Chapter 108 108
A half hour later, she was making good progress with dinner. She wasn’t the world’s greatest cook and most of the time very terrible at it, but she could hold her own with pasta and a salad, and it wouldn’t be the same if she’d ordered takeout. Luckily, Justin was easily pleased. A big guy who worked out five days a week, he’d eat virtually anything you put in front of him, especially if accompanied by a glass of good wine.
Even though the dining room table could easily accommodate ten, she set it for two, placing them side-by-side at one end. She found some candles in the buffet, dimmed the lights. Then she returned to the kitchen to finish the preparations. He was only a few minutes late when he strolled into the kitchen.
“What’s all this?” He smiled, seeming genuinely perplexed.
Sherry rushed over to kiss him—a surreal moment, for sure. Was that what it would feel like to be husband and wife? She might not have much time to get dinner on the table if and when she became CEO, but she enjoyed this glimpse of domesticity. It felt especially comfortable with Justin. “It’s a surprise. For your birthday.”
His brow furrowed. He now seemed even more confused. “How did you know it was my birthday?”
“You had your passport out on the dresser the other day and I wanted to sneak a peek at the picture.”
“So you were snooping.” He smirked, suggesting he wasn’t entirely disappointed in her.
“A little. But that’s beside the point. I wanted to do something nice for you. Honestly, I’m a little surprised you never told me about it in the first place.”
“I don’t really celebrate my birthday.” He loosened his tie. “I never have.”
“Really? Why?”
“I spent a lot of time away from my parents as a kid. They were always doing their own thing, I was away at boarding school. It just doesn’t mean much when you get money wired into your bank account and a phone call.”
It was about the saddest thing she’d heard in a long time, but she didn’t want to dwell on the negative. She took his hand and led him into the dining room, where she sat him down and poured him a glass of red. She held out her glass to clink with his. “Happy birthday.”
Something about the sentiment fell short, like she was supposed to add something about their future or that she loved him.
As to what tomorrow held, or even a month from then, she didn’t know. As to the question of love, she knew in her heart that she did. He understood her in ways that no one else seemed to—he appreciated her aspirations, he encouraged her, he commiserated when she’d had a difficult day at work. He was always so focused on her, everything she wanted and needed. No one had ever done that, and he made it seem so effortless. Even better, he accepted her affection unconditionally. He never had an agenda outside of being with her. It was perfect. He was perfect, or at least he was perfect for her. But that made their situation all the more frustrating, stuck as she was between him and her family.
She served their salads and took the seat next to him. How could he have gone his whole life not celebrating his birthday? Her heart felt unusually heavy—birthdays had always been a big event in the Bennet household. Always. She wanted him to have that, to have everything she’d had.
“Maybe today can be the start of a new birthday tradition.”
He offered her the faintest of smiles. “That’s a nice idea.”
________
The start of a new tradition. Did Sherry really mean that? Did she see a future for them? Because as incredible as it was to be with her, it felt as if the universe was conspiring against them. It was only a matter of time before the War Chest takeover surfaced.
He ate his salad, listening to Sherry talk about her day, feeling more guilty with every bite. Hours before, the War Chest had staged their coup against him—ousting him from the group for daring to push them so hard, vowing to continue with their hostile takeover of BenTel. They’d done to him what he’d once hoped they could do to Adam. Being on the receiving end of vengeance wasn’t fun. These people were dangerous, all deep pockets and determination. Experience told him that it didn’t take much else to be successful. Not even luck.
Sherry served the pasta, which might’ve been one of the most delicious things he’d ever tasted—ziti with sausage, white wine, saffron and arugula. She’d found the recipe online after having taken note of how much he loved those particular ingredients—so thoughtful of her, and yet he couldn’t truly enjoy a single bite.
Watching her, the sweet smile on her face, thinking about the effort she’d gone to. She’d planned this incredible evening for him, and he’d planned to destroy the company her father had built. What kind of a monster was he? Had getting back at Adam really been that damn important? Had his father messed him up so badly that his so-called business brilliance was capable of ruining lives?
He had to find a way to stop it—sell every asset he had, pull together a new group of investors to help him. Something. There had to be a way. Because the truth was that he was absolutely and madly falling in love with Sherry. He’d known it for weeks now. Hell, he was fairly sure he’d fallen for her during that weekend they spent together. But he couldn’t confess his true feelings for her until the takeover was squashed. That was no way to start a life together, with a secret of epic proportions lurking in the shadows, about to reveal itself at any time.
After they finished Sherry's meal, she brought in a cake and serenaded him with “Happy Birthday” in her slightly off-tune voice. It was corny and adorable and not at all the sort of attention he’d ever had before he’d met Sherry—sweet, genuine and thoughtful. Then she gave him his gift—a gorgeous pair of perfect-fitting black leather gloves.
“They’re handmade,” she said, watching with excitement as he tried them on. “I called a motorcycle shop out in Queens and talked to the owner, so I knew what kind to get.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.” His heart ached, so overwhelmed with this show of generosity from Sherry.