“If something is worth having, then go out and get it and don’t stop until it’s yours.”

Now Alicia appeared to be thinking about Nir’s words. Meanwhile, Nicole stared at him with wide eyes like he’d just put his foot into his mouth and then deep into his throat. Before he could figure out what terrible thing he’d said, though, Alicia leaned forward, and when she spoke it sounded like the depth of her Texas accent had been turned up to ten.

“Well, I’m not sure if I should be flattered or horrified. But one thing I can tell you is that no one will ever have this Texas girl. I’m not some little gem you can tuck away in your vault, Mr. Tavor. I’ve never considered having a business partner. I don’t need a business partner. And if you think you can fly me here in your private jet and show me your pretty rocks and I’ll just swoon and sign whatever papers you have, you can kiss that little fantasy goodbye.”

Finished, the intense look in her dark eyes making it clear she’d meant every word, Alicia leaned back and took a sip of her cocoa. But when she pulled the mug away, a little dot of Mila’s homemade whipped cream sat on her nose.

Nir knew he should be reeling from her tirade and apologizing profusely for choosing his words so poorly. But instead, he was in a desperate struggle not to laugh. Yet if he so much as giggled after she’d just poured out her emotions like that, the whole operation could be tanked. Still, that little white dot sat there on the end of her pert little nose, taunting him.

He glanced at Nicole, who was so focused on shooting daggers at him that she obviously hadn’t noticed the offending cream. He looked back at Alicia. The visual was so absurd, so incongruous with the situation, that he was powerless to hold back.

Nir put his elbows on his desk and his head in his hands. Then his whole body convulsed, and it all poured out.

Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

15:05 / 3:05 P.M. CET

When Nir looked up, both women’s eyes had grown enormous.

“Nir,” Nicole said, truly scolding him as shock covered her face.

“I’m sorry,” he said, trying to get out the words as he pointed at Alicia. “I’m so, so sorry. I just—”

He lost control again.

Nicole looked at Alicia and saw the problem. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Nir. You’re like a child.” Leaning toward her friend, she pulled her sleeve up into her hand and cleaned Alicia’s face. But Nir saw her grinning while she was doing it.

“Did I have…” Now Alicia was using her own hand to wipe the tip of her nose.