<b>Chapter </b>70
“We’ll probably have to visit the Murphy Group a lot in theing
weeks…”
Cliff trailed off, ncing hesitantly at Elissa to gauge her reaction.
The Murphy Group owned two office towers, with both thebs and the research institute housed inside. While the odds of running into Rowan
weren’t high, it wasn’t impossible either.
Elissa gave a resigned little smile. “Why do you sound just like our advisor?”
She set her fork down and spoke with careful seriousness. “Cliff, don’t worry. I know how to keep things separate–I won’t let personal business get in the way of our work.”
Up on the second floor of the restaurant, the door to a private dining room stood open. A tall man leaned against the railing outside, his long fingers drumming idly as he stared down at the pair below.
The girl who always kept her distance from him now sat there, perfectly well–behaved, saying who–knows–what to another man.
“Rowan, what are you staring at? You’ve been out here all evening.”
A man about Rowan’s age stepped out to join him, following his gaze downstairs before letting out a low whistle. “Oh, I see. Checking up on your sister, huh?”
“…Get lost,” Rowan shot back, ncing over with a smirk as he shoved his hands into his pockets and started down the stairs. “You handle the rest of the meeting. I’m heading out.”
“Sure. I’ll tell them you had an urgent call,” Rex Wilkinson replied, shaking his head with a look of mock regret at the man sitting across from Elissa.
Brave, he thought. Real brave,
He’d fall for anyone.
12.10
Elissa had just managed to reassure Cliff when she saw Rowan approaching, his expression shadowed and unreadable.
She froze for a moment–she hadn’t expected to run into him here. Instinctively, she started to turn away, pretending she hadn’t noticed.
Toote. Rowan was already at their table.
Cliff stood up with a smile. “Mr. Murphy! What a coincidence. Are you here for dinner too?”
Rowan nodded slightly. “Yes.”
Yes? Cliff hesitated, unsure what to make of that.
Trying to be polite, he offered, “Are you meeting someone? You’re wee to join us if—”
“Sure,” Rowan cut in before he’d finished, then nced at Elissa. “Move over a bit, little sister?”
Elissa bit her tongue–she’d just promised Cliff she’d keep personal and professional matters separate…
She took a steadying breath, reminding herself Rowan was just another big–shot client, and shifted over to make room.
Even seated, Rowan’s height and presence were impossible to ignore. Elissa caught the faint, familiar scent of his cologne–dark and
woodsy–lingering in the air.
Cliff seemed a little surprised, but quickly regained hisposure. Experienced as he was with business dinners, he simply gestured to a server. “Mr. Murphy, would <i>you </i>like to order anything else?”
Rowan nced over the table: pan–seared tofu, sautéed celery and leeks, sweet–and–sour ribs, braised fish….
He set the menu aside with an indifferent air. “No, this is fine. I happen to like these dishes too.”
Too.
<b>2/3 </b>
12 19
The wordnded strangely in Elissa’s ears.
After nine years, her tastes had be uncannily simr to Rowan’s.
The rest of the meal felt like walking on eggshells. Elissa could hardly swallow a bite.
When she finished thest sip of coconut water, Cliff gave a polite smile. “Sorry the arrangements were so rushed today. Next time, I’ll treat you properly, Mr. Murphy.”
“Today was fine,” Rowan replied, his tone cool and distant–the voice of someone used to being in charge.
Whatever. Elissa just wanted the dinner to be over.
She got up along with Cliff. “Cliff, let me walk you out.”
“My driver’s parked outside–he can drop you off,” Rowan interjected, his lips curling in a faint, unreadable smile. “I need to talk to my sister about something.”
Sister, sister. Was he out of his mind?
Every time Cliff was around, he’d call her his “little sister” without fail.