Page 45 of My Unexpected Surprise
“I have to um,” I blurt, clutching the folder against my chest like body armor. “And there are emails and…things.”
His eyes flick briefly to my mouth one last time.
“Right,” he murmurs.
I turn before he can say anything else.
Then I walk out of the conference room at a speed just barely short of fleeing while my heart pounds hard enough to shake my entire body.
Every step echoes with the fear that he will connect the dots. The photograph. The Venetian night we shared five years ago. The child who looks like a miniature version of him.
My palms grow damp. I wipe them discreetly on my trousers and sit down, opening files I cannot truly see. The numbers and words blur.
All I can think about is how close he stood in that doorway, how the heat of his body had pulled at something deep inside me. How dangerously right it felt to have him near Nico, even for those few minutes.
I push the thoughts away and focus on work. The profiles need polishing before the preliminary dinner with the Aurelius Consortium tonight.
Margaret Aurelius herself will be there, along with key board members. This is not the full retreat yet, but it’s the dress rehearsal. My chance to prove I belong here.
Hours later, I stand in front of the mirror in the small office restroom, smoothing down the deep emerald dress Piper convinced me to wear.
It clings to my curves in a way that feels both powerful and exposed. The neckline dips just enough to remind me I am more than a nervous single mother drowning in secrets.
I twist my hair into a soft updo and add simple gold earrings. My reflection stares back with tired but determined eyes.
Piper texts that she is running late with her own preparations for the overlapping gala. She will pick up Nico from the sitter I managed to secure last minute, but traffic is impossible.
I have no choice but to bring him to the dinner venue briefly. Just until she arrives. My stomach twists at the idea, but I’ve run out of options.
The restaurant sits on the top floor of a sleek Manhattan tower, all glass and low lighting with views that stretch across the city.
Valentino meets me in the private dining room. He wears a tailored black suit that molds to his broad shoulders and narrow waist.
The sight of him sends a slow, unwanted warmth through my body.
I remember the way we stood inches apart earlier, the scent of his cologne wrapping around me, the way my heart skipped a beat when his gaze dropped to my mouth.
I want to hate how easily he affects me, but my body refuses to cooperate.
He notices Nico immediately. My son stands beside me in his best button-down shirt and little slacks, clutching a small backpack.
Valentino does not frown or question. He simply nods once, as if a child at a high-stakes business dinner is perfectly normal.
“Piper is delayed,” I explain quietly, voice low so the early arrivals do not hear. “She will be here soon.”
Valentino crouches to Nico’s level without hesitation. No baby talk, no awkwardness. “Hungry?”
Nico nods, eyes wide at the elegant room. “Yes. Do they have pasta?”
“They do.” Valentino straightens and signals a server with effortless authority. Within minutes, a children’s portion appears. He handles the situation so smoothly it steals my breath.
When Nico struggles with the large utensils, Valentino reaches over without thinking and cuts the pasta into neat bites.
His large hands move with precision, the tattoo on his wrist catching the light. I watch, mesmerized, as he hands the fork back to my son.
Nico beams up at him. “Thank you.”
Valentino gives a small nod of approval. “Good manners matter in every room.”
