Vincent chuckled. “Talk about boys all you want, when you want to talk about men, I hope my name comes up in the conversation.” He kissed the top of her head and slid back into his chair.
“Marone! He looks at you like he’s hungry for you. Go, be with your man.” Francesca turned to her husband and smiled. “You and Dante have a conference call within an hour. We need to get back to the office because if we’re late, we’ll never hear the end of it.”
Everyone stood up and said their goodbyes. Dante graciously invited Lexi and Vincent to come to Italy in a few months to see their new villa once they finished the renovations. He promised them the trip of a lifetime. Paolo again thanked Vincent and Lexi for their work on the campaign and expressed his excitement about getting started. Francesca hugged Lexi, insisting she call her next week so they could go to the spa while she was in town. Lexi blushed and agreed. Vincent got a pat on the cheek and a few words of wisdom whispered in his ear before the trio left the restaurant and went about their day.
Vincent wrapped his arm around Lexi’s shoulder and led her to his car. “Want to go for a drive with me?”
“Someplace quiet, so we can talk?” she suggested softly as he opened her door.
“You read my mind.”
Once Lexi was tucked into the passenger seat, Vincent slipped into the car beside her and lowered the top on the Lotus, knowing how much she’d loved that on their last drive together. Her smile was all the encouragement he needed before he sped out onto the highway and drove them along the coast.
The ride was quiet. Lexi seeming to enjoy the sun, the wind, and the scenery as they sped for miles. Once they hit the open road, Vincent reached over and took her hand, his thumb feathering across her skin. He eventually pulled off the road and found a small supply shop where he purchased a large blanket and some cold drinks, then he jumped back in and drove a few more miles north until he found a secluded beach were they could stop and talk. He parked near a tiny footpath that meandered through the shrubbery before finally spilling onto the white, sandy beach.
They both kicked off their shoes and walked hand in hand toward the water. When they found a good spot, near a large log, Vincent spread the blanket out and offered Lexi a bottle of water.
She sat down and patted the space beside her. “Sit with me?” He took off his suit jacket, untucked his shirt, and rolled up his sleeves, getting comfortable before joining her on the blanket. The wind came off the water and blew her hair back. She leaned back against the log and watched as the waves rolled onto the sand a few feet in front of them. Taking his place beside her, he pulled Lexi against his chest. For the longest time they just sat there, quietly enjoying one another’s company before they began what would certainly be a difficult discussion. Lexi was the first to ask a question.
“This has been driving me crazy. Where the hell were you today? You’re never late to a meeting, let alone a presentation. You always arrive at these things at least a half hour early, and traffic wasn’t that bad.”
Vincent smiled sheepishly. “I had to make a stop on the way. There was something I had to get.”
“You were shopping?” She didn’t even try to hide her shock. “You left me, a complete nobody, to give the biggest presentation in Hunter history, so you could shop?”
“Technically no, I had already shopped for said item two days earlier. Today I was merely picking it up. And you are not a nobody. You’re a very talented woman who just needed a chance to prove it, not only to some very influential clients, but to herself.” She rolled her eyes. “Fine, I wasn’t only shopping. I also might have stopped for a cup of coffee across the street. I figured that way if you needed me, which I knew you wouldn’t because you’re always so prepared, I could get there in time. If not, I could enjoy a nice cup of coffee and show up fashionably late.”
“But the boards—I needed those.” Lexi punched him in the shoulder. “Please, you didn’t need those until about fifteen minutes into the presentation.
If you noticed, I showed up at exactly the five minute mark. I chatted with the receptionist for a while before I came into the room, so really, I was probably there from the moment you started. You just didn’t know it.”
“You were late on purpose?” He nodded his head. “So you basically gave me the Marradesi presentation?”
“I didn’t give you anything. You worked on it just as much as I did. All I did was trust you with it.” Lexi’s brows furrowed together as she listened. “I’m sorry. I know when you needed me to trust you, I let you down in the worst way. Today I tried to prove to you that I did actually trust you by stepping out of the way and letting you run the show.” He playfully poked her arm. “You did a hell of a job, you know.” He held his breath when she didn’t say anything. “I screwed up again, didn’t I? I know I probably went about it all wrong, but I—”
Lexi’s fingers covered his lips to silence his babbling. His whole body tensed until he saw her lips curl up into a smile. “That is probably the nicest, most underhanded, selflessly brave thing anyone has ever done for me. Don’t ever do it again, but thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he forced out from behind her fingers, still unsure if she was going to get angry.
When she sensed his apprehension, Lexi quickly continued. “Your heart was in the right place. You were also right. If you would have asked me to do the entire presentation, I would have said no. You suggested it yesterday and I refused, because I didn’t think I could do it. Honestly, it was the opportunity of the lifetime, and I thank you for it. I never thought I could pull something like that off in a million years.” She sat up straight, nearly bouncing with excitement. “It was so exciting and terrifying. But more exciting than terrifying, I think. I had all this adrenaline in my system. I think I still do. Is it always like that?”
Vincent smiled as she rapidly relived every moment of the meeting. She asked his opinion on certain aspects of her performance and he gave her honest feedback, which she seemed to appreciate. He shared a few things Paolo and Dante had mentioned at lunch that they would need to tweak, but overall the presentation was a huge success, thanks in no small part to Lexi.
A quiet moment turned into an awkward silence that sent Vincent’s pulse racing. Things were going too well. He had no idea what she was going to say next, and this whole day could be one last happy moment shared between them before she said her final goodbye. He braved a glance at her and found her deep in thought.