Chapter 312

The screen remained dark for too long.

Evelyn couldn't resist unlocking her phone again.

In this day and age, there was no shame in a woman making the first move. She repeated it like a mantra in her head.

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Her fingers flew across the keyboard before she could second-guess herself.

"I made it!"

Sent.

No take-backs.

Silence.

Not even a typing bubble.

Her cheeks burned. She'd put herself out there, and now she was just... floating in digital limbo.

Evelyn jabbed at her own message, desperate to recall it.

Too late.

Damn it.

The sudden vibration in her palm startled her.

Alexander Kensington's name flashed across her screen.

Her thumb hovered over the answer button—then jerked back.

Wait.

Answering too fast would be pathetic. Obvious.

Three agonizing seconds later, she swiped right before he could hang up.

"Hello?" She infused her voice with deliberate nonchalance.

"Seven hours and thirty-three minutes." His voice was rough velvet.

"What?"

Blinking, she replayed his words.

"You're seven hours and thirty-three minutes late."

She could practically see him checking his watch. "Accounting for flight duration, ground transit, and reasonable rest periods—you're still five hours overdue."

A beat of stunned silence. Then—

"You hypocrite!" Evelyn sputtered. "You're just as late! Seven and a half hours, to be exact!"

Her nails dug into the comforter.

If he'd been tracking her flight this whole time, why hadn't he texted first?

"I was in back-to-back meetings." A weary sigh crackled through the speaker. "Just finished."

She heard the clink of a coffee cup.

The timing was too perfect—his call coming right after her text.

"Fine. Apology accepted." The fight drained out of her.

"Have you eaten? There's an excellent bistro near your hotel." Keys clacked in the background. "Sending you the address now."

"If you think it's good, it probably costs a month's rent." She flopped onto the bed, pouting at the ceiling. "I'll just order room service."

A low chuckle. "Use my card."

Evelyn scoffed, stretching her hand toward the empty air. "Oh? And how exactly do I do that? Materialize it through the phone?"

Thousands of miles separated them. The absurdity made her grin.