Page 70 of In Love and War
“What are you doing here, sweetheart? Are you meeting a client?” He glanced around and back toward the door.
“No, I just felt like taking a lunch break today,” I responded, locking my phone and putting it down. I could reply later.
“Ah, and you didn’t want to eat with your cousin.”
Damn it.Of course he knew Monica had shown up and that I would be avoiding her. I’d never talked to him about her, but he was probably the most socially intelligent person I knew. It absolutely made sense that he’d picked up on it over the years.
“No… I didn’t. Are you here to meet with a client?”
“No, no. I come here every Monday. Lorenzo is an old friend,” he said, nodding toward the man behind the bar. Lorenzo waved at me, flashing me the smile he shared with his daughter. “May I join you?”
“Sure, of course,” I said. He sat down and was immediately brought a menu. I browsed mine as he exchanged pleasantries with the staff and said my “hellos” when the introductions happened.
“Tell me about New York. How did things go?” he asked once it was just the two of us.
“Really, really great, actually. They loved our presentation, and we got the green light to go ahead with the campaign as is. I think all of us were able to breathe a little better as soon as it was over, to be honest.”
I was expecting him to be impressed, but nothing on his face gave it away if he was.
“And how did things go with Zac?”
“Fine,” I responded, wiping my palms on my slacks underneath the table. “We survived.”
“Mmm” was all he said.
“What?”
“No, nothing.” He was looking up at the walls, admiring the murals that painted them. “I was just… expecting a more comprehensive answer, given the one he provided when I asked him the same thing yesterday.”
Ummm?!?!?
“W-what, uh, what did he say?” I cursed myself inwardly for stuttering.
Real smooth, Milly.
My father’s shoulders shook in a casual shrug. “He’s more impressed by your performance than I think he was expecting to be, is all.”
“Oh. Right. Well, it’s not like his expectations were very high to begin with.”
“No, I suppose they may not have been.” He let out a huff through his nose, and the top layer of his moustache danced. “To be truthful with you, my dear, I was hoping the two of you were getting along a little better.”
I smiled internally at the irony. If he only knew.
“Yes, well, I don’t think we’ll ever be friends, Dad. I wouldn’t get your hopes up on that front.”
“Oh, I’m still quite convinced you’ll warm up to him in due time. There is no doubt about it in my mind, knowing the both of you.”
“Yeah?” I smiled, amused by his confidence. “You know I’ve already planned out how and when I’m going to fire him, right? Spoiler alert, it’ll be day one of me as CEO.”
His head tilted up with a laugh that seemed to bounce off the walls, just as our food arrived.
“I even have a speech prepared and everything.” I grinned.
“I absolutely believe that you would, Milly.” His face was a little flushed from the laughter. “Plenty of time to change your mind though. He’s more charming than you know yet. Monica seems to be quite taken with him too, as I’m sure you’ve noticed by now.”
The smile on my face faltered, and I wondered if the two of them were enjoying lunch together just then.
“Yes, I have. Good for her. Or, for them, I suppose.” I forced as much warmth in my voice as I possibly could muster through the sour bile building up in my throat. “Although I’m not sure how I feel about Zac showing up to our family events. I see him enough at work, especially with the current office situation.”
