Page 32 of Fake Dating Daxton Hawk
Finally, Amabella sits on the couch. “Ally loves you so much.”
She’s a great kid. I’ve spent a lot of time helping Amabella raise Ally after she left her ex a few years back. And even before that, when Amabella was a single teen mom. “How is Ally?”
“The same.” Amabella lowers her voice to assure the privacy of our conversation. “Not many friends. She still struggles to connect with people her age. Completely boy obsessed, but lucky for me, the only male interaction she has is with book boyfriends. But get this, her latest crush is this classical composer from the 1800s, Johannes Brahms. She won’t stop raving about how amazing his music is and that he’s handsome.”
I sit on the other end of the couch from Amabella, laughing. “Your daughter is certainly one of a kind.”
“I worry about her, socially.”
“She’ll find her feet.”
“I hope so. Anyway, Jordan. What happened with her last night?”
Any happiness I received from seeing Ally disappears as my own problems close in on me. I explain all the details to Amabella, and by the end of my recap, I’m feeling close to hopeless. “Jordan doesn’t like me at all and I can understand why.”
“So can I if she overheard your conversation about her. That was a dick move on your behalf.”
“Believe me, I know. On top of all that, she’s turned against Steel for ghosting her.”
“Ugh, this doesn’t sound good at all. What’s the plan moving forward?” Amabella asks, brushing a piece of lint off her shoulder.
I rest both elbows on my knees, deep in thought. “I have to let Jordan warm to me a little. Then I’ll explain everything and hope she understands.”
“Won’t it be hard for her to warm to you when you’re out of town?”
“Space from me is what Jordan needs right now. I’ll be back in New York soon enough. I know myself and I won’t be able to stay away from her for long, no matter how hard I try.”
ChapterSixteen
Jordan
Madison Avenue. This is not a dream. I’m here, staring at the storefront of Verena Valentine Designs.
I squeeze Mina around the waist and kiss her cheek. “I love you for getting me this appointment.”
“It was easy enough. Come on, let’s go inside.”
As soon as we enter the boutique, the sweet scent of freshly cut flowers and the soft glow of a chandelier greet us. Classical music plays softly. Racks of carefully curated clothes are displayed like works of art. I feel like I’ve been transported to an Italian villa, with limestone walls and intricate carvings on the ceiling. A blend of old-world charm and modern sophistication.
“Welcome.” A female attendant steps out from behind the counter to greet us with a warm smile. “Mina and Jordan?”
“Yes, that’s us,” Mina answers.
“Lovely. Verena will be with you both in a moment. In the meantime, please make yourselves comfortable. Feel free to browse the designs and let me know if there is anything I can assist you with.”
“Thank you.” Mina turns to a nearby rack and slowly flicks through the hangers, admiring the clothes. “So,” she murmurs, keeping our conversation private, “you were saying you broke down in front of Daxton on Friday night?”
“Yeah. It was pretty embarrassing. But he was nice about it and also apologized for that first date. Now we’re trying to be friends.” Although, four days have passed and we’ve barely spoken.
Laughter comes from a different room and I recognize the voices of Verena and her personal assistant Darius. A door opens, then they both step out, their laughter softening into smiles the moment they see us.
“Ah! You’re here. Excellent.” Verena hugs Mina then passes her on to Darius as she greets me. “It’s great to see you again, Jordan.”
“You too. Thank you so much for fitting me into your schedule.”
“Anything for a friend of Mina’s.”
I’ve met both Verena and Darius a couple of times through social events Mina and Zac have hosted, but I know them best from their fashion reality showValentine’s Day. Verena is intimidatingly beautiful, and not just because of her gorgeous Mediterranean features, her luscious brown hair, and voluptuous figure. There’s a certain confidence and grace to the way she carries herself, as if she knows she’s a force to be reckoned with. She has a magnetic charm about her that makes people instantly like her.
