Love Beyond Love

Chapter 16

EDITED

"I invited Sonia and Tara for dinner." Julia informed her husband and son as they sat down to have their meal.

"What? So shouldn't we wait for them?" Orlando frowned.

"Darling." Julia chuckled before replying. "I said I invited them, I didn't say they accepted it!"

"They refused?" Drago frowned as they started their dinner.

"Sonia had to be somewhere tonight, something related to work. I understand, they are busy girls so I said they can come whenever they like." Julia smiled.

"Oh, I really wanted to meet this woman. She seems like a very interesting person." Orlando said through his soup.

"Why do you say so?" Drago asked, shrugging.

"Well, before I left, my son was talking about her all the time and after I am back, my wife is talking so much about her! I mean, I hadn't even changed my clothes and your mother was telling me all about this girl, about when she came home to get some papers signed, had brunch with you all, about that accident and now she's saying she invited them for dinner! And that you came back, from mid-trip, just for her and about the trips you make to the construction site almost every day. Now tell me, if my son and wife can't stop meeting her, why should I?" Orlando explained as Drago just looked at him and Julia laughed.

"You shouldn't." She said and shook her head. "She'll visit soon and I am pretty sure you are going to like this girl. She seems quite nice."

Orlando nodded and looked at his son, who was nodding as well, albeit absent mindedly.

--

"What are these?" Drago asked as soon as he entered his cabin the next day.

"These came for you, two days ago." Tisha said slowly as Drago picked up the dried bouquet of yellow roses.

Thank you for your concerns! - Sonia A.

He read the card and looked at Tisha.

"Why didn't I get it before?" He asked as he put the card back in the bouquet.

"We had gone to look at the sites day before yesterday, when these came. And the cleaning staff put it away after the office closed. That's why-

"You can go." He said and Tisha walked away quickly.

Drago sighed and sat back, looking at the dried, withered roses. The awkward feeling in the stomach made an unexpected comeback as he once again remembered the day when these flowers arrived, when he had seen her lying on the sofa in bloodied clothes. His chest tightened uncomfortably and he shook his head.

"What the hell is this." He muttered to himself before taking out his phone and dialing someone.

"Hey." Gina replied from the other side.

"What were you doing?" He asked, putting away the flowers.

"Having an early lunch with a few friends." She replied. "What were you doing?"

"In the office, working." He said. "When are you coming back?"

"Don't know yet. Maybe next month? Why, are you missing me?" She chuckled.

"Yes, I am missing my friend." He said and sighed.

"Well, I'll be back soon. And before I am back, you better decide what you are going to gift me on my birthday!" She laughed.

"What do you want?" He smiled to himself.

"Hmm, I was thinking of adding another yacht to my collection." Gina replied casually and Drago chuckled.

"You got it." He said.

"You are the best! I will talk later, eating right now! Bye!" She said and cut the call before he could say bye.

"Wow, getting another yacht from him?" Her friend said with raised eyebrows.

"Well, you know, he's quite enamored by me and he does what I say, what's a girl to do?" She smirked and they laughed while basking in the Las Vegas sun.

--

Tisha walked into Drago's office an hour later with a few files in her hand and a cup of steaming coffee in another. He was busy in a file and Tisha quietly stood there after placing the coffee mug beside him.

"Yes?" He said after a few minutes.

"David from construction is here." She said and he nodded, gesturing her to get him in. She quickly walked back outside and came back a twenty seconds later with a man behind her.

"Mr Barzetti, good to see you again." David said and shook Drago's hand.

"Same here." Drago said as they sat down. "I hope you read the details of the land we are planning to build our next five-star hotel on?" he said and David nodded.

"Yes. It's a great piece of property. Close to the airport, not so far away from the city. Really good." David said.

"So, I would like you to start planning. The deal will be finalized soon and I want you to start the construction as soon as possible. Prepare some base designs and we'll move forward with that." Drago explained as David agreed.

"Sure. I will be waiting for your call then." David replied.

"Will see you soon." Drago smiled and stood up.

"Thank you." David said and stood up as well, shaking Drago's hand once again before leaving.

Drago sat back and sipped his coffee as Tisha left, taking the bouquet of the dead, dried roses with her.

--

I do not own the picture. Credit goes to owner.