Page 99 of The Grand Duel
“Enough,” she repeats, elbowing me across the car. “Well, hopefully Gregor likes me enough.”
“Gregor,” I say, rolling my eyes. “What sort of name is that?”
She doesn’t answer me, but I sense her gaze, and when I look down at her, I find her eyes narrowed on me, her smile teasing.
“What?”
“Charles Aldridge, are you jealous?”
“Jealous?”
“Yes. Jealous.”
“No.”
Her smile splits in two. “You are.”
Fuck. “I’m not.”
“Then why are you so against me going on the date?”
Good question. “Would it not be irresponsible of me to not ensure the woman who carries my name is dating the right man?”
God, I’m done for. Fucked. The idea of going away and leaving her here. In the office. On her date. It’s twisting me up inside.
Two days without her.
“Sure.That’syour concern,” she says, laughing.
That laugh.
“Yeah, come with me,” I say, not realising how abrupt the words are until they’re somewhere in the car between us.
“What?”
“To Italy. Will you come with me?”Jesus Christ. “I need you to come with me to take notes.”
Her eyes widen. “Uh…the talk will be recorded and posted in a couple of weeks’ time. I think it’s a printable presentation with each speaker’s notes available, too?—”
I shake my head. “I don’t want their notes, Lissie. I want your notes.” I look out the window, the tic in my cheek pulsing with the force of my teeth clamping together.
What am I doing?
“You want me to come with you? To Italy.”
“If you’re too busy, then it’s fine.” It’s not. It’s not fine at all actually.
“I’ll come with you, Charles.”
I look towards her, the air caught up in my lungs seeming to disperse. “You will?”
“Of course I will. It’s my job.” She smiles, and I have to remind myself that Earth is a planet in the solar system and not orbiting the seat next to me.
“I have a shift tonight and tomorrow at the club, but if I can get tomorrow off, I’ll be good to assist you. Let me speak to my boss later.”
“It’s an early flight. Can you not get tonight off as well?” I’m an asshole for asking that of her, but there’s no way she can work tonight after all day today and then go straight to Italy at seven a.m. in the morning.
“I need tonight,” she tells me. “I have literally nothing better to do.” She says it with a chuckle that’s meant to hide her sadness. “I promise if I can get tomorrow off, I’ll be on that plane with you in the morning.”