Did she want more?
She turned her back on the mirror and stepped into the shower, refusing to acknowledge the truth she saw in her eyes. She’d always refused to want more than she could have. Up till now.
Two days later Daidan flew into Helsinki airport. Despite the fact he’d only lived there a few years he felt it to be more a home to him than Ma’in, the country of his birth where, as middle son, he was neither the eldest son and heir, nor the charming youngest son. No, he had no wish to do any more than visit his home country. His place was out in the world, creating an identity for himself, on his own merits.
And that’s what he’d done. From an early age he’d lived in colder climates. First in Switzerland where his mother used to take them skiing. There, he’d stayed on, insisting on attending a Swiss international school. Excelling at everything, he’d had his choice of universities and had chosen Harvard. After Harvard he’d gone to Australia, but only long enough to gain experience working in its biggest diamond extraction company. There he forged a life-long friendship with the owner, Amelia, with whom he’d had a brief affair before she’d married, before heading off to Finland to work for Taina’s father.
His visit to Finland was only meant to have been of short duration to learn more about the industry he’d chosen to work in—diamonds. But then he’d met Taina. And now he couldn’t conceive of living anywhere else. He’d fallen for Taina the first day he’d seen her. Yes, he’d wanted the diamond company, but he’d wanted Taina more. And that was his blessing and his curse.
He was back in the country. She knew Daidan had been in touch with the office because the tension was palpable. But Taina continued to listen to her assistant running through the phone messages.
“And…” her assistant continued nervously. “We’ve received word from your husband. He’s asked that you meet him in The Warehouse in an hour.”
Taina continued to bring the glass of water to her lips. But she didn’t drink, just looked out at sunlight on the beautiful neoclassical buildings of central Helsinki. It had been light since five a.m. It was only another couple of months before the launch. She and the other designers had a lot of work ahead of them but that wasn’t what was concerning her now. Why was Daidan insisting she meet him in The Warehouse? What right did he have to demand her to drop her plans and go to The Warehouse?
She turned around and carefully placed the glass on the table. Iittala glass. Like everything else in this building—twentieth-century Finnish design, selected by her mother and now a collector’s piece.
“Thank you.” She glanced across to Daidan’s office. She smiled. “Is everything prepared for this morning’s meeting?”
“Yes but we thought as you’d be going to The Warehouse—”
“The meeting will continue as arranged. I’ll hold it in my husband’s office. I want to be sure that all the details of the launch are covered.”
“Yes, but…”
“No buts. The meeting will continue as arranged.”
Daidan would have to learn, she thought as the door closed behind her assistant, that she might have returned, she might have struck a bargain with him, but she wasn’t, and would never be again, a man’s pawn for him to use as he liked.
Taina sat at the head of a pine table. The white overhead pendant lamps and other modernist details suited her, Daidan thought, even as he walked, unannounced into the room. Everyone, except Taina who was speaking, cast nervous glances toward him.
But he wasn’t going to yell at her in front of their staff, as much as he might like to. He leaned back against the closed door and crossed his arms, listening as Taina continued without missing a beat.
“And the Paris branch of the Triple X Agency will look after all the details of our meeting there next week. But they’ll need answers to print branding.” She looked across to one of her team. “Pascal?”
“Sure. It’s in hand. I’ll contact them this morning.”
“And Aarne, you’ve made all the arrangements for Paris? All the details covered?”
“Just need to book your return flights from Paris to Helsinki. I understand you won’t be travelling to Ma’in?
Taina frowned. “No. No, I won’t.” She turned to another person at the table. “And the main event? The opera in the castle?”
“Everything’s been arranged. The guests have been invited.”
She frowned. “Can you let me have the final copy, please.”
The executive glanced nervously at Daidan. “Certainly.”