“What’s your point?”
Her brows lower and she answers in the most innocent tone possible, “No point. Just trying to get a feel for the situation.”
“There is no situation, Pippa.”
Her grin returns, all traces of innocence—real or feigned—gone. “Yet, Alice told me you and Ava were giving each other hot looks.”
“I don’t get involved with employees.”
“Ha!” Pippa points a triumphant finger at me, as if I admitted to a mortal sin. “So you have thought about Ava like that.”
“Pippa, I’m a man. She’s a smart, beautiful woman, and sexy as fuck. Of course, I thought about it. But—”
“You’d be perfect for each other.” Pippa rubs her palms together in excitement.
“Damn it.” I drop my head in my hands, sighing. I’ve opened Pandora’s box.
“Hear me out.”
“By all means, go on,” I say in defeat. I can make boardrooms go quiet by only looking at those in attendance. Shutting up my sister? Any of my sisters, for that matter, and sometimes even brothers, if they feel like meddling? Impossible. Of course, there’s something to be said about the fact that we’ve all seen each other playing in mud and had each other’s backs, but still. Years have passed since then. I’m thirty-three. One would think they’d find me at least half as intimidating as our employees do.
“The two of you are very much alike.”
I lounge back in my leather chair, frowning at her. “Meaning?”
“You both have a shield of steel”— Pippa grimaces—“you show everyone, and. . . ah, what is the phrase, ‘a heart of gold’ inside?” She cringes. “I always thought that expression sucks. I mean, steel and gold are both as hard as it gets. Why is a heart of gold considered a good thing? I mean, who decided that should be a thing as opposed to say. . . a heart of cupcakes? That sounds much better, doesn’t it?”
I’d point out that gold is a soft and malleable metal, but Pippa knows this. I have a hunch I’m missing her point. I lost her somewhere between gold and cupcakes, so I don’t answer.
“What I mean,” she insists, oblivious to my predicament, “is I think you have lots in common.”
I scoff. “And you noticed that in the fifteen minutes we were downstairs?”
“You know I can read people.”
Yeah, except that asshole you married. I swallow my words though because I know Pippa is still hurting, no matter what she says. The truth is she does have an extraordinary talent for reading people—most of the time. She got that from Mom. It’s a dangerous talent, especially when both of them decide to use it against me.
“Okay, let’s wrap up this conversation.” Pippa pushes herself to her feet, smoothing her skirt.
I shoot her a suspicious look. “You’re not one to give up until you get what you want.”
Putting a hand on her hip, she leans slightly forward. “But I already got what I wanted.”
“And that was?”
“To make you admit you’re not indifferent to Ava’s fabulousness. Now you’ll be thinking about her all day.”
“No, I won’t. I hate to break it to you, but I’m the CEO of this company. I have more important things to do than that.”
She waves her hand, as if saying, That’s nothing. “You won’t be able to concentrate.”
“You’re crazy,” I mutter, rising from my desk to walk Pippa to the door.
“Of course, I am. But I channel my crazy into creativity, making beautiful jewels that will bring happiness to high-maintenance women and clueless men worldwide.”
We stand midway between the desk and the door, but Pippa doesn’t budge any further, just looks at me expectantly.
“You’re not going to leave until I tell you I love you despite your craziness, right?” I ask.