Page 114 of Titus

She laughed softly, “And two powerful business owners who are texting each other like teenagers?”

“I know,” I sighed. “I feel sort of silly.”

“Don’t,” she leaned into me. “If there’s anyone who deserves a fairy tale, it’s you.”

I hardened to that reality slap, “I don’t believe in fairy tales. If it’s too good to be true, it usually is.”

“You need to learn to let go a little, sis,” she said as we turned down a path that led to more shops. “Just because one dickhead took advantage of you doesn’t mean every man out there is out to get you.”

“I know that,” I answered, not entirely truthfully. “It’s just, how do you know whether you’re going to get burned? It’s impossible to tell, and I don’t have time to fall into another spider’s web.”

“You just have to look for the red flags.”

I stopped and turned to face her. “This man is a walking red flag,” I said with a laugh. I held up my phone. “These silly little text exchanges? It’s just a man pursuing a woman with charming words, trying to get the attention he hasn’t yet gotten from her.”

“And once he gets that attention?” Amelia said, as if this would actually go anywhere between Titus and me.

“That’s when he’s done charming her. It’s a textbook example of wanting something you can’t have, and once you get it, you don’t want it anymore.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I know exactly that,” I argued.

“Stop being bitter,” Amelia said, her voice sterner than I’d ever heard it. “You’ll die a lonely old goat if you never open your heart to anyone again because you think you know everyone’s intentions.”

Fucking hell.

This was terrifying, and not having control over any of it wasn’t exactly my strong suit.

“You make a valid point,” I admitted quietly.

“I know,” she smiled. “You raised me, remember?”

I exhaled. “Let’s just enjoy the rest of our day together.”

“I’m enjoying it,” she grinned at me. “You’re the one who looks like she’s about to go to church to confess her sins.”

We both laughed, and I couldn’t help but wonder whether I should stop fighting this as much as I was. Perhaps I should just enjoy a little flirtation and attention from a very attractive man who, out of nowhere, managed to impress me.

No harm in that at all.

The soft clatter of keyboards and muted conversations filled the office as I stared at the nearly empty calendar displayed across my laptop screen.

Three overseas events. Gone.

Another client had officially chosen a London-based planner this morning after learning that I wouldn’t be traveling internationally for the next several months.

That made four this week. Fantastic.

I leaned back slowly in my chair, then rubbed at the tension building between my eyes. None of this was permanent, and being here with Amelia, making sure she and the baby were safe, mattered more than anything.

I knew that.

But watching years of international connections slowly shift toward other planners still felt like swallowing glass on some days.

My phone vibrated softly beside my laptop.

Titus: What I wouldn’t give to have you working this yacht party.