“It’s okay.” When Derek saw tears threatening to form again, he quickly tried changing the subject. “So, I don’t have a time machine, and while Jake did recently purchase a private jet for the company, I don’t think he’ll let me use it to fly to Paris for dinner. But...” He paused dramatically. “I do have a car, and it just so happens I know the way to that beach you were talkin’ about earlier.”
Charlie’s eyes lit up like a kid’s on Christmas morning but then dimmed a bit. “What about your job?”
“What about it?”
“Don’t you have to work?”
“I have the next several days off, remember? Come on...what else do you have to do?”
He asked already knowing the answer. She didn’t have a job waiting for her back in New York. He’d checked.
“What about Caleb?”
Derek shook his head. “He’s not invited.”
She laughed. “That’s not what I meant.”
“I know. Listen”—he took a step closer—“this will be good for you. We can even visit my parents.”
He knew that would entice her. Back in the day, his parents had been like family to her, and she was like the daughter they never had.”
“I meant to ask. How are your parents?”
He smiled. “They’re good. I know they’d love to see you.”
“I’d like that, too.”
“We can stay at their beach house if you’d like.”
She seemed surprised. “They still have that place?”
“Yep. They don’t use it much, but Dad refuses to sell it.”
“It was always so beautiful there. Peaceful.”
“Want me to call my folks and tell them we’ll be there for dinner? We could eat, visit for a bit, and then head to the beach. Or, we can stay here. It’s up to you.”
Not wanting to push her into something she wasn’t comfortable with, Derek let her think about it some more. After a couple of minutes, she smiled and nodded her head.
“Let’s do it.”
