Page 66 of Takeover

“You want me to end things so you can what? Swoop in and comfort him?” She doesn’t give me an answer. She continues to stare at me, and I can’t help the laugh that escapes. “You failed to consider one thing, Lindsay. A few things actually, but having met you twice now, I’m not surprised.” She purses her lips and gives a subtle smile. Immediately, I want to kick myself for letting her have the satisfaction of getting under my skin.

“I doubt that very much. I knowmyhusband.”

I shake my head at her and roll my eyes to the ceiling. “What you failed to consider is that he doesn’t want to be with you, and that fact has nothing to do with me. He rejected you when you went to his office, right?” She opens her mouth, but I hold up my hand. “And before you delude yourself further by blaming that on me, think about this. You say you know Ethan well. Is he the type of man who would pass up on what he wants to stay in a relationship he doesn’t really want? He’s not. And even if I end things with him, you are the last person he would accept comfort or anything else from. But if you think you have a chance in hell, you know where to find him. You might want to do it when I’m not there if you don’t want me to witness your humiliation, but then again, I’malwaysthere.”

She leans over the table, resting both of her elbows. “Did I hit a nerve, Cara?”

Having had enough, I stand up and grab my coat. “Not even on your best day.”

I grab my salad and toss it in the trash on my way out. It’s not until I’m outside and the cold wind hits my face that I realize I’m not wearing my coat. By the time I put it on, walk across the street, and get to my office, I still haven’t calmed down.

I’ve never been the kind of woman who would fight another woman for a man. If a man doesn’t want to be with me, he’s free to go. But those men weren’t Ethan Bradford. As if he can hear my thoughts, my phone buzzes with an incoming FaceTime request.

I take a deep breath and plaster a smile on my face before I accept the call.

“How’s Detroit?” I ask, smiling as wide as possible even though all I want to do is scream.

The screen clears and he comes into focus. I can tell he’s still on the airplane, and I get a quick glance of Hunter. “You look tired,” I tell him.

“Detroit is cold and too far away from you, and I’m exhausted. Hunter wouldn’t shut up the entire flight. No matter how many times he flies, he still squeals like a little girl during takeoff.”

“And landing.” Hunter grabs the phone and crosses himself three times. “If the good Lord wanted humans to fly, he would have made us birds.”

Ethan snatches the phone and tells Hunter to get lost before he turns his attention back to me. “I’m going to leave him in Michigan.”

“I miss you.” All the tension I’ve been feeling since that awful lunch leaves my shoulders while I focus on Ethan.

“I miss you, too. I’m booked solid the second I leave this plane, but I’ll call you tonight. It might be late.”

“I’ll wake up for you.” I do my best to smile, but he doesn’t smile back. He studies me through the phone for so long, I look away.

“What’s wrong?” Ethan asks. I’m not surprised he can sense something is wrong. I was with Michael for almost two years, and he never noticed my moods. He didn’t even remember things about me that I told him, but Ethan notices every nuance, every voice inflection. It’s like he’s attuned to me like no one else.

“Nothing’s wrong. Can’t a girl just miss her man? Both men since the kiddo is going to be with his mom tonight.” Ethan finally smiles, but he still studies me.

“I speak for us both when I say we miss you too, but there’s something else. I can push back my meeting if you need to talk.” I hear a loud, exaggerated gasp before Hunter comes back on the screen.

“Dios mio, no! You will not push back a thing. I refuse to be up half the night. You know how I get if I’m not in bed by eleven.”

Ethan shoves him away, and Hunter pretends to fall.

“You haven’t had lunch yet, is that it?” He checks his watch and shakes his head. “It’s one-thirty, Tar Tar. Way past time for you to eat or you turn into low energy Tara.”

“You think you know me so well.”

“I do. I’ll have Hunter order something for you.” He pulls away from the phone and yells a few orders at Hunter. My stomach does growl at the mention of food. The few bites of lettuce I had did not cut it. “Are you going to the penthouse tonight? I’ll feel better knowing you’re there. Joan will make dinner for you.”

I smile at him, and he smiles back. My stomach does a cartwheel at the sight. “I told my dad and the evil one I’d come by for dinner tonight. And I’ll go to my empty apartment. I’d be too lonely at your place by myself.” I’m used to having him and Vincent there. And in the past few weeks, I’ve gotten used to his staff being underfoot. I even managed to befriend Susan and Carla, but I can’t imagine being in the place without him.

“Okay, but when you move in—”

“Why don’t we talk about that when you get back,” I say, interrupting him before he can finish his thought. His eyes narrow at me, and he purses his lips.

“You’re moving in.” He points his index finger at me through the phone.

“Don’t boss me,” I tell him.

“You need to be bossed.” He lowers his voice and says, “I haven’t spanked your ass in a while.”

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