wasn’t ready to hear. Owen had followed her lead and drove her home in relative silence. But his gaze haunted her in her dreams, along with the kiss she still couldn’t forget.
Tonight, she had her big date with Drew. Chloe wanted to give him the chance he deserved. It wasn’t fair for her not to explore their relationship, especially since she’d worked so hard to put Owen in the past. But a part of her also recognized tonight was a test. She wasn’t a game player. If she wasn’t experiencing the seeds for growth in their relationship, Chloe would end it. It wasn’t fair to lead either Drew or Owen to play them off one another.
She sensed Owen knew she’d be seeing Drew tonight and decided to back off. God knows, she appreciated the space. Lately, her emotions spun so hard, she only wanted clarity.
Chloe spent the late afternoon at site visits, her favorite part of the job. She checked on her fosters and abused animals settled into local shelters. By the time she’d finished up, she was running late, so she quickly showered and changed, deciding to dress a bit more sophisticated tonight for the Wall Street crowd. Her dress was a silky navy blue that spilled to the floor and left her back bare. She paired it with the sapphire necklace and drop earrings her father had given her last Christmas, slid her feet into platform silver heels, and was thankfully ready when Drew buzzed in.
Casting one last longing look at her slippers and TV, she got ready to dazzle for the evening. He waited outside with his driver, and his gaze lit with appreciation as she walked toward him. “You look beautiful,” he said with a smile, flashing a devastating set of dimples. “I’m going to be the luckiest guy in the room.”
Chloe smiled back. “Thank you. And I’d say…ditto.” He cut a handsome figure in his custom suit, the material emphasizing his trim build and muscles. The expensive Italian shoes were leather. She wondered if they were vegan, then pushed the thought from her mind. Sometimes it was better not to know. Drew liked the finer things in life, which sometimes meant products she refused to purchase in protection of the animals. But now wasn’t the time for such a serious dialogue.
He laughed and guided her into the car, where champagne was already chilling. “A pre-cocktail to celebrate.”
“Did you close a new deal?”
He poured and handed her a delicate crystal flute. “No, but I get to spend the evening with you so that’s a good reason. Did you like the flowers?”
She shifted in her seat. “Yes, I texted you. They’re stunning.”
“Roses remind me of you. There’s a classic mystery to them I always enjoyed, and of course, timeless elegance.”
She gave him points for the description, even if he’d never thought to just ask what flowers she enjoyed. She was used to dealing with alpha men, though, especially in the world her father walked in, so Chloe had no problem holding her own. “How was your week?”
He filled her in on some complex deals she found interesting, and they talked about the economy and predictions with ease. Then Drew paused, resting a palm on her knee, squeezing gently. “I haven’t dated many women who were able to discuss finance in depth. It’s refreshing.”
“I took a lot of economics courses. My father always said history and the economy is something we need to learn from due to concrete patterns that play out.”
“Brains and beauty. I’m going to have to step up my game so I don’t lose you.”
She frowned at the odd statement. “What do you mean?”
Drew hesitated. “I saw a photo from last night’s event. Is he someone I need to worry about?”
She jerked slightly. Dammit, of course it was in the press. They usually ignored her responses to hard questions, and focused on their speculation of whether her escorts were professional or personal. Drew had been mentioned a lot these past weeks as her current love interest. “Owen’s working with me on the Spagarelli case,” she said, wondering how much truth to give him. “Vivian got sick and asked him to accompany me.”
He let out a breath, his face relaxed. “Got it. I didn’t mean to push; I know we never spoke of dating exclusively. I just wanted to know if I had competition.”
She opened her mouth to explain a bit more about their shared past, but they’d suddenly arrived. Drew spoke to the driver, and