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“Still not about the kids,” he said with a smile.

I leaned back into my chair and bit down on the side of my cheek. I didn’t like this. Not one bit. I debated on taking my phone out and signaling for an Uber. Or a taxi. Or anything to get me out of this situation. It was dangerous and people were staring… and the worst part was that Ryan’s foot was creeping against mine underneath the table.

And I liked it.

“You said you had a long day at work?”

My eyes panned over to his as his feet rested heavily beside mine.

“Care to talk about it?” he asked.

I drew in a deep breath through my nose before I relented.

“The kids were rough. I talk a lot about Valentina to wind down their school day, and with the news circulating the rumors they are, I was fielding a lot of uncomfortable questions.”

“You talk about my sister in your classes?” he asked.

“I do. She’s the perfect example, at least in my eyes, for how a person should be with their money. If they’re eager to make it, they should be eager to help people with it. I use her frequent donations and her success story of revamping the company as a way to teach my kids in class about how it’s possible to make money without getting wrapped up in it.”

“I see,” he said. “What kinds of questions were they asking?”

“I’m not sure if we should get into that,” I said. “I don’t want to upset you.”

“It won’t. But I am curious.”

“They were asking things like ‘is Valentia okay?’ and ‘are the rumors true?’ and ‘is she robbing her company?’.”

“And what did you tell them?” he asked.

“That the only person who can answer those questions is Valentina, and right now we should be trying to help her, not gossip about her.”

I watched Ryan nod his head as his foot started to run up and down my ankle.

The movement made me shiver and it was hard to suppress.

“My day was pretty long as well,” Ryan said.

“How so?” I asked.

“Investors. They’re wondering if my sister’s ongoing… issues… will somehow tarnish my own reputation and cause our stocks to take a dip. I told them my familial issues were none of their concern and that Valentina’s reputation would only affect her company.”

“But you don’t believe that.”

“I don’t. My company always rises and falls in tandem with hers. It’s the price of being siblings. But I am worried.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because she isn’t coming out and making a statement. Because she is still in the hospital. Because I have been granted temporary custody of the kids and I’m not sure if that’ll turn into full-time custody or not.”

“Is that a possibility?”

“It is if CPS decides to take this to court in order to deem her an unfit mother.”

I nodded my head as Ryan’s eyes connected with mine.

“Not the most stimulating of first date conversations, is it?” he asked.

“It’s real. And raw. Not something I would’ve expected from you.”


Tags: Nicole Elliot Romance