He seems content to sit in silence, not making any attempt at conversation. Warm wind zooms past, occasionally carrying strains of conversation or notes of music as other cars pass by. My hair flies around my face. I keep twirling and tucking it behind my back, and after a few minutes, the breeze tugs it free again.
I huff an exasperated sigh, and the corner of Crew抯 mouth twitches. My purse is a mess, the same as it always is when I travel. I dig through lip gloss, Euros, hotel chocolate, and my passport梡robably should store that somewhere else梑efore locating a hair tie.
My hair gets wound up in a messy knot, finally staying in place. This feels so different from the climate-controlled interior of a town car. Vacations are usually museum tours and wine tastings. Set itineraries and work calls. Riding in a convertible on a summer day is something I easily could have experienced before. But something in me whispers it wouldn抰 feel like this with just anyone.
I can抰 ignore Crew. Can抰 pretend he抯 just the guy chauffeuring me around. Rather than fight it, I embrace the giddiness his presence incites. I recline my seat and prop my bare feet on the dash and fling my hand out the window so it can surf the wind. The hem of my dress creeps up my thighs as I lean back. I watch Crew glance before he white knuckles the steering wheel. I turn my head to the side, not making any attempt to pretend I抦 not looking at him.
揝ee something you like??
He looks at me before he takes another turn. The sun backlights him, spreading beams of golden hues. 揕ots.?
His grin is boyish. Not calculating or predatory, and I realize I抦 not the only one who might be sick of perfection and pretenses.
I smile back, and something shifts. There抯 a tangible moment where he抯 not a Kensington and I抦 not an Ellsworth. Where we抮e just Crew and Scarlett.
And then his phone rings. It抯 connected with the car抯 Bluetooth, so the sound blares through the speakers. Isabel flashes across the screen.
Crew answers. 揌ello.?His tone is flat, slightly annoyed, and I take some solace in that.
揅rew! Hi!?Hers is peppy and cheery. I roll my eyes before rolling my head so I抦 looking out the window instead of at him.
揥hat is it??
揑 don抰 mean to bother you, it抯 just梐re you in a wind tunnel??
揇riving,?Crew replies.
揙h. Uh, well, Asher mentioned you抮e extending your trip??
揧es.?
揥e have the meeting on the Lancaster acquisition this afternoon.?
揑 sent you my feedback on the reports this morning. Anything inadequate, flag and I抣l handle when I get back into the office.?
揑 saw your email. I just厰
揓ust what, Isabel??Crew sounds impatient.
揧ou抳e overseen this from start to finish. I抦 just surprised you抮e not here and instead you抮e厀ell, no one is actually sure what you抮e doing. Is everything okay??
揧es.?
揙kay厰 She drags the word out for as long as it will last. 揥e have a board meeting on Tuesday. Will you be back by then??
揧es,?Crew repeats.
揧our father isn抰 happy.?
揝o卋usiness as usual??
Isabel laughs. 揚retty much. I抣l send you the minutes from the meeting by the end of the day.?
揑抣l be offline until tomorrow. No rush.?
There抯 a beat of silence, heavy with disbelief. 揙kay.?
揃ye, Isabel.?Crew ends the call.
揝lacker,?I mutter.
He laughs, but neither of us say anything else for the rest of the ride to the stadium.
I knew soccer梠r football, as the Europeans call it, which makes logical sense, just like the metric system梬as a popular sport in Italy. The huge crowds that surface before the towering structure is even in sight are still unexpected. Long lines of fans sporting jerseys and wide smiles fill both sides of the sidewalk.
Crew appears unconcerned by the busyness. He pulls into a lot surrounded by a chain-link fence after a quick exchange of Italian with the man guarding the gate. From there, we抮e led through a private entrance and into the heart of the stadium. I ask, 揌ow much of the team do you own??
He smirks at me. 揟wenty percent.?
揑t wasn抰 in the disclosures.?
Crew blinks, brimming with false innocence. 揑t wasn抰？？I roll my eyes. 揑 used my trust fund. Technically, that wasn抰 covered in the mutual considerations.?
揕ooked into every loophole, huh??
揑 wasn抰 the one who had the prenup rewritten.?
揥ould you have signed, if I抎 told you about rouge??It was in the preliminary stages when I brought the paperwork to Crew. Nothing I needed to disclose條egally speaking梑ut something I should have.
揑f you抎 told me, you抎 know.?
揑 didn抰 know what you抎 do then.?
揂nd you know now??