The Broken One (Corisi Billionaires, #1)(48)

Later that day, I munched on a chicken salad sandwich at my desk. Speaking to Erica always made me feel better. I told her she didn’t need to pick Ava up, but she said the kids were looking forward to the playdate, so I told her I’d put in an extra hour at work, then head over to have dinner with them.

She didn’t say I was giving up too easily, because we both knew I wasn’t. I hadn’t received so much as a text from Sebastian.

And that was okay.

I was haunted by what Rakesh Bhatt had said about Sebastian. He lacked empathy? That wasn’t my impression of him, but then again, I didn’t actually know Sebastian very well.

Being attracted to him, indulging in a few sexual fantasies of what it would be like to be with him . . . some while I was awake . . . some in my dreams . . . didn’t make us close. It meant I was a woman in my prime. Maybe the reason he was sent to me was to remind me I wasn’t dead from my waist down.

Do I really want a man whose response to hearing a heart-wrenching story of a father dying is to head off to Italy? I feel your pain; pass the pasta.

No. I want a man with more heart than that.

“Knock, knock,” Teri said. “Looks like you have another visitor. Do you have time to see him?”

I stood and stretched. “Sure. Who is it?”

“He said his name is Rob Smith?”

“Never heard of him. Send him in.”

I met Rob at the door of my office. A young, nervous man, he was dressed in a black suit with a white shirt. We shook hands, and I asked him to come in, but he stayed where he was.

“Miss Ellis, I’m here to take you to Mr. Romano.”

I checked to see if Teri had heard the same thing I did. Her eyebrows arched in surprise, and she looked about to back away, but I implored her to stay with the same look Ava used on me. “I’m sorry, what did you say you were here for?”

Rob cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. “I’m Sebastian Romano’s driver.”

“And?”

“And he sent me to retrieve you.”

I laughed, more from nerves than humor. “Retrieve me?”

Sweat beaded on his forehead. “I’m sorry. I’ve never done anything like this before. I thought Mr. Romano called me in to fire me. This is my chance to get back on his good side. I’m supposed to look professional and not tell you where we’re going.”

“Why would I get in a car with you, someone I don’t know, especially since I have no idea where you’re taking me?”

He nodded and started patting his pockets. “Hang on. I have a note for you.” He pulled one out of his trouser pocket and read it aloud. “Pick up flowers on the way.” He grimaced. “Shit. I forgot the flowers.”

I exchanged another look with Teri while Rob continued hunting through his pockets.

“He’s not going to be happy. This was supposed to be romantic. Hang on. I really do have a note from him somewhere.” Rob looked more and more nervous as he searched his pockets for a second time. Eventually he stopped and met my gaze. “I could take a good guess at what it said.”

“No, thanks—” I started. I was already confused enough.

“Please do,” Teri said, cutting me off. “I think we should hear what Rob believes Mr. Romano wrote in his note.”

Teri was enjoying watching the poor young man squirm. He went white, then red.

Rob rubbed his hands together as if warming them and said, “Dear—”

When he hesitated, Teri interjected, “Heather.”

He started again, “Dear Heather. It would be my . . . pleasure . . . if you accompanied my driver to an address he’s not allowed to share with you because I made him swear he wouldn’t, so please don’t ask him for it.”

This time I did laugh. “And then you were supposed to hand me the flowers?”

“Yes.”

Teri put a hand on one hip and said, “A tempting proposal—right up there with ‘I have beer in my trunk, want one?’”

“I could totally go for a beer right now,” Rob said, then stopped and went bright red again. “But I would never drink and drive.”

At a loss for how to respond, I looked across at Teri. “I’m not getting in a car with, no offense, Rob, to go somewhere he won’t tell me. How do I even know you were sent by Sebastian?”

“That’s a good point,” Teri concurred. She wagged a finger at Rob. “You are not allowed to abduct my boss. I love my job.”

I smiled. “You do? You love it? Not just saying that?” I really could never tell.

“You’re funny,” Teri said. “Even when you don’t mean to be. I leave here smiling every day. I’d never find another job like this again.”

I turned to Rob. “See why you can’t abduct me? I’m a great boss.”

Rob opened and closed his mouth as if he were struggling for what to say next. “I have to take you with me.”

Now it was my turn to put a hand on my hip. “Do you mean he didn’t give you a plan B in case I said no?”

Rob shook his head.

“He just assumed I’d hop in any car he sent for me? Oh, that’s a little overconfident, wouldn’t you say, Teri?” I looked around. “Teri?”

The phone on my desk beeped. I picked it up. Erica. “Although I appreciate Teri looping you in, I don’t need your advice on this one. There’s no way I’m getting into that car.”