Chapter 2

SALVATORE.

Salvatore gazed at the menu without reading the words. He knew what he would order. He ordered the same thing every time he had dinner with Alexa at The Fjord.

He’d suggested the restaurant for their first meeting, knowing Martin Black was Norwegian American. The Fjord was the only Norwegian-owned restaurant in Seattle, and Alexa had mentioned it was her father’s favorite. She’d told him she’d never visited Norway herself but confessed the restaurant’s atmosphere made her feel a closeness to her roots.

He closed the menu and rubbed a hand over his trimmed beard as he scanned the restaurant again. It wasn’t quite seven o’clock yet, but Alexa was always early for their meetings.

That was one thing he appreciated about her. She was prompt in all things. She’d never missed a meeting, always informed him of changes immediately, and she was consistent. He could respect her attention to detail and customer service. Like him, she’d expressed no aversion to keeping the location of their meetings the same. He wasn’t a fan of change for no reason. If something worked, it wasn’t always wise to mess with it.

The only part of his life where change was welcome was his business. Bradford Hardware needed to be open to new opportunities if they wanted to continue to be the top home improvement supply retailer in North America. He didn’t become a billionaire at thirty years old by hanging onto the old ways.

A waiter stopped by to refill his glass of water, and Salvatore took the moment to scan the entrance for Alexa again. He’d insisted on a table in the back after his breakup with Vanessa. The paparazzi were still following him two months later, and he knew they would run wild with photos of his dinner with Alexa if they were to find them here. They’d already made a spectacle of every business dinner he’d attended with Alexa while he was with Vanessa. Not that the meetings had been anything other than business. This time he wanted things to be different.

He was tired of running, tired of looking over his shoulder and wondering when he could pick up his life again. For now, he was hiding and sneaking out of his own home in dummy cars to throw them off his trail. Getting to work was a chore every day.

An e-mail came through on his phone, but he forgot all about it when he looked up and saw Alexa Black walk in.

She was stunning. Always poised and collected in her tailored jackets and skirts. He’d certainly noticed her before, but their working relationship was of the utmost importance. Their companies relied heavily on each other, and it was imperative that they worked well together. Not to mention, he’d been dating Vanessa the last time they’d met.

Salvatore stood to greet her and shook her hand. “Miss Black, it’s a pleasure to dine with you this evening.” He studied her expression as he pulled her chair out for her.

“It’s always a pleasure to see you too, Mr. Bradford.”

Something was off. Alexa was polite as usual, but her tone was a bit flat. Perhaps he was reading too much into her lackluster greeting.

“How have you been?” he asked. They always began with the usual questions, always sticking to the surface in their explanations, before diving into business.

Alexa pushed her long, blonde hair behind one shoulder and adjusted her napkin in her lap. “I’ve been well. And yourself?”

Something was definitely bothering her tonight. Sure, they never gave intimate details about their days, but she was typically more forthcoming with information.

Without waiting for his answer, she jumped right into business. “I have the specs on a new advancement we’re working on for the LED rechargeable battery pack.” She pulled a folder from her bag and dove right into a detailed explanation of the latest updates Caliber was making to their product line.

Currently, Caliber products could only be purchased in the United States from Bradford Hardware stores and online. As their top distributor, he appreciated Alexaa’s insistence on their open communication.

The waiter came by their table, and they placed their dinner orders. Alexa also tended to order the same dish at each of their dinners. Consistency was something he appreciated in his life. He enjoyed being able to expect an outcome.

He focused his attention on the charts laid out before her, but Alexaa’s demeanor seemed… lifeless. Usually, she was full of energy, eager to catch up with him and share her innovative ideas for the advancement of their companies, for she seemed to truly value their partnership.

It wasn’t often he worked with someone who cared about his company as much as their own. Meetings tended to lean to one side, unless he kept the ground neutral, but not with Alexa.

Alexa slid a chart across the table to him and pointed at a value she was explaining when he realized she hadn’t even looked up at him throughout her entire speech.

“Alexa.”

She finally looked at him with her wide, hazy blue eyes that were the color of a peaceful morning sky.

“Yes.”

“Is something bothering you tonight?” Salvatore asked. “I appreciate your diligence, but you don’t seem yourself.”

Alexa blinked a few times before pulling her arms from the table and sitting back into her chair. “I’m sorry. I’ll admit I’m not my best tonight, but I assure you, I’m completely focused on this meeting.”

“I can see that. The information is clear and complete as always. I trust your work.”

She gave him a ghost of her usual smile. “I appreciate that, Mr. Bradford.”

“How many times must I ask you to call me Salvatore? We’re partners, and we’ve known each other for years now.”

“Forgive me, Salvatore.”

Her eyes held a glimmer of that light he adored, and he wanted to keep her talking. He enjoyed their dinners much more when she was relaxed. They’d even exchanged some flirtations over the years, and he’d admit the possibility always intrigued him.

“There’s nothing to forgive. Now, would you like to start at the beginning?” he asked with a raised brow that begged her to concede.

She took a deep breath, and her smile grew. “Yes, please, tell me how you’re doing.”

How could he be honest and not put a damper on their conversation? “I’ve been… laying low, I guess you could say.”

Alexa nodded. “I heard about your breakup. I’m sorry.”

“I’m not,” Salvatore admitted. “The breakup was for the best. I shouldn’t be tying myself to anyone who is capable of such disloyalty.”

Her voice rang with understanding and empathy. “That’s true.”

The way she spoke reminded him of his mother. Always ready to lend an ear and let him talk his way into a solution rather than push him into a quick decision.

“And, I knew better than to try to force something that shouldn’t have been. She wasn’t—” He stopped when he found himself in the middle of spilling his innermost thoughts.

Alexa didn’t push him. She waited patiently for him to continue or not, and her acceptance of his decision led him to finish. “We had different outlooks on life. My faith is important to me, and she didn’t understand.”

“And she wasn’t open to that?” she asked.

“Right. I’m a Christian.” He couldn’t look away from her now. The restaurant and its patrons all faded away as their conversation deepened, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop.

“She refused to become a Christian?” Alexa asked.

Salvatore shook his head and made to turn away from her intense gaze, but he was drawn in again. “Yes. The topic wasn’t open for discussion. That should have been my sign.”

“I understand. It would be important to me also that my future husband share my faith. It does sound like a difficult situation.”

Salvatore rubbed his hand over his bearded cheek and changed the subject. “What about you? How are things going in your life?”

“I… I don’t know.”

He’d never heard her confused before. She always seemed sure and confident in all aspects of her life.

“What do you mean?” Salvatore asked.

She looked out at the bustling restaurant and picked at her fingernail. “I received some news today, and… I don’t know if I should mention it. No one knows yet.”

Concern rushed through him, and he didn’t know what to do with the reaction his body had to her distress.

She pulled her attention back to him. “I guess everyone will know soon enough. My father is retiring at the end of the year.”

Salvatore had been friendly with Martin Black for almost a decade, and the man didn’t seem like the type to concede his hard-earned title so easily. “Really? That’s interesting… and unsettling.”

Alexa must have read his distress because she tilted her head and reached for his hand across the table.

As soon as their hands touched, the air rushed from his lungs and a vice gripped his chest.

She pulled back almost instantly, and her face was a mask of shock.

He hadn’t imagined that sensation from her touch. The only touch they’d ever shared was a handshake, and now, he was curious about what he’d just experienced. It made him want to feel it again. He’d never sensed anything like it, not even with Vanessa. But Vanessa had never been tender or understanding.

“I didn’t mean to worry you.” She brushed her hair over her shoulder and squared her shoulders, returning to her business posture. “My father must choose a replacement.”

“It seems you are the obvious choice. Don’t you want the position?” It would be difficult to ignore her drive and passion for Caliber. She seemed to know everything about the workings of the company, the products, the marketing, and the procedures.

“I do want the position, but my brother is also being considered.”

Salvatore couldn’t hide his surprise. “Aiden Black?”

“Yes.” She seemed to be holding back as she ran her delicate finger along the tines of a fork. What else could she say without pointing out the obvious?

Salvatore had met Aiden Black one too many times, and the two never saw eye to eye. “I see your concern.”

“It seems I may have said too much. Perhaps this is—”

“A topic that should worry me? Of course it is.” He sat back and wished his tie were looser. He was going to suffocate at this rate. “Please forgive me for being so blunt, but Aiden is not a wise choice to lead a company.”

She whispered, as if ashamed to admit, “I agree.”

“So, help me understand why your father hasn’t already chosen you as his successor?”

She slowly shook her head. “I wish I knew. I know he wants me to start a family, but how can I focus on a relationship when the future of my family’s company and my job are at stake?”

Salvatore considered her response. “Do you want a family?”

Alexa took a deep breath and nodded. “I do, but I haven’t found the man I want to start that family with yet. I’m not going to rush it just because my father wants grandkids. I feel like I’m the only legacy to Caliber that cares about its future and the hard work we’ve put in to make it what it is today.”

He let the information sink in as his breathing grew quicker. Caliber was a huge client, and he couldn’t afford to watch their business relationship suffer. Hundreds of thousands of employees depended on him.

“The worst part is that I have a feeling that my brother wouldn’t allow me to keep my position if he were to be chosen,” Alexa confessed.

That couldn’t happen. Salvatore needed Alexa. He needed her to continue to lead Caliber and help both of their companies grow.

Salvatore could tell the conversation was taking an emotional toll on her, but she continued. “I feel like I’m married to this company. It’s my life. I’ve worked hard for this success, and I’ve always been loyal.”

Loyal. He couldn’t think of a better word to describe Alexa. If she were married to a company or a man, she would be the epitome of loyal in all things.

Vanessa had been the opposite. The one chance he’d taken in his personal life had backfired immensely. She had no qualms being found in public with her tongue in another man’s mouth.

He wasn’t completely stupid. Vanessa was an A-list actress, and he knew she was aware of the paparazzi at all times. She’d known she was being watched, and she’d chosen to publicly shame him instead of voicing her displeasure to him in private.

A waiter brought their food, and they sat in silence while they ate. He couldn’t push the thought from his mind that Alexa was married to her work.

He looked across the table and decided she was right. She must have sacrificed much to become the COO of a multi-billion-dollar company at her young age. Alexa was passionate about her work, and she poured her heart into it.

Salvatore ate a few bites without tasting the food as he studied her. She was incredibly gorgeous, almost always happy, and serious about things that mattered to her.

Alexa would make an amazing wife.

Salvatore dropped his fork onto his plate, and the ting rang throughout the restaurant.

Alexa looked up and tilted her head when she caught sight of his nervous expression. “Is everything all right?”

“Of course, I’m fine,” he lied.

Why were his thoughts wandering to marriage? Surely, it was because she’d mentioned being married to her work. She was an incredible person, and that made her the top choice for a wife, right?

He tried to calm himself as he ate, but the gnawing feeling persisted. He wondered if she was a Christian. She hadn’t balked at the idea when he mentioned it earlier, but he couldn’t remember if she’d actually confessed that she was a follower of Christ.

It sounded like he was interviewing her for a job. Business was what he understood. Relationships and social interactions were harder if they didn’t involve some amount of business or shared interest.

But this relationship he had with Alexa did involve business.

They finished their meal without much interaction. Before they were ready to leave, he explained. “I’m not sure if you noticed the horde of reporters with cameras waiting outside when you arrived, but they’ve been following me since the breakup with Vanessa.”

“That’s terrible.”

“Yes, and I’d like to spare you the attention you would receive if we were to be spotted leaving here together.”

She held up a hand. “Say no more. I understand. We can leave separately.”

“Thank you for understanding. I don’t want to cause you any extra grief.”

“I’ll go first. Thank you for a lovely evening. I’ll e-mail the information from tonight’s meeting first thing in the morning.”

“Thank you for dining with me again. I always enjoy our meetings.” He’d spent the majority of this dinner in a state of panic or contemplation, and they’d accomplished little work.

“And, Alexa,” Salvatore began. She’d risen from her chair and turned to look back at him. “I’ll be praying about the situation with your father. I hope he chooses wisely.”

She gifted him a smile. “Thank you. I’ve been praying as well. God knows the path He intends me to walk.”

He stared at her as he grabbed onto that lifeline she’d thrown him. He wasn’t sure why his body begged to go to her, but it was a test of fortitude to stand, shake her hand, and watch her leave.