Page 68 of The Forbidden Trio

“That’s partly why I want to expand into New York. I think it would be good for me to live a little further away from her. My manager here is amazing, and I feel like I could confidently leave the business mostly in her hands, and just check in a few times a week. It wouldn’t be any bigger a deal to take the train from Manhattan to Greenwich than the other way around. It feels totally doable. And necessary. I just feel like I need more autonomy than I’ll ever have living in the same town as my mother.”

“I don’t blame you. I love it here in Greenwich—it’s beautiful—but it’s also a hotbed of gossip.”

“It is. Everyone is in everyone else’s business—especially Mother in mine. I’m just done with it. I need to move on and really have my own life.”

He reached across the table and laid a hand over hers, the warmth of his palm going through her like a small shock.

“We’ll both be in the same city, then. Without family looking over our shoulders.”

“I… Yes.”

They were both quiet for a few moments, his gaze locked on hers. Butterflies were swarming madly in her stomach, partly nerves, partly a keenwantingthat was making her a little crazy. Did he even realize what he did to her? The depth of her feelings for him? It would be foolish to assume his were the same. Wouldn’t it?

The waitress came with their first course—small bowls of miso soup—and with the distraction, they changed the subject.

“Tell me more about the new restaurant, Max.”

“The building has amazing potential and we have a brilliant architect. We started the build-out last week. We’re going for a sort of lush minimalism, a mix of warm and cool colors, a really modern vibe. The front is all glass, and we’ve been working out the lighting to take the best advantage of it, to entice people to come in. Of course, we have a good advertising budget, and we’ll do a huge opening party. Keith has a brilliant publicist he’s worked with before, unless you think Cassie might be interested?”

“I can ask her, if you let me know the schedule. I can’t wait to see it. It sounds exciting. But what about you, Max? Your dad’s been gone four months. How are you doing aside from business?”

“Not as bad as I’d expected, which I feel sad about, to be honest. We were never close, which you know. We just never really connected. He was away on business most of the time, so I’m used to not seeing him, and when I did, he was as detached as your mother is. I think that’s why you and I got so close so quickly when they got married. We’d both been raised by nannies. Neither of us ever had a real parenting experience, with you losing your dad at such a young age, and my mother running off with that Euro-trash Viscount, or whatever he is.”

Aster groaned. “God, we’re such classic rich kids, aren’t we?”

“Maybe. Except we’ve both been determined to make it on our own. I know you didn’t use any family money to get your business started. I don’t plan to, either.”

The food arrived, and Max filled her in on the restaurant. He talked about how he and Keith had decided to go into business together, the beautiful building Keith had found, and Max’s menu ideas. And the entire time, he leaned in toward her, filling her sake cup and insisting on feeding her delicious morsels, keeping his gaze on hers.

She soon found herself relaxing into a familiar rhythm with him, laughing over her mother’s outrageously pretentious behavior, or silly things that had happened when they were teenagers.

“Oh my God, Max, do you remember that time you stole your dad’s Aston Martin? If he hadn’t been in Hong Kong, I think he really would have killed you.”

“It was bad enough being stoned out of my mind while your mother lectured me and trying not to laugh.”

“You could have gotten into much worse trouble.”

“We both could have.” He set his chopsticks down and took her hand in his. “The worst trouble we ever got into was with each other.”

She wanted to look away, to avoid the issue, but she couldn’t tear her gaze from his. “Honestly? I’ve always thought that was maybe what saved me from totally going off the rails, from rebelling like a preacher’s daughter. Or a troubled rich girl.”

“Is that so?”

“If I hadn’t been so preoccupied with you…” she admitted with a shrug.

“Were you?”

She locked her gaze with his as his fingers tightened, just a little, but enough to make her feel a sense of possessiveness from him she had to admit she loved.

“Yes. Absolutely.”

One corner of his lush mouth lifted in a subtle smile. “I was preoccupied with you, too. No other girl could compare to you, Aster. No woman ever has.”

She had to glance away then, focusing on her cup of sake. “Please don’t flatter me.”

“Even if it’s the truth?”

She looked up at him. “Is it?”

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