think the worst and was one missed call away from coming to get on you.”
"Oh," I chuckled, a little embarrassed, "I didn't see any of your messages. I have been a little preoccupied today."
"Yeah, I am sure. That's what I was calling to ask about.”
My brows furrowed as I tried to figure out how he had known I had been thinking about Alexander all day. Surely, he couldn't have known.
“Ask about what?” I finally asked.
“Your meeting with the bank,” he told me with suspicion in his voice. “Wasn’t that today?”
“Oh! Yes, it was. I am surprised you remembered.”
Of course, that's why he was calling. I told him that my meeting with the bank was today. Any good friend would call to see how that went. Any good daughter would be focused on that instead of dinner with some guy.
"I just knew how anxious you were about it. I had expected you to call me to talk about whatever happened. But it's almost six thirty, and I am still waiting to hear from you. I was worried."
“Did you say it was six thirty?” I asked, already rushing back to the house, my heart pounding.
“Yeah, I thought we could go to dinner and -”
“I’m sorry, Lucas. I have to go. I’m going to be late.”
I ended the call without waiting for him to say anything else. As much as I had been thinking about dinner tonight, I couldn't believe I was about to be late. In less than two minutes, I was tucked into the truck with my bag and a little thing of flowers in the seat next to me, pulling out of the driveway. I followed the directions Asta had given me earlier, and with every mile, I grew closer to his house, the more nervous I became.
Chapter seven
Alexander
“Sitdown,”Astatoldme for the dozenth time. "You are pacing like a caged animal, making me nervous."
I tugged my hand through my hair, wanting to do anything to ease the tension. I had been on alert since I had left the Cheese Festival. Knowing that Agotia would be in my home tonight made me nervous, which irritated me more than anything. This is out of character for me. A New Yorker billionaire who affronts anything.
I came here to work to focus on the things that needed my attention. I flew across the Atlantic to devise a plan on how to deal with the press and ex-girlfriend, not be consumed by a local woman. This kind of distraction was the last thing I needed right now. I musted come up with a solution and moved on with my life.
“I have never seen you so worked up. What has gotten into you?” Asta asked, concern etched on her face. "Is it dinner tonight? I am happy to host her in my private quarters. Or I can reschedule if it is that much of an inconvenience."
“No,” I told her, the word sharper than I intended. “There is nothing wrong with dinner. I told you I wanted you to host her here. This is your home just as much as it is mine. I am not bothered by our dinner guest. I am simply trying to figure out what to do about the mess back home.”
She nodded understanding, staring at me intently for a moment before returning to the stove.
“You know,” she said, her back turned, “your grandfather used to tell me there was no problem he couldn’t solve because he had a secret weapon.”
“Oh really?” I asked, not quite believing her.
“He used to say that if there was ever a situation that he could not fix, he had reinforcements.”
“And who was that?”
“Your grandmother.”
