Page 86 of Modern Romance March 2025 (5-8)

I move to the table. He pulls out my chair, waits until I’m seated before he circles around. He nods and James materializes from a corner of the terrace with a bottle of wine and two wineglasses.

“Mrs. Drakos?”

This time I’m not quick enough to contain my flinch.

“Yes, please. Thank you, James.”

He pours the wine and then leaves as silently as he arrived.

Rafe picks up his glass. “Not used to your married name?”

“No. I’ve been using my maiden name in Paris.”

“I noticed.”

He says the words matter-of-factly. There’s an almost one hundred percent chance it doesn’t even bother him that I don’t use his name.

“How was your day?”

“Productive. Again.” I start to tell him about Juliette’s house, then stop.

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s just…shop talk. Sometimes I get very excited and forget most people have no idea what I’m talking about.”

“I’m interested.”

His words lodge somewhere in the vicinity of my heart. I meet his gaze and, for the first time, I’m grateful for his blunt way of speaking. I know that when he tells me he’s interested, he truly is.

I tell him about the schematics, the work involved in breaking down each part of my proposal to Juliette into further detail and getting more explicit with things like materials, design and the work involved.

“A far more intricate process than I realized,” Rafe says as James places salads in front of us.

“What about you? How was your day?”

Rafe blinks, as if he wasn’t expecting the question.

“Busy.”

“Are you working on anything special?”

His lips curl, but the smile is humorless. “Just work.”

I start to ask a question, then stop, remembering how yesterday went. I don’t want to pry, even if the flatness in his voice makes me curious about what’s going on at Drakos. Makes me wonder why he seems so disinterested in the company he’s devoted his life to.

“What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“No lies. Remember?”

The words are gentle, said without the tension from yesterday.

“I always got the impression that Drakos Development was…well, everything.”

“It is the focus of my life.” He looks out over the sea. “Although when I compare my level of commitment to the company against Gavriil’s, I find mine wanting.”

I can’t help but smile. “Gavriil is certainly passionate.”

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