“What about Kristina?” She raised her delicate brows, eyes filled with curiosity.
“What about Kris?”
His mom shrugged. “She said you’ve been seeing each other often. Doing a lot of things together.”
He barked a laugh. Kris was his life-long friend. They’d known each other since they’d been kids and had grown up with their families as friends. “Mom, you know I’m not seeing Kris like that. I’m sure she meant as friends. She’s my employee. We go visit potential clients together.”
“As long as she knows that,” his mother muttered.
He rushed to his hotel room. It was time for his nightly video conference call with Ari. He’d been doing this daily for the past four weeks. The day they ended up trapped in their lawyer’s office had been like a new chapter for them. He’d taken her home and knowing he was going overseas, promised to stay in touch via text, calls, and a nightly video conference. It was one of the things he looked forward to after a day packed with meetings. His business was growing, but he wasn’t going to put Ari in the back burner for it again.
He wasn’t sure if Kris had been talking to his mother. He hadn’t been prepared for Kris’s questioning when he told her about the budding new relationship with Ari. Though she hadn’t been rude, she’d asked very personal details. Things he wasn’t interested in sharing with anyone. It wasn’t like he’d ever given her the wrong impression. They’d been out a few times casually, as friends.
He set up the computer while removing his suit jacket and tugged at the uncomfortable tie. He hated the silk choking devices. He’d been dying to remove it the minute he put it on. This trip, while long, was a major project his company had undertaken. He couldn’t very well show up in jeans, a T-shirt, and work boots—as much as he wanted to—to a big meeting with a major client.
The computer turned on to a photo of him Ari and Harley in the background. He grinned every time he saw the photo. It was taken right before they’d started trying to conceive. At the time, he swore they could handle anything that came their way, but he’d been so wrong. He didn’t want to be wrong again, not when it came to his relationship with her.
Clicking keys, he watched the video connection come to life. The moment he saw Ari’s face, alarm filled him.
“What’s wrong?”
She rubbed her temples and blinked. “Nothing. I just have a bad headache. I’ve been working on this new campaign. To be honest, it’s kicking my butt. I can’t sleep.”
He heard Harley bark, and all of a sudden, her big golden body was taking over the screen.
“Harley, calm down.” Ari giggled.
After a momentary struggle, where Harley sniffed at the camera area of the laptop, she was able to haul her back. He watched her hold Harley in her arms and pet her head with a sigh.
He wanted to be there for her, hold her, and let her know she wasn’t alone. “What is it about the campaign that’s not letting you sleep?”
“I’m not sure it’s the campaign alone. The customer is very demanding, and I’m finding myself nauseous whenever I think of meeting with her.” She cocked her head. Her ponytail fell to the side in disarray, making her look even more tired.
She wore a tank top and sat on her bed with the laptop across from her. He’d guess it was on a pillow. Dark circles marred the undersides of her eyes. He frowned. She looked exhausted.
“You have quite a few employees now, Ari. Why don’t you pass this client off?” He removed his shirt, propped the laptop on a pillow, and sat down.
A yawn escaped her, and she shrugged. “She says she’s not comfortable dealing with anyone else. Which I can understand since this is supposed to be a big campaign for her small business, but…”
He waited for her to continue, but instead she leaned back and lifted a hand to her lips. He gulped. The way she stared at him made his fingers itch to touch her. He was sure she wasn’t aware she was doing it. A soft smile split her lips and made emotions expand in his chest.
“But?”
She blinked. “It’s so exhausting.”
He could tell she was having a hard time staying awake with the number of times she yawned.
“Get some sleep. I’ll be back in just a few days.”
She jerked her head up in attention. Her smile went wider. “I thought you said next week?”
He had, but he didn’t want to be away from her any longer, and if they were going to try to work things out, he needed to make an effort to be there. The most important parts of his meetings were almost over. Mark, his right hand man and chief of operations could take care of things. He had to go clear the air with Kris as well. Make sure she understood he wasn’t seeking her approval.