Page 30 of Beautiful Broken Love

Tish stared at me a beat longer before finally dropping her arms and breathing hard through her nose. She then walked into my office and spread her arms wide open. I stood up so I could step into them and hug her.

“Ugh. I love you, Vina,” she murmured over my shoulder. “I don’t agree that you should be working right now, but I get it.” She leaned back and clutched my upper arms. “But you have to promise me you’ll take breaks and that you’ll leave this office by seven thiswholeweek.”

“Okay.” I laughed. “I will.”

“I mean it! Okay? And I’ll be checking on you every twenty minutes while you work, just to make sure you’re good. Got it?”

“All right, all right.” I fought a smile.

Tish gave me a thorough once-over before releasing my arms. She caught me up to speed, and I was grateful she let it go, but just because I promised her I’d leave work at seven, it didn’t mean I couldn’t take my work home with me.

Around seven o’clock, Tish reminded me that she was coming to my house with dinner after she changed into more comfortable clothes at home. I figured this would give me an hour or so to keep working.

As soon as I got home, I sat at the dining table and opened my laptop. I finished up an email with Kenji and confirmed photos for the slideshow that would be shown at the rebranding party, then responded to my primary investor, Chester Hughes, who was being surprisingly nice to me via email.

I figured that had something to do with Tish announcing my week off—well, more like my three days off. Normally, he was brief and dry, but in our recent emails he’d been very thorough and was signing off with words liketake careandbe well.

And just to make it clear, the only time he did that before was right after Lewis died. I guess I’d raked in his pity again. I hated pity, but notas much when it came from a billionaire investor who threw money at every inconvenience.

Once that was done, I decided to go over a few more of the new label designs for our rosewater face mist. As I did, my phone chimed on the table. I gave it a glance, ready to dismiss it—until I saw that familiar name again.

Deke.

Business Davina switched off, and my heart sped up a few notches, which was weird. I tried ignoring the feeling.

As if someone was watching, I played it cool by resting an elbow on top of the table, dropped my chin into my hand, and swiped my phone open to read his email.

From: Deke Bishop

To: Davina Klein-Roberts

7:34 p.m.

How you holding up?

Oh.

They were simple words, but enough to make me shift in my seat. Was he pitying me too? Was that what all the emails had been about?

I put my phone back down, then closed the lid of my laptop. After I poured myself a glass of water and took a few gulps, the doorbell rang.

“Hey, girl!” Tish sang when I swung the door open. She sauntered past me, and the savory scent of Chinese food drifted past my nose, making my stomach grumble.

I hadn’t eaten much that day, just a few nibbles of a sandwich Tish had ordered for lunch earlier. I’d mostly drunk tea to get by, but now I was starving.

“I’m glad you’re here.” I met her in the kitchen. “I’m hungry as hell.”

“Well, lucky for you I got the lo mein and the orange chicken—the owner even tossed in extra fortune cookies.”

“I’m positive that man is in love with you, Tish.” I grabbed plates and silverware. “Didn’t he give you free fried rice one time? And not the plain rice—it had shrimp in it. Name me one restaurant owner who gives away free shrimp.”

“Oh, he did do that, didn’t he?” She allowed the thought to marinate as I set the plates on the counter. “Well, anyway, a lot of people love me. Take Lorenzo, for example. He wants me to come to Virginia Beach with him. He claims it’s for work, but I think there might be something more to it.”

“Moreas in?” I glanced at her as I opened one of the food containers. The steam rose from the greasy noodles and danced around my face. My stomach was practically caving in now.

“As in an engagement, girl!” she exclaimed.

“Oh, wait!” I paused, giving her my full attention. “You think so?”

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