Still not a full confession. Fuck.
I glance at my laptop, then back to her, my mind racing. She knows what she’s doing. And now, so do I.
The ding of the elevator pulls my attention, and when the doors slide open, Koen steps out, a smile already on his face.
“Koen,” Veronica greets him, her tone warm and welcoming in a way that still throws me off every time. “Come in, come in. How are you?”
“Good, thank you,” Koen replies, stepping into the penthouse with that easy confidence he always carries. “I’m sorry for the spontaneity of this, but I was over by the Lane Building, thinking about Oscar and what he would’ve loved for the new hotel, and?—”
Another ding from the elevator interrupts him, and this time, it’s the server with a tray holding three coffees. He steps in briskly, setting the cups down on the kitchen island before offering a quick nod and heading back out.
“Sorry, darling.” Veronica gestures to the coffee. “Is here okay, or should we move to the living room for this?”
“No, this is fine, thank you.” Koen settles into a stool next to her. He picks up one of the cups, and we all follow suit, sipping as she prompts him to continue.
“You were saying…”
“I was thinking about that dinner we all had once, back when you and Oscar were talking about this venture. I didn’t pay much attention then. I was too busy discussing the new Mercedes Uncle Oscar had just gotten me with Nico.”
I suppress a grin, the memory hitting me as he says it. I remember that dinner vividly. Oscar animated and full of big ideas, and me barely listening because I was relentlessly ribbing Koen about the car.
It’s one of my best memories, especially the part where we went out to drive around in it for the rest of the night.
“But I do remember Oscar saying something about wanting magic-themed rooms,” Koen continues. “Like, ones where light illusions would change depending on what you touched. Maybe a mirror that shifts reflections when you walk past it, or a ceiling that resembles the night sky but moves when you clap your hands. Stuff like that.”
“Right.” Veronica smiles, a rare, genuine expression crossing her face. “I remember that dinner. I’d almost forgotten. It was such a long time ago.”
“I know,” Koen agrees. “I just… I’ve been thinking about that time a lot lately. I don’t know. I miss it. Miss him.”
I have no idea if he’s playing a part right now or if he’s genuine. Nobody could say, but his eyes tell me that at least the last part of the sentence was the full truth.
Hell, I miss Oscar, too, andIhadn’t spoken to him in years before he died.
I’m mid-sip when Veronica rises from her seat. My mind stutters as she takes a couple of steps to Koen.
She’s not…
Surely, she’s not…
But she does.She wraps him in a hug.
Koen’s eyebrows shoot up, his wide eyes meeting mine over her shoulder, and I nearly choke on my coffee. What the hell is happening?
Has sheeverhugged anyone that way?
“I’m so sorry, darling,” Veronica says softly, patting his back. “I know this is more than hard for you. But I want you to know I’m here for you, okay? Whatever you need. I meant it when I said we’d be family again. I’m here.”
Koen clears his throat, clearly as stunned as I am. “Thank you, Veronica.”
She steps back, smoothing her skirt as if the moment hadn’t just blown both of our minds. Just as she opens her mouth tospeak again, her phone rings. She glances at the screen, her jaw tightening. “Excuse me.” She picks it up while taking a few steps away from us. Her tone shifts instantly into sharp commands. There’s apparently a problem at one of the casinos.
She holds up a hand to us mid-conversation, muting the call with a press of a button as she steps back to us. “I’m sorry, boys. I have to go take care of something. Honey,” she says firmly, her eyes pinning me in place. “Will you talk more ideas out with Koen, please? Maybe you two could go out and grab something to eat? I bet Koen doesn’t want to be alone right now.” I open my mouth, but the sharpness of her gaze stops me cold. “Nicholas,” she reprimands, a warning in her tone.
Damn, I didn’t even want to protest.
I nod stiffly, turning to Koen. “How about the Chinese place we always used to go to?”
Veronica’s expression softens, and she squeezes my forearm, a surprising gesture of approval. Then she turns to Koen with an air kiss and heads toward the elevator. “Take care, darling,” she calls to Koen as the doors close behind her.
