5

COLIN

Colin stormed through the doors of his private study, tugging the tie from around his neck with quick movements before he tossed it on the desk and headed straight for the drink cart. Rain battered the windows outside, matching his stormy mood.

After his lunch with Daphne, he’d returned to the office and tried to finish up with a few files, but he found himself too distracted.

The conversation with Daphne both before and during their lunch hadn’t gone the way he’d hoped. She had remained withdrawn and quiet.

He downed one glass of bourbon before he poured himself another. The quick movement caused the box in his breast pocket to smack him in the chest. It served as another reminder of the mess his life had become.

He tugged it from his pocket and snapped it open, eyeing the sapphires against the black velvet. She’d rejected his gift. She’d rejected him.

He slammed the box closed, ready to whip it across the room when Worthington slipped inside. Colin tightened his grasp on the box and crossed to his desk.

“Rough day, sir?”

Colin collapsed into his chair, the creak of it echoing the ache in his heart. “My life is a mess, Worthington. Once again.”

Worthington relieved Colin of his glass and refreshed the drink before he returned it. “It seems to me your life is coming together in a way it never has before.”

Colin sipped the drink, tilting back in his chair to eye the lightning as it streaked across the sky. “Well, then you haven’t heard the latest developments. Pour yourself a drink and sit down. Let me enlighten you about the latest Colin Martino debacle.”

Worthington poured himself a brandy and sank into one of the chairs across from the desk. “Please, sir. I’m all ears.”

Colin heaved a sigh as he spun and leaned against the desk. “I assume you haven’t heard any of the drama.”

“I heard there was a…snafu with your lunch with Mrs. Martino.”

Colin groaned as he sank his head into his hands. “Oh, Worthington, snafu is hardly the word.”

After another sip of his drink, he dove into the story. “And that’s the minute Daphne walked in.”

“How unlucky, though I imagine a simple explanation may suffice.”

Colin slid his eyes closed as thunder rumbled overhead, echoing the chaos in his mind. “I hoped so. Along with a little…present.” He waved the jewelry box in the air.

Worthington tilted his head and raised his eyebrows. “And?”

“She rejected me. Flat out.”

“Did she?”

Colin narrowed his eyes at Worthington as he traced the edge of his glass. “Yes, Worthington, she did. Closed off completely. Lunch was like a choreographed show. She said the right things, she smiled when she should have, but it was so…flat. So unlike her.”

Worthington sipped his drink, allowing Colin to continue. “I thought we had a connection, but…”

“But?”

Colin tossed the velvet box containing the bracelet on the desk. “I was wrong.”

“That’s not like you. Colin Martino is quite an excellent judge of character.”

“Apparently not when it comes to Daphne Stanton.”

“Martino,” Worthington corrected.

Colin snapped his gaze up at the man. “What?”

“Daphne Stanton Martino. She is married to you.”

The words crushed him more than he realized. She’d married him–for five million dollars. “Yes, she is. But that had nothing to do with emotion or connection. It had to do with money. Probably like all my relationships.”

Worthington polished off the brandy, letting it roll across his tongue before he answered. “I disagree. I think the newest Mrs. Martino is far less motivated by the money than you are implying.”

Colin sipped his bourbon. “I don’t know how you figure that.”

Worthington wrapped his fingers around the empty glass. “You said she changed after your…incident with Ms. Jensen. That she fled.”

Colin stared into space as the incident replayed in his head, her racing from him and cutting words still striking at him. “With smoke coming out of her heels.”

“Does that not imply that the incident disturbed her? If she had no emotional connection, she would not have left.”

“But I explained.” He lifted the velvet box. “I apologized. It made things worse. She got colder. I could understand her being upset, but saying I owed her nothing and she wanted nothing from me…that seems clear.”

Worthington rose, his eyes trained on the box. “The fact that she rejected your apology when it came tied to a gift only lends more to the notion that she doesn’t want money from you.”

He wiggled his eyebrows as he strode toward the door.

“Then what does she want?” Colin called after him.

Worthington twisted to face him. “Honesty.”

The man disappeared from the room, leaving Colin alone with his thoughts. “I was honest.” He snapped open the box again and studied the sapphires. How did he have the knack for doing the exact wrong thing for Daphne at every turn?

After finishing the last of his drink, he tossed the box in his drawer and left his office behind. He had a dinner party to dress for. If Daphne wanted honesty, he’d do his best to give it to her.

An hour later, four board members and their spouses sat in his living room supplied with drinks by Worthington.

Colin arrived downstairs, adjusting the bowtie on his tuxedo as Worthington strode to him. “Everyone has arrived outside of Ms. Martino and her guest.”

“That’s Francesca,” Colin said with a sigh, “always fashionably late and looking to make an entrance.”

“Speaking of an entrance,” Worthington said, his eyes rising up the curved staircase.

Colin flicked his gaze upward. Daphne descended toward them in a chic cocktail dress. He couldn’t stop the curl of his lips as he spotted her.

“Mrs. Martino, you look beautiful.”

“Thank you, Worthington,” she said with a sweet smile.

Colin took her hand as she stepped onto the marble foyer floor. “Daphne, you look stunning.”

She smiled up at him, her grin becoming guarded. Honesty. Worthington’s words echoed in his mind. He gently cupped her shoulders. “Are you ready for this?”

She nodded. “Yes. I went over all the details before I came down. I’m ready.”

Her sterile answer wasn’t what he hoped for. He wanted to know they were a united front, not that she’d memorized everyone’s names and interests, along with appropriate conversation topics for each couple.

“That’s not…” He shook his head as he tried to find the words.

“Colin, if you’re worried about what happened earlier, don’t be. As I said before–”

“I know what you said.” His words came out more sharply than he’d hoped.

She pressed her lips together as her gaze fell on the floor. He was making a mess of things again. Everything he said seemed wrong, and this was the least opportune moment for another misunderstanding. “I’m sorry, I…I’m not looking forward to this evening.”

She placed a gentle hand on his forearm. “We’ll get through it.”

He brightened as she used the word “we” to describe them. “Thank you for doing this.”

This time her smile looked a little more genuine. She started toward the living room when he pulled her back. “Daphne…could we talk after this? Really talk, I mean. I feel like we need to clear the air on a few things.”

Her smile faltered a bit and a shadow of something crossed her eyes. “Sure.”

At least that had gone his way. He had some hope of clearing up the situation. He just had to get through this wretched dinner party. He’d much rather spend the time smoothing over whatever had occurred earlier today, but he had to woo the board.

He slipped his hand through Daphne’s, ready to turn on the charm. Her quick smile at him made it easier as they walked into the room together. He greeted Thomas Whitfield, introducing Daphne to the man and his wife before they moved on to Caroline Foster and her husband.

After a few moments of conversation, they moved to Greg Mitchum and his latest girlfriend. Ironic, that this man could vote no confidence based on Colin’s supposed lifestyle when his own seemed to be a wreck.

They ended introductions with Valerie Lawson, one of the members heavily supporting his ousting. Her invitation had been strategic, though he doubted he’d change her mind. She was gunning for him. But perhaps he could find a reason for her motives.

She offered Daphne the once over before she flicked her gaze to the massive wedding photo over the couch she’d just risen from. “That’s some photo.”

“A beautiful testament to a beautiful day,” Colin said.

“Hmm,” the woman said, tossing a lock of dark hair over her shoulder.

Before the conversation could continue, Worthington announced dinner. They shuffled into the dining room with Francesca joining them on their route. She introduced a dark-haired man named Christopher Metcalfe as they entered and found their seats.

Colin glanced down the long table to the other end. Daphne chatted with Thomas Whitfield who seemed enamored with her. Her eyes sparkled in the low lighting, and her smile looked even more enchanting, particularly when she pulled her eyes away from his board member and flicked them to him.

She offered him an almost imperceptible nod before she said something to Caroline Foster’s husband. His spirits lifted as he stared at his partner.

The first course was placed in front of them, and conversation slowed until Caroline Foster asked a question. “So, how did you two meet?”

“Yes,” Valerie added, picking up her wine glass, “I’ve been wondering the same. It all seemed…such a whirlwind.”

Daphne licked her lips, flicking her gaze to Colin. He grinned at her, easily able to field the question. If she wanted honesty, he’d give it to her.

“That’s actually quite an entertaining tale. It was by accident. I was…consulting with Francesca on a few things, and she had a meeting scheduled with an author who turned out to be Daphne.”

“Who is one of our best, of course,” Francesca added to the tale.

Colin fixed his gaze on Daphne at the end of the table. “When she walked in, I was…enamored.”

“And you asked her on a date?” Valerie questioned.

“Actually, no,” Colin said, sliding his gaze to the woman. “She forgot her purse. I tracked her down, took her to dinner, and the rest is history.”

“Aw, how lovely,” Greg’s girlfriend said as she clamped a hand on Greg’s arm and offered him a coy glance.

“Cheers to the beautiful couple,” Francesca said, raising her glass. “I’m certain we can all agree they’re just perfect together.”

“Well, they must be,” Valerie said with a chuckle after a sip of her wine. She flicked a pointed gaze at Daphne. “Forgive me for seeming to pry, but you do understand with Colin’s position, it is up to the board to…protect Martino Global.”

Colin seethed at the woman’s words. Protect Martino Global from the man who’d created it?

Daphne offered her a polite smile, expecting the conversation to end there, but Valerie pressed on. “Which is why I found it so curious when I did my due diligence that I did not find a prenuptial agreement between the two of you.”

Daphne arched an eyebrow.

“Understandably, I became concerned. If you should leave Colin…well, the effect on the company could be detrimental.”

“That’s out of line, Valerie,” Colin barked.

“I don’t think it is, Colin. Given your track record, I think it’s a very material concern.”

Daphne bit her lower lip as the woman spoke. A flicker of emotion flashed in her eyes, but Colin couldn’t tell what it was: regret, doubt, fear?

“My private life is–”

“Very public as CEO of this company. And I have every right to be concerned about a new marriage that seems to have come out of nowhere.”

Colin clenched a fist as he silently seethed, trying to control his emotions. “If you are implying that Daphne is–”

“I think I can set this to rest very easily,” Daphne interrupted.

All eyes, including Colin’s, turned to the woman. He held his breath as he waited for her answer. What would she say? And would it strike at his heart as much as her words earlier?