Chapter 7- A Game Revealed
1002 Words
"I went to school there for fourteen years." Exiled would be a better word. Shrugging, she pasted on a bright smile. "My parents wanted the best education for me."
"America has some fine private schools. Especially in this area."
She fiddled with her napkin. "True. I actually was accepted at Exeter, but my parents wanted me to have a more cosmopolitan upbringing."
"Hobnobbing with the likes of the Rockefellers and the du Ponts would not have been cosmopolitan enough?"
A slight hint of sarcasm in his tone made her pause, but she was probably projecting her feelings. She had thought the same when Eleanor had made her speech about how Exeter was not good enough. "Well, you know. The cachet of Europe." Kate took a sip of wine.
Gray did not buy Kate’s act for a second. She was trying hard, but the embarrassment in her voice was obvious. And underneath he could detect hints of anger and hurt as well.
He already knew a lot about her family. Her sister, the real Vance daughter, had not been sent off to Europe to study.
"That was very nice of them," Gray said. Time to switch gears. Bringing up painful memories did not serve his purpose. "Are you planning to resign anytime soon to join your father’s campaign?"
Her eyes widened, and she let out a short laugh. "I do not think that is something I want to tell the CEO of my company."
"Why not?"
"If I tell you I am going to quit soon, I am lacking in company loyalty. If I tell you I am not, I am lacking in family loyalty. Either way I seem to lose." She put a bite of pasta in her mouth, chewed, swallowed, and dabbed at her lips with her napkin. "Actually, I do not plan to quit. Arthur, Dad, already has Bianca, that is my sister, and a very competent staff. I am sure I will not be needed."
Interesting. Most politicians’ families tended to work together on campaigns to project a happy, wholesome image to the public. With Massachusetts’s constituency, he would have thought her smiling, loving presence would have been required. Whether it was an election or a corporate takeover, everything had to be ready and lined up correctly in order to win.
A glimpse of wistfulness passed through her eyes, but she quickly looked away. The tightly styled hair made her features stark under the amber glow of the restaurant lights. She was an intelligent woman, highly educated and experienced. Three years at Blackwood & Sterling Investment Bank in Singapore, Wharton MBA, three years at SDS. Even her outfit said "I am a pro."
Still, there was a lingering vulnerability that made him want to protect her. The thought was unsettling.
Everett reappeared. "I have to go. An emergency conference call." He turned to Kate. "I am sorry. Perhaps next time?"
She gave him a regretful smile. "Sure. Good night."
After Everett left, silence fell on the table. Kate fidgeted with the bits of pasta left on her plate. Gray finally leaned back. "Dessert? This place is supposed to have the best tiramisu in town."
"Why not? I never say no to dessert."
He signaled the waiter, who cleared their table and went to get the tiramisu.
Gray held a bottle over her glass. "More wine?"
"No, thank you. I have to drive home."
"Cab it and expense it, if you want."
"I would rather not."
Shrugging, Gray poured the rest of the Chianti for himself and placed the empty bottle at the end of the table. Their tiramisu appeared, and he took a bite of the moist, bittersweet treat.
"You have gotta wonder if they knew we would order this all along," Gray said.
"Mmmm. Probably."
Gray watched her eat. Her full, red mouth looked startlingly erotic closing around the small silver fork. Her pink tongue darted out to lick it clean of cream and crumbs before she went for more. If it had been anyone else, he would have found the move calculated, but with Kate, everything was unconsciously done, which only added to her allure. He imagined all sorts of pleasurable things they could do in private.
"By the way, you owe me something," he said.
"What?"
"Remember the bet we made on Monday?"
A frown appeared on her face, and he almost laughed. Obviously, she had not been thinking about that at all.
"I thought it was only for a private dinner and only if you asked me out."
"Uh uh. The only thing we agreed to was another dinner before the week was over."
Her knuckles whitened around her fork. He would not have been surprised if she had stabbed her dessert. "That is ridiculous."
"Hey, all you had to do was say no to Everett’s invitation."
Kate continued to frown at him, but he seemed completely oblivious. Gray laughed. "Do not look so torn. We are not getting engaged here. It is just a weekend."
"A million bucks would have been nicer," she said, her voice even. So. Gray was not the type to play fair.
"A bit mercenary, do not you think?"
"Do not pretend you do not like money. Obviously you do."
"And you do too. Fair enough. So, why did not you go back to Blackwood & Sterling? They pay better than SDS."
"Because I wanted a career change." And because an ex, the mistake before Mason, was still working there. Just thinking about Jasper gave her the shivers now. "There is a point where money can not compensate enough for personal sacrifices." She put her fork down and pulled out her phone. "Let us get this over with. When would you like to claim your prize?"
"That is awfully, unromantic of you."
"Oh, were you expecting romance? After all, we are not getting engaged here. When and where?"
Gray waved at her gadget. "Put that thing away." He signaled the waiter for the check, handed him several twenties, and rose.
- Writer
