Page 28 of Serving the Mogul

“I’m not surprised.” Selecting an apple, I bit into it. “I want to get my design business up and going so I can do that sort of help too.”

“You will get there,” Dina sounded utterly convinced.

Her faith in me was one thing I’d never had to doubt. Tipping my glass toward her, I said, “Thank you.”

“What are sisters for?”

I chuckled and reached for the bottle of wine, topping off my nearly empty glass, then pouring the rest into hers. After another sip, I said, “You know, the second glass of this is better.”

Dina laughed. “I can include that in the description—the first glass isn’t too bad, but the second glass is better. My clients will swoon.”

I tossed a grape at her.

My phone buzzed with a text notification. Dina glanced at it, and I bit back a sigh as I checked it, knowing she’d be curious if I didn’t.

Spying James’ initials, I put the phone back down and took a couple of grapes from the fruit and cheese plate.

“Nobody you want to talk to?”

“Nope.” I tossed one grape into my mouth. “Let’s just leave it at that.”

Twelve

Maximus

The Tuesday afternoonrush hour traffic didn’t do shit to improve my mood, but I wasn’t about to stay in my suite at the hotel. Despite my fresh sheets, I could still smell Tina’s scent in my bed, and the past few nights had been anything but restful.

I doubted I’d get much more sleep outside Houston, but at least I wouldn’t have to worry about the scent of her skin taunting me.

When the monitor on the car’s dash chirped a message notification, I had a split second of euphoric hope it was Tina, only for it to crash when I saw it was just Scot Cutler, one of my many half-siblings.

“Play message,” I said with no actual interest.

It was short and to the point, which was typical for him. He was going to be in Houston in a couple of weeks, and asked about meeting for drinks. Even as my thoughts drifted to Tina, I made a mental note to text him back.

I didn’t get it. Why had Tina pulled back suddenly?

The memory of the look on the florist earlier had me drumming my fingers on the steering wheel in frustration.

She’d shared a picture the delivery driver had snapped, two dozen roses scattered on the sidewalk, crystal shards glittering among the stems like wet diamonds.

“She told Joey she’s not interested. This was how she treated the last bouquet I put together. As much as I want to keep your business, Mr. Maximus, I don’t enjoy having my flowers treated in such a manner. And the vase...such an exquisite piece.”

I didn’t give a damn about the destroyed vase or the flowers.

Ididgive a damn about why Tina had destroyed the gift, something she wouldn’t share because she wasn’t talking to me.

What the absolute fuck?

* * *

“James. Honey.”The pretty blonde sitting behind the desk leaned forward and pinned me with a stern look. Her pale, almost white-blonde hair, cut to frame her heart-shaped face, accentuated her high cheekbones and intense dark brown eyes. Right now, that dark gaze held mine without blinking. “Have you lost your ever-loving mind?”

“No.”

My half-sister, Gianni, cocked a brow and tilted her head slightly to the side. “Are you sure about that? I mean, have you listened to yourself? Read any of the texts you sent me last night and this morning?”

Tapping my finger on the arm of the leather wing chair where I sat, I bit my irritation. “I’m beyond busy this week, Gianni. There’re fires at the hotel that I need to put out, so if we could move this along, I’d appreciate it. Can you give me a timeframe on the job?”

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