Page 12 of Captivated By Him

His lips flatten. “Yeah. It has.” And the disappointment is back when his eyes once again meet mine.

I swallow then take the chair in front of his desk. Best to dive into work. “So, the construction will be done by the end of the summer, and we need to market. Nora said you didn’t want to have a big launch, just something simple. I’m sure I can manage; I just need to know exactly what you’re thinking of. Do you want an opening weekend blast-off party type thing, you just want some banners made, a little social media stuff?”

He leans back in his chair, propping one elbow on the arm. It’s a small attempt at being casual, at pretending this meeting isn’t throwing him off his game for a second. And maybe it isn’t. Maybe it’s all in my head. Because seeing him again has knocked me off track.

“Yeah, nothing too big. When we reopened Katfish it was a pain in the ass with all the launch business. I just want something simple. It’s an expansion, not a new club. There will be a restaurant on the first level and the upstairs will be a cigar bar. I think keeping the focus on the restaurant will be a good way to go. But nothing too flashy.”

I jot down what he’s saying as he continues on about the new part of the club. What he’s building is something more lavish than fits this part of town, but he knows that. I can tell. This is Jakub at his finest. Brainstorming. He’ll do his damnedest to make this entire place bursting at the seams with customers. And he’ll succeed, too.

“Okay.” I finish scribbling the last thing he mentioned while he waits for me to catch up. “I think I can handle most of this. Do you know if you have a graphic designer or do you need me to throw something together? I’m not the best, but I can toss a poster or two together.” Actually, I did my best work in my graphic design classes.

“I don’t know. I’m sure Nora can answer that.” His phone beeps and he grabs it. “Hey.”

I stand up to give him privacy for his call, but he waves me back into my chair. We’ve gone over everything I need to get started on the project, what else could he want?

His eyes darken a fraction while he listens to the caller on the other end. I remember this look. He’s not dealing with club business right now. Whatever information he’s being given has to do with the Staszek family, not their clubs.

By the time he hangs up, I’ve twisted the corner of my notebook into a bent mess.

“So.” He ends the call, switches off the sound, and tosses it on the desk.

“So.” I smile at him across his desk. “This place is amazing. Nora said you’ve really brought it back to life.”

He nods. “Yeah. It’s taken some time, but it’s coming along. The new additions will do well.”

I flatten my hands over my notebook in my lap. “Yeah. I think so. I mean, it sounds like a great plan.”

“When did you move back?” He levels me with one of his serious glares. It’s a little presumptuous for him to take such a tone with me but seeing as I didn’t exactly leave Chicago on the best circumstances, I can understand a little hostility from him. Hell, I expected him to toss me out of the office the second he recognized me.

“I’ve been back just a few months.”

“You finished school then?”

“Uh. No.” I shake my head and lower my gaze. “I didn’t really get to finish. After my father passed away, there were expenses.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” But he’s not. He never had a high opinion of my father. What little he knew of him. He’s not the only one.

“Thanks.” I sink back in the chair.

“So, you moved back because he died?” He’s fishing for information and there’s not enough time right now to tell him everything. If I wanted to tell him anything. And I don’t. Not right now. Maybe not ever.

“Just missed Chicago, I guess.” I raise my shoulders and throw on a brighter smile. But he sees right through me.

“Yeah. It’s a great city.” He has to know I’m lying, but he’s not going to call me on it.

We’re not together now, I have to remember this. He may be interested in a curiouswhat’s my ex-girlfriend up tosort of way, but he doesn’t really care. And he shouldn’t.

“I have a lot of work to get started on, and I need to talk with Silvia about getting her trained on the calendar.” I get to my feet, and he follows me.

“Silvia? She’s been here for over a year, and you’re training her?” He rounds his desk.

“No, I’m just showing her the calendar for the private parties. Not a big deal.”

His hand wraps around mine as I grab the doorknob. Instinctively, I pull away.

When I meet his gaze again, he looks wounded for a brief second. Then it flitters away as though it were never there.

“Nicole, are you sure you came back to Chicago only because you like it here?” His voice drops, and it’s his deep authoritarian tone that sends hot shivers through my belly.

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