He grimaced, but his eyes were tender as he looked at his wife and daughter. “Please, don’t speak it into existence.” He inclined his head toward me. “Maya. Good to see you.”
“You too.” I smiled even as something tightened in my chest.
I didn’t have baby fever, and I wasn’t someone who grew up dreaming of a dozen kids and a white picket fence. However, seeing how happy and domestic the Russos were made me ache for something similar.
I had a lot of career ambitions, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want family outings and picnics in the park too. The trick was finding someone I loved and respected enough to start a family with. So far, the options were dismal.
My mom kept saying my expectations were too high, and maybe she was right. But if I didn’t have high expectations for the person I spent my life with, then I might as well have noexpectations for anything at all.
“Are you the one who needs bailing out?” Dante asked, sounding as amused as an intimidating, six-foot-four Italian CEO could sound.
“No.” I blushed. “It was, um, an inside joke. I have to go, but I’ll see you at my party in a few weeks?”
He nodded.
I said my final goodbyes and slipped out, leaving them to their family time.
The Russos lived only a few blocks from me. I had time to go home, change, and pick up my luggage before I was supposed to meet Sebastian, but my plans vanished into a puff of smoke when I exited the building to find a familiar black SUV idling by the curb.
The window rolled down.
“Get in,” Sebastian said, sounding bored. A pair of sunglasses hid his eyes. “Your luggage is in the trunk.”
“What the hell?” I spluttered. “How did you know I was here?” If he was stalking me, we weren’t going to make it to Vermont before I required bail.
He shrugged. “Your assistant loves me. Also, Vivian posted a photo of your party-planning session to her business page.”
“She would never post our location.”
“No, but I recognized the carpet. Dante and I are friends, you know.” Sebastian gestured at the passenger seat. “Are you getting in or not? Because if you want to walk all the way to Vermont, I’m happy to oblige.”
“Nice to see our trip is off to a good start,” I grumbled. I climbed into the car and barely had time to shut the door before he peeled off, nearly mowing over two women in designer activewear in the process. “I can’t believe you ambushed me.”
“It’s a four-hour drive, Sal, not a kidnapping,” he said dryly. “Do you need to use the restroom?”
“No.”
“Do you need to eat?”
“No.”
“Then sit back and pick a playlist. You’re the DJ.”
“Fine.” I opened my Spotify and scrolled to my pop playlist. A Riley K. song blasted through the speakers, and I allowed myself a satisfied grin when Sebastian grimaced.
This was his least favorite song in her discography. Actually, it was mine too, and I said that as someone wholovedRiley K. But seeing Sebastian look like he wanted to crawl out of his skin and bash in his eardrums was worth three minutes and fifty-four seconds of torture.
“How did you get my luggage?” I asked. “Don’t tell me my assistant gave you that too.”
“No, your housekeeper did. I told her I was doing you a favor.” He gave me a smug smile. “She also loves me.”
“That’s it.” I put on my sunglasses to hide my annoyance. “I’m firing everyone and hiring nuns.”
“I’ve met a few nuns. They—”
“If you say they love you too, I swear to God, I’ll throw you out and run you over. Twice.”
Sebastian’s laugh filled the car.
