Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“Thanks for lunch, cuz,” Eli told Dante, who accepted the little black book.
“Yes, thank you, Dante.” Eli’s wife, Isabella, sat to his right, directly across from Honesty. Dante hadn’t thought about it until mid-meal, but their seating arrangement had made the meeting feel more like a double date.
“You can thank the Moretti Foundation.” Dante scribbled in the tip and signed his name.
“I thought you were the Moretti Foundation,” Honesty said with a smile.
He offered a noncommittal hum, but caught Isa jerking her attention from him to Honesty in a way that definitely made him feel as if he was on a double date.
Eli had loved the idea of partnering with Honesty’s charity.
He’d been sold on the idea before their meals had arrived.
Dante hadn’t been surprised. Being a Marine amputee had made Eli sensitive to the needs of other Marines and soldiers.
After losing friends to the bomb that took his leg, he’d come home with a mission.
According to Isa, Eli, and anyone else who knew him, nothing mattered more than that mission.
Even though Honesty had thanked Eli repeatedly for being willing to partner with her, she extended her gratitude once more.
“Thank Dante,” Eli told her. “He’s the one who thought to bring it to me. I’m glad he did.”
Dante felt a swell of pride at that compliment, but his response was an automatic “It was a great opportunity to expand.”
Eli slid him a glance that said You’re not fooling anyone.
Except myself. Dante had been doing that for over a decade. From thinking he was cut out for college, to leaving his home for the greener pastures of LA, he had become an expert at being delusional.
“It is amazing timing,” Isa said. She slid him another knowing look. What she thought she knew, he had no idea. “We’ve been looking to expand into more complete care for the people who need it most.”
“Food is such an integral part of life,” Honesty said.
“And dessert,” Dante couldn’t help mentioning.
She gave him a wide-eyed warning.
During lunch, it had come out that they knew each other when Isa, who was not shy about prying, had asked directly. Honesty had glanced over at Dante for guidance, so he’d told the truth—in part. “We attended Northwestern together.”
But Isa hadn’t left it alone. “I’m happy that you two found your way to each other again.” Her smile had turned sly. “It’s important to be with partners we trust.”
Trust. There was a word.
Trust between them had come easier than he would have believed. He had wondered over the years how Honesty would react to him if they ever crossed paths again. There seemed to be a consensus in his head that she’d snub him or pretend to have no idea who he was.
That was his guilty conscience having its way with him, he supposed.
He had known in his gut that she never would have been petty or lied to him, even to save herself.
When she’d reached out to ask for his help, he hadn’t planned on inviting her to his penthouse.
He’d seen it as a favor he owed her. What he hadn’t counted on was that the easy connection they’d had years ago was still there—just under the surface.
This wasn’t a reunion either of them had planned. But it was working, and it reminded him of when he’d first met her. Everything between them had been simpler back then.
Until it hadn’t been.
At her apartment last night, he’d tied on the apron to save the salmon from burning.
She’d been lounging on the couch, laughing at his bare ass, visible beneath the bow.
He’d made a plate and grabbed two forks, and they’d sat side by side—him wearing an apron and her wearing his T-shirt—and had eaten some of the most amazing food he’d ever put on his tongue.
Over the years he’d had his fair share of interactions with women.
None of them had been long term, but many of them had been pleasant.
Zero of those interactions had been as satisfying, fulfilling, or fun as the ones he’d had with Honesty.
Because she allowed her vulnerability to lead, she’d given him permission to access his own.
Which was damn dangerous.
Honesty had introduced feelings he hadn’t anticipated.
He’d intended to keep his touch light, his involvement minimal.
But them sleeping together had been more than convenience and geography.
His admiration for her went beyond her achievements.
And supporting her dream to honor her brother was so much more than lending his knowledge to the cause.
He was used to acting out of duty and loyalty. Used to being there whenever someone needed him. “Being professional” was what he had been trying to convince himself he’d been doing with Honesty.
Now he knew better. Without his permission, things between them had advanced. Suddenly, they were more than they had been.
But he wasn’t willing to define what that “more” was, to label it and complicate it further.
More could simply mean indulging now and then detaching when he left Chicago.
And yet his brain warned him that if he opened that particular can of worms, he’d be responsible for the Worm Invasion of Chi-Town.
“I found a client for you to work with, by the way,” Eli told Honesty.
Dante blinked away the B-movie visual in his brain.
“He’s a good guy. Bit of a challenge. I met him and thought you could help.” Eli dipped his head.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t mind me asking to work with someone right away. I won’t let you down,” Honesty promised.
“We know you won’t,” Isa said with a kind smile.
“His name is Michael Tillsbury,” Eli continued. “Twenty-six. Lost most of his right arm in combat. If your thing works, he’s who it works for.”
“I’ll reach out right away.”
Everyone stood from the table. Isa gave Honesty a hug. “I’m so happy to meet you, and your program has incredible potential. Having Dante in your corner is a huge win.” Isa eyeballed Dante meaningfully.
He resisted the urge to toe the floor at the compliment.
Eli showed his gratitude by cupping Honesty’s shoulder, and thanking her again for taking the time to talk with him today.
When he reached Dante, moving as smooth as silk on his prosthetic, he clapped his back and muttered, “Don’t be a stranger.
Should you find yourself lingering around Chicago longer than expected, drop by the warehouse for dinner, yeah? ”
“Sure.” Eli and Isa lived in a retrofitted warehouse that was the home they shared with their young son. From the exposed brick wall to the metal elevator and staircase leading to the rooftop, it was an ode to Chicago’s industrial era.
At the door, Isa pecked Dante’s cheek and then whispered into his ear, “This is good for you.” She backed away, leaving him to wonder if she had been referring to the collaboration between his foundation and Honesty’s charity, or the one between them personally.
He popped open the door. Isa and Eli went one way, Honesty and Dante went another. They were about to cross the street to his car when he heard someone call his name.
“Dante!” Jaylyn was running toward them as fast as her black heeled shoes would allow. With her black leather skirt and off-the-shoulder mesh black top over a black tank top, she was giving Trendy Witch. He smirked. He was going to have to use that nickname for her at least once.
“Dante! Thank God I found you.” She gestured at the city as a whole. “Chloe gave me the wrong restaurant! I have been walking for like, five blocks. In these shoes!”
“What’s the matter?” If she had been searching high and low for him, there must’ve been a reason.
“Other than you not answering your phone?”
“We were in a meeting.” He gestured to Honesty, who Jaylyn hadn’t acknowledged yet. “This is—”
“Honesty? Wow. It really is you.” Jaylyn threw herself at Honesty, whose eyes widened as she caught his sister in her arms. “It’s great to see you again. We need to catch up!”
“J.”
“Oh, right. You want to know what’s the matter,” Jaylyn said.
“Please,” he said patiently.
“Reagan had her baby this morning, and people are trickling in to see her. I didn’t want to go without you.”
“Which hospital?” Dante asked, mentally mapping a route straight there from Honesty’s office.
“She had a home birth, dummy. She mentioned it at dinner.”
“She did?”
Jaylyn rolled her eyes at Honesty. “Men.”
Honesty giggled.
“I have to drop Honesty at work, but I can be there in a little over an hour,” he explained.
“No! Now! I have plans this afternoon. This is my only available pocket of time.” She turned to Honesty. “Come with us. Everyone knows who you are. Dante was telling us about you the other day.”
Dante shot Jaylyn a murderous glare before turning to Honesty. “Only that I bumped into you at the event.”
“And about your brother.” Jaylyn held Honesty’s hand. “I’m so sorry.”
Honesty put her hand over Jaylyn’s. “Thank you.”
“We’re running out of time,” Jaylyn informed him next.
“I don’t have to be in the office today,” Honesty said. “I can wait in the car if it’s too awkward for me to go in.”
“You’re not waiting in the car,” Jaylyn and Dante said in unison.
“I’ll drive,” he said.
“Reagan is a handywoman,” Jaylyn explained to Honesty from the backseat of Dante’s car. “She’s also great. Brody is lucky.”
Honesty smiled at that. Jaylyn was so obviously a girl’s girl.
When Honesty had met Dante at the restaurant, she’d intended to take a car back like the one she’d taken there. It only made sense. Her office was out of the way of Crane Hotel and, as it turned out, Dante’s brother’s house. This was an interesting, if unexpected, change of plans.
“She’s so cool,” Jaylyn said of her future sister-in-law. “And tall. And blond. And Brody can’t fix shit, so it’s the funniest thing.”
“Jaylyn.” Dante glanced into the rearview mirror at his sister, his tone silently asking her to stop talking.
Honesty hid a smile. The interaction reminded her of her own brother.
When he’d been home, she’d often tried to insert herself into his life, while he’d tried to escape his clingy sister.
But the love was there. The love had always been there.
She could tell Jaylyn didn’t allow Dante to gain much ground.
His sister seemed determined to needle him.
Which, in sibling speak, was actually sweet.
“I texted Brody to ask if it was okay if you came,” Jaylyn told Honesty. She showed her phone screen, which read Bring her. “See? He’s totally cool with it.”
Honesty wasn’t sure if that two-word text meant that he was “totally cool” but she also wasn’t about to go back to her office when Jaylyn had been adamant about her coming along. Plus, it wasn’t as if she were a stranger to the Crane family. She’d met his siblings when she and Dante had dated.
“I promise everything discussed about you was good,” Jaylyn said.
Dante let out a heavy sigh. Honesty bit her lip so she wouldn’t laugh.
“We’re adults,” Honesty said. “Dante and I aren’t going to wilt because people are judging what we’re doing.”
“What are you doing?” Jaylyn dropped her voice to ask. “I mean I know you’re doing that, but anything else?”
“Just that.” Honesty had meant what she said. She was a grown woman and had no reason to feel any shame. The only red flags between her and Dante had to do with her own feelings and expectations. And those weren’t up for debate with anyone.
“We’re here.” Dante sounded relieved. He gestured to the bouquet of flowers they’d made a quick stop to pick up. “Grab those, will you, J?”
They climbed out of the car. Dante walked ahead to the front door, Jaylyn hung back with Honesty.
“You know…” J paused before adding, “Never mind.”
“Go ahead,” Honesty invited. “Say it.”
“Okay, so I’m trying to convince him to move back here from LA.
Which I know is a long shot but his family is here and his mom travels all the time.
” Jaylyn glanced at Dante to make sure he wasn’t in earshot.
If he’d heard her, he was ignoring her. “If he lived here, I wonder what would happen with the charity thing…and the you thing.”
Honesty wasn’t sure what to say about either “thing.” What she did know was that Dante had crashed back into her life and she was adjusting to having him around. Temporarily.
“What do you think?” Jaylyn asked.
“I think it’s too soon to tell. We were young when we dated, and we had no idea what the future held for us or our careers. Now we’re established. We know. But he has a lot of responsibility in California.”
Jaylyn quirked her lips, making her look ten years younger. She was a grown woman, but also a little sister who wanted her big brother to stick around. Honesty could relate.
“Every time my older brother went away, I was heartbroken,” she told J. “I understand why you want to keep him close. After Christian was injured, he was home all the time. That’s when I realized he would have been happier being away. Sometimes we have to let them be who they are, you know?”
Jaylyn’s dark eyes flashed in challenge. She squared her shoulders and seemed to age up instantly. “We’ll see about that.”
Dante opened the door for them. Jaylyn made it a point to bump him with her arm as she walked by. He leaned down to Honesty’s ear and whispered, “Sorry about her.”
“Don’t be. She misses you.” They held each other’s gazes for a beat. She found herself wondering if he had missed her over the years. It was easy to say she’d been too busy to miss him, but that wasn’t the truth.
Sometimes late at night when she couldn’t sleep, she wondered what might have been if they’d stuck it out. Then she’d purposefully take her mind elsewhere.
As her mother had always said, Wonder is a useless pastime.