The box in her heart creaked open a crack. It was often said that Duke’s twin, Zander, had a better poker face than he did. A popular observation made from The Lion’s Den. Viv could second the notion, but it wasn’t exactly his face that gave him away. Duke always had spoken his wants, his desires—his mood, even—with his eyes.
And as she neared the steps, eyes fixed on those deep pools of blue, she couldn’t help but think he had more than just his gaze set on her. A new dose of heat flared low in her tummy before she could tame it.
“Vivi,” he said, extending his hand to help her up the stairs.
His nickname for her—just hearing it on his lips seemed to jostle the heart box once more.
“Viv,” she corrected while taking his strong hand. That’s right, Duke, we’re not on those terms anymore. He’d given up the right to address her with such endearment when he broke her heart.
“Of course,” he was quick to say, but as he released his grip on her hand, she saw the hurt on his face.
Viv tore her gaze away and eyed the spacious interior of the jet. It was impressive, as she guessed it would be. It looked more like the inside of a five-star hotel than an aircraft.
“Take them to the rear suite if you don’t mind,” Duke said to Bruce as he entered with her luggage.
“Will do.”
“Thank you,” Viv said, stepping aside as the man carried her luggage to the far end of the space. A retracting door slid open and then closed behind him.
“The flight’s about six hours,” Duke said. “There’s a bed in your room if you’d like to relax. And a dining area with an informal menu selection tonight,” he said, pointing in the opposite direction. “The chef’s on board. Or you can just make yourself comfortable out here and watch some TV. There are movie selections…whatever you’d like.”
Viv nodded. “Thanks.”
More nodding.
More eyeing the glossy floors, sleek design, and posh interior. Through it all, she was very aware of his close proximity. Rattled by it, even. Had she gotten her makeup the way she wanted it? Had she realized they’d be this close throughout the trip? Had she made a mistake by taking the job?
“How often do you use this?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Few times a month, probably.”
“For vacation, business, both?”
A slight grin tugged at one corner of his lips. “Both, yes.”
“Hmm.” That smile…
The sliding door retracted with a barely audible hum, and Bruce stepped through with a nod to Viv. “You’re all settled.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“Thanks, Bruce,” Duke echoed. “Hey, did you guys set a date?”
“We’re looking at August sixteenth, just before her oldest goes off to college” the man replied, his face transforming in a blink.
“Nice,” Duke said. “Congrats, man.”
“Thank you. We’re looking forward to it.” Back slaps ensued. A guy-friends type of back pat. “Have a nice flight,” Bruce said over his shoulder.
It was interactions like these that helped Viv determine the type of person someone was. She liked that Duke was friends with Bruce. Seemed to know about his personal life, even.
Duke tucked his hands into his pockets, waiting until Bruce left to speak again. “He’s a good guy. Just got engaged, actually, to a woman with three kids. One’s a teenager.” He blew out a whistle. “That’s what I call true love.”
Viv bristled at the comment. “What does that mean?” Was it possible Duke didn’t know that Viv was a single mom herself? Yes, she realized. It was very likely, actually. She didn’t have a public profile online, not one outside of her Veritå account.
Duke’s eyes turned guarded as he took in her reaction. “It just means that…” He stopped there, seeming to catch himself, and shook his head. “Nothing.” Duke pulled a phone from his pants pocket, gave it a quick glance, and slipped it back into place. “I’ve got a few things to attend to before we take off. Make yourself confortable.” He gave her a polite nod before spinning on one heel. A retractable door matching the one Bruce went through slid open as Duke approached it.
Viv shifted her gaze as it closed behind him.
They’d already sealed off the entry, she realized as she made her way to the end of the sofa and lowered herself into one of the seats.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to find how comfortable the thing really was. Still, she doubted she’d be able to relax a whole lot.
Already there was a block of tension between them. She always made it clear—during the first session of any interview—that the subject, whomever it might be, had signed a contract. One that covered both Viv and whichever media was publishing the interview. It warned that any information she gathered during their time together could be used in the article.
And while Viv took full advantage of that, getting as close to each client as she could to build a trust and friendship, she was careful not to abuse it by baiting them into saying something unsavory.
Her short interaction with Duke told her he was already ill at ease. His PR had probably warned him on more than one occasion to weigh his words with her carefully. But that was the beauty of her interview process. One could only weigh their words for so long.
Still, if Duke were anyone else, she wouldn’t have let him off so easy. In fact, she’d have likely asked him to join her for a bite to eat during the flight. She needed to get started, after all.
But something about the way he excused himself—right after sticking his foot in his mouth, no less—said that he wanted the escape as much as she did.
And if Viv were being honest, his comment about Bruce marrying a single mom struck a real nerve. One she hadn’t bothered hiding either.
The jet rumbled, low and even as a small chime sounded. “We’ll be taking off in the next five minutes. Please make sure you’re buckled up for takeoff. In approximately six hours and fifteen minutes, we should arrive in beautiful Costa Rica.”
Another ding chimed, this time from the sofa. Viv glanced around her to see a small, orange glow coming from the crease. The seatbelts, she realized, tucking her hand in the fold.
She assumed the takeoff from such a luxury jet in perfect conditions would likely be smooth. In fact, she wondered if Duke simply disregarded those requests all together.
Still, she buckled up, wishing the belt could somehow brace her for the five-day journey ahead. That, Viv mused with the shake of her head, was sure to be a bumpy ride.
Chapter 6
Duke cupped the baseball—a signed piece he kept on the jet—in his palm. While lounging flat on his back, he tossed the thing, then watched it spin as it rushed back toward his open palm where he caught it.
He repeated the action, thoughts of his past on his mind.
“You finally going to tell me what happened between you guys?” Perry asked from the other end of the line. Duke’s phone lay beside him on the chaise lounge. “I mean, we’re halfway through a six-hour flight and you’re hiding out like a nervous school boy talking to me instead of her.”
Duke caught and tossed the ball again. “I’ve always been the popular one, right? I was the most liked, man’s man, party guy, whatever you want to call it. Zander got better grades, earned a bunch of awards, and was just…taken more seriously all the way around.”