Page 76 of Let Me Love You

Rose throws her long hair over her shoulder and flutters her long, curled eyelashes at me. Her black dress is tighter than she normally wears. I had hoped getting married would deter her, but that doesn’t seem likely.

She’s an intelligent woman. It’s what initially attracted me to her. If she used her spare time to help Barlowe Tech rather than trying to get with me, she’d have ideas for the launch.

“I have a meeting to get to,” I say, trying to walk around her, but she sidesteps, blocking my path. “I’ll be late if I don’t head that way right now.”

She takes a step toward me, and I match it with a step back. Anytime she’s near me, my skin crawls. Even if Serenity wasn’t in the picture, I’d never want to be with a cheater. My mother made sure to teach me that lesson.

“I was hoping we could get lunch together today.” Another step. “Maybe we can talk about what the marketing team has come up with. Mr. Choi is tight-lipped.”

I bite my tongue. No matter how much I want to tell her off, I have to keep things on a professional level. And if she has actual ideas to bring to the board, I need to listen. “Mr. Choi and his team are working directly with me. If you have any questions or suggestions, I’m the man to speak with.”

Another step closer, and I resist the urge to shrink back. I can’t let her think she has the upper hand on me.

“Then, will you take me up on my lunch offer? That way, I can tell Mr. Lexington, and maybe he’ll lay off you.”

I laugh and then flash her a smile to try to hide the fact that I laughed at her ridiculous plan. “I’m sure you’d never try to claim our strategy as your own.”

“Aren’t you sick of this game we keep playing?” Rose never denied it, instead she deflected. She twirls her straight hair around her finger. “I was only listening to your mother.”

I blink a few times. I must’ve misheard her. “You were doing what?”

She giggles, and it sounds like nails on a chalkboard. How was I ever attracted to this fake woman? I even almost thought she had suggestions for the launch.

“Listening to your mother.”

“What on earth did she say to you?”

She waves me off. “Not much. Just that you and your wife,” she says the word wife like it means nothing, “are only temporary and that she’s more like a charity case. That we’ll make a better match.”

That’s the end of this conversation. Trying to step around her, I stop immediately. She’s so close now her rose-scented perfume assaults my nose. Of course, she’d get a scent matching her name. “Please move. I told you I have a meeting I need to get to.”

She sighs. “You’re no fun anymore.”

“I have a company to run.”

“Please accept my offer about having lunch together. I can tell you about an idea that came to me yesterday.”

This makes me pause. When we dated, she and I spent countless hours together coming up with marketing strategies before I took over as CEO. Back then, I was the marketing manager, and she was the second in command of our communications department.

My next meeting shouldn’t take longer than thirty minutes, so if she truly has something for me, I can’t turn down the opportunity. “Do you promise this isn’t some sort of ploy?”

She flashes me a blinding smile. “I promise I have real ideas to contribute.”

I nod. “Meet me in my office at the start of your lunch then.”

We go our separate ways, and I head straight to my office.

After a successful meeting with our California team, I turn off the camera on my computer and lean back. I tug on my tie, wishing I could go home and see Serenity after the day that made her “pooped.” I’m sure she has the biggest smile on her face, and I helped put it there.

Checking the time, I note I have about fifteen minutes until Rose comes. So, I pull out my phone and type out a message to Serenity.

Maybe I have some kinks I haven’t discovered yet. Do you want to help me figure it out?

I debate whether or not I waited too long to reply and if her joking texts will stop.

A reply comes through within thirty seconds.

Serenity