Chapter 105

"Mr. Sterling!"

Ethan Calder's greeting came out a little louder than he intended.

Elena slowly lowered her fork.

Richard said nothing.

For several seconds, the smooth saxophone music drifting through the restaurant seemed absurdly out of place beside the silence surrounding their table.

Elena's eyes moved between the two men.

Ethan was standing so straight he looked as though someone had just called him in for an interview.

Richard, meanwhile, was perfectly still.

She felt the corners of her mouth beginning to rise.

No.

She absolutely could not laugh.

Elena bit the inside of her lip.

It didn't help.

Ethan, still too nervous to notice, hurried to introduce himself properly.

"I'm Ethan Calder. My father is—"

"I know who your father is."

Richard's tone was calm.

That somehow made Ethan stand even straighter.

Richard knew the Calder family. He and Ethan's parents had moved through the same business circles for years.

Which meant he knew perfectly well who the young man was.

What he did not know was why Ethan was sitting across from his girlfriend making her laugh.

"How is your father?"

"He's doing well," Ethan answered immediately. "Very well, actually. The restructuring of our healthcare business in Europe last month went much more smoothly. Sterling's overseas fund was a huge help on the financing side."

He was gaining confidence now.

"My dad talks about you all the time. He said the way you handled the European side was incredible."

Elena rested her chin on one hand.

This was getting better by the second.

"He actually said he wanted to bring me to the year-end charity gala and introduce me to you properly—"

Ethan stopped.

Something felt wrong.

He glanced at Richard.

Richard was listening to him.

Technically.

But his eyes had barely left Elena.

Ethan followed his gaze.

Elena had put down her fork. One hand covered the side of her mouth in a poor attempt to hide her expression, while her bright eyes were practically overflowing with amusement.

Wait.

Ethan blinked.

Richard Sterling being at this club wasn't unusual.

But the restaurant was enormous.

Why had he walked directly to this secluded booth?

And why was he looking at Elena like that?

His brain began working backward.

Not long ago, Elena had mentioned her new boyfriend.

Very rich.

Very good to her.

And—

Ethan's eyes drifted downward.

Richard's shoulders were broad enough to make his suit jacket look unfairly well constructed. His hands were large, the knuckles pronounced even while relaxed at his side.

Ethan remembered Elena's earlier description.

He could probably punch Adrian into a wall hard enough that you'd need construction equipment to get him back out.

Ethan went still.

Oh.

Richard Sterling was Elena's boyfriend.

That also explained the Aston Martin.

Ethan looked at Elena.

Then at Richard.

Then back at Elena.

This was bad.

He had spent most of dinner sitting across from Richard Sterling's girlfriend.

Talking.

Laughing.

Giving her an unsolicited lecture about birds.

And long before that, he had actually sent this woman a confession.

Wonderful.

His family had been wealthy for generations, and the Calders were hardly strangers to powerful people.

That did not mean Ethan had any desire to find out how Richard Sterling felt about a former admirer sitting across from his girlfriend.

Especially when Ethan had no romantic intentions left whatsoever.

He had originally pursued Elena because she was beautiful. He hadn't really known her.

Tonight, he had discovered that she was also surprisingly easy to talk to.

That was all.

She had a boyfriend. She was obviously happy with him. Ethan had neither the interest nor the intention to interfere with someone else's relationship.

Unfortunately, Richard had not been present for that part of the conversation.

Ethan needed to leave.

Immediately.

"Actually!"

The word came out much too quickly.

Elena raised an eyebrow.

Ethan's brain began manufacturing an escape route at emergency speed.

"I just remembered why I came over in the first place."

Elena looked at him.

"Oh?"

Ethan nearly broke under the amusement in her eyes.

She knew.

She absolutely knew what he was doing.

"There's a sophomore in your dance program," he said. "I think her name was... Molly? Something like that. A friend of mine saw her somewhere and wants to meet her."

He risked a glance at Richard.

No visible reaction.

That was somehow worse.

"He asked us to find out whether she's single. Since you're in the dance program, I thought maybe you'd know her."

Elena watched his desperate attempt at self-preservation for another second.

"I don't recognize the name."

"Oh. That's fine."

Ethan waved quickly.

"He only thought she might be a dancer. He could be wrong about the whole thing."

"I can ask around," Elena said helpfully. "See if she exists, whether she's single, and whether she's even interested in men."

"Yes. Great. Perfect. Thank you."

Ethan looked genuinely relieved.

His mission was complete.

His dignity was not.

Either way, it was time to go.

He stepped away from the table.

"I should let you two get back to your evening."

There.

Safe.

Normal.

No mention of old confessions.

No more birds.

Ethan looked at Richard.

"Good seeing you, Mr. Sterling."

Richard gave a slight nod.

"Good night."

That was all Ethan needed.

He disappeared behind the restaurant partition with remarkable efficiency.

Only after passing through the revolving glass doors and stepping into the cold night air did he finally slow down.

He drew in a deep breath and rubbed a hand over his forehead.

"Jesus Christ."

The winter wind hit his face.

That had been terrifying.

He kept walking.

Then curiosity betrayed him.

After several steps, Ethan looked back.

Through the enormous restaurant windows, warm golden light spilled across the interior.

Richard had taken the seat beside Elena.

One arm was around her waist, drawing her close against his side.

Elena tilted her face toward him, apparently saying something.

Richard leaned down.

And kissed her.

Ethan stopped.

The kiss was not particularly subtle.

Richard's hand remained firmly at Elena's waist as he drew her closer, his much larger frame nearly hiding her from view.

Ethan stared through the glass for two seconds.

Then immediately turned around.

Why had he looked back?

Seriously.

Why?

He shoved both hands into his pockets and quickened his pace.

Then he remembered Elena's earlier description of what her boyfriend could supposedly do to Adrian.

Ethan walked faster.

There was absolutely no reason to find out whether she had been exaggerating.