I ran a hand through my hair, gritting my teeth. I’d promised Anne I’d never bad-mouth Walter to Lindsay, and I wouldn’t. But if that asshole wasn’t even calling, it was high time I had a chat with him.
“Your mom is right.”
“Okay. When you move, can you teach me how to make fries?”
“We can certainly try.” I was grinning now, making a mental note to tease Anne later about this. Anne and I were in a friendly competition, wondering which part of the business Lindsay would like when she grew up: the restaurants or the supermarkets. So far, the restaurants were winning by a decent margin. Since I’d be living close to them, I foresaw plenty of opportunities to teach Lindsay some tricks in the kitchen.
Anne had never liked cooking—at least not as much as I did, hence why she preferred the supermarket end of the business.
The competition was all just a friendly pastime, because Lindsay might choose to do something else entirely, and that was fine. We didn’t want to put any expectations on her, just as our parents hadn’t laid any on us. We’d chosen to work in the family business because we’d liked it.
“I love you, Uncle Rob.”
“I love you too.”
I wasn’t used to hearing her say it. She’d only started doing that recently, and I had a hunch why. She missed her father. I couldn’t replace him, obviously, but I wanted to be there for her in any capacity possible. Anne and I had had a happy childhood, and I wanted the same for Lindsay.
After hanging up, I guzzled down water, taking in deep breaths, deciding I wanted to go for another few miles. I’d forgotten that Central Park was the official gathering place in Manhattan. I spotted couples going for a walk and fellow joggers on the pathways snaking under the thick foliage of the trees. Somewhere nearby, someone was listening to loud music.
I was slowly putting the day behind me, even though I was still pondering whether I should soften my leadership style. But it was just my way, which resembled Dad’s.
He’d always said I was a born leader. I’d itched to change things even when he was still the CEO. I’d been young and determined and wanted to make him proud. I still wanted that. He and Mom were having the time of their lives in France, and they rarely asked about business, but they were bursting with joy every time Anne and I brought them up to date regarding our numbers. My being a hard-ass (yeah, I could admit that to myself) had gotten me results. It made no sense to change it.
I looked at pictures of the house again. I could practically visualize Skye in every single photo. I shook my head, laughing at myself.
I did like the house. It wasn’t exactly what I’d envisioned, but something about it just spoke to me. I could see myself there, and I couldn’t explain it, which was odd for me. I was rational, always weighed pros and cons. I didn’t follow whims or instincts.
I was torn. I hadn’t made up my mind about the house, but I was sure about two things.
One: I wasn’t going to let down my sister and niece.
Two: I wanted Skye Winchester.
Chapter Four
Skye
I didn’t remember making such a fool of myself since my high school days. I’d been embarrassed the entire evening. Thankfully, the couple had joined us right away, before things could get even more awkward, but I hadn’t been able to meet Robert’s eyes again. Honestly, I was still embarrassed the next morning. I replayed the evening in my mind as I entered Soho. This was my favorite part of the city. Soho was unlike any other section in New York. On Broadway there were big-brand stores, coffee shops, art galleries, and restaurants, not to mention street sales associates and even impromptu flea markets.
I liked the stores that were on the smaller, less popular side streets, like ours—Soho Lingerie. There one could find true gems and unique shops catering to every taste imaginable. I stopped by Joe’s, where I bought my coffee every morning. I’d sworn by Starbucks for most of my adult life but had decided to support local entrepreneurs once we moved here.
“A latte, please,” I told Joe. “And a cappuccino.”
“That’s for you too, or for Tess?” Joe asked.
I grinned. My caffeine addiction was so well-known that even Joe was policing my intake.
“For Tess, of course.”
“Coming right up.”
Knowing Tess, she’d arrived two hours ago and was already in need of a second dose of caffeine. The smell and taste of coffee always took me back to the time I’d worked in a small lab, fresh out of college. That was when I’d gotten addicted to coffee. I’d majored in biotech, and I’d loved working in the lab. Two years later, a fashion company reached out to the lab, asking for the development of a special type of fabric. I’d worked on-site for three years, and then had stayed on as director of R&D. None of that really prepared me for running a business, but I’d taken the plunge anyway. Even though I was a little out of my comfort zone, I loved what we were doing: creating lingerie for women of all shapes and sizes. I’d always been curvy and far too busty from a young age, so this was personal to me. I wanted every woman to feel comfortable in her body, to feel proud of herself. It was my mission.
I also loved that I didn’t have a boss. I liked working hard, just didn’t like to do it on someone else’s terms. I liked having a say in my own schedule. Granted, for the past year, that had meant working nonstop, but I was optimistic that things would settle down... eventually.
Most of all, I loved working with my sister. Tess and I balanced each other. We had complementary skills, and that came in handy.