Bryan and I hit it off early on in our drive. He works for Nathaniel year-round, and lucky for me, has a sense of humor.
“You aren’t exactly wrong about that, Ms. Davenport.”
“Call me Cove. We’re gonna be with each other a lot during this trip, I’m guessing?”
Bryan nods, absentmindedly reaching behind him to make sure the air is cooling from both vents. “Yes, Ms. Cove. I take it you and Mr. McIntosh aren’t close?”
“What gave it away?” I joke. “Don’t I wear twenty-one years of abandonment well?”
Bryan falls silent for a moment. “I see nothing but confidence,” he reassures me. “Temperature well for you?”
“It’s just fine,” I sigh, deciding to pull my paperbackfrom my handbag. Maybe a bit of Shakespeare will act as a decent distraction until we get there.
“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,” Bryan contributes, surprising me with his knowledge of literature. He smiles softly through the rearview mirror. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream. One of my favorites.”
“William Shakespeare,” I sigh. “Brilliance isn’t a bright enough term to describe him. You read?”
“Often,” he replies. “My wife and I met at a Broadway show featuringRomeo and Juliet. It was the moment I knew novels were not just for the dreamers, but a guide to eternal love.”
“That might just be the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.” My heart soars for him. “Sounds magical.”
“Indeed it was, Ms. Cove. A time to be alive.”
Suddenly, the last thing I want to do is read. A wave of emotions washes over me, reminding me of the scheme I’m playing a part in. This isn’t me, yet I know it needs to be done. Hearing Bryan’s story of how he and his wife met makes me long for something I know I’m in no position to have any time soon.
“Will you tell me about it, Bryan? How you and your wife came to be. I’d love to hear all about it until we arrive,” I ask him kindly, settling back comfortably against the leather interior.
Thisis the story I want to hear. A love story between two real-life people, still just as in love as before. I can see it in the way Bryan’s eyes light up as he starts with their meet-cute.
Ten minutes. I’ve got ten minutes of pure happiness before things take a turn for the worse. And despite Bryan being an employee of Nathaniel, the look on his face when we pull up to the bustling high-rise restaurant tells me he knows it, too.
Bryan insistedon ushering me inside, knowing there’s a chance I won’t recognize the guy.
He’s sadly mistaken.
In order to prepare for what’s to come, I made extra effort to memorize every one of his business deals, colleagues, secretaries, and failures down to the nitty-gritty. That is one pro of his being a successful businessman—dirty laundry is public domain. I can’t risk the chance of surprise bombs dropping.
Lucky for me, I noticed many satisfying faults in the billionaire car guy. Also, sent a giant well done to the man upstairs because while Nathaniel has definitely aged, my mother only looks better with time.
God, that feels good.
Figures we’d meet at the most over-the-top bar in Texas. At least, I’m assuming it is because the nearly twenty miles of road it took to get here was nothing but abandoned car lots, commercial warehouses, and food trucks.
Having a bougie bar out in the open would never make sense in this town. From my understanding, we’re still in Dallas. Although I stopped paying attention to road signs after putting my phone on do not disturb.
The entrance to where Bryan parked appears private, in a way. From the street side of the building, a concrete wall with a lack of signage greets you. It’s the walkway to the right that leads to the bar’s entrance doors, which actually reveals the occupancy of life. People. Rich dickbags.
And in this case, I’d like to guess it’s a hideaway for the billionaires of Texas. It’s probably not fair of me to saythere aren’t many of them, but if that were true, it’s evident they like their space from us normal people.
Little do they know, they’re doing us all a favor.
“Mr. McIntosh prefers handshakes.”
I side-eye Bryan and laugh. I may be playing the dutiful daughter by obligation, but he’s mistaken if he thinks I’ll bend to Nathaniel’s preference.
I intend to make this fun, while also getting the job done. “Thanks for the heads up, Bryan.” He leads me through a heavy door, and the inside is covered wall-to-wall in vintage movie posters with gold frames. Not gonna lie, I feel a bit transported to one of my old Oxford fantasy romances, showcasing the academic life behind professors and their secret love interests.
An elevator takes us to the second floor, where a slender hallway leads to the bar and lounge area. It’s cozy while also reeking of an otherworldly level of elegance. Layered textures and rich patterns adorn the walls with wallpaper and art. Timeless styled furniture of muted greens and warm neutrals is tucked cozily into the space. The bar made of solid stone is the first I see upon entering, a bit of a standout in comparison to the comfort of the rest of the room.
