“The Alexanders are harmless. They’ll just love to meet a woman Callum is involved with. The fact you’re beautiful, independent, and not looking for a meal ticket means you’ve got nothing to worry about,” Grant says when we reach the restaurant proper.

“You want to say a few words before the food is brought out?” I ask his back as I follow him into the restaurant, holding Lucia’s hand.

Turning his head over his shoulder, he offers a knowing smirk. “You were so eloquent today, I figured I’d leave the job to you.”

I scoff but can’t help chuckling. “Yeah, well today might have been an uncharacteristic display. I’ve just had enough of meddling reporters besmirching me at the expense of our firm, my reputation—and yours. Ms. Dallas took things too far and I kind of snapped.”

“It was awesome to watch,” Lucia muses. “Made me hot seeing you so worked up,” she whispers loudly in my ear, now pressing her body against my back.

Grant, having overheard Lucia’s none-too-subtle statement, laughs loudly. “I like this woman, Cal. Please, can you keep her?”

“I hope to,” I murmur under my breath so only Lucia can hear me. Her breathing hitches and her arms snake around my waist as she pulls herself tight against me. “Stop saying things that make me want to jump you. My brother and your family would not appreciate the show.”

“I’m guessing not,” I retort, a sly smile ghosting over my lips as I step away from her and pull her around the corner, the room filling with applause as soon as Grant, Lucia and I enter the room.

Lucia slips her hand from mine and walks away toward the kitchen as I look for my parents, finding them standing beside Annie with champagne glasses in their upheld hands like the rest of the guests in the room.

“Hey, before I forget,” Grant says, then reaches inside his jacket. He pulls out a small envelope. “Annie said this was left in reception for you.”

I pull the card from his hand and open it, my blood cooling when I remember the last note I found on my car after my date at the Tea Garden with Lucia.

“Anything important?” Grant asks inquisitively.

“What the fuck?” I utter in disbelief.

“Cal? What does it say?” Grant asks. I hand it over to him and his eyes go wide as the words sink in.

“Dallas?” he asks, with a raised brow.

“She’s more of an extrovert; anonymous notes would not be her style. She’d just write another exposé on me.”

“What does it even mean?”

“Means I have an enemy. For what reason, I don’t have a fucking clue.”

“What are you going to do about it?” he asks, and for the first time in long while I’m confounded.

“I’m going to get a drink and enjoy the night. We have officially started the biggest project of our careers, Richardson. This calls for top quality liquor, don’t you agree?”

Grant looks at me pointedly before smirking. “Indeed.” He leads me to the bar and, after grabbing glasses for the three of us, he coughs into his hand and very obviously says the word “speech,” causing a cacophony of laughter to break out.

Using my hands to quiet the crowd, I don’t miss my mother’s proud smile and glistening eyes, my father’s puffed out chest, and my brother and sister’s wide grins.

“Thank you for coming tonight. Grant and I wouldn’t be where we are today without all of you. We now have one iconic building standing proud in Boston and the start of the another one in our beloved home city. So raise your glasses to yourselves, your colleagues, and the firm.”

“To the firm,” they all repeat, clinking glasses with one another and taking measured sips of what I know will be fine champagne. Annie would never allow anything but the best.

Grant holds out his glass, tapping it against mine. “Where’s the single malt when you need it?” he asks with a smirk. “You’re a terrible drunk on champagne alone.”

“Congratulations to you too, Richardson,” I say sarcastically. “And I know there is a good Macallan somewhere in this place. Luce told me they have a few bottles hidden for special guests.”

“Are you a special guest, Cal?” he asks with a wink.

“No comment.” I lift my glass to my lips and down the contents in one go. “I best go say hello to my family. You know how my mother is with manners.”

“Indeed. I’ll go mingle.” He steps closer and says quietly, so only I can hear, “So that you’re not caught off guard, it appears that Gregory the intern has invited a special plus one for the evening.”

My brows narrow. “Why is this of interest to me? All staff were allowed to bring a partner.”

“Yes, but this particular partner is of interest since her surname is Malestrom . . .” He lets this tidbit linger. Stepping sideways, I jerk my head to him with wide eyes, my muscles growing tense at the memory of our last chance encounter with Jodi and how bitter she was. A sinking feeling settles in the pit of my stomach at the wide range of disruption she could cause tonight in front of my staff, my family, Lucia . . . The most disconcerting question I have is what’s a woman like Jodi doing on the arm of an architectural graduate student—one who coincidentally just happens to be an intern at my firm? Because he is not her normal rich and successful type.

“What is his agenda?”

“Not sure, Cal. Could be a complete coincidence but in saying that, knowing the kid and his personality, there is no way in hell he wouldn’t be spreading the word to anyone that’ll listen that he is working for us. He probably thinks it’ll open doors for him, get him noticed, and get him laid.”

Well, there is that.

“But Jodi? That scene at Cisco? That wasn’t nice, definitely wasn’t polite, and that woman will be baying for blood, preferably yours, but probably mine as well.” I look over to her and nod. “A woman like that does not take public embarrassment—even one she brought upon herself. Hell, she’s probably got voodoo dolls of the both of us with giant pins through our junk.”

Grant grins at me. “Might be best to not react to her being here. If anything, Carmen’s attack on you at the press conference proved that we have a leak somewhere, either within the firm or on the museum board. Nevertheless, we need to keep a happy, neutral environment until we know more. Agree?”

“Definitely. I wish I knew how the shark found out about everything, but if we do have a leak, it’s one we need to stop in its tracks as soon as possible. That can be part of the damage control we sort out on Monday,” I say.

“I’ll let Annie know to block out Monday for us. Now plaster a smile on that dial, and let’s go mingle. Dinner is due to be served in twenty minutes, and you have family to greet and a big brother to dissuade from chopping off your balls.”

Chuckling, I smack him jovially on his shoulder. I look around the room, spotting my parents talking with my brother and his wife as well as my sister and her husband. A few feet away, heads bent together, are Graves and Jodi, her white cocktail dress standing out in a crowd of black, blue and red. That’s pure Jodi—dressing herself to lift herself up.

Graves catches my eye and lifts his chin, a smile gracing his lips when he looks at Jodi and then back to me. He says something to her and she turns to see me, throwing her arm up and waving at me. Her expression falters when Lucia sidles up beside me.

“Hey. Gino is just making sure service runs on time, but promised me he will make a concerted effort to come out and meet you as soon as he is free.”

God this woman is beautiful. I adore her eyes, her face, her effortless grace, and the uncloaked desire she has for me that’s worn with pride. Without a hint of hesitation, she places her hand on my cheek. I look down at her as she lifts up on her toes and kisses me softly on the lips before dropping back to normal height.