Ask Him (Mess with Me 1.50)

I have to let it go.

10

Two months later…

I push through the revolving door and into the lobby of the Madison building. Jason is already in the waiting area talking on his phone. Philippe should have been here already, too. I glance at my watch and then scowl at the time.

This is our third meeting with our marketing agency in the last month and I have no confidence this one will go any better than the last two.

Not that I can voice that opinion. Apparently I’ve been difficult to work with lately so anything I say will be taken negatively.

Kate rushes into the lobby looking harried. “Mr. Lavin! You’re here early.” She gives Jason a hard look before pulling out her phone.

I don’t respond, unsure why being early requires a warning.

Jason shrugs. “I was trying to call you. Our last meeting ended early. Hopefully James can accommodate us.”

“Of course! I’m sure it’s fine.” Her voice is upbeat but her fingers fly over the screen of her phone frantically.

My brow furrows as I wonder who she could be texting right now when we have a meeting to attend.

Jason leans over. “She’s probably warning everyone upstairs that the dragon has left his lair.” He chuckles when Kate glares at him.

I hit the button for the elevator ignoring his questioning look. The past month has been a test of my patience in every way. Although I originally planned to stay in the States during this brand transition, last week I made the decision to go back to Milan for the duration. Why stay in a concrete prison enduring rain and questionable air quality when I could be at home, enjoying the exceptional weather and exquisite food?

“I’m ready to get this meeting done. We have a schedule to keep,” I grumble, already irritated. We’re flying back to Italy in just a few hours and another pointless meeting is not how I want to spend my time before getting on a plane.

Jason clears his throat before glancing at me. “So, before we attend this meeting maybe we should nail down what we hope to accomplish today. The last couple of meetings have been a little chaotic.”

“Meaning that I’ve hated everything they’ve come up with.” I adjust my tie slightly in the mirror image on the elevator doors.

He shifts next to me. “Meaning that you’ve made up your mind to hate everything because you’ve been in a shitty mood for what feels like six months straight.”

My hand pauses on my tie.

After Jason broke the news that the investigators couldn’t find Casey, I thought I’d come to terms with it. But even after I called off the official investigation, she was never far from my thoughts. I couldn’t stop thinking about her at the most random moments and my la

ck of focus did not go unnoticed.

So I threw myself into my work with a vengeance, staying later at the office and coming in earlier. Maybe I was subconsciously punishing myself for allowing the most captivating woman I’ve ever met to slip through my fingers or maybe I truly thought that work could help me forget. But that time Philippe was the one given the task of telling me that several of my staff members were on the verge of quitting.

Now I’ve reached a point where I have to accept that this isn’t something I can fix. No amount of hard work or dedication will right this situation.

“You’re right. I haven’t been myself.”

Jason looks stunned at my agreement but just then the elevator doors slide open. The head of the agency is waiting there to greet us, with the two lead marketing executives who have been working on our account standing directly behind him. Mya Taylor and Milo Hamilton worked together on the campaign that launched Lavin Bridal into a very successful year. Approving the campaign for that launch wasn’t nearly so difficult and I can concede that it was entirely due to my state of mind.

Clumsy Girl is gone, as surely as if she was just a figment of my imagination. I’ve heard it from everyone over the last month, Jason, my brother and even the bartender at the bar I can’t seem to stay away from.

She’s gone.

It sucks the way things ended but I have to accept that it did end. Casey and I had a brief, magical moment and it changed me.

Maybe that’s all it was meant to do.

I extend my hand. “James, I apologize for arriving so early. I hope we haven’t inconvenienced you too greatly.”

He shakes my hand and then motions to the others. “It’s no problem at all. The team has put together a fantastic presentation for you today.”