When he got to his office, he saw his assistant, Stephen, in his adjoining smaller office. “Did you get everything set up for tonight?” he asked.
Stephen smiled. “Yup. Limo’s going to pick her up and get her to the restaurant by six-thirty,” he said. “You’ve got a private room with a view of the Ferris wheel and the pier. One of the best steakhouses in the city.”
“And the gerbera daisies?” They were her favorite.
“They’ll be waiting in the car.”
Ren grinned back. Romancing the shit out of her: achievement unlocked!
“Now, I just need to come up with something for tomorrow,” he muttered to himself, heading back into his office, only to have Stephen follow him.
“You’ve got some stuff to go over,” Stephen said. “Jeremy from the software developer has called three times this morning, screaming about how it wasn’t their fault the software’s been buggy.”
“They designed the software. If it isn’t their fault, whose is it?” Ren asked, disgusted.
“They’re saying it’s user error.”
“User error doesn’t make the whole thing fail when it updates.” Ren walked into his office, sitting at his desk. “I’ll give him a call. Do me a favor and pull our contract with them? I want to see what we can do to get out of that.”
“Ren, can I speak with you a minute?”
Ren looked up. The division’s Chief Operations Officer, Peter, was standing in the doorframe. He was a portly man with a receding hairline, his thin lips pulled in a tight line. “Yes, Peter?”
“It’s about Zhuhai.” Peter’s pronunciation was atrocious.
“I’ll pull that contract,” Stephen said, then quickly exited the room, leaving them alone.
“I’m going to need you to go over there as soon as possible,” Peter continued without preamble.
Ren bit back a sigh. Peter couldn’t speak Mandarin or Cantonese, and they spoke both in Zhuhai. Sometimes Ren wondered if Peter didn’t just see him as a high-level translator. “I think that it might be better if we get the process stuff straightened out first,” Ren ventured. “There isn’t much point in me being there if I can’t get the line stuff figured out.”
“So you’ll see it firsthand.”
“I think late February might be better,” Ren said, gently but firmly. “Just a few more weeks.”
Peter obviously disagreed, and Ren got the feeling he’d probably need to jump on a plane. “Well, I’ve got a meeting tonight at eight, with the factory head.”
“That wasn’t on my calendar,” Ren said.
“It is now.” Peter looked irritated. “We’ve obviously got to get this straightened out.”
But I am getting it straightened out. Ren cleared his throat. “I can’t tonight,” he said. “I have a… an appointment.”
Peter looked at him like he was insane. “So cancel it!”
Ren leveled a stare back at him. “I think it might be better if we reschedule this, so I have more time to go over the materials,” he said.
Peter stared, and for a second, it was a game of chicken. Which one of them would blink first?
Peter’s color was red by the time he sighed through gritted teeth. “Fine. We’ll reschedule for tomorrow night.”
Ren only had a week to romance Rachel. “Next week,” he said.
Now Peter looked apoplectic. “It’s going to take you a week to go through those materials?”
“Actually, it’s going to take a few days to simply collect the materials,” Ren pointed out, and he wasn’t lying: they were still collecting information. “Then it’s going to take a few days to make sure everyone who has to be there has the materials and goes over them prior to the meeting.”
If Peter could’ve strangled him without repercussions, he probably would have. “Maybe we should discuss this with your father,” he said, his voice rough.
Ren’s eyes widened.
Seriously? You’re going to bring my parents into this?
“I’d be happy to discuss it with him,” Ren said. “In fact, I’ll be sure to mention it this weekend, at brunch.”
Peter blanched. Again, Ren felt badly: it had to suck to have your boss’s kid working for you. But he was asking for things that were unrealistic, and Ren wasn’t going to do stupid, pointless stuff just so his boss would feel better. Not if he didn’t have to.
“Fine,” Peter said. “Copy me on everything you send out.” With that, he turned on his heel and walked away.
Ren rubbed at his forehead against a nascent headache. “Hey Stephen?”
Stephen popped his head in. “Yeah?”
“Make sure that you get me all the info that gets funneled in about the line process for the Zhuhai factory,” he said. “And can you do me a favor?”
“Sure, what?”
“Keep my week – especially my evenings – clear for the next seven days.” He frowned. “And if it’s not too much trouble, I’m going to need to think of some really romantic dates.”
Stephen looked at him like he’d grown another head. “Who is this woman, boss?”
Stephen had been his assistant for the past four years, following him from division to division. At this point, he was just as much a friend as a business associate, and Ren trusted him implicitly.
“She’s special, and I’m trying desperately hard not to screw this up,” he said. “I need to make sure I can spend time with her and not get buried under work, so just… run interference for me, okay? No bonehead stuff if we can avoid it.”
Stephen nodded, looking resolute. “You got it, Ren.”
Ren watched as Stephen left, then looked at the hundreds of emails he still had to go through in his in-box.
He thought of Rachel – her dark hair, those sparkling eyes, those full lips. The way she’d clung to him the night before. Those kisses…
You’ll see her tonight, he chastised himself. Then he went back to work.
#
Rachel looked at herself critically in the mirror. Ren had told her to dress fancy tonight: he was sending a town car to pick her up, no doubt to take her to some ritzy restaurant or something. The problem was, she didn’t really have a fancy wardrobe. The black dress she’d worn to the Seastar was probably the nicest dress she owned. She had plenty of nice work clothes, and she had a cocktail dress that she’d worn to a party the casino had last year, a royal blue satin number with lace. She was wearing that now, hoping that she wasn’t overdressed. Or, God forbid, underdressed.
She could borrow something from Hailey, but Hailey had more of a figure than she had, and she was afraid that things would droop open. She looked at the cocktail dress critically. At least this fit.
She’d curled her hair a little, putting it in loose waves over her shoulders. She put on her makeup carefully.
Why can’t I be the type that wraps a guy around her finger, then destroys him?
She looked great. She knew that she could be stunning, if she tried. If she were Hailey, she’d probably string Ren along for the whole week, then crush him under her big-heeled boot by the end of seven days. Why can’t I be like that?
She was going to give him the full seven days, to see how compatible they were. He was going to “romance the shit out of her.” And she knew he was charming and had the means.
Why even make the one week a thing? Why not just give in?
She watched her expression turn stubborn. Because he had hurt her, she thought. Because she might not be the Hourglass Amazon her sister was, but she wasn’t going to let Ren run rampant over her, either.
There was a light knock on her door. “Rache? Can I come in?”
It was Cressida’s gentle voice. “Sure,” Rachel said. “Everything okay?”
Cressida stepped in. She was wearing a thick green sweater and a pair of khakis, as well as some thick socks that Hailey had gotten her for Christmas. “Ooh. You look amazing,” Cressida said.
Rachel did a little spin, enjoying the way the shortish skirt spun o
ut. “I have no idea where we’re going, but I figure I’ll be ready for anything in this.”
Cressida sat on the bed, looking hesitant. Rachel sat next to her. “So, you’re getting back together with him?” Cressida asked.
It wasn’t in-your-face, like Hailey. Cressida’s voice sounded tentative, wary.
Rachel sighed. “I don’t know yet. I mean, in my head, part of me is saying make him work for it.”
“He really hurt you.” Cressida’s expression was morose.
“I know.” The pain was still there, though not as fresh as it had been. “He’s apologized. That helped.”
“But does he mean it?”
“You’ve been talking with Hailey about this, huh?” Rachel nudged Cressida, who nodded.
“Hailey’s thinking more along the lines of a gun, a shovel, and quicklime,” Cressida said, and Rachel let out a surprised laugh. “I’m just… worried.”
“You don’t need to be.”
I know, it’s not our business, but we love you,” Cressida said earnestly. “And I’ll back off after this.”
“You’re not pressuring me,” Rachel assured her. “Believe me, you’re not telling me anything I haven’t thought of myself.”
“He was never a bad guy,” Cressida temporized. “What he did to you was bad, but he was an okay person.”
“That’s a ringing endorsement.” Rachel shook her head. “He was a great guy. He just didn’t prioritize me first.” Or second, or third, she thought bitterly. “Right now, I’m in his radar. He wants me, so he’s giving me the full court press. But what if something else comes up?”
That was what she was waiting for this week. For the other shoe to drop. For something to cross his path, something more important.
For him to drop her. Again.
She set her chin firmly, nodding. “So I’m not going to sleep with him. I’ll let him wine me and dine me, and romance me. But we’ll see if it goes any further.”
She caught Cressida’s smile. “That sounds like you’re keeping your guard up, anyway.”
“I’m trying.”
She slipped on her shoes, a pair of high heels in a matching deep blue that she’d fallen in love with. Then the two of them headed down the stairs.
Hailey was there, ringing up a customer. She waited until the customer left, then looked around. Seeing that they had the store to themselves, Hailey turned to Rachel. “Are you crazy?”
“Hi, Hailey,” Rachel said, tongue in cheek.
“What the hell are you doing? You let this guy come over to ‘study’ last night, and now you’re going out to dinner with him? Again?”
Rachel reached for a thick black full-length wool coat. “Yes, Hailey. I am going out to dinner with him. Again.”
“Are you just looking to get kicked like a puppy?”
“Hailey,” Cressida reproached her. “You’re not helping.”
“I just want to know why my sister, who got kicked to the curb like garbage ten years ago, is suddenly all kissy-kissy with the guy who trashed her!”
Rachel stiffened. Hailey was the most demonstrative of the three of them, the most temperamental. She didn’t suffer fools gladly.
Apparently, she believed Rachel was being a fool.
“He said he was sorry,” she said. “I believe he meant it.”
“Well of course he means it,” Hailey said, rolling her eyes. “He wants you.”
“We were lucky,” Rachel said sharply, cutting across Hailey’s protests. “Can you imagine what it would’ve been like if we had gotten married? Or stayed engaged?” She shook her head. “He would’ve been distracted at school, and so would I. I seriously doubt a long-distance relationship would’ve survived Grandma Frost’s cancer. So yeah, he broke up with me, but at least it was a decent reason. I’m not going to pretend it didn’t hurt, but I’m not going to let it keep dragging me down, either.”
She stood up straighter, her spine stiffening as she slipped on her coat.
“The bottom line is: I’m a mature woman now. I know what I want – and who I want – and I know what I deserve. I’m not going to just let him have me without working for it a little. And I’m damned well going to make sure that if – if – we get back together, he values me.”
Hailey studied her, still looking a little suspicious. Then she nodded. “I just want to protect you,” she said, her voice subdued. Especially for a Hailey tirade.
Rachel’s heart melted a little. “I know. And I promise, I’ll be careful.”
“He always had a way of charming you out of being mad,” Hailey said. “He comes from a rich family; he’s used to getting his way. Don’t let him walk over you.”
“I won’t.”
There was suddenly a knock at the door. The sisters looked over. It was a place of business, so the knock was weird. Rachel walked over.
There was a man in a black suit with a snowy white shirt. “Car for, ah, Rachel Frost?” he said, then gave her a quick look. His eyes filled with admiration. “You’re Rachel Frost?”
She nodded.
He gestured to the gleaming black limo. “I’m taking you to the city,” he said. “Traffic’s gonna be a bit of a challenge, but if you’re ready to go…”
She grabbed her purse, then impulsively hugged Hailey and Rachel. Then she took a deep breath, turning back to the driver.
“I’m ready,” she said, even as her stomach knotted. At least, she was as ready as she was going to get.
#
Ren was waiting by the hostess’ station at the steakhouse when Rachel arrived. His eyes roamed over her black coat, then widened appreciatively when she unbuttoned it, revealing the royal blue dress beneath. She looked gorgeous, the blue bringing out the deep royal tones of her eyes.
“You look stunning,” he said, leaning in and kissing her cheek as she hugged him.
She slung her coat over her arm. “Thanks,” she said. The cold air had pinkened her cheeks and brightened her eyes. “This is a nice place.”
“I hope you like it,” he said, then turned to the hostess, who was smiling at the two of them.
“If you’ll just follow Phillip, here?” the hostess said, gesturing to a waiter who was standing at attention like he was in the military. He gestured, then led the way to a private room that had a huge floor-to-ceiling set of windows, with a gorgeous view of the city beyond. Ren was gratified when he heard Rachel’s gasp of pleasure.
“You like?” he asked.
“It’s amazing!” she marveled, standing closer to the windows.
“May I take your coat, miss?” Phillip asked. Silently, distracted, she handed it over. He hung it on a nearby coat rack. The room itself was paneled in dark woods, with a sideboard. The single table was covered in snowy white linen, with emerald green napkins.
Rachel turned, then noticed Phillip had pulled her chair out. Her cheeks went a little darker as she sat on the seat, letting Phillip push her in. Ren sat across from her.
“Would you like to see the wine list?”
“I’m not a big wine drinker,” Rachel protested.
“We have a variety of mixed drinks,” Phillip said.
“How about a Kir Royale?” Ren suggested. “It’s got black current liqueur and champagne. You always liked champagne.”
“That does sound good,” Rachel said, turning to Phillip. “Thanks.”
Phillip handed them their menus. “I will be back shortly to discuss specials and help you with absolutely anything you require,” he said, sounding like it would be his genuine pleasure to run out in traffic if they asked him to. Ren shook his head.
“We’ll be ready in a minute.”
Phillip left them alone. Both Rachel and Ren were sitting on one side of the table, looking out at the view beyond.
“This is really great, Ren,” Rachel said, sounding overwhelmed.
“I told you: gonna romance the hell out of you,” he joked, taking her hand. She didn’t pull away, to his relief. He stroked the soft skin at the
back of her hand before turning it over, stroking her palm. “How was today?”
“Uneventful. Better now,” she said, and he felt his body tighten.
“I know how you feel,” Ren said, his voice roughening. “I know my day got a whole lot better as soon as you walked through the door of the restaurant.”
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about those kisses. He’d been impatient all through the work day, getting progressively more irritated with the petty distractions that apparently only he could deal with.
But he wasn’t going to unload all of that on her. He was romancing her, not dumping on her.
“Do you take a lot of people here?” she asked, looking at him from under full black lashes.
He blinked, surprised at the turn of the conversation. “Do you mean, do I date a lot? Or do I go through this much trouble?”
“Either.” Rachel smiled. “Both.”
“The answer: I don’t date much. Like you, I don’t have a whole lot of time.” Although he was deliberately making time this week, he realized. “When I do date, I don’t tend to get a private dining room, no.”
“I just figured this was the way that billionaires ate and entertained.” She drawled. “A girl could get used to this. What were you planning on doing to top this tomorrow night?”
He actually sat back, releasing her hand. He’d wanted to impress her, sure. But her voice sounded so… so mercenary.
Had she changed?
She shot him a quick grin, and he realized abruptly that he’d been taken in.
“I know you want to ‘romance the shit out of me’, but did you really think that you had to pull a Christian Grey to do it?” she said gently. “Expensive food and exclusive restaurants?”
“Well, it does head towards a red room of pain,” he quipped, deadpan, “so I figured the lead up at least ought to be good.”
Her laugh was intoxicating. “You had money when we were dating, in high school,” she said. “But that wasn’t why I was with you, and you know it. We went out for burgers all the time. I didn’t expect, or want, jewelry or gifts or any of that.”
He felt his cheeks heat. “Apparently this is a miss?”
“No,” she said, and to his relief, she took his hand. “What I’m saying is, you don’t need to spend a ton of money to impress me. If I’m going to stay together with you, your ability to take me out to fancy restaurants and throw gobs of money at me aren’t going to be the reason why.”
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