Xavier’s POV“Ivanna,” I said, straightening slightly in my chair, the warmth in my voice arriving a beat later than it should have.“You sound surprised to hear from me,” she said, a teasing edge under the words that didn’t quite mask the sharper tone underneath.“Long day,” I said. “What is it?”“I heard you were back from Thailand.” She gave a deliberate pause and continued. “You didn’t bother to call or check on me.”“It’s been a heavy landing week. Work backed up faster than I expected.” I defended myself.“Of course it did.” She let the silence stretch just long enough to make her point without needing to state it directly. “My father would like to schedule dinner. Just the four of us; you, me, him, and Arthur. And to pick up where the Grandview evening left off.”The Grandview evening. The same one I had been avoiding for years now. I was not following that thread right now, not with Ivanna’s voice in my ear.“I’ll check my calendar,” I said.“Xavier.” Her voice dropped, losing
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