“I hope you’ll send him my love when you speak to him again,” I said, hoping he’d leave it at that.
“We talked aboutyou, Adeline,” he said, his gaze unwavering on my own. “About how it would be wise for you to be married again.”
I felt like he’d punched me right in the airway, but again, I should’ve seen it coming. My divorce wasn’t even finalized yet, and here they were, already plotting the road to the next one.
It was a pattern in families like mine, a system that worked for some but had failed me spectacularly. I couldn’t believe they were already talking about this, but simultaneously, I was already bracing myself for the inevitable.
This is how it goes, isn’t it? One day, you’re struggling to stay afloat trying to divorce a man who ripped your life to pieces, and the next, you’re staring down the barrel of another match being arranged for you.
I would’ve laughed right in his face at the mere suggestion of it, but one look at him told me that he was serious—and that I’d better be ready for them to intervene soon if I couldn’t push this divorce through soon.
CHAPTER 3
ZACH
Twenty minutes. That was how short my interaction with Adeline was.Ifit had even been that long. And two days later, it was still on my mind.
I shut down my laptop and slid it into my bag, the end of day silence I usually loved too loud now that I hadhervoice back in my head. The Roark Wright deal was done, signed, sealed, and delivered to legal. I’d wrapped up the final details this morning, closed the file, and officially washed my hands of it. Except for the blast from the past that would be with me for much longer than it had taken to get the deal done.
“Zach?”
I looked up to see my secretary in my doorway, and I groaned when I saw the look on her face. “Who needs to see me this time?”
“Alex called down,” she said apologetically. “He needs you up there before you leave.”
I checked the time out of habit. Five forty-five. It was too late for a casual check-in, but not late enough to be urgent.Roark. It’s got to be about Roark.
“Thanks,” I said, standing up and sliding my bag over my shoulder. “You don’t need to wait for me. I’m sure it’s going to be quick. Probably just some feedback.”
She nodded and stepped aside to let me out when I reached the door. “Let me know if you need me to come back.”
“I won’t,” I promised. “Not tonight. If it’s about last-minute changes to the deal, I’ll just grab someone from the pool. Go home, Linda. Your kids need you occasionally too.”
She chuckled. “You should take your own advice sometimes, Zach. Go home early tonight no matter what happens, okay? Get some rest and we’ll dig in tomorrow morning.”
I nodded, but both of us knew that probably wouldn’t happen. Brushing past her, I waved and headed upstairs to Alex’s office, knocking but not waiting before I pushed the door open.
“You’re late,” he said without looking up from his computer.
“How can I be late if you literally just asked me to come up? It seems to me that I’m right on time.”
He leaned back in his chair, his head shaking as he finally looked at me. “I have to go to DC for a few days.”
I paused just inside the door. “Okay. That’s nice?”
And also not at all what I expected, but maybe we’re still getting to the part about Roark.
“Trust me, it’s not going to be nice,” he said. “Anyway, I need you to help Nate and Jesse cover some of my responsibilities while I’m gone.”
I shrugged and crossed the office, dropping into the chair across from him. “Yeah. Of course. Whatever you need.”
Relief softened his features for just a beat. “Thanks, Zach. It’s nothing you can’t handle. Nate will be doing most of the heavy lifting. I just don’t want him drowning in both roles again, but I also know neither you or Jesse want to be interim CEO.”
I flinched. “I’ll back them up. Don’t worry. Besides, you said it’s only for a few days, right?”
“Yeah, but Dad is meeting me there,” he said. “It might end up being more than a few days, depending on what he’s planning.”
I frowned. “Dad, as in Douglas Westwood, our father who has been sunbathing semi-professionally for the last twelve to fourteen months?”
