Page 30 of The Roman's Woman (A Singular Obsession)

She snorted and Kelly held up a hand. “I’m not saying youshouldforgive him, especially if anything his ex is saying has the tiniest kernel of truth to it. But you didn’t sound like you believed any of it when you were talking to him. Do you?”

Sophia took the empty bottle Gio had finished and started peeling the label. “I don’t know. I want to say no. None of that sounds like him. But there’s this huge lie staring me in the face, and I feel like an idiot for wanting to believe anything he says now.”

Kelly gave her a sympathetic look. “Oh, sweetie. I’m sorry. I don’t know what to tell you. Other than I don’t blame you for hitting that—street artist or not.”

Sophia snatched up a pillow and smacked her with it until she begged for mercy.

“Truce! Truce!” Kelly yelled before grabbing the pillow and disarming her. She straightened up. “So what are you going to do?”

“Hide until he leaves town.”

“You can’t. He’s your lab’s biggest donor.”

Sophia groaned. “I had forgotten all about that. I’m not going to be able to avoid him. I can’t even show him how mad I am. The lab is depending on his funding this year. If he pulled it at this stage, we’d be crippled. Alan would never forgive me.”

“I doubt Gio would be that vindictive.”

“One can only hope.”

Kelly stood and opened the second bottle of wine she brought. She poured Sophia a very full glass.

“Here’s to hope,” Kelly toasted.

Chapter 11

Sophia straightened the skirt of her dress and made a face at herself in the mirror. She was standing in the bathroom in one of Oxford’s most exclusive restaurants. Alan had called her at home, asking—no begging—her to join him for dinner with their biggest donor.

He apologized profusely for making her give up her Saturday night, but they both knew there was no way Sophia could avoid it. Gio had given them a lot of money.A veritable buttload—and she had received the lion’s share. Dinner was obligatory. The only way she could get miss it was if her eyes were bleeding.

Just let me get through this in one piece. Speaking of which…

She looked down at her dress critically. The simple sheath was loose and too boxy. Most of her clothes were. It had never bothered her before. However, having to walk into a four-star restaurant, knowing that a billionaire banker was waiting for her, made her wish she had gone shopping.

For a second she had considered wearing her white dress, but she nipped that idea in the bud. And there was no way in hell she was wearing the black one he’d given her. So instead she was wearing this dark green sack—a choice she was regretting now.

Doesn’t matter.At least this way he couldn’t assume she dressed up for him. Gritting her teeth, she gave herself a little pep talk before walking into the dining room.

They were seated at a prime table. Gio stood as soon as he saw her. He seemed relieved, and she felt a twinge deep inside that he cared that much, in spite of herself.

He wasn’t the only one that looked relieved. Alan jumped up as well, his friendly face splitting into a grin. But the sweat on his brow betrayed his concern. It was unnecessary, though. There was no way she’d hurt the lab by skipping dinner. She would be professional until it killed her.

“Here’s our girl,” Alan said in a loud voice when she reached the table.

Too loud. Several people turned to stare at them as Gio hurried to pull out her chair. Her inner feminist chafed at being called a girl by her research partner, but she bit her tongue. Alan was nervous, and with good reason.

He proceeded to show it by making nonstop conversation for a few minutes before his cell phone rang.

“Oh, really, are you stuck?” Alan said. “All right. It’s not a good time but if you’re stranded, you’re stranded. I’ll be right there.” He hung up the phone with a good imitation of true regret. “I’m so sorry, but I have to leave. My daughter is having car trouble.”

“That’s fine. We completely understand,” Gio said, not bothering to look at him.

His eyes hadn’t left her face since she’d sat down and it was starting to make her squirm. Looking away, she blushed while Alan sputtered a quick goodbye before making his escape.

The silence that followed was broken by a waiter requesting their order. Gio asked for a wine she didn’t recognize, but it seemed to terribly impress their server.

“Are you okay? Is your cough better?” he asked.

The concern in his voice was unsettling. “It’s gone, thank you.”

---