Page 70 of Honor

“Yep,” he says with a smile that I swear to fuck has to hurt because it’sthatwide.

“You could have told me that in a text message.”

That’s more of a future suggestion on my part than a random comment. I got my hopes up that this midday coffee date was business related. It turns out it’s not.

“Charlotte will let Evie know tonight,” he says as though that’s not breaking news. “The two of them will meet us there on Friday night.”

My assistant will be in East Hampton at the same time I am? In the same goddamn house?

He takes a sip from the ceramic mug in his hand. “This is good, Reid.”

He’s right. It is, but I don’t want to discuss coffee. I want to talk about Evie being at the beach next weekend, but since I can’t, I’d prefer to talk business. I know I can buy his and we’ll both make a tidy profit on the deal.

“I invited a few friends to come, too.” He chuckles. “All male, though, so if you want to bring a woman along, feel free.”

“Evie is the only woman I want.”

No, wait.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” I attempt to brush it off. “I meant that…”

He holds up a hand in the air to stop me mid-sentence. “I know exactly what you meant. Evie is the only woman you want there. You like to keep your business separate from your pleasure, so you don’t want Evie to know who you’re seeing at the moment. Since she’ll already be there, why complicate your life by bringing another woman on the trip?”

Huh? How the fuck did he come to that conclusion based on my comment about wanting my assistant?

I do want her, but Randall is not someone I’d tell that to. I doubt like hell that Charlotte Rushing can keep a secret for longer than ten seconds, and if Randall is still the man I think he is, he doesn’t hide anything from his fiancée.

“It’s not a problem,” he says as if there was a problem. “Drive up with me on Friday, and if you want, you can head back to the city on Saturday afternoon. I have a friend who needs to bein Manhattan by six on Saturday. He’ll get you back in time for dinner with whoever you’re dating.”

I’m not sure how he came to the conclusion that I’m seeing anyone, but a short trip to East Hampton is all I need, so I nod. “I’m on board for that.”

“Good.” He sips from his cup again. “I’m happy you’re coming. It’ll bring back even more memories of when we were kids.”

I’ve kept most of those memories buried for so long that unearthing them now feels like I’m digging up a grave. In a sense, I am.

“I’m going to need to cut this short,” he says after glancing at his phone. “I have a meeting I can’t miss.”

If it’s anything to do with the proposed sale of Azelius, I’m the one missing out, but I keep my mouth shut and push to stand.

“Thanks again for agreeing to be my best man, Reid.” He pats the center of my chest. “You know how much I appreciate it, right?”

“Sure, buddy.”

He chuckles. “This Hamptons trip will be good for all of us. Maybe Evie will see you in a new light after it. What was it she called you? Something about you being a boss from hell.”

I can’t help but smile at the reminder of what Evie said to Charlotte about me. “Miracles do happen every day. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Evie

“We’re goingto East Hampton for an entire weekend?” I ask, trying to contain my desire to jump off this park bench and twirl in a circle.

“It’s a gorgeous house right on the beach.” Lottie blinks twice. “It sounds like the perfect weekend escape for us.”

It truly does.

I’ve never been to the Hamptons. Part of my plan when I moved to New York City was to vacation on the beach. The Hamptons would have been the ultimate, but I have yet to make it there or any beach near Manhattan. It sounds like that’s all about to change next weekend.

---