Chapter 57
HARPER
The following afternoon, my phone rings.
“Brooke, it’s Enzo.”
“Enzo, how was Milan? Paris? You must be relieved to be home.”
“I don’t honestly know how Alex does it, all that schmoozing.” He groans dramatically. “I think I’ll stick to the jewellery side of the business.”
“But you go along?”
“I also enjoy the chaos, the buzz. It’s enthralling,” he says.
I chuckle.
“In your element then?”
“Most definitely. It’s very informative. All the gossip you hear from and about potential clients.”
His tone makes me question what he’s in the know about, but I don’t dare ask.
“Information is power,” I say.
“Exactly,” he says. “You know why I’m calling?”
“You want to know if I willingly entered into this relationship?” I drop my voice to a whisper, hoping the walls don’t have ears.
“I have to ask,” he says.
“I understand. I did,” I say after a brief pause. “Are you going to warn me off, tell me to stay away from him?”
“God no. What gave you that idea?”
“I have older brothers.”
“Ah, you think I should be warning you off?”
“No, oh hell, I have no idea. I’m new to all this relationship stuff.” I sigh.
“Do you like him?”
“What sort of question is that?”
“A pretty basic one, I’d say.”
“Yes, I like him, and I don’t want to mess it up.”
“Is that why you don’t want Sue knowing?”
“Partly. I don’t want to become office gossip. I’m not from New York, and I don’t want to enter the dining hall and have everyone go silent and stare at me because I’m sleeping with the boss. I’ve just begun to make friends.”
“And you don’t want to jeopardise that?”
Heat spreads up my neck and cheeks. This is not really the conversation I want to be having with my lover’s brother.
“Is that wrong?”
“No, I hate my love life being the topic of conversation. It adds pressure when you don’t want it.”
A wave of sympathy washes over me. I understand where he’s coming from, not that I can tell him that. Maybe one day, if he ever speaks to me again, when the truth about who I am finally comes out.
“Sue is watertight, you know. It wouldn’t be worth her job to spread gossip.”
“I know. Alex said the same thing, but she might view me differently,” I tell him truthfully. “I’m not sure I want to take that risk. Not yet anyway. Perhaps in a few weeks, months, when we know what this is, where it’s going?”
“I get it,” he says. “I’ve sent you a copy of the consensual relationship agreement. Are you happy to sign it? I’ve had Alex sign one, but it means… you’re going to need an independent witness, someone impartial.”
“Because he’s your brother?”
“Exactly.”
I open the document and scan the pages. My brothers taught me never to sign anything without checking the fine print.
It’s basic as far as contracts go, simply stating that I’m entering into this relationship of my own free will.
“I’ll print it out and get it witnessed,” I say, wondering if Dan or Mitch will do the honours, and how embarrassing it’s going to be to ask them.
But they know where I’ve been staying. They simply nodded but kept their counsel.
“Thank you,” Enzo says. “I probably shouldn’t say this, but I haven’t seen Alex this happy in a long time. You’re good for him. I know it’s early days, but I could see at Christmas there was something between you, and while he was away, despite all the stress he was under…”
“He’s good for me too,” I admit.
A tightness forms in my chest when I think of all the lies I’ve had to spin. Would the truth, my turbulent past, the sex tape, change his perception of me?
I’ve spent years being rebellious and reckless, whereas Alex is disciplined and meticulous.
As if reading my mind, he continues. “I’m going to say the same thing to you as I did to Alex in London. Don’t overthink it. No one knows what the future holds.”
“You give good advice,” I say, with a smile.
“Shh, don’t tell anyone. I’m supposed to be the wild, playful brother,” he says, but I don’t miss the tone. I recognise it from Caleb, who was always the fun-loving, fancy-free playboy, but was searching for something underneath it all… someone… Then he found April.
“Enzo, thank you.”
“If you need me, I’m a phone call away. I’ll be over in a couple of months to visit Avril. I may see you then,” he says, and there’s no missing the sadness in his tone when he talks about his daughter.
I know how hard it is to be separated from family. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to be separated from your child for months at a time.
“That would be great,” I say, wondering if I’ll even be here.
“She’s still writing in her journal. Keeps the key on a chain around her neck,” he adds.
“We women need somewhere private to keep our thoughts. I’m glad she likes it.”
I miss my journal. I left it behind at Pen’s, deciding not to start a new one, for fear someone would find and read it.
“Take care, Brooke.”
“You too, Enzo.”
“Brooke,” Alessandro says, exiting his office. “All good?”
I smile at him and nod.