Page 64 of Unlocking my Boss's Heart

She lifted her head and nodded.

“That reminder that Olivia mentioned, she doesn’t know, but it was about inviting you to dinner at my parents’. I hope you can hang out with your friends earlier…. What do you say?”

She looked like she was calculating in her head, but I wanted her to ditch everything and come, so I pressed. “I can send a car for you, if you like?”

She pulled her hand free. “No need to send a car; I’ll be there. Thanks for inviting me.”

When she didn’t immediately move toward the door, I wondered if this was my chance to make my case about the stirring kiss we’d just shared.

“About the kiss—”

“Yes, about that….” She let the sentence trail off.

If she was planning to remind me of my unprofessional conduct at the workplace, I hoped she remembered how she’d responded to the kiss. Little happy noises had escaped her lips as she enthusiastically kissed me back. I wouldn’t mind repeating it so I could hear those noises over and over again.

“…we really need to keep our feelings under control.”

That made me smile, happy she acknowledged that it wasn’t just me, but shealsohad a control issue with her attraction.

The silence was heavy with emotions.

“How have you been?” she asked, breaking the tense air between us. “I mean, with your dad and Reeva…and everything.”

I tensed up. Reeva was a subject I’d put in a box and locked up. I didn’t need a reminder of how she made a complete fool of me. No reminder of how stupid and ignorant I’d felt since my paternity test results. But this was Celia genuinely asking how I was doing; I needed to be honest with her.

“It’s been a pride-shattering experience to know that I’d dated a woman with that type of character, but I’m recovering. As for my dad, he’s doing so much better than I thought. You’ll see for yourself tomorrow.”

As I watched her process my words, I couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope. Our kiss, unexpected yet undeniable, had reignited something between us—something I wasn’t ready to let go of. And now, with her agreeing to join my family for dinner, it felt like the distance that had grown between us over the past few weeks was finally beginning to close. Tomorrow would be the start of something new, and I couldn’t wait to see where it would lead.

I sent a quick reminder to Celia later on Saturday, including instructions for checking in at the front gate.

True to my mother’s word, she’d arranged a quiet affair, though not quite as small as I’d expected. A table was set up on the patio with twelve chairs.

A few of my father’s friends arrived early, and they spent part of the afternoon in his study upstairs. It was hard to ignore their booming voices as they argued amicably. At one point, mymother went in to warn them against any business discussion that might cause my father too much stress.

Shortly before the appointed time, Johan and Benjamin, my youngest brother, arrived with a bottle of wine.

Celia was the last to appear, wearing a knee-length silk skirt and a blouse with a flower print. Her attire was perfect for the setting, as if she’d known we were dining in the garden.

She clasped her purse as she approached a little shyly and gave me a brief hug.

“You look lovely,” I told her.

It was the first time in weeks that I’d seen her outside of work.

“Thank you.” She glanced around. “How is he handling all the activity?”

I knew who she meant. “He’s eating it up. Having his friends around has perked him right up. I’m very pleased.”

“That’s good.” She grinned, and it was the most genuine smile I had seen in a while. “I hope he won’t mind me being here.”

“He’ll be charmed by you. They all will.”

I led her to the French doors at the far side of the living room. Holding the door open for her, she stepped on the porch where the flowering vines providing shade, were almost the same pattern as the flowers on her shirt. It was cooler than inside the house, and the low-hanging sun provided an aura of magic with all the bloomed flowers.

Everyone else was already seated at the table when we came out.

Celia’s eyes widened. “I didn’t realize I was late,” she whispered.

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