“You and I . . .” Andrew sighed and nodded. “We’ve become close.”
I swallowed. A wave of dread surged like an army toward me. I sat powerless against what was next.
“You know how I feel about mixing my personal and professional life.”
Heat rose from my stomach and burned hot in my chest. I nodded, impatient for the inevitable.
“With you as CEO of Verity, it’s important that we keep things professional. The company’s success is important to me and I’m going to be your boss long-term. The stakes are high. We need to keep things separate.”
“Okay . . .” I said, not quite sure what he meant. Usually there was no clarification required when I had a conversation with Andrew. What was he trying to say—that I should call him James out of the office? “Which means?”
His Adam’s apple bobbed and he glanced at his office door like he was willing an interruption. “We should keep our relationship purely professional.”
The heat in my chest pushed down out of my limbs, a chill racing down my spine in its wake. I didn’t know whether to feel angry or sad. “If you don’t want to date me, you don’t have to offer me a job that makes it impossible. You can just tell me you don’t want to date me. You’re not usually so indirect.”
“Sofia,” Andrew said in the angry growl I’d come to know.
“I mean it. Don’t be a coward.”
“I told you, I don’t lie. I want you in this job. But it requires a sacrifice. Working together and . . . being together.” He shook his head with such certainty it was like he was plunging a knife into my skin. “It’s not possible. You’ll be great at this job. You have a deep well of creativity, an appetite for hard work, and impressive qualifications. You’re perfect for this role. And the money . . . It will make your life a lot easier.”
If he hadn’t made me an offer I couldn’t refuse already, reminding me that the job would come with a pay raise sealed the deal.
I couldn’t turn this down. If I didn’t get what I needed from my father, I’d have to find another way of paying for my mother’s operation. This might be that way. Anyway, I didn’t want a man who didn’t want to be with me more than he wanted a CEO.
Maybe my mother had been right: Andrew had been playing with me all along. Now he was bored and didn’t want me anymore. At least I wasn’t pregnant. I supposed I should be thankful for that.
The Rossi women always knew how to look on the bright side.
“Fine,” I said. “When do I start?”
Andrew glanced down at his desk, and if I didn’t know him better, I could have sworn he wore an air of disappointment. There was no pleasing this man. Maybe it was better things between us were over now, before I got in too deep and realized I’d never be enough for him.
He cleared his throat. “Right away. Liaise with HR. They have the contract details. I want to see your ninety-day transition plan by this time next week.”
I stood and smoothed down my skirt, hesitating. Was that it? He was done with me, and now I was dismissed—from his office, his life outside work, and his bed.
Thirty-Six
Sofia
I held up my glass, mirroring my father’s pose. I was here at lunch with my father in body, if not mind. My mind was all Andrew Blake’s. I tried to distract myself and keep busy, but I kept replaying every moment we were together in my mind.
“Congratulations on your brilliant promotion,” he said, beaming at me. “So much good news this week. Did I tell you Bella got accepted at the school Evan and I really wanted her to go to?”
“Oh no, I didn’t know about that.” I needed to focus on the moment right here or I could blow things with my father.
“Yes, it’s been a challenge. We want to give her the very best start in life and it starts young, you know?”
My mom had wanted to give me the very best start in life, too. That’s why she’d worked as hard as she had.
“The people she goes to school with now will be the people she does business with in the future. It’s such a responsibility.”
I stayed silent. If I uttered a word, I feared that my fury and frustration would spill out. How could he be so insensitive, talking to me about the responsibilities of raising a child? To me, the child he abandoned and never made any effort to be responsible for.
“Evan’s delighted. We both are.”
“Does Bella like the school?” I wanted to steer the conversation onto more neutral territory. Bella was adorable and absolutely not responsible for anything I didn’t have growing up.