“Too many,” I said, thinking of all the planning. Pissing my father off by moving to Florida after grad school. Not returning home to work for him like he had demanded. Convincing him I needed to work at the financial firms to get a fully rounded understanding of the finance world before I came on board at his company. Years of Liv playing daddy’s girl and staying in New York, working for him until he finally rewarded her with the COO position. It was as far as she would go. CEO was mine when he retired, whether or not I wanted it.
And all the while, we were conspiring. Building our own empire piece by piece with one goal in mind: watching him fall.
“Then whatever is going on with you, shut it down. We’ve put everything aside for this, Gabe. Don’t let our sacrifices be for nothing.”
“God, you’re too dramatic, Liv. I’m fine and still on track. Have a glass of wine and take that damn edge off.”
“One of us needs the edge because you’re lacking it today.” I held the phone against my shoulder while I tucked my shirt in as she continued. “Is there something I need to worry about?”
Only the black-haired beauty who stole my attention today.“No, it’s under control. I should be in the trenches in a few weeks at the most. That gives us two more years to build before I’m back in New York.”
“Then it’s the last mile, Gabe. Momma would be proud.”
I closed my eyes, hating how she jabbed me with moments of softness like that. Waiting to see if they would weaken me.
“Night, Liv. I’m serious. Go have a drink. Maybe get laid. It might loosen you up.”
“You’re nasty.” But I could hear the smile in her words. “Night, little brother.”
Disconnecting, I checked the time before tucking my phone into my pocket. I ran a hand through my hair, questioning what I was doing. Getting involved with Tori when I was so close to seeing the end of my efforts was risky. I’d had one goal for eleven years: to end my father’s dynasty. To watch him fall, just like my mother had fallen. But the nervous butterflies in the pit of my stomach told me moving forward with Tori was something I couldn’t avoid.
Liv’s reminders played through my mind the entire ride to Tori’s. She lived farther inland on the side of town where the firm was located. It took about twenty minutes to get there, and in that time, I fortified myself to return to the reserved, emotionally stunted man my father had made me into. The one Tori had unraveled within seconds. Another reason I knew she was the one.
I pulled into her apartment complex and parked in front of her building. Gripping the steering wheel, I chastised myself for that last thought. There could not be a “one.” The gamble we were taking was too big, and Liv and I had made a pact that romance wouldn’t interfere. Until today, I had honored that pact. But then those big blue eyes had risen to meet mine.
My head dropped onto the steering wheel. “What are you doing, Gabe? Pull away and let her think you stood her up. Avoid her until you no longer have to see her.” No amount of those demands had me moving because the thought of seeing herdevastated in the morning was akin to the time Liv had jabbed a fork in my thigh to see if I would bleed.
Stepping from the car, I adjusted the jacket I’d thrown over my polo and made my way up to her apartment. Three flights. Of course she would live on the third floor. I shook my head, thinking of how alike we were even though I barely knew her.
The door swung open just after I knocked, and there she was, shoving all doubts away. She looked stunning in a sundress that came to her mid-thighs and showed her glorious legs. Charcoal gray dusted her eyelids, accentuating the darker hues of blue in them. And her smile…I didn’t think I wanted to share that smile with anyone else. I wanted it for myself.
Words tumbled in my mind as I fought the need to kiss her lips that were stained with a deep blush. “Hi,” I sputtered.
“Hi,” she replied, beaming. “Come on in, but I’ll warn you, it looks like a storage unit.” She walked away, saying, “I just need to grab my shoes.”
The apartment was a small one-bedroom. Boxes filled the place, some open like she’d been searching for specific things.
“You weren’t kidding,” I said, closing the door behind me.
She came back around the corner of her room and leaned on the doorframe while she pulled on a short-heeled sandal. “I warned you.”
“Where do you sit?” I asked, peering over a pile of boxes.
“There’s a tiny corner on the couch that’s free,” she answered with a laugh. Switching feet, she continued, “I got my clothes unpacked at least.”
Sandals on, she grabbed her purse from atop a box and came to stand in front of me.
“I guess I know what you’ll be doing this weekend.”
She tossed her head back and laughed, exposing her graceful neck. In her heels, she stood closer to my six-three height, and it would have only taken a quick lean to have her lips against mine.
“I think that’s what I’ll be doing for the next few weekends.” She looked over at the boxes in the kitchen, giving me the perfect view of her side profile. I tucked my hands into my pockets to resist pushing her hair back from her cheek. “I suppose if this date goes well, it might be nice to have help.”
My brow quirked as her eyes nervously flitted to me like she regretted the suggestion.
“If beer and pizza are involved, count me in.”
Her smile returned. “Pepperoni?”
