Page 20 of Echoes of Sin

“Working,” she answered coolly. “I only have one client and he’s taking up all of my focus at the moment.”

I glared. “Cute. Where are you living now?”

“Winter Valley,” she answered with one arched brow.

“Okay. Tell me, how are your parents? You were very close to them.” It was one of the things we had in common. Her mother was her best friend, the same as my father.

Her gaze hardened into green glaciers. “My parents divorced. My mother died three years ago, and my father moved to Texas with his new wife. Happy?”

I sat up taller, shocked to hear about her mother. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Me too,” she said, and looked away, swiping one lone tear from underneath her eyes.

“That must’ve been so difficult.”

“It was,” she agreed. “But now she’s gone and I’m learning to live with that fact.” Brooke shook her head and then, almost as if it was her armor, she turned the conversation back to business. “Your accounts,” she began, and looked past me.

My heart went out to her. She looked so devastated, as if the loss was fresh, and I understood that all too well. “It’s difficult, losing a parent.”

She froze at my words, but instead of denying it, she simply nodded. “Second hardest thing I have ever had to deal with.”

That was an intriguing answer. “What was the first?”

She shook her head, a sad smile on her face. “You don’t get that story. Can we please get back to business now?” Her bottom lip trembled, and another tear slid down her cheek.

“Yes, sure. Business.” The rest of the lunch passed in a blur of business, but it was oddly intimate. It made me think of an alternate universe where Brooke and I could have lunches like this, laughing together and talking about business while making plans for after work. I found myself picturing her in my life in another way, a way that no woman had ever been in my life before, as a permanent fixture.

It was a risk in my business, but somehow, I knew she would be worth the risk.

“Ilya, are you listening?”

No. “Yes, of course.” I flashed a smile so bright I hoped she didn’t notice I hadn’t heard a word she said.

Brooke let out a frustrated grunt. “This is serious, Ilya.”

My brows furrowed. “What is serious?”

“I was going over your business expenses and there are several discrepancies between what you are paying for rent per square feet and the actual size of several buildings. It’s a major error that could cost you tens of thousands of dollars, maybe even hundreds of thousands, each year.”

“I will look into it, thank you.”

She wasn’t satisfied with my answer, but Brooke nodded, accepting my promise. “Well, I think we’re all caught up.” She took a few more bites from her salad and pushed the plate away. For a woman who had claimed no appetite, she had made short work of the meal.

“I’ll walk you out to your car.” I stood before she could reject my offer and dropped a few bills on the table.

“That really isn’t necessary.”

“Yet, I’m walking you out anyway,” I replied with a smile, settling one hand on her lower back as I guided her from the restaurant. We walked in silence to her small sedan, but it wasn’t the tension-filled silence I expected. It was almost peaceful.

“See you next week.” Her smile was small and sad, which was the only explanation for what I did next.

I gripped her shoulders and pulled her against my chest, wrapping my arms tightly around her. I held her for a long moment that allowed us both to take comfort in each other. “You will,” I whispered in her ear before putting some distance between us. “Unless I see you before then.”

“Right.” She let out a shaky laugh as if being this close to me was having an odd effect on her as well. “Goodbye.”

I watched her drive away, confident that I most definitely would see her before next Friday.

Chapter Twelve

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