Chapter 88 Detour
Timothy
By the time the sun started sinking behind the glass towers of the city, my head felt like it had been packed with gravel.
I rubbed the bridge of my nose and stared at the final document on my screen. Numbers, projections, contracts; all things that normally kept my mind sharp and focused.
Today they blurred together.
Rowan.
The Kingston file.
Hannah.
Everything felt tangled.
I exhaled slowly and shut the laptop.
“That’s enough,” I muttered.
The office lights had dimmed automatically as evening settled in. Most of the staff had already gone home. Claire had left a neat stack of tomorrow’s documents on my desk before heading out.
Silence wrapped around the office.
Normally I liked it.
Tonight it just made my thoughts louder.
I stood, grabbed my coat, and walked out.
The elevator ride down felt longer than usual.
By the time the doors opened in the lobby, my shoulders were stiff and my mind was running in circles.
Outside, my car was already waiting.
The driver stepped out immediately and opened the door.
“Good evening, sir.”
“Evening.”
I slid into the back seat and leaned my head against the leather.
The driver shut the door and got into the front.
For a moment the car stayed still.
Then he asked the usual question.
“Where to, sir?”
I opened my mouth and paused.
Home.
The word sat right there on my tongue.
But along with it came the image of Hannah standing in my bedroom doorway the night before.
The way she had looked when I grabbed her hand. The way she fled after I let go.
My stomach tightened.
I reached for my phone instead.
Rowan’s contact stared back at me.
I pressed call.
The line rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then his voice filled the car, casual and irritatingly relaxed.
“Hey, you’ve reached Rowan. Leave a message if it’s worth my time.”
Beep.
I hung up without saying a word.
My jaw tightened. Straight to voicemail.
I stared at the screen for a moment before dropping the phone beside me.
The driver cleared his throat lightly.
“Sir?”
I leaned back and closed my eyes.
“Take me to the hotel.”
“Yes, sir.”
The car pulled away from the curb.
\---
The city lights blurred past the windows.
I tried to focus on anything except Hannah.
But my mind kept circling back to the same place.
Her.
The way she had hugged me.
The way her fingers had moved through my hair like she’d done it a thousand times before.
The quiet understanding in her voice.
I know.
God. I dragged a hand down my face.
This whole arrangement was supposed to be simple.
A temporary marriage.
A solution to a problem.
Nothing more.
And yet lately everything about it felt… complicated.
Too complicated.
Which was exactly why I should stay away tonight.
The car slowed as we approached the hotel.
My driver pulled into the circular driveway and parked near the entrance.
But I didn’t move.
The engine idled softly.
The lobby doors opened and closed as guests passed through.
Still I stayed seated.
My driver glanced back politely.
“Sir?”
I didn’t answer.
Because suddenly the thought of walking into that empty hotel suite made something in my chest sink.
Cold. Lonely.
And worse, Hannah would probably think I was avoiding her. Maybe I was.
“Sir?” the driver prompted again gently.
I swore under my breath.
“Damn it.”
The driver stiffened slightly. I leaned forward suddenly.
“Take me home instead.”
He blinked once in the mirror.
“Yes, sir.”
The car pulled away from the hotel immediately.
As we sped through the evening traffic, I leaned back again.
What the hell are you doing, Timothy?
I’d faced down hostile boardrooms, billion-dollar negotiations, corporate sharks who’d spent decades trying to tear each other apart.
None of that had ever made me nervous.
And yet the idea of walking into my own house tonight made my stomach twist.
Ridiculous.
I let out a dry chuckle.
“Unbelievable.”
The driver wisely said nothing.
\---
The estate gates opened as we approached.
The car rolled down the long driveway, headlights cutting across the gardens.
By the time we stopped in front of the house, the lights inside were glowing warmly.
I sat there for a moment.
Gathering my nerve.
“This is absurd,” I muttered.
Then I laughed quietly to myself.
I’d rattled entire corporate empires with a single phone call.
And now I was sitting in my own driveway working up the courage to go inside.
Pathetic.
I pushed the door open and stepped out.
The evening air was cool.
I straightened my tie automatically and walked toward the front doors.
Inside, the house was calm.
Soft lighting.
Quiet footsteps from the staff.
The faint sound of dishes. Dinner.
Of course.
I loosened my tie slightly as I walked toward the dining room.
And then I stopped.
Hannah was already there.
She sat at the long dining table, just settling down in her chair as Lisa placed the final dish in front of her.
Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders.
She looked… comfortable.
At home.
For a moment I just stood there watching her. Then she looked up.
Her eyes widened slightly. “Timothy?”
Surprise flickered across her face.
I realized I was still standing in the doorway like an idiot.
I cleared my throat and adjusted my tie.
“Hey.”
Brilliant. Smooth, Blackwood.
She blinked once.
“Hi.”
And then we just…
Stared at each other.
The room felt suddenly smaller. Lisa shifted beside the table and cleared her throat delicately.
“Ahem.”
We both startled slightly. Hannah fidgeted with the napkin in her lap. I shoved my hands into my pockets.
Say something. Anything.
Instead, the first thing that came out of my mouth was…
“Doyouwanttohavedinnerwithmeontheterracetonight?”
The words tumbled out fast. Rushed. Completely unplanned.
Even to my own ears they sounded like a scrambled mess.
Hannah frowned slightly.
“Huh?”
Fantastic. I sucked in a breath. “Sorry… I mean…”
Pull yourself together, man. Jesus Christ.
I tried again, slower this time. “Would you like to have dinner with me… on the terrace tonight?”
Silence filled the room. Hannah blinked at me from across the table.
For a long second I was absolutely sure she was going to say no. Why wouldn’t she?
After the way I ran out this morning.
After everything.
But then something changed in her expression.
A smile slowly spread across her face. Warm. Bright.
“Yeah,” she said.
My chest loosened instantly.
“I’d like that.” She added.
Relief rushed through me so quickly I almost laughed.
And Lisa clapped her hands lightly. “Wonderful. I’ll have the terrace prepared immediately.”