Indigo Nights (Nights #3)(42)
“I wondered if I could buy you lunch? Or dinner?”
I winced. What was she plotting? With my cell tucked under my chin, I Googled her husband—a wealthy, not to mention elderly, Chicago entrepreneur. They had married shortly after I’d discovered their affair—good business, she’d called it. Perhaps he had died.
“How did you get this number?”
From time to time, I wondered if she’d kept track of my career. My wealth now far exceeded her husband’s.
“Oh, Dylan, I have my ways. You must remember that I can be very persuasive if I set my mind to it.”
I ended the call. I didn’t need her bullshit.
She called back and I put my phone on silent, turning it face down so I wouldn’t even have the distraction of the flashing screen.
What the hell was Alicia calling for? I glanced back at my search results and scrolled down. It looked like her husband was having some financial difficulties—maybe she was looking to trade up again. The recession had been brutal. Raf and I were cautious investors, careful to ensure that we never got pulled into bidding wars with investors, but the economy had taken a lot of casualties.
Raf crashed into the office. “We just got regulatory approval on the Redux transaction.” He was panting.
“Fucking great.” We’d never done anything in the sector before so we’d been told that approval was by no means a certainty. “I knew we’d get it.”
Raf stalked over to my desk and held out his hand. “You were right, my friend.”
“As usual.” I winked at him.
“Okay, don’t be an * about it.” Raf slunk into one of the chairs opposite my desk.
I chuckled. “Guess who just called me,” I said. “Alicia.”
“Are you f*cking serious, dude? Have you spoken to her since that shit went down when you split?”
I shook my head. “Nope, never even laid eyes on her. She emailed me a week or so back, but I just deleted it.”
“What did she want?”
“No idea. I hung up on her.”
“Wow. I mean, you were cut up about her. I’m not sure you’ve ever been the same. Would you go back there?”
Beth’s beautiful smile came to mind. I still hadn’t told Raf—or anyone else—about her. I liked that we were wrapped up in a bubble, just the two of us, but perhaps it was time. “Not if my dick depended on it. And anyway, I’m seeing someone.”
“You mean you’re f*cking someone.”
“Well, we’re definitely doing that, but we’re also dating. In fact, she’s coming to the gala on Friday.” The corners of my mouth twitched. I couldn’t wait to have her on my arm.
“And why am I just hearing about this now?”
“Because, unlike you, I don’t like to over share. Which unfortunate girl are you bringing to the gala?”
He rolled his eyes. “Christ, I hate the drama. Christie threw a vase at me last night. I didn’t even know I owned a vase.”
“Christie’s the Art History major?”
Raf looked at me as if I was stupid. “No, that was Tasha, and weeks ago. Do you listen to anything I tell you?”
“I try not to.”
Raf ignored me. “Christie’s the one who looks like Gisele ten years ago.” I shrugged. “Anyway, she’s a maniac. I think I’m going stag on Friday. I’m getting too old for this shit.”
I chuckled. “You were too old to be chasing girls five years ago. You need to try a woman. Someone who has her shit together.”
“Are you really giving me relationship advice? You haven’t gotten laid for a decade before this mystery chick came along.”
“Her name’s Beth—and if you call her a chick I’ll miscalculate your quarterly dividend on purpose—and I was having plenty of fun before her, but I never chased. I never had to.”
Raf pushed his hands onto the chair arms and stood. “You’re an *. I hope you marry her, then she divorces you and takes all your money.”
“Love you, bro.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
I picked up my phone. Four missed calls, all from the same number. I also had five texts. Hoping they were from Beth and not Alicia, I opened the first one.
Alicia: Seriously Dylan, I have a business proposition for you. I think we should talk.
Business? She’d probably suggest marriage. That was how she approached relationships.
Alicia: I’m just suggesting lunch. If you don’t like what I have to say then you never have to see me again.
Alicia: I really miss what we had. It was so simple and you were so good to me.
Jesus, did she think I’d fall for this shit? What we’d had was anything but simple. Looking back, everything had seemed strategic where Alicia was concerned.
Alicia: I really need your help. Please. You’re the only one I can turn to.
There were plenty of rich men in Chicago, others who would be taken in by her.
Alicia: I’ll email you my proposal.
I took a deep breath, deleted her texts and dialed Beth.
“Hey,” she answered. “How come you’re calling me in the middle of the day?”
My MO was to call Beth before work, and then after if it wasn’t too late. We spoke most days and I’d gotten to know her routine. We were four thousand miles apart, but somehow I felt closer to her than ever.