Page 40 of Arrogant Playboy

“What are you doing here?” I grumble.

“I thought you would be hungry,” he says, pulling out bowls of salad for us. He hands me a chicken Caesar salad. How does he know that’s my favorite? “What?” he questions me.

“How did you know I like chicken Caesar salad?”

“You mentioned it onetime,” he says as he pours salad dressing into his bowl and starts shaking his salad. I stare at him in disbelief. “What?” he questions me.

“Don’t you have anything better to do than harass me?”

“No.” He grins. “Also, am I not a client of Starr Designs? And do I not have the right to find out how my project is coming along?”

His words still me. Shit. He’s right. “Of course, you’re right. Usually, I have time to get things ready for clients but give me a moment,” I tell him.

Daniel burst out laughing. “I’m joking. I just needed an excuse to get into your office so we can have a chat.”

Oh.

I shove a bit of chicken into my mouth so I don’t have to answer. We sit in silence eating until I can’t stand it any longer. “What do you want to hear?”

“I want to know if you felt jealous?”

“Why?”

“Because.”

“Why,” I ask again.

“I need to know if you felt the same way I did when you told me you kissed someone in Paris.”

Oh.

I forgot about that. I shove a forkful of lettuce into my mouth, today is not the day for this conversation. Then he does the same waiting me out.

“Yes. Is that what you wanted to hear?” I tell him.

Daniel grins. “Glad we settled that. I needed to talk to you about Emily.” The change of conversation is giving me whiplash. “Louis sent through images of paintings Emily did in Ibiza. He wanted my professional opinion on them, he never told me they were hers until after I raved about her work. He then asked me if there was a chance that my cousin Deveraux would add her paintings to his New York exhibition if he thought they were good enough.” Louis did what? “Deveraux wants to showcase them.”

I stare at him not quite believing what he is saying. “Are you saying they want to showcase Emily’s paintings?” Daniel nods. “He’s not doing this as a way for Louis to get her back, is he?”

“Deveraux doesn’t do favors not even for family,” Daniel explains.

I place my bowl of salad down. “Are you saying Emily is going to have her first art exhibition in New York?”

Daniel grins. “I don’t know if she is going to be interested after everything or if she is willing to be near Louis.”

“She misses him, I know it,” I confess.

“He misses her.”

“You think she's that good?” I ask.

He nods. “She is talented. I would love to represent her.”

“This is fantastic. Why don’t you head to my place now and tell her the good news.” I stand up and walk over to where my bag is and start rummaging through it before finding my keys. I pull them out, take off my home key, and hand it to him. He stares at the key in his palm for a couple of moments before pocketing it. “Emily deserves to have her dreams come true, and maybe, just maybe it might be what she needs to give Louis another chance.”

“You seriously think she will go for it?” he questions me.

“Might be a hard sell, but you’ve been known to be charming.”

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