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Tamara sighed. “I asked him not to tell you. I’m being blackmailed by a client. For your academic protection, I would rather just leave it at that.”

Emily frowned. What did that even mean?

“I have someone I want you to talk to. A guy who works for me. Why don’t you come to the company Christmas party with Emily next Thursday?”

Emily squirmed but gave Tamara a bright smile. She still hadn’t talked to David about not being able to attend the party.

“I’ll think about it,” Tamara was saying when Emily shook away the thoughts of how to talk to David. He loved Christmas so much she hated disappointing him by not being able to be by his side for the party. She would have to see about slipping out of the RDR party early. Maybe she could pull some strings to be one of the first to speak.

With a heavy sigh she said, took a drink and turned her attention to the more pressing matter. “Let David help you, Tam. I clearly don’t need to know the details, but I’m here if you want to talk.”

Her friend reached forward and squeezed her hand. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

“You ever think about taking a break from pro work for a while?”

“Bite your tongue,” Tamara said with a wink. “It’s how I let off steam, not to mention how I’ve afforded the lifestyle I live.”

David shrugged. “I know. But you can always let off steam at Solitaire or something like that, and I know for a fact that your finances are such that you can afford a break.”

Emily was only mildly irritated that he was suggesting she let off steam at Solitaire when he’d all but stopped going there himself, which meant she didn’t get to go either. Of course, some of that might have been her fault. Even after two years she wasn’t the greatest at expressing her needs to David.

She vowed to herself that she would talk with him about it once she figured out what to do about the Christmas parties.

6

“Mr. Eastman, I have a note from your wife. You were in a meeting when she stopped by.”

David frowned. She was done with her classes and didn’t have plans for the rest of the day. Why didn’t she wait for him? He waved Lydia in and took the note she handed him.

He lifted an eyebrow as he read. “Silly girl didn’t want to tell me this in person. She timed her trip over here when she knew I had a meeting.” David had always been transparent about his schedule where Emily was concerned and made sure Lydia gave her complete access to his calendars.

Lydia smirked. “She’s a smart girl. Want me to change the time for the company party so you can make both events?”

He shook his head. “Don’t do that just yet. I’ll talk to her.”

When Lydia nodded and stepped out, David closed his eyes and leaned back in his office chair. Emily meant everything to him. Why was she struggling to communicate with him? His phone rang, and he picked it up, hoping to see Emily’s smile on his screen. Instead, he was met with Elijah Barrett’s name. A small smile tugged at his lips.

“Afternoon, Elijah. What can I do for you? I thought we finished up our business on Monday.”

Elijah chuckled. “We did. I’m calling to catch up on your personal life. Holly wants to know why you and Emily aren’t on the list for the Solitaire Christmas party.”

David winced. It was technically his club, but he’d been so focused on getting back into the swing of things at the office the party didn’t make it into the schedule and he’d wound up double booked.

“When is it again?”

“Next weekend, Saturday before Christmas.”

He frowned. “I am unfortunately booked for something else that weekend but let me get Lydia to clear our schedule for the following weekend. Of course, as long as Emily is OK with it.”

Elijah hummed. “Trouble in paradise?”

David sighed. “Not exactly. We’ve just both been wrapped up in work and school, and I think she thinks I’m not paying enough attention to her. And I probably haven’t been.”

“Come to Solitaire. I know you say you have another engagement but let’s be honest, you’re a powerful man. Moving a meeting shouldn’t be a problem. The house subs are having a decorating party on Friday morning.”

David chuckled. “That sounds nice. I just don’t know if I can get away. It’s a deal I’ve been trying to get hammered out for a few months. How do you and Holly do it?”

Elijah gave a laugh. “Solitaire. We’re both working on our own projects through the week, but we’ve agreed to reserve our weekends for reconnecting at Solitaire. It’s where we go to reaffirm our commitment to the dynamic we’ve created and to put everything else aside for two or three days. Sure, sometimes a work thing comes up that we have to make accommodation for, but we try not to make that the norm. Even if we have to take separate flights from opposite sides of the country, we make the weekends ours. No later than Friday afternoon, we’re on our way to Colorado and we cease being company president and vice president and become husband and wife and Dom and sub.”

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