Page 76 of Charm

“You bet.”

“Let’s go.” She sets off in a run, dragging me with her.

We’re out of the library and heading down the sidewalk hot on the heels of Bode, when I spot a beautiful woman with red hair across the street.

“Hurry!” Kirby urges. “He’s going to get away.”

Faced with the choice of chasing her friend or pursuing the woman I can’t stop thinking about, I do what needs to be done.

As we weave our way through the pedestrian traffic to catch up to Bode and who I think is his dad, I call out, hoping my voice carries over the noise of this city. “Greer!”

She stops, turns toward me, and smiles brightly. Her hand darts in the air just as a bus speeds past on the street, blocking both our views.

When it’s gone, she’s still there with the same smile on her face. “Holden!”

“I’ll call you!” I yell. “Give me an hour. I’ve got an ice cream date now.”

“It’s not a date!” Kirby screams loud enough that it grabs everyone’s attention, including Bode and the man he’s with.

I can’t hear it, but I see Greer laughing.

Jesus, she’s so fucking beautiful, and I’m the luckiest guy in this city that I get to talk to her as soon as I make this ice cream non-date happen.

Greer sends me a final wave before she disappears into the foot traffic.

I straighten the lapel of my suit jacket and extend my free hand to the blond guy holding tightly to little Bode’s hand. “I’m Holden Sheppard. My niece, Kirby, would love to buy you and Bode an ice cream if you have the time.”

Kirby squeezes my hand lightly. I steal a glance at her face to see her beaming.

This day is shaping up to be a good one, and it’ll get even better later when I talk to Greer.

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

Greer

My heart flutteredin my chest when I saw Holden holding tightly to the hand of a little girl who can’t be that much younger than Olive.

Seeing him like that broke open something inside of me. For the first time since we said goodbye in East Hampton, I viewed him through a lens that wasn’t clouded by business.

I saw him before he spotted me, but I looked away because I was overcome with emotions. I don’t know if he’ll ever become a part of my daughter’s life, but seeing him looking down at the girl at his side convinced me that he’s not the big, bad business stealing brute I’ve been making him out to be.

When he called my name, and I looked at him for a second time, I saw a flash of the man I met at the beach house more than two months ago. He may have been wearing a tailored suit and expensive tie today, but he was relaxed and at ease.

I loved seeing him like that.

Glancing up, I realize I’ve arrived at my destination. Smiling, I step through the open doorway and breeze inside, stopping briefly to say hi to the doorman.

“Greer!” A woman screams my name from across the lobby. “Your crew set everything up this morning. It’s perfect.”

The crew she’s referring to consisted of Krista’s brother, Burt, and a friend of his. The duo almost always volunteers to set up when someone orders a candy buffet.

Krista’s younger sister is our usual hostess, but she’s out of town with friends, so that duty has fallen on my shoulders.

I’m not complaining. I’m in the lobby of a gorgeous building on Park Avenue headed toward a sprawling penthouse.

I glance down at the calendar on my phone to jog my memory. I had the job on the forefront of my mind until I saw Holden. Everything I was thinking about was erased in that second.

“Hi, Minka,” I say the name I noted in my calendar for this event. “How are you?”

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