Rewind It Back (Windy City, #5)(65)

Rio: We’re about to land. I’ll call you as soon as we do.

Me: That’s okay. We can text.

Rio: Okay. How’s your day going?

Rio: Also, I want to kiss you again.



Straight to the point, I see. Chuckling to myself, I lean back in my chair with my phone in my hands.



Me: I meant we could text about work-related things.

Rio: Right. So, about that kiss . . .



I can picture the shit-eating grin on his face as he types, but I don’t let him veer me off track.



Me: I’m finishing up your initial design concepts this week. There are a few things I need you to choose between in the next two weeks. Layout, wall colors, that kind of thing.

Rio: I’m not home for two weeks.

Me: That’s okay. I’ll email everything over. Concepts, samples, etc. It shouldn’t take long. I just wanted you to be aware to keep an eye on your inbox.

Rio: No can do. I want all the decisions to be made in person.

Rio: With you.



That is . . . not what I was expecting for him to say. In fact, when I started this project, it was with the belief that Rio would make sure most of our communication was done over email to avoid being in the same room as me.

My thumbs are frozen over the keyboard, unsure of how to respond.



Me: Rio.

Rio: Hallie.

Me: Don’t be needy. I have to get my job done.

Rio: Needy is literally my number one personality trait.

Me: Well, in person is not going to work. I need to turn these concepts in to my boss before you’re home. It’s a hard deadline.

Rio: No deal, Hart.



I inhale a centering breath because the man is going to make me lose my mind.



Me: You don’t need me to be there for you to tell me what you like.

Rio: That’s probably true. If I’m remembering correctly, you did always know exactly what I liked.



His lack of subtlety has my mouth gaping open because we both know he’s not referring to interior design. But again, I don’t let him deter me. We’re friends now, even though he kissed me senselessly and now I’m the only one trying to hold up the professional part of our working agreement.



Me: Remember how you let me take on this project to hopefully land a full-time job at the firm? Missing a deadline is for sure going to make me look bad.

Rio: I never said you had to miss your deadline. Get on a plane and meet me.

Me: You’re out of your mind.

Rio: Trust me, Hallie. For the first time in about six years, I’m thinking perfectly clearly.



He’s lost it. He’s absolutely lost it if he thinks I have the funds or the time to jump on a plane to have a conversation that would be equally as productive as an email.

But maybe if I can explain it to Tyler, he’d understand. He said it himself. Rio’s schedule is complicated because of his career. I just need a few extra days to turn in final approvals once the hockey team is back in town.

It’s nearing the end of the workday, so I drop my phone on my desk and head straight for Tyler’s office, hoping he’s still here. Thankfully, he is, standing in the far corner of his office with a stunning view of the river behind him, staring at a few different wallpaper swatches tacked to a corkboard.

He doesn’t look in my direction when I stop at his door, but somehow, he still knows it’s me.

“Hallie, powder bath. Eclectic and moody vibes. Which one?”

“Who’s the client?”

“Me.”

“The one on the left, obviously.” I walk into his office with that answer.

He smiles to himself, taking the sample off the corkboard and placing it on his desk. “I knew I liked you.”

“Well, you might not like me after what I’m about to tell you. I need an extension on that deadline for the DeLuca project.”

Tyler takes a seat behind his desk. “No can do. Filming starts soon and I’m going to be way too busy to do any project approvals.”

“Well, the thing is, my client wants to make all the decisions in person, and he’s on a two-week trip for work. So, he won’t be able to make it back until—”

“Go meet him,” Tyler says plainly.

“Excuse me?”

“Go meet him. We’re a luxury brand here, Hallie, which means we provide luxury-level customer service. If he wants to make decisions in person, go meet him in person. Tina will book you a flight and hotel. Let her know where you need to go, where you want to stay, and what day.”

I wait for him to tell me he’s kidding, that this would be a waste of time and resources, and something that can be done via email, but he doesn’t.

“I wouldn’t need a hotel,” I eventually say once I realize how serious he is. “I could go there and back. The meeting shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”

Tyler shakes his head. “I don’t want him to feel like he’s being rushed. This is his home. These choices are personal.”

This very well may not be Rio’s home if he ends up selling, but I understand what Tyler is saying.

“If he has a night off from playing,” Tyler continues, “take him out for dinner. Buy a nice bottle of wine to split while he makes his design decisions. The firm will cover it. Tina will send you with a company card.”