He kisses me, his lips warm and soft and tasting like coffee. “That’s what I said.”
I only know one way of expressing my gratitude. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I whisper, “I love you.”
His expression becomes strained. Maybe he’s not comfortable with oversharing in front of Noah. I know how hard it can be for some men to say those words. My mother never heard them from my father. Neither did I.
Respecting Dante’s boundaries, I back off. “I already did some research of my own. How about we each select our top choices and schedule visits?”
“Set it up.” He rubs his hand down my thigh and squeezes my knee in an act that’s both reassuring and intimate. “I’ll be there.”
When Dante leaves for the office, I clean the kitchen while Noah fashions an airplane from play dough at the counter.
I call Jazz while he plays soccer with Dante’s men outside. We make a lunch date for the following week when she can take a break from rehearsing. She’s taken up singing lessons with her private tutor again, wanting to make sure she gives the audition her best shot.
A couple of hours before lunch, an idea comes to me. I want to thank Dante for his generosity, not only for showing me that he trusts me but also for being so good to us. He’s a model daddy and husband.
Taking special care with my appearance, I dress in an ice-blue dress and high heels. Noah insists on also changing when I tell him about my plan. He decides to wear his chinos and a button-down shirt with new sneakers that he tells me Dante bought for him.
When we’re ready, I tell Emily that Noah and I will be out for lunch.
Ulysses is on door duty. After what happened, Dante doesn’t want me to drive alone or to go anywhere without bodyguards, so I ask Ulysses if he’ll take us to town. Dante has never said so explicitly, but I’m sure the guards report our movements to him. It’s a measure he’d take for our safety.
Ulysses is surprised when I ask him to drive us to Dante’s office. He escorts us inside the building and into the elevator. If I’ve been here before, I don’t remember it.
An attractive woman with glossy, black hair and a wide smile on her red lips greets us when we exit on Dante’s floor.
She takes both my hands in hers. “I’m Penelope. You can call me Penny.”
I offer her a hesitant smile. “We’ve met before, haven’t we?”
“Briefly.” She waves a hand. “My appearance wasn’t that memorable.”
“You’re just trying to make me feel better. I take it Dante enlightened you?”
“He did.” She scrutinizes me. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine.” I smile. “Making progress, I hope.”
“Just take it day by day and be easy on yourself.” She turns to Noah. “And here’s the young man I was dying to meet.”
Noah stands up straighter and holds out a hand.
Grinning, she shakes his hand. “Oh, my. You do take after your father.”
“He does.” Pride wells up inside me. I motion at the firm handshake he’s giving her. “In looks as well as mannerisms.”
“I dress like Daddy.” Noah puffs out his chest. “He bought me a soccer ball and lets me watch games on television.”
Penelope—Penny—gives an approving nod. “He sounds like a great dad.”
“He’s the best,” Noah declares with solemn conviction. “My dad is the strongest. He can hit a goal with his head.” He taps his head to stress the point.
Penny’s expression is amused. “Now that’s something I’d like to see.” She winks at me. “I only get the grumpy or serious side.” She hooks her arm through mine and leads me through an open-plan area where people stop working on their laptops to stare at Noah and me. “Come. He’s in a meeting, but I’ll let him know you’re here.”
The hallway leads to a big meeting room. Dante is visible through the glass walls, standing at the head of an oval table while addressing a group of men wearing expensive suits and serious expressions.
When he looks up and spots us, he goes quiet in the midst of what he was saying. Penny waves. Everyone turns their heads our way.
Suddenly not so sure about my brilliant plan, I say, “We can wait in the reception area.” I’m clearly interrupting something important.
