Page 81 of Strictly Business

I find myself nodding without thinking about it — Nina’s right. I’ll take a few days to think about things, and then…then, I’ll talk to him.

Chapter Forty-Two

MICHAELA

“NO, YOU CANNOT FAKE sick,” Caitlin said standing outside my door at eight-thirty with coffee and bagels. When she received my text feigning illness last night, she decided to be at my condo before my first alarm. She ushered me back inside and picked out my outfit while I showered. She was determined not to let me skip this meeting, no matter how much I wanted to. Despite my protests, I dressed, did my hair and makeup, and walked out the door. Because of her determination, we arrived thirty minutes early, and I decided to get another coffee — maybe a shot if I could find a place willing to do that sort of thing this early in the morning — because I was going to need it to make it through what awaited me on the other side of that door.

I have successfully avoided it for the past week, and I’d do anything to keep things that way for a few extra minutes. This new client is a friend-of-a-friend of none other than Finnley Sheffield, and something tells me he will show up to the meeting today. He gave me a few days before he tried to contact me, but when I saw his name flash across my screen the first time, I hit ignore. Then I blocked him. Was it childish? Probably. Did I care? Nope. I know I said I would talk to him, and I will, but I need more time to figure out where we go from here.

“Oat milk latte,” the barista calls out setting a black to-go cup on the counter. Refreshing my email for the millionth time, I step up to the counter and reach for it without looking.

“That’s mine,” a man says behind me.

That voice. There’s no way.

I look up from my phone to meet the stormy eyes of my ex-husband. Instinctively, I take a step back. Great, just great. I needed this run-in like a hole in the head. What are the chances David would be at the same coffee shop in Brooklyn today? Apparently, pretty damn great. “What are you doing here?”

“Barnes had a meeting in the city.”

The barista sets another cup on the counter, “Oak milk latte.” Before I can, David grabs both coffees and thanks the barista. He moves away from the counter leaving me with two options — follow him or pay for a new one. A glance at my watch tells me I don’t have time for either option, but I don’t have time to wait in the line that has now formed.

“I’m glad I ran into you.” David uses his back to open the door and holds it open for me. I don’t have time for this shit. I will be unprofessionally late if I don’t leave in the next ten seconds. I reach for the coffee, but he keeps it just out of reach.

“I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I don’t have time for it. I have a meeting in ten minutes and I can’t be late. I’m signing the papers on Thursday. You can have the—”

”That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Have your attorney call mine,” I say and snatch the coffee from him. “I can’t do this rig—”

“I want to get back together.”

My grasp falters, sending the cup plummeting to the ground, but David is quick to grab it before it hits the sidewalk and ruins my brand-new pants. “I’m sorry, I must be hearing things,” the words fall out in a stutter. “Did you say you want to get back together?”

David hands me the coffee once again with a sheepish smile. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“Um, a little, yeah.” My phone vibrates in my hands, and without looking, I know it’s Caitlin.

“Look, I know you were seeing someone, but I thought— Well, I don’t know.” David sighs running his fingers over the lid of his coffee cup. “I thought maybe you’d be open to at least talking.”

My phone begins to vibrate again and I know I have two options — one, go to the meeting and risk seeing Finn, or two, tell Caitlin to handle it and let David explain himself. “Hello?” I answer the phone.

“Where are you?” Caitlin asks.

“Cait, something came up. I’m not going to make it.”

“What do you mean? Michaela, you need to be here, this is—”

“Can you please handle it? I have to deal with something. Call me when you’re done, and we can—”

“Michaela,” Caitlin sighs. Her voice lowers when she speaks again, “I know you don’t want to see Finn, but you’re going to have to face this at some point.”

“It’s not because of him,” I say meeting David’s stare. “Just handle it.”

A toothy grin spreads across David’s face when I hang up, “I take it you’re free?”

Chapter Forty-Three

FINN