Page 110 of A Temporary Forever

“Art, you’re a hard man to track down,” Xander says.

He doesn’t say anything, just glares at us.

Xander shifts from one foot to the other. “We were hoping we could—”

“We want to hire you,” I interrupt. Clearly the man hates small talk and is above social etiquette.

“Merged?” he asks, obviously knowing who we are.

I nod, again hoping no words are the way to win this man.

“Tuesday at ten a.m. Casa Cassi.” He lifts his gaze and his features smooth slightly before he takes a step and leaves us there.

“What the fuck was that?” Xander snorts.

“We just got a meeting.” I watch Mathison join his wife. Something in the way he looks at her bothers me. Or intrigues me.

Like the petite blond can bring this powerful man to his knees, and he would stay at her feet gladly.

A few months ago, I’d have said he was completely pussy-whipped. Now, it just seems like he has his safe harbor.

“What is Casa Cassi?” Xander interrupts my train of thought.

“A Michelin-star restaurant that opens at noon,” I say absentmindedly, my gaze already looking for the woman in the green dress.

I spot her at the bar and move before I think.

“Hey, where are you going? He said ten in the morning,” Xander calls after me.

“That’s a problem for Tuesday. I have an evening to finally enjoy.”

It’s like she’s transmitting a siren song that draws me to her. Knowing all night she’s been around but not on my arm has been driving me crazy.

Whatever happened earlier is still in the back of my mind. I need to make sure she’s okay. I finally make it to the bar.

Her laugh carries to me like a tune that I loved when I was a boy, and every time it’s on the radio, I can’t help but hum along.

“Are you having a good time?” I snake my hand around her waist from behind.

Celeste tenses at first, but relaxes immediately. “There you are.” She sounds all cheerful and genuine, which differsgreatly from earlier.

But I’m distracted by her companion.

“I see you met my wife, Corm,” I bark.

“She’s lovely company, and yet you managed to ignore her all night.” The shit-eating grin on his face would not rile me normally. When it comes to Celeste… I don’t even want to finish that thought. Or its implications.

“I was working. Unlike you.” I step closer to her, feeling her body hum beside me.

Corm pops an olive from his drink into his mouth. “I got things done faster.”

Fucker. “I got a meeting with Art Mathison.”

And that wipes the cockiness from his face.

“Boys, play nice together.” Celeste leans in to me and hiccups. “Oops. I think I need to eat something. When is dinner, Cal?”

She’s drunk, and she calls me Cal all of a sudden.

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