want to remedy her situation.
“I’ll just have to make it my mission to see that you have a good time this evening.”
She turns her head and gives me a smile full of gratitude, and I can see that she needs this—to forget whatever it is that’s on her mind.
“That sounds like a good plan.” She shifts as much as she can in her dress to face me. “Do you go to this event every year?” she asks.
I lift a shoulder. “You know how it is around here. The same rich assholes run the same charity circuit every year. It’s expected. Are your parents coming tonight?”
A sadness falls over her face for a second, but it’s gone in a flash. “No, they weren’t able to attend tonight.”
I mentally file that away in the back of my head; I’ll have to see if that has anything to do with why my father wants me to play nice with her.
We both gaze out the window while the vast, dark landscape that surrounds all the estates we’re coming from turns into lower buildings before we’re finally surrounded by high-rises.
“I remember going to this museum all the time when I was little,” Isla says with a note of nostalgia. “My dad used to take me. We could never finish the whole thing in one day because he’d always explain every piece we came upon.”
It pisses me off—the familiar pang of envy is like someone twisting my insides.
“Huh, my father didn’t do anything with me when I was a child unless it was to berate me for not being tough enough, smart enough, successful enough.”
I’m pissed at myself right after the words leave my mouth. The last thing I should be doing is giving this woman any kind of look into the inner workings of my mind.
Her hand covers mine where it rests on my knee and she squeezes. Any other woman, I’d push her comfort away. Then again, any other woman wouldn’t have heard my animosity about my childhood. Isla’s always been different, though. That’s the exact reason my dad’s request to get closer to her is legit like playing with fire and I might be the one who gets burned to a crisp. So my eyes zero in on her small delicate hand over my larger one.
“That’s terrible. I take it you’re not close to your father?” At least she doesn’t have that pitying look in her eyes.
“That would be putting it mildly. I do all I can not to have to deal with the man.”
A crease forms between her eyebrows. “How does that work at Stone Energy? Isn’t your dad the CEO?”
“Unfortunately. I do what I need to do there and try my best to leave him out of it. It works some of the time.”
It’s only when she squeezes my hand again that I realize she’s still holding it. “That doesn’t seem like a healthy work environment. Do you enjoy what you do?”
I debate her question. I’ve never really considered whether I do or don’t like it. Since I can remember, I knew I’d eventually take over the business as long as there was no objection from the board.
Do I like it?
I do. I would like the company to diversify into more environmentally sustainable energy sources, something my father has been dead set against. I’ve yet to figure out if I want it because he’s so against it or if it’s truly a passion of mine.
“I do enjoy my work. There’s room for improvement, like anything, but overall, yes, I do.”
“That’s something, I guess.” Her plump lips, painted some shade of cranberry, tip down.
“You don’t need to feel bad for me, Isla. I’m in my twenties, heir to a billionaire, and VP of a multinational corporation. And may I add pretty damn good looking.” I motion to my face with my hand.
Isla chuckles and it’s the first time I’ve seen any of the sparkle that’s normally in her eyes alive tonight. And damn if I don’t want to puff my chest out because I’m the one who put it there.
“That’s true. You could probably fall back on your good looks if the whole billionaire thing doesn’t work out.” She smiles and removes her hand from mine.
I stop myself from reaching out and forcing her to keep the warmth of her hand there.
“As in?”
She giggles. “Modeling, getting a sugar momma. You’d definitely be someone’s bitch in prison.”
I tilt my head and my expression spurs another fit of laughter.
“Those are good things,” she says,