Page 48 of Lost Times

I rolled my eyes and cut him off. “Yes, it is. I would celebrate if Jasmine managed something like this, so of course I’m going to do the same for you.” Turning to Jasmine, who’d picked up the letter and was staring at it, I asked. “What day is it, honey?”

She bit her lip, tears building in her eyes and slamming the alarm down over my previous happiness. “Jasmine, what’s wrong?” I asked, kneeling when she still didn’t react.

Ludwig’s smile fell too and he crouched at her side, but when he tried to pull her into a hug, she flinched and spoke. “It’s the day of my soccer game.”

One sentence and the entire room’s joy disappeared.

Ludwig shook his head, gently taking the paper and reading it for himself. “But that’s not possible, I specifically told my secretary not to scheduleanythingon that day.”

After reading it though, he looked at me, a war waging behind his eyes. “Jasmine read it right.” There was so much more in that statement than just the confirmation of the date. Jasmine shrank into herself, not meeting either of our eyes, and I bit my lip.

I’d hoped to avoid her being disappointed, but I couldn’t very well blame Ludwig if hedidchoose to go. He’d tried to plan his schedule around the game, but this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. One he’d worked for years for.

It wasn’t fair to tell him to throw it away.

Jasmine stayed quiet, staring at her shoes before finally she spoke in a barely audible whisper. “You’re…not going to my game, are you?”

Ludwig looked as if he’d been strapped to two vehicles that were driving in opposite directions, his throat bobbing on a swallow as he visibly struggled. Part of me hoped he’d deny it, but even as the thought came, I knew it wasn’t going to happen.

When he didn’t answer after a minute, Jasmine looked at the floor again, the wet sheen to her eyes almost spilling over now. “It’s okay. Grandma can record it, and you can watch some on the live again, right?”

The disappointment was palpable, and it tore at my heart. Ludwig flinched, guilt clear as he shook his head. “I wouldn’t be able to take my phone out during the meeting; it would be off and in my desk…”

Jasmine sank into herself further, the tears on the edge of overflowing, and I gently tucked her into my side, asking in a desperate attempt to find a middle ground.

“Can you ask them to move the meeting? Another day or even just a few hours later?” It was scheduled to land in the middle of the game itself, and there was no way he could make any of it.

His lips pinched into a thin line and he shook his head. “Rescheduling with that many people is almost impossible. These are all very important people with very busy schedules, so getting them all in one place at one time is a miracle in the first place.”

Damn it, there was no way out of this.

Ludwig looked at Jasmine, pain burning through his eyes as he reached out and tried to soothe. “This won’t happen again. This meeting is special, different from the others, and I can’t skip it. After this, if I promise to be somewhere, I’ll be there. If meetings come up then, I’ll reschedule them, but I can’t do that with this one.”

Jasmine nodded, not moving into the offered hug. She didn’t meet his eyes either and without a doubt, I knew she didn’t believe him. It cracked my heart straight down the middle, and if the new round of pain on his face was any indication, he saw the same thing.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” He said, and finally Jasmine let him pull her into a hug. She didn’t cling on like usual and it lacked her energy, the sight painful to watch as she stepped away and sniffed, locking pleading eyes on me.

“Can I go to my room?” Tears were already crowding into her voice and I nodded, knowing she needed time to herself. Ludwig watched her go, eyes tortured before they turned to me.

“I can’t not go.” He said, and he sounded as if he were telling himself that more than me.

I nodded. “I know and just this once, I won’t hold you to your promise. This is something you’ve worked for years for.”

Butwhydid it have to land on her soccer game of all days?!

And who’s to say it won’t become a habit?

The doubts that’d been blessedly silent lately rose again, gnawing at me.

He was a workaholic and had been since the day I first started working with him. Yes, he was learning to delegate some of it, but what would happen if he managed to set up this branch? Would he go back to swamping himself?

Would he miss the rest of her events and award ceremonies with similar excuses?

I never wanted her to feel this, but I couldn’t stop it now that it was in motion. If he buried himself in work and this became a habit, then I would only be able to comfort Jasmine after each missed event.

I hated that thought to the core of my being.

Ludwig reached for me now, his hand curling around mine and squeezing as he assured me. “I know that look, and I’m telling you, I won’t let this happen again. This meeting is a once in a lifetime thing and after I go to it, there won’t be any others. All other meetings can be rescheduled andwill.”

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