Blossom in Winter (Blossom in Winter #1)(13)

He puts his hand on top of mine, smiling at me. “It’s great to see you again, Petra.”

But I move it straightaway. “Thanks… it’s great to see you too.” No, it’s not! After ten years you come back and think it’s all forgiven? My head is pounding, my heart thundering, the acid in my stomach boiling, and I take some heavy breaths. Argh! I want so badly to ask him why he disappeared ten years ago, why he didn’t ever call or write. Why did he never visit me again. But instead, I give him a freezing smile and decide to keep it to myself. After all, the best weapon is to remain indifferent to him and his return. However, it’ll be hard. Emma is right—dear Lord, he’s really hot! What? Petra! I clear my throat and immediately brush such thoughts away. “Did you manage to meet Emma?”

“Emma? Is she a friend of yours?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, I do remember a young girl with a dress way too tight around her chest and with way too much makeup on...”

We burst into laughter.

“That’s her. Definitely Emma. She was into you, I guess…”

“What? How old is she? Eighteen?”

“I think so.”

“Dear Lord.” He shakes his head, letting out a sigh. “Girls nowadays are unbelievable. I could be her father.”

“You could... but you are not.”

“Well, kindly tell her I’m not into teenagers.”

“Alright, I will. By the way, and I know this is none of my business, but… what happened with Amanda? I heard you separated?” He cringes at the question, bothered. I love it.

“Always so straightforward... just like your father.” A small smile plays at the corner of his mouth and I find myself mirroring it. He seems to be searching for words while looking absently at me. “Let’s say she wanted more from me than what I could offer.”

“Like what?”

His jaw drops at my insistence. “How can you be so direct and persistent at such young age?”

I can’t help but titter. “I believe I grew up with someone like that.”

“Indeed. If Roy were a woman, his character would be exactly like yours. It’s frightening. But to answer your question, your indiscreet question, I must say, she started to talk about kids and golden rings… you know, the usual.”

“You guys have been together forever.”

“Ten years.”

“And after all that time together, you preferred to break up with her than settle down?”

“Since it was not what I wanted, yes.” He pauses. “We had a serious conversation and realized we wanted different things in life. I told her if marrying and having kids were so important to her, she should find a more suitable partner. After all, it wouldn’t have been fair to remain together.”

“Pfff, seems like Dad with his lovers.”

“Your dad shares his love stories with you?” he asks, surprised.

“Sometimes. He doesn’t want to, but I manage to make him speak…”

“You’ve got great interpersonal skills, Ms. Van Gatt.” He gives me another corner smile, his gaze still pinned on me, but I look down instinctively. “Enough about me. What about you? What are you going to do after high school? Your father told me you’ll be joining our summer internship? I thought you wanted to be a painter.”

“I was seven when I said that,” I rebuke. “Anyway, it’s much harder to make it as a successful artist than as an executive.”

“Why not take the risk?”

“Oh, c’mon, and starve until then?” I shake my head. “I still paint as a hobby, but that’s all. I’ll be starting at Columbia University this fall with a major in economics.”

“Columbia? So you’re not going to live on campus, Ms. Van Gatt?”

I know he’s mocking me, but I get his point. “Um, Dad is not too keen on any university that has me living away from home. And frankly, after visiting some campuses such as Cornell’s, I’m not too keen either.”

Alex chuckles. “Well, it’s not your penthouse on Park Avenue, that’s for sure.” And he remains thoughtful for a while. “Is this internship really what you want?”

“Here we are, Five-Fifteen Park Avenue,” the driver announces.

“Perfect. Thank you very much. Have a great night,” I reply. We both open our respective doors and leave the car. “You have an apartment in the same block?”

“No, I have a house outside the city. But I’m renting a condo nearby. I’m just waiting for Roy. He asked me to meet him here.”

“Alright. Then I’ll show you my atelier.”

“You’ve got an atelier?”

“Yep. I paint there, and it’s like my private space. Neither Dad nor Janine, our housekeeper, can enter. I lock the door, you know.”

“That’s interesting.”

We enter the building and greet the doorman before taking the elevator to my apartment.

“Wow. It’s so different. So much more modern,” exclaims Alex while stepping out into the entryway.

“You like it? I asked Dad to change the entire interior design. It was so old and antiquated. It took us five months.”

“What about Roy’s office and library?”