"Really? Other than you and maybe your girlfriends, what makes you so certain of its success?"
Taking his question as a personal insult, I tightened my stare but kept my emotions at bay. "The numbers haven't been reported to Greenslate yet, but my team have already analyzed them from the launch in Spain months ago. The numbers are fine."
"Spain?"
"Yes. Spain. Maybe you've heard of it. It's a beautiful country. There are people there, and some of them want to find love," I spat.
Bruno smirked. "As you know, my family is also from there, Alex."
The use of my nickname made my whole body tighten now.
"So, Amoré Nights will be an international app. Users can even look for love abroad?" Bruno asked.
"Yes. Some might argue all the men in their home country are trash. I've at least given them an app to check if it's just their location or if all the men in the world are horrible creatures."
The conference room was full, but the only thing I saw was Bruno, who sat too comfortably in his seat for my liking. Eyes locked with mine, tossing back my words like they needed his approval. I shot back without flinching, our exchange sharp and fast. The tension was thick enough to cut, our voices low but loaded, and I could feel the eyes around the table shifting, the silence growing as everyone tuned in. They all knew. They had to know. This wasn't a normal business meeting or discussion. Bruno and I clearly had history. We'd once been deeply in love,then the whole thing burned away until only the bare bones were left. And even though I should remember my professional reputation, I didn't back down. Not with him. Not now.
FOUR
Go Back Where You Came From
After going back and forth with Bruno in the meeting, we all went to our neutral corners for rest and recovery. I felt like a fighter between rounds, waiting for the bell to return to the center of the ring.
Inside my office, Eliana stared at me, confused.
"What?" I yelled, tired of her eyes.
"Damn, you two must have a lot of history."
That was an understatement. "It's a long story."
"What are the chances he's the one Greenslate assigned to supervise your launch?"
She didn't really need an answer, so I stood and began to pace. "It's just my luck. What should be one of the happiest times of my life is soured by Bruno Gasol."
Eliana glanced at the office phone. "If you can't handle it…maybe we call and request a replacement."
My eyes flew open. I was trying to build a reputation in the business world, a space that wasn't fair to women to begin with, and now I was supposed to let word get out I couldn't work with a man because we once fucked? Bruno strutted in like he could be professional, so damnit, I could too.
"Eliana, if he can do it, so can I. Shit, I'm not the one who should be uncomfortable."
Her voice softened. "Mind if I ask what happened between you and Mr. Gasol?"
I patted her shoulder. "After Amoré Nights is launched and the blizzard named Bruno leaves our orbit, I'll gladly share. But for now, I have to rush home. I'm having dinner with the girls."
Eliana's eyes widened. "Oh, it's tonight."
"Yes. The weekly Aston Lane College bitches meeting is tonight, and it's my time to host."
As I headed toward the door, my secretary chuckled. "Why you four would call yourselves bitches I will never understand."
"We heard it so much, we just decided to embrace it."
A short while later, I entered my luxury New York condo. As the door shut behind me, I removed my shoes and took a deep breath, happy to be home. Today was one for the record books. I walked farther into the condo. The windows and marble floor sparkled, which told me Linda, my cleaner, had been here today. It lifted my mood to walk into a clean space. I inhaled and recognized a delicious smell. Dominic, my personal chef, was clearly already at work. Following the rosemary and garlic, I approached the open-concept kitchen and spotted him moving with his usual grace. After a friendly chat, I walked toward the living room, passing my comfy gray sofa that faced the fireplace. One touch on the remote lit the flames and gave the room a bit of ambiance. Everything looked beautiful. From where I stood, the dining table was set with expensive silverware, white orchids, and glowing candles. When you paid good money, you got a great team.
After a quick glance at my watch, I rushed to rinse the day from my body and hair. The girls would be here soon, and this was the only part of the day I was certain would go well. Forty-five minutes later, I exited the bedroom. After the embarrassingmistake earlier, I stopped in the hallway in front of a mirror to make sure my clothes weren't inside out.
All those years spent learning to dress myself, and today I forget the skill.
