CHAPTER 28
Skylar and Dante
Monday morning
Skylar arrived at the business office of the Ursala Hotel and Resorts earlier than usual, but then, he needed the extra time. He had flown in straight from Chicago. Leaving Haven had been hard, and not telling her of his connection to the Montgomerys had been even harder. Their weekend had been so busy…and so sensually satisfying.
It had been a while since he’d visited Chicago, and he had forgotten what a great city it was. Lake Michigan, The Art Institute, Millennium Park, and the food–pizza, hot dogs, and popcorn–were a few of the things Haven had decided that he needed to get reacquainted with. And he had. Then, at night and during the early mornings, he had found the ultimate in passionate pleasure in the arms of the woman he loved.
“You’re early, Sky, but I see you’ve made yourself at home by helping yourself to my coffee.”
He turned as Dante walked in, looking like a badass, even in a business suit. “That’s what you get for having your coffee maker set to come on at a certain time.”
“What can I say? There’s nothing like good Italian coffee, and I only drink the best,” Dante said, removing his jacket and taking a seat behind his desk.
“You would,” Skylar said. Dante’s family in Italy, the Averas, owned a coffee plantation. Avera coffee was well-known and considered the best Italian coffee because the beans were grown right there in Sicily. Pouring a cup of coffee for Dante, he crossed the room and placed it on his desk.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” Skylar said, easing into the chair across from the desk. “So why didn’t you tell me about Haven’s connection to the Montgomerys?”
Dante leaned back in his chair. “Mainly because I didn’t see it as a threat. I made the connection when I did a background check on them. It didn’t appear in my report on Haven because I primarily focused on her life. You can’t imagine my shock when I saw Jeremiah’s wedding photo, with her in it.”
Skylarcouldimagine it and figured it was the same shock he’d had when he had seen it. “You immediately thought some funny business was going on, right?”
“I did for all of two seconds. After making sure you and Haven were not in any way blood-related, I found things rather amusing.”
“Amusing?” Skylar asked, frowning.
“Yes. What are the odds that something like that would happen? That you and the woman you fell for were related to some of the same people.” Dante suddenly went still in the middle of taking a sip of his coffee. His gaze sharpened on Skylar. “I hope you didn’t accuse her of anything, Sky.”
“No. I haven’t even told her about the connection.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to talk to you first. I never suspected her of foul play. Of course, at first, I was shocked, and maybe for the same two seconds you did, I considered the possibility she was involved in some shady business. But then, I realized she was not intentionally keeping anything from me. I’ve gotten to know Haven over the past five weeks, and she is everything you said. Different, and like a breath of fresh air. I doubt she has a deceitful bone in her body. I don’t understand it any more now than I did five weeks ago, but I believe we were meant to be together.”
“I believe that, too, and I’m not a wishful-thinker, dreamer, or a person prone to fantasy. You of all people know that. I’ve seen too much jaded shit in my lifetime. I’m pragmatic, too grounded in realism and practicality. But a part of me thinks I now understand.”
“Understand what?”
“The purpose behind everything. This is your destiny.”
Skylar lifted a brow. “Now you’re confusing me, Dante. What are you talking about?”
“Jeremiah Montgomery.”
“What about him?”
“He reminds me of Silas, but without the wealth. He’s a good man with a sincere heart and is filled with integrity. He believes in doing the right thing. He sees the best in everyone, and he loves his kids the same way Silas loved you, wanting the best for them. He’s a good role model.”
“And?”
“I can see him becoming a part of your life in a positive way.”
Skylar rolled his eyes. “It’s not Jeremiah Montgomery I want in my life,Dante. It’s Haven.”
“Yes, but can you honestly have Haven in your life without Jeremiah in it as well? He and her grandmother were close. I can almost guarantee Haven’s grandmother’s deathbed request to Jeremiah was similar to Silas’s deathbed request to me. To always be there for you.”
