Page 78 of Hate Notes

"If it goes nuclear," Kora said, "we can always come back to hot yoga. Nothing cures heartbreak like heatstroke."

I laughed despite myself. Maybe she was right. Maybe everything would be okay.

Or maybe I was about to lose the best thing that had ever happened to me.

Only one way to find out.

36

ORION

"You invited her to dinner again, didn't you?" I asked, watching my mother bustle around her kitchen with suspicious energy. Eating dinner with my mom and sister was a weekly ritual of great importance to me, even if I wouldn't admit such a thing aloud to any living soul.

"Of course I did." Mom didn't even try to look guilty. "That girl lights up this whole house. And you smile more when she's here."

"I do not."

"You're smiling right now," Remmy called from the living room. "Just thinking about her."

I quickly schooled my expression. "I was not."

"Were too." Remmy appeared in the doorway, phone in hand, her face wearing that look that usually preceded uncomfortable questions. "So... when are you going to admit you're dating her?"

"We're not?—"

"Oh please," Mom cut in, batting my hand away from the sauce she was stirring. "The way you two look at each other? I wasn't born yesterday."

I loosened my tie, suddenly feeling warm. "It's complicated."

"Because you're making it," Remmy said. "You know what is actually complicated? Trying to convince an up-and-coming artist that the ten-foot-tall beef sculpture doesn't violate his vegan principles. He's saying he won't let me show his art while that beef stands. Can you believe it? The beef isn't even real. It's made out of scrap metal."

"What if you promised him a separate room?" Mom suggested.

My attention wavered as I looked down to read the email that just appeared on my phone. It was from Roman, saying Davenport was currently talking with Cole Northman at a well-known restaurant in town.

My stomach clenched. I was sure we had the contract all but locked up. What was that snake talking to him about, and why was Davenport willing to meet him?

"Orion?" Mom was watching me with concern. "You've gone pale."

"It's fine," I said, shoving my phone in my pocket. "Just work things."

"Yeah," Remmy teased. "Just work, as if you don't treat work like it's life and death."

I left my mom's kitchen to sit on the couch and stew. My thoughts went from Davenport meeting with Cole to Ember and even to our conversation about legacy and my father's wishes for me.

I rested my face in my hands as I let it all wash over me.

To my surprise, I was most upset by the idea of Cole getting Davenport's business because I worried he would do exactly what I had planned to do. I knew Ember would be devastated if anyone tore down those factories. Without realizing it, my priority had somehow shifted from using this opportunity to catapult Foster Real Estate to the top to protecting those factories—to protecting Ember and Davenport's vision for their future.

The woman was turning me softer than fucking white bread, but I couldn't bring myself to regret any of it.

I only wished I knew how Cole was still stringing Davenport along.

I carefully ignored the little voice in my mind that told me I already knew how he was doing it. It was a fact that had become increasingly hard to ignore, but I was doing my damndest to keep it in the back of my mind.

Just keep focusing on what you can control, Orion. Keep moving forward, and don’t worry about… that.

Another email came through from Roman.

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