“And have you gone? Out with Owen?”
“We’ve gone to the movies and out to dinner.” She stopped short of clarifying the true context of the outings. They were not dates. There was popcorn and sitting together in the dark, but there was no hand-holding. There was dinner, but it was a slice of pizza at the Famous Ray’s near their building. No romance, just friends, at Melanie’s request.
“I see. Well, I look forward to meeting your doctor neighbor. I’m sure we’ll have a lot to talk about.”
“Because you’re both so familiar with the female form?”
He delivered a look that shot ribbons of electricity through her body. “We’re both big fans of Melanie Costello’s form, apparently.”
His words ushered in waves of heat, followed by a rush of confusion. Was he jealous? She couldn’t imagine Adam envying another man. But what about the look in his eyes and the possessive rumble of his voice? Was he saying that he hadn’t given up? And what would she do about that if it were the truth?
“You should probably practice your speech, so I can hear it out loud,” she said, breaking the spell of silence.
“Right here?”
Melanie shrugged. “Sure.” She trekked across the room to sit, even though she’d been inches from the bed, a perfectly acceptable perch if she hadn’t been so afraid of what Adam might think.
“I almost wish I had a podium. Feels strange to stand here and deliver a speech.” He straightened his jacket, seeming both confident and vulnerable standing before her. She stifled a sigh. That was the Adam she adored, the Adam who would never be hers.
Adam started his speech, but Melanie noticed something wrong right away. Everything that came out of his mouth was confident and optimistic, but his shoulders had tensed, his voice held a distinct edge of agitation. It was as if he was speaking someone else’s words, but he’d written most of the speech. She’d made only a few minor changes and suggestions.
I’m excited for this new challenge.
I’ve been waiting my entire life for this opportunity.
I appreciate the confidence of the board of directors.
He was saying one thing while meaning another, which couldn’t be good. After all, Adam had told her countless times. He was no good at faking anything.
* * *
Adam pinched the bridge of his nose when he finished his speech. He didn’t even want to hear Melanie’s appraisal. He’d seen the bewildered look on her face when he spoke.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
“Um. Sure.” Her question caught him off guard to say the least. She didn’t shy away from criticism when warranted, and he knew he hadn’t done well. “Why?”
“It just didn’t seem like you. At all.”
“I’m fine.” The words sat on his lips—nothing was fine. Everything was very much not okay, and it was about more than LangTel. It was more than worry about his dad. It was about her. The two of them in his apartment, being barely civil and making a grand point to not touch each other, hell, trying to not look too much at each other, was utterly and completely wrong.
But things had changed. Every other time she’d said no to him, it had been because they were working together. It was never because there was another man in the picture. The more egotistical parts of him had presumed that there was no other love interest because she wanted to be with him. Apparently he was wrong.
Now she had a date, a man she’d chosen, a doctor, no less. Adam never compared himself with other men, but this was pretty clear-cut. She’d shut down Adam three times. She’d chosen Owen. Maybe she wasn’t closed off to the idea of love. Perhaps she was closed off only to the idea of him.
“Are you sure?” Melanie asked. “You seem like something’s bothering you. Tell me what’s going on.”
Here she was, right before him, the woman he couldn’t chase out of his mind if he wanted to. She wanted to listen. She wanted to talk. This could very well be their last chance to be together like this, just talking. After the gala, he would go his way and she would go hers.
He sucked in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “I don’t want to run LangTel.” Just getting that much off his chest was a relief of epic proportions.
Melanie’s mouth went slack. “What? But your dad. The succession plan.” She looked around the room, blinking as if she couldn’t comprehend what he’d said, which was a big part of the problem. It only made sense to Adam and Anna. Nobody else seemed to get it. “You love a challenge and it’s a huge corporation, your family’s name is on it. Why wouldn’t you want that opportunity?”