The Other Side of Greed (The Seven Sins #5) - Lily Zante Page 0,91

very moment and break this little bubble we have? We have a new understanding, but it’s still based on lies. It’s not the way to start something new.

“Well, that’s great. That’s really great, Brad.”

“Thanks. I have to meet with some people next week and I don’t know how long the negotiations will take.”

“Negotiations?”

“I prefer not to say too much about it just yet.” I chicken out like the coward I am.

“I understand,” she says, her voice soft, her eyes shining. “I’m so happy that this is working out for you.”

“Me too.” But the happier she is for me, the worse I feel. This is the moment when I should tell her that I’m taking the private jet to fly to Boston. I don’t know how long it will take for me to sweeten the people at McGovern Holdings. I should tell her that the helicopter we just flew in belongs to the family, and that Mark is our most trusted pilot.

What would she do if I spilled all of the truth now?

“Let’s just enjoy our dinner,” she says, while I’m still wondering how to broach the subject. “You don’t have to explain everything to me, all at once. We’re good now.”

“We are.” I will unravel my life to her slowly. We order and eat, talking about Redhill, and her vision and her plans. No more trying to gently persuade her to up and leave Greenways, I now find myself trying to sway her the other way.

Then we change the subject and talk about easier things, such as our favorite movies and songs and things we like to do.

Afterwards, we go for a walk along the river, talking about our plans and how awkward things might be when Fredrich and Simona find out we’re together.

“I’ll be leaving Redhill,” I announce suddenly, as soon as the idea comes to me. This is the simplest way to do this. I can’t be here. Being here, at Redhill, complicates things. Everything will be simpler if I leave.

She lets go of my hand, staring up at me as she stops walking. “When?”

“I don’t know.” The thought just came to me and I have no plan. All I know is that working with her, alongside her, juggling my two worlds, is becoming more complicated. Extricating myself from Redhill is the first step towards getting clarity. “It’s getting really busy with the other stuff.”

“So when were you thinking of leaving Redhill?”

I shrug. “Maybe once I get back from this meeting. If it’s okay with you, could I not come in to work this week. I need to prepare.”

“Yes, of course. You need to focus on your start-up. Are you saying you’ll leave soon?”

“Maybe I can work a week or two at Redhill, and then leave. That way I can tell Fredrich and Simona.”

She lets out a heavy breath. “It’s all happening so suddenly.” She stops at gazes at the water.

I lift her face to me. “It was only ever meant to be a temporary thing, Kyra. You didn’t even want to take me on.”

“That’s because I wasn’t sure about you. I had my suspicions. I wasn’t sure who you really were.” She moves closer, sliding her arms around my waist. “But now, now that I’m getting to know you, I think you could be a great asset to Redhill. You could help me to do so much, Brad.”

“You give me too much credit,” I tell her, as she looks up at me with admiration and hope in those naïve, trusting eyes. I try to muster my game face, something that is usually second nature for me, but it eludes me right now.

Disappointment sweeps across her features. It guts me, thinking that she was starting to think that I would have stayed. I can help her so much. Hawks Enterprises can go from being who we are to being a company with values and concern for the welfare of others. My father, bless his eighty-six-year-old heart, isn’t going to be pleased, but I’m certain I can forge a new way forward without making him completely unhappy.

“I can still give you ideas, I can still give you advice. It might be better for us to have that distance in our working lives.”

“But I was just getting used to having you around.”

“You can have me around.” I drop a kiss on her lips, hoping to reassure her. Hoping that once she knows the truth about me, she’ll still want to be with me. Leaving Redhill is the first step and