by Parker, Ali
“What got you interested in the medical field?” I asked, wanting to know every detail of her life.
She offered a soft smile. “My mom.”
“Your mom encouraged you to go into medicine?”
She gently shook her head. “My mom, my birth mother, died when I was a year old. My mom, Cara, is my dad’s second wife.”
I searched my memory banks, something triggering a memory. “Oh, your birth mother. Cancer, right?”
“Yes. I don’t remember her. I never really knew her. She was sick from the day I was born. Cara is my mom. I’ve always thought of her as my mom, but I do miss the idea that I never knew my birth mother. I will admit I started this journey into medical research with the idea of no family ever having to lose a family member to the horrible disease, but it kind of evolved from there. I didn’t want to just cure cancer. I wanted to cure everything. I know that is crazy and fantastical, but it is what led me to research rather than medicine. I didn’t want to prescribe pills. I wanted to eradicate the need for the pills.”
I could listen to her talk all day. She was passionate about her job. I loved watching her face light up as she talked. Her hands had been very animated as well. She was different than she had been when it was brought up before.
“Do Khloe and Julia support your choice in career?” I asked.
She laughed. “They do, but they think I should have gone the doctor route. The money is a lot better, but that wasn’t what motivated me.”
“Good,” I said with a firm nod. “You should always follow your heart.”
“I agree. Plus, they tease me a lot because I can really get going on cell rejuvenation and stem cells. I will go on for hours. They’re not exactly into that kind of thing.” She laughed. “I’ve learned to only speak nerd with my fellow lab rats.”
“You can speak nerd to me all day,” I told her, not meaning it to sound like a come on but realizing that was exactly what it sounded like.
She smiled brighter. “That’s a good one,” she teased.
I laughed. “That didn’t come out quite like I meant it to, but I’m serious. I’ll listen all day. You clearly love the subject. It shows in your eyes, and you truly light up.”
“Do you feel that kind of passion for your job?” she questioned.
I thought about it and shook my head. “No, I don’t think I do. What I love is looking at something that everyone else sees is junk or a tear-down project and thinking of the different ways I could make it awesome. The hotel I’m going to be buying soon, it isn’t tear-down level, but it is certainly in rough shape and needs a lot of updating. I can’t wait to start working on it and bring it back to life.”
She was smiling at me and nodding. “That is awesome and sounds amazing.”
The waitress came back again. We both chose the French toast with hash browns and extra bacon. I was glad she was going to eat. The first meal we had shared, she’d pecked at her food. I hoped it meant she was more comfortable with me and ready to let loose a little.
My phone rang in my pocket. I quickly checked the screen, saw it was Richie, declined the call, and put it on vibrate.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” she answered easily. “You’re a busy man.”
We chatted a little more about Lake Tahoe in general and very little about her dad. I got the feeling she was guarded about him and chalked it up to years of practicing OPSEC. Military kids knew better than to talk about what their parents did or where they were at.
I felt my phone vibrate again, checked, and found it was Richie again. I tamped down my frustration, focusing on my conversation with her. When our food was delivered, I heard her sigh with pleasure. “I’m so hungry,” she confessed.
“Me too. I’m usually at the office by seven or eight, and I’m not one to skip breakfast. I did today.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t have,” she said with a smile.
“I wanted to. I wanted to share my first meal of the day with you.”
She blushed a little as she took a bite. “Thanks,” she whispered.
We ate what I was sure had to be the best meal I had enjoyed in a very long time. The food was great, but it was the company that made it perfect. I wasn’t ready to go back to work when the meal was finished. I wanted to monopolize her time a little longer.
“Should we go for a walk?” I asked. “There are some little boutique shops that hardly see any foot traffic.”
She shrugged. “Sure, I’d like that.”
I took her hand, and together, we walked along the street, popping into various shops and checking out the goods. We came upon a scarf shop, and I saw her eyeing one of the scarfs. She ran her hand over the silk before moving on, but her eyes kept going back to the scarf.
“It’s nice,” I commented.
“What?”
“The scarf. It’s nice. Why don’t you get it? I think it would look great on you.”
She smiled and shook her head. “I cannot pay that much for an accessory. I hate to say it, but this place is a little overpriced.”
I checked the tag and didn’t see the issue with the price. It was of a high quality. “I’ll buy it for you.”
“No!” she immediately answered, looking at me with a frown on her face.
“Please, I’d like to,” I said with a laugh. “I would love to see you wear it. Think of it as a thank you gift for hanging out with me.”
She put a hand on her hip and turned out her foot. “No. You are not buying me a gift for hanging out with you. That’s, well, I think that crosses into territory I don’t want anything to do with.”
“It’s a gift, nothing more. I’m not trying to buy you. You have to realize I have money, more than I could ever spend. I want to buy this for you. I buy things for my friends all the time.” I picked up the scarf and gently wrapped it around her.
She looked down at the fabric hanging over her shoulders. She touched it and looked back at me. “You really are just that kind of guy, aren’t you?”
“If you mean the kind of guy that buys things for people he likes, yes. It’s nice, and I think it will look gorgeous with your lab coat.” I winked.
She burst into laughter. “Taupe and white. I’m not sure that’s a good color combination.”
“Will you let me buy it for you?”
She sighed and looked down at the scarf again. “Yes, but please know I didn’t expect or need you to do this. I’m only agreeing to it because I can see you’re a persistent kind of guy.”
I winked. “Damn straight I am.”
I took the scarf and carried it to the counter to purchase. It did look beautiful on her, and I was very pleased to be able to give her a small gift.
Chapter 16
Sade
I felt like I was in a dream. I had come to Lake Tahoe with expectations of having a good time with my friends, doing a little drinking, sunbathing, and maybe some shopping. I had never imagined I would meet a man that checked all the boxes.
He was everything a woman could want, and he was interested in me. I must have reminded myself of that at least a hundred times. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t believe it was really happening. It was. It was real. He was very real and sitting a few inches away from me in the backseat of his chauffeured car as we took a scenic way back to the hotel.
“I’m sorry,” he said, looking apologetic. “I have to check my email. Richie has been blowing up my phone, and I need to make sure there is nothing too important.”
“Don’t be sorry. You have a business to run. I’m fine just staring out the window.”
I was at peace. I had hated the idea of accepting the scarf from him, but ultimately, I accepted it for the gift that it was. It was expensive in my eyes, but in his eyes, it was like buying me a silly souvenir at a gift shop. The money wasn’t an issue. I had to swallow my pride and accept it.
I felt ridiculous for insinuating he was trying to buy me. I hoped I was worth more than a scarf. Thankfully, he hadn’t been insulted
. He’d smiled and played it off and bought me the damn thing anyway. I had a feeling he was a man used to getting what he wanted. Why wouldn’t he? He had money, power, great looks, and an even better personality.
“Everything okay?” I heard him ask.
I turned to look at him. “What?”
“You were sighing. Are you bored? I’m just about finished here. I need to make a quick phone call. I’m sorry for being so rude.” He looked aggrieved.
“Don’t feel bad,” I said. “I’m enjoying the ride.”
“I’d love to see you wear the scarf,” he said with a grin.
I laughed, pulled it out of the flat box, and wrapped it around my neck. “I’m not sure it goes with the shirt, and I might look a little silly wearing a scarf in the height of summer, but if it makes you happy, I will absolutely do it.”
“It makes me very happy, but I think you should only do things that make you happy,” he insisted.
“I’ll remember that,” I said, staring into his eyes and remembering the kiss from the night before. That had made me very happy. I wanted more.
I wasn’t going to mention it, though. Just in case it had been one of those drunken mistakes. As much as I wanted to believe he was truly into me, I couldn’t quite silence the little voice in my head telling me I wasn’t good enough.
“Give me two minutes,” he said, picking up his phone and hitting the button.
I felt a little guilty for intruding on his conversation, but it wasn’t like I had anywhere else to go. I did my best to pretend I didn’t hear him and focused my attention out the window. He was speaking in a low voice but wasn’t whispering. I had a feeling he probably did a lot of business from the backseat of his car. A guy didn’t become a billionaire without putting in some time and energy, which would require a lot of networking.
I found myself stroking the scarf, running the soft fabric between my fingers and smiling. It was a lovely gift. I still felt a tiny bit guilty for accepting it, but I couldn’t wait to show the girls. I knew they would love it.
I was already thinking about what I would wear it with this fall. I had the perfect black sweater that would look great with it. I would style my hair up in a loose bun, and every time I looked or touched the scarf, I was going to remember him.
The car pulled into a parking area and stopped. I listened to Trent wrap up his phone call before sliding it into his jacket pocket. “Want to go for a short walk?” he asked.
“Are you up for it?” I asked, worried about his leg.
He smiled. “I am. I want you to see this view. It is worth the short hike.”
“Where are we?” I asked.
“This is Captain Pomin Rock. You can practically see the entire lake from the viewpoint. It’s one of the best kept secrets, and not a lot of people bother coming up here. Come on. You’ll love it.” He opened the door and got out of the car. He waited, grabbed my hand, and led me toward a trail.
We made it to the lookout he had described, and I was absolutely awestruck. “This is crazy. I can’t believe more people don’t come here!”
He laughed. “A lot of tourists come for the lake and the water activities. It’s the real die-hards that want to really see what the area has to offer that venture up here.”
“I think this is better than anything down there. It’s far more private and gives you a chance to really enjoy the beauty of it all.”
“Is there anything your friends and you wanted to do while you were here that you haven’t done yet?” he asked.
I shrugged a shoulder. “Not really. You took us on a yacht, which was not on the list but absolutely an awesome experience. We talked about trying paddleboarding, but I’m not very coordinated.”
He laughed. “It is harder than people think.”
“I’m not the athletic type. Khloe is. I bet she’ll be good at it.”
“Anything else?” he asked. “Kayaks?”
I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t know. Really, honestly, all we really planned to do was drink, sunbathe, and just kind of relax. We’ve all been working really hard and just wanted a chance to get away from it all before we go home and step into the real world of adult living. We’ve all been kind of sheltered with being in school forever, and this is a brief glimpse of freedom before we bust our butts trying to make a living.”
He laughed. “Adulthood isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. That’s for sure. If only someone would have told us when we were adolescents to enjoy living in the moment instead of always wishing we were older.”
“Ah, it is rough, but we get to eat ice cream for breakfast and drink alcohol until we puke,” I teased.
His warm laugh washed over me again. “Oh, how could I forget those benefits?”
“You seem to be doing okay at the adult thing,” I told him.
He nodded, staring out at the view that stretched on for miles below. “I am doing okay. I’m happy and I enjoy life. Leia makes it better.” He laughed.
I smiled, loving how he could be so open and honest about his love for his dog. He always got a bit of a gooey look on his face when talked about her or she was around.
“I might have to think about getting a dog. You are really selling me on the idea.”
“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “I’m thinking about getting her a friend to keep her company while I’m gone. I expect I’ll be working long days with the new acquisition, and while I like to take her to work with me sometimes, a construction zone is no place for her.”
I loved that he was thinking of her safety. He was going to make a very good daddy. “Good thinking.”
We chatted a bit more before we headed back to the car. I had heard the phone vibrating in his pocket and felt guilty for taking up his valuable time. We rode back in comfortable silence, enjoying the scenic drive. When we got to the hotel, we walked into the lobby where he pulled me off to the side.
“I have to get some work done. The acquisition is in its infancy stages, which means a lot of paperwork and phone calls and, unfortunately, things that require my attention. I’d like to spend more time with you. I’ve had a great time today, and I hate that this is all happening during the one week you are here. Trust me. I would be begging to spend every minute with you if things were different.” He gave me a warm smile.
I believed him. He was genuine, and I had come to know him well enough to know he didn’t just hand out compliments on a whim. He said what he felt. There was a refreshing air of honesty about him that I truly appreciated.
“Please don’t feel bad,” I said. “I am glad you’ve been able to free up the time you have. I would never expect anything more.”
“Would you like to get dinner tonight?” he offered.
I thought about it and realized the man was trying to be nice. I knew he had a lot of work to do. “You know, I should probably hang out with Julia and Khloe tonight. I think you could also use the time to catch up on all that work you’ve been putting off today.” I smiled.
I watched him nod. “You’re right. What about tomorrow? You can bring your friends.”
“I feel like you feel obligated to invite them,” I said with a laugh.
He shook his head. “Not at all,” he said with a sexy grin. “I understand this was your trip with them. I want to spend time with you as well. I guess I have to share you.”
“Thank you. I will ask them and see if they are up for it.”
“Great, just text or call me tomorrow,” he said.
Together, we walked across the lobby with his hand on the small of my back once again. I felt regal. I saw the looks from the other guests and the staff roaming about the lobby. I was the woman with Trent, the owner of the hotel. I felt my shoulders going back and my chin rising a little. I didn’t want to appear unworthy of his attention.
He stopped in front of the elevators, moving to stand in front of me. “I had a great time today.”
“I did too. I will remember that view for the rest of my life, and
I know I would have never got to experience it if it wasn’t for you.”
He smiled. “I’m glad to have been able to show you something new.”
I felt the heat wash over me as I thought about the other new thing I had been thinking about sharing with him. “Thanks again. I’ll let you get back to work.”
“I hope I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” he said, leaning in to drop a kiss on my cheek.
“Bye.” I waved, stepping onto the elevator. He watched until the doors slid closed.
I was a little disappointed I didn’t get a real kiss, but I understood the issue of privacy. Everyone had been watching us. I had a feeling there would be a lot of people curious about the woman who was with one of the most eligible bachelors. I imagined there were probably a few women plotting my demise just then.
I smirked. “Too bad, bitches,” I whispered before bursting into laughter. I was feeling a little cocky and self-assured just then.
I was going to relish the moment.
Chapter 17
Trent
The financials were looking good for the acquisition. It was hard to sell a huge investment when I couldn’t really promise a great profit for several years. Fortunately, I was the boss, and if I lost some money in the deal, it wouldn’t kill me.
I wanted to throw money at the project until it worked. I knew it would work, but it was going to cost. After a final review of the numbers, I sent it over to my accountant to give his stamp of approval. I wasn’t worried he’d reject it. He knew better. He’d work his magic and make it happen.
I checked the time and fought back the disappointment. Sade hadn’t called or texted. It was after ten. I knew she would have been up already. Maybe I had misread the signs yesterday. Maybe I had pushed too hard. I had kind of insinuated myself into her vacation. I should have skipped the dinner invitation.