Chapter 13 #2
Isabella and I were probably the only two teens who had a blast doing something so juvenile with our father. We ate mint chocolate chip until we had brain freezes.
Serenity comes forward and places the bag on my desk. “I brought some pasta. Do you like Italian? I can’t believe I didn’t even think to ask that.”
I nod. “There are a lot of good places in the city. My favorite place is Luigi’s on—”
“Fifth street?” she asks hopefully.
“Yes, it’s the best.”
She takes everything out, spaghetti, ravioli, garlic bread. By the time she grabs the plates and plastic forks from the bag, my mouth is watering.
“I knew you’d be hungry,” Serenity says on a laugh, and she helps Summer into one of the leather chairs. “You didn’t have breakfast before you left.”
“Oh, you noticed that, huh?”
She lifts a shoulder. “There’s not a lot to do when I don’t know anyone other than you.”
My stomach twists in a thousand little knots as if there’s a bunch of bees inside.
A woman like Serenity isn’t meant to be a stay-at-home trophy wife, and she already told me she wants to work.
Which is why I have devised a plan. All I need is more than two minutes to myself to get everything together.
“Mommy notices everything.” Summer leans forward and whispers, “She even knows if you don’t brush your teeth.”
I throw my head back and laugh. “I’ll have to remember that and always brush my teeth.”
“Don’t forget about flossing.” Serenity puts some food on a plate and puts it on my desk in front of Summer.
She piles a plethora of food on top of the plate and gives it to me. I take the fork and put the first bite into my mouth. Flavor bursts onto my tongue. I moan, and her wide eyes meet mine. “This is seriously the best.”
Serenity takes a bite, too, and she has the same reaction as I did. “This is almost as good as the Italian Paul’s mother taught me how to make.”
Another tidbit of information that goes into the Serenity file.
“You know how to cook?”
“Yes, of course, but I’m hoping to go grocery shopping. I also need kitchen utensils.” She narrows her eyes at me. “I thought you had a personal chef. How did they cook for you if there’s nothing in the kitchen?”
I squirm. I did have one when I lived in the city. So, I only shrug. “How did you find Luigi’s?”
“I researched online, and everyone said this restaurant is the closest to the real stuff, so I thought we’d try it out. But if you’re really nice to me, maybe I’ll cook you something.”
“You know, I’ve never had a home-cooked meal that wasn’t prepared by our chef. Does that count? I mean, it was cooked in our house but not by my mother.”
Serenity’s face softens. “Did you talk to the chef much?”
“Only sometimes when I went in search of an after-school snack, but when my parents sent me to boarding school, I didn’t see Chef Peter again. He left for California.”
She tilts her head to the side. “I think that counts. If you had a good relationship with the cook, then it’s still a home-cooked meal in my mind.”
Even though she says it, it doesn’t feel true.
She’s offering to make me a real home-cooked meal, and I guess breakfast doesn’t count since I always skip out on it.
She came all the way here to a strange city she doesn’t know, for me.
A huge city. For a woman who always claims she doesn’t like me, her actions are starting to prove her a liar.
But why?
Sure, she claims Summer wanted to see where I work, but I could’ve taken them here anytime. I don’t say any of that. If I do, I might spook Serenity.
I scoop more food, and as I’m about to bring another delicious bite to my mouth, my office door swings open.
Martha rushes in behind Mr. Lexington, red-faced, and says, “I’m sorry, Mr. Barlowe. I told him you were busy having lunch, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“It’s okay. You may go back to your desk.”
She hesitates but then glares at Mr. Lexington and leaves.
“I guess I can see why you canceled your appointment with me.” His gray eyes stray over to Serenity, and I get a sudden urge to shield her. “Don’t you think it’s unprofessional to do all that for a woman?”
I ball my hands at my sides. “How dare you interrupt my lunch with my family?”
Summer inches off her chair and climbs into her mother’s lap. I need to get rid of Mr. Lexington before he says something that might hurt either of these two, and it’s only a matter of time with him looking like a ticking time bomb.
“You’re blowing off our meeting later today. I think I deserve an explanation.”
Serenity stands and heads toward the door. “Summer and I will wait out with Martha until you two are done.”
Serenity shoos Summer toward Martha, but Mr. Lexington doesn’t wait for her to leave to continue. “You know that we’re on the verge of collapse with the XT phone. You can’t avoid your responsibilities just to get under a skirt.”
Serenity gasps and stops mid stride, meeting my gaze.
Something flickers in her green eyes. Uncertainty?
Murder? Maybe both. Either way, I’m on board for the latter.
Then she leaves and closes the door behind her without a word, but her deadly silence was clear.
Fuck with me all you want, but don’t say that shit in front of my daughter.
Thank goodness Summer was already outside my office. Mr. Lexington has a special way of getting under my skin that no one else can.
“What are we, schoolboys?” I point to the closed door. “Watch how you speak to my wife. And don’t you dare say something like that ever again in front of Summer. She’s a little girl. Have some respect.”
“Your so-called wife today and yesterday’s news tomorrow,” Mr. Lexington says loudly enough that I’m afraid Serenity might hear through the solid oak door.
“Tell me what’s so important you came barging in during my lunch and insulting my family.”
He crosses his arms over his chest, his glare straying to the door. “Later today, after you spoke with the marketing team, I wanted an update on the marketing plan. But now, you canceled.”
I stare at him, waiting for him to continue. “You came in here like a lunatic, and that’s all you wanted? Tell Martha to put you on the schedule for tomorrow.”
“If you keep abandoning your duties, the board won’t stand for it.” With that, he storms out of my office and into Martha’s space where Serenity and Summer wait.
I follow behind him to make sure he leaves my family alone. Summer shrinks back, and I immediately go to shield her. She hugs my leg like I’ve seen her do to her mother. I don’t deserve her trust with the abuse Mr. Lexington just doled out.