Page 75 of Hate On
Feeling Roman’s eyes on her, she looked up.
The understanding in his gaze helped ease some of the gloom and she managed to smile at him.
Really, just looking at him made her feel better.
Who wouldn’t feel better, having this man look at her like you’d hung every star in the sky? The pale crystalline beauty of his eyes, that smile on his face. It waseverything.Hewas everything.
“Maybe we should go over the itinerary for the trip,” Charles said, clearing his throat. Unaware of their preoccupation with each other, he continued, “The site manager is going to meet us at the airport when we land. Which is a disgustingly long time from now.”
Julianna laughed. “Daddy, you’ve made this trip dozens of times in your life. One would think you’d get used to it.”
“I’ve also been to the dentist dozens of time in my life,” he announced. “And I still hate going.”
“He has a point,” Roman said, tipping his glass in her father’s direction.
“About the dentist?” She made a face. “Absolutely.”
“I knew I’d fallen in love with you for a reason.” Roman drained the rest of his scotch, then put the glass down on the small table next to his chair, turning his attention toward Charles as the man drew a large portfolio case from the space next to his chair.
There was a large table in front of them and he used that as a workspace, unzipping the case and pulling a large, aerial image from inside.
“This will be our first trip out to this particular mine, Julianna. Roman, you traveled out there before, correct?”
Roman leaned forward, placing a hand on it the image to help hold it in place as the pilot came on the speakers to announce it was time for takeoff.
They all buckled in, but kept their focus on the image of the mines.
“Yes. I visited this one, and one other. You and Julianna took care of the Sri Lanka visits. Sometime in the next year, I think we should all visit them together, including Moira, if at all possible. I know she’s busy with her end of things, but we could take two weeks and get it all done, let the teams see who is in charge now, let them get to know us all a bit better. I want to be visible leaders in this.”
Charles nodded his agreement while Julianna started to twist her ring again. It had already become habit.
“The main export we have here is sapphires,” Charles said, tapping the image with a pen. “I’ve been thinking…”
As he continued to speak, Roman looked up and met Julianna’s eyes across the table once more.
She smiled at him and took a sip of wine.
The plane started to taxi down the runway and they both directed their attention back to the aerial image of the mines.
“I was thinking, while we’re there,” Charles mused. He slid Julianna a look, then eyed Roman. “The two of you will be shopping for wedding rings at some point, eh? Or at least getting them designed. I happen to know that Julianna is a sucker for a good sapphire.”
Roman cocked a brow at his future father-in-law. “Is that a fact?”
“She’s been known to appreciate them.”
Julianna reached over and swatted her father on the arm. “I think we can handle this ourselves, Daddy.”
“I’m just saying…isn’t that what you kids say these days?” He winked at Roman. “Just keep it in mind. Be on the lookout for a nice sapphire.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
There would be time for it, Julianna mused. In her mind, she started to imagine a delicate, platinum band that would go perfectly with the diamond engagement ring she already wore. A princess-cut sapphire, its cut flawless, sparkling in its unique setting…
“Julianna…”
She jerked herself out of her daze and met her father’s, then Roman’s eyes. “Sorry. Daydreaming.”
“You’re doing that a lot lately,” Roman noted.