Your Captivating Love (The Bennett Family 2)

Or maybe I’m overanalyzing this, and the simple explanation is that I’m a coward.

“You and I both know how the world works. You can have the best products, but if no one’s aware of them, you won’t sell. I’m not promising you anything. The bloggers might decide the dresses don’t suit their style, but at least they’ll see them.”

Now I’m downright panicking. What if the bloggers do hate my dresses? I try to reason with myself. She’s right. After all, my dream isn’t an empty store, but people walking in and happily walking back out.

“Okay, thank you.”

“So, I have your permission?” she asks.

“Yes.”

“Thank God, because I already invited them.”

With that, Pippa winks and heads out, leaving me smiling. Then I realize my dresses will be under the bloggers’ scrutiny in a few days, and I’m right back to panicking.

***

Logan

“You’re distracted,” Max remarks. I’m sitting in my brother’s office in London, and I’ve spaced out a couple of times in the last two hours. I’m wasting both our times because I’m not at the top of my game.

“Sorry, still have a bit of jet lag.”

“Let’s grab dinner. We can come back afterward.”

We walk to the steak restaurant across the street where we eat every time I’m in London. The waitresses greet Max as if he’s an old friend. He regularly spends his evenings at the office, which irks me. Sebastian and I work long hours too, but he’s overdoing it.

“We can discuss sales—” I begin after the waitress takes our order, but Max shakes his head.

He raises an eyebrow. “No business talk during dinner.”

“You’re awfully str

ict about that rule, considering you’re almost sleeping at the office.”

“I have my priorities.” He smiles, reminding me of Dad. Our father always insisted that dinner is family time. “How’s Summer? Stressed out about the next gallery?”

“As always.” We continue to talk about our baby sister until the food arrives.

“What’s this I hear about someone named Nadine?”

I put my fork down. “I see the Bennett rumor mill has no problems crossing the ocean.”

Max shrugs. “Man, there’s no escape from the mill when talking to Summer.”

“Nadine and I are dating, and it’s going great.”

“Good,” he says between bites. “It was about time.” His tone is final, and I know he won’t ask more; my brother’s not one to pry. And thank fuck for that, because there’s enough meddling going on from the rest of the Bennett clan. Christopher was in Hong Kong when Sylvia and I broke up, but Max was still in San Francisco. He was my drinking partner of choice because he can down whiskey with me, while keeping his mouth shut. Sebastian would always follow that whiskey with some ridiculous advice. Blake and Daniel are even worse. “I want to find a replacement for myself, here in London. I want to come back home.”

I stare Max down, then nod. “Sure. Do you have a timeline in mind?”

Sebastian and I had hoped the twins would stay overseas for about ten years, but it was obvious from the very beginning that neither was thrilled by the prospect of spending so much time abroad. We’d prefer to have someone from the family lead foreign operations, but I can understand his wish to return.

“No, but I’m already searching for someone to take over here.”

“Let me know if I can help. Does Christopher also want to return home?”

“Haven’t talked to him about it lately, but I think he’d like to hang out in Hong Kong for a few more years.”