Lisa

Jennie has been distant and quiet all day. I'm worried that she's thinking about her Dad, that she's keeping in her sadness in order to get the job done.

"You all right?" I ask, my hand on her lower back. Jennie looks up at me, and guilt flashes through her eyes.

I grit my teeth and carefully brush her hair behind her ear. Looks like it isn't her dad she's thinking about… it's Mino.

Waking up next to her this morning was amazing, it was everything I've been wanting for years, yet to her, I was likely just someone who was in the right place at the right time, someone to confide in when she received devastating news.

Jennie nods, and I lead her to our table, when the very last thing I want to do is have another fucking business dinner. I want to take my Minx back to our hotel and draw her a bath or book her a massage. I want to take care of her, if she'll let me.

"Lisa," Chris says. I nod at the man whose company I'm trying to acquire, but tonight all my attention is on Jennie. I pull her seat out for her, and she smiles up at me. I don't know what it is about today, but I'm feeling far more protective than usual. I'm worried about her and I want to be the one that makes her feel better. I don't want her thinking of anyone but me.

"Is this lovely lady your girlfriend?" Chris asks, Jennie's hand in his. I drop my arm behind her chair and shake my head, wishing I could yes instead.

"She's my lawyer."

Jennie smiles at Chris and nods politely. She's got bags underneath her eyes that betray how rough last night was for her. She woke up countless times, crying. It broke my heart to see her that way. The only other time I've ever experienced her crying while fast asleep was when Rosé tore her apart. I hate that she's going through this again. Even worse, yet again, there's nothing I can do about it.

I can barely focus on what Chris is saying, even though his company is highly valuable, and highly coveted. I spent almost an entire year convincing him to sell to me, but now that I'm this close, I just want to go back home. I want to put Jennie on a plane and take her back to her dad. I feel horrible for taking her away from him in the first place.

Jennie places her hand on my upper arm and tilts her head in question, and I realize I must have missed a question. I smile at Chris in apology, but much to my surprise, he's smiling at me. He's always been incredibly short-tempered, but today he's being very… pleasant.

"Jennie just reassured me that none of my staff will lose their jobs," he tells me, and I glance at her, nodding.

"That's right," I tell him. "One of the things that makes your company so invaluable is the company culture, the bond and the vision everyone seems to share. I'd be a fool to take that away."

Chris nods in agreement. "I never thought of you as a family person, Lisa. For as long as I've known you, all I've seen is a ruthless business woman. Tonight, I'm seeing a different side of you," he says, glancing at Jennie. My eyes follow his, and Jennie looks into my eyes, her eyes twinkling. Every once in a while, she looks at me the way she used to, back when she was mine. I tear my gaze away and smile at Chris politely.

I refill Jennie's wine glass and try my best to focus on what Chris is telling me about his company, but my eyes keep finding Jennie's. By the time dessert comes around I'm antsy and ready to get out of here.

The waiter places our desserts in front of us, and I shake my head, stopping him. "I'm sorry," I say, "but she doesn't like anything that's strawberry flavored," I add, my head tipped towards the strawberry tart.

Jennie looks at me in surprise, as though she can't believe I remember that about her — like I could ever forget anything about her. She smiles, and this time, it's a real smile. It's that type of intimate smile that we always used to share, the one I didn't think I'd get to see again.

She puts her hand on my shoulder and shakes her head. "It's fine," she says, her voice soft. "I'll have this."

I shake my head and have the waiter replace her dessert. I lift my hand to her face and gently brush her hair out of the way. She smiles at me in thanks, and my heart skips a beat.

"I'll sell to you, Lisa," Chris says, and I turn to him in surprise. I expected to have to go through far more groveling. He glances at Jennie and then smiles at me. "Family is at the heart of my company. Family, love, respect. Those are our core values. Until recently I didn't think you'd be a good fit for us, but I was mistaken. I'm not getting any younger. It's time for the next generation to take the lead, and I think you'll achieve exceptional things without losing the values the company is built on."

Relief rushes through me and Jennie grins at me. I smile back at her and nod at Chris. "Of course. Your legacy is safe in my hands, Chris," I tell him, before glancing at Jennie. "Jennie will personally take care of all the paperwork."

She nods and that's that. I'm still in disbelief when we walk out of the restaurant. The second we walk around the corner, Jennie grabs my shoulders and throws herself in my arms. "Oh my gosh," she says, squeezing tightly. "We actually did it!"

I laugh and lift her off her feet, twirling her around. She giggles, and I lift her higher, my arms on her upper thighs. She looks down at me, her eyes sparkling with joy and pride. It's the happiest I've seen her in a while.

"I always knew you'd go far, Lisa, but wow… you've surpassed every dream, every wish I've ever had for you. I'm so proud of you," she says, her arms around my neck. I lower her to the floor slowly, her body still pressed against mine.

"Every dream?" I ask, my voice playful.

She narrows her eyes and giggles. "Lisa," she admonishes, grinning from ear to ear.

I reluctantly let go of her and grab her hand. She looks startled, and I smile. "It's cold, Minx," I murmur, putting both our hands in my pocket. I entwine our hands, and Jennie looks at me with such longing… this is exactly what I wanted. I want to be the only one on her mind. I want to fill her every thought, so that there's no room left for sadness or heartache.

"Let's go for a walk," I murmur, and she nods, looking happy. She's probably the only person I know that can set aside the things going on in her own life to be genuinely happy for me. I'm going to do whatever I can to keep that smile on her face, to keep her sadness at bay.