Kayn opened the conference room door and strode inside. He was immediately greeted by a woman’s pleasant and vaguely familiar voice.
“It’s great to see you again, Kayn, but you look terrible. You should take better care of yourself, or you’ll end up one of the people using your charity.”
Darius poked his head around the door jamb and found his friend embracing a tall, slender woman dressed in dark slacks and a burgundy blazer that gave her light brown complexion a rosy flush. With her tiny braids pulled back in a loose ponytail, she struck the right balance for business casual. She carried herself with an easy confidence. Speaking with Kayn, she sounded more like a friend than a potential employee. Who was—
Before he could finish the thought, Darius felt himself transported back to that unusually warm May evening the month before high school graduation. They’d been with friends at the park and had wandered down a path alone. He could smell the sweet fragrance of the peonies in bloom nearby, the vanilla scent of her shampoo, the feel of—
“Darius, come here.” Kayn waved him over, pulling him back to the present. “Eve, this is my friend and business partner, Darius Dimitriou. Darius, Evelynn Stewart.”
He had to unclench his fist before he could extend his arm. Did she remember him? She hesitated before taking his hand, hers warm, her skin soft. The too-familiar tickle of attraction ran up his arm, and the corner of his eye twitched. But she continued to watch him expectantly, wary, like she was waiting for some response from him. Darius decided to play it cool.
“Have we met?” he asked.
Kayn glanced first at one and then the other, his brows raised. The corners of Eve’s mouth quirked. Darius knew that beautiful face too well not to know how forced her amused attitude was. She hadn’t forgotten that night either.
“I doubt that someone important like you would remember a girl you kissed in high school, but yes. We’ve met. My seventeen-year-old self would be crushed that you’ve forgotten her.” She put her hand to her chest with a mock flutter.
So that was how she was going to play it. He wasn’t likely to forget that kiss. It had rocked his world and confused the heck out of him. All right.
“It’s nice to see you again, Eve,” Darius said. “So, you’re a nurse now?”
“And you’re a billionaire. Who knew back then how life would turn out?”
If he hadn’t known her so well, he’d have thought her tone was teasing. From Kayn’s expression, that’s what he thought, but Darius was too familiar with the edge of sarcasm she’d liked to sneak into some comments. She’d usually saved those for the snarky kids in school though. How many times had he and she laughed later after such verbal altercations? He’d always thought she would have followed her father’s career path rather than her mother’s. Of course, he’d also thought Eve would always be a part of his life.
“Since you’re here, I’m guessing you’re the nurse who helped Kayn in Ireland.” Darius wondered if she could explain what had happened to sour Kayn during the bucket-list charity trip.
“I did.” Eve glanced at his partner, who’d leaned back in his chair like a spectator. “It was pretty amazing, and he helped to make Granny a very happy woman.”
Kayn’s expression had tightened at the reference to Ireland and worsened when the client was mentioned.
“Now that we’ve had this little mini reunion,” he said dryly, “maybe we can talk about the project. Please be seated.”
“Well, aren’t we salty today.” Eve shot him a shrewd glance but took a seat. “Why are you so cross?”
“I’m not,” Kayn said crossly.
Eve arched a brow and leaned back in her chair, her arms folded. “Sell me a different story because I’m not buying this one.” Her eyes narrowed. “It’s Sona, isn’t it?”
“That’s none of your business,” Kayn said, his tone sharp.
Eve blinked but didn’t drop her gaze, though she didn’t say anything else.
Kayn was a plain speaker, but he was rarely rude, and certainly not in a business setting. When Darius exchanged glances with him, the Korean man’s face flushed, and he averted his gaze. Darius wondered who this Sona was to be causing Kayn’s lady problems. That was curious anyway since the man was a confirmed bachelor. Darius did sympathize since he still carried the scars from his own lady problems.
Without a word, Kayn picked up two stacks of papers and handed one to Eve. The other he gave to Darius.
“These are my notes from the first trip and an account of the expenses. I also had Cass prepare a list of the things that we considered as we went into it and what my observations were during the trip.”
“Why did you print this out?” Darius asked.
“I sent you a digital copy too, but I wanted you to have something in front of you for this meeting.”
Since Darius hadn’t been involved with the trip to Ireland, he spent his time scanning the documents, while Eve and Kayn discussed the observations.
As Darius subtly watched the two interact, he knew Cass was right. They needed to do something. When Kayn had first returned from Ireland, Darius had excused his friend’s curt behavior as jet lag. But enough time had passed that that was no longer an excuse. The usually mellow man was distracted and edgy, sharp and critical with others. Darius would have to ask Eve about this Sona person, and why she was being a problem for his friend.
“Darius?” Eve asked, reaching over to tap his hand, pulling him from his thoughts.
