The CEO, the Puppy and Me

by Jennifer Faye

  It wasn’t until he was older that a teacher took him under his wing. Mr. Rinaldi told him that he should take all the energy he put into being mad at everyone and use it to make a difference in the world. He had to admit that his fourteen-year-old mind didn’t think the man knew what he was talking about, but when he began applying himself to his classes, just to see if he could do it, he was quite surprised with how easy mathematics and computer sciences came to him. And soon he was at the top of his class—for the first time in his life. When he realized the only thing holding him back was himself, he excelled at most anything he tried.

  Ric swore to himself that he was never going to need anyone again. He built his life so that he could be totally autonomous. He lived his life behind a computer screen. He ordered food, clothes and anything else without the need to interact with people. He would never be let down, used or hurt again.

  Minutes later they arrived at a very busy veterinarian’s office. Thankfully, the staff took notice of the severity of the cut and rushed them back to an exam room.

  While Gia was inside, seeing that the dog was properly taken care of, he moved outside. He phoned his assistant, trying to figure out how to reorganize his afternoon.

  When Ric ended the call, he heard the office door behind him open. He turned to find Gia limping toward him with the puppy in her arms. It now had a red collar and a matching leash. “How’d it go?”

  “They said the cut looked worse than it was. The vet put in stitches and gave me some medicine. And a cone. They also supplied me with a care package of food and toys to tide us over until we get to the pet store.” Gia lowered a big white bag from her shoulder and handed it to Ric. “Poor guy. We’re good to go.”

  He was relieved to hear it was nothing more serious than stitches. “I’ll just go inside and pay.”

  “I already took care of it.”

  “You did?” He could tell by the frown on her face that it was the wrong thing to say. He’d been caught off guard as he was used to always picking up the bill.

  “I did.”

  “They also checked him for a chip,” she said. “He doesn’t have one. They took his photo and said they’d post a notice for a lost dog.”

  “That’s a good idea. I’ll post a notice online when I get home.”

  Once Ric got Gia and her bundle situated in the passenger seat, he closed the door. He rounded the car, hopped in and started the engine. At last he could get some answers that had been nagging him since he’d found the woman in the garden.

  But first there was something he had to know. “Where can I drop you?”

  She mentioned a trendy little hotel in the heart of Palmas. “But I don’t think it allows pets.”

  He grabbed his phone and checked. She was right. He smothered a sigh. Whatever could go wrong with this day had gone wrong.

  “We’ll just have to find a place for the puppy,” he said.

  “You could take him.” Her eyes held a hopeful gleam.

  Ric shook his head. “I’m never home. And I know next to nothing about animals.”

  “It isn’t that hard. And we can’t just drop him anywhere. We have to see that he gets his medicine and make sure he doesn’t rip out his stitches. The vet also said we had to watch for signs of an infection.”

  It looked like it was up to one of them to look after the puppy until they could find its owner. But with the future of his company in the balance, it couldn’t be him.

  Ric shifted the car into drive. “We’ll stop and pick up your things. Then we’ll find you a pet-friendly place to stay.”

  He waited for her to argue. But instead, she nodded.

  As he made his way into traffic, the questions that had been nagging him returned. Keeping his eyes on the road, he asked, “What were you doing at the house?”

  She didn’t say anything at first. He was beginning to think she wasn’t going to answer the question. Did she have something to hide? Was she in fact one of those women who sought him out because of his five minutes of fame?

  He halted that thought. Sure, he hadn’t known Gia for more than an hour or so, but in that time, he’d learned a lot about her. She loved animals. She was more concerned about the puppy than her sprained ankle. And he sensed she was a good person.

  She didn’t strike him as the type to track him down...for what? A photo? To ask him out? He never was sure what women wanted from him. Whatever it was, they weren’t going to get it. He had his priorities aligned. And they didn’t allow room for him to get distracted.

  Then Gia’s soft voice filled the car. “I’m not really sure why I was there.”

  That was not the response he was expecting. “Are you lost?”

  “No. Not exactly.”

  She wasn’t making a whole lot of sense. “There had to be some reason you were at that particular house and not somewhere else.”

  “The address was on a slip of paper I found in my mother’s journal.”

  If he was confused before, he was even more so now. “So you were searching for your mother?”

  “No.” When he pulled to a stop at an intersection, he chanced a glance at her. She once more had her head turned away. “I was searching for my father.”

  That answer startled him. It took him by surprise to the point where he sat motionless until a car honked behind them, spurring him into pressing the accelerator once more. His thoughts raced as he tried to put what she’d said into perspective.

  He swallowed hard. “You think your father lived in that house?” She didn’t answer, so he looked her way again. She nodded and he continued. “I take it that it’s been a while since you’ve seen your father.”

  “I... I, uh, never met him.”

  Alarm bells were going off in Ric’s head. Was it possible this gorgeous woman sitting next to him was his cousin? He shifted in his seat, leaving a little more space between them. This day had definitely taken some unexpected twists and turns. None of which he’d seen coming. Not at all.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  WHAT WAS WRONG with her?

  Why was she telling this perfect stranger about the most painful secret in her life?

  Gia leaned her head back against the black leather headrest, holding the puppy that was still groggy from the sedative the vet had given it in order to put in the stitches. Her fingers brushed gently over its downy soft fur. The action gave her some sort of comfort, but not enough to keep her from dwelling over the disappointment of not finding the answers she’d been seeking. If her father had ever been in that house, he was long gone now.

  How was she going to find him? Was she even on the right track? The questions swirled in her mind at a nauseous pace. Maybe some people would say it didn’t matter. But to her, it mattered very much.

  She wanted to know, did the smattering of freckles over her nose came from him? Did he love snack food as much as her? Did he sing in the shower? They would have such a good time answering each other’s questions. In no time, they’d be the best of friends. If only she could track him down.

  And in the next breath, she had to ask herself if this mission would be so important if she hadn’t just lost her mother and the man whom she’d always thought of as her father in a sudden and horrific car accident. No, she didn’t have to stew over it or debate the matter. She knew finding her biological father would be important no matter what.

  But her mother hadn’t left many clues. She rarely mentioned the man in her journal, and never by name. Gia wondered if it had something to do with her father... No, the man who’d raised her. Aldo never struck her as the jealous type, but she supposed if your wife had an affair and a baby from said affair, that might make a person jealous—very jealous. Still, Aldo never let on—at least not in front of her.

  So who was her biological father? And when she did find him, what if he wanted nothing to do with her? The breath hitched in
her throat. It was nice to dream of him welcoming her with open arms, but what if he refused to acknowledge her?

  Her pulse raced. Her throat tightened.

  That won’t happen. Just think positive. It will all work out. It has to.

  She needed it to.

  She swallowed hard. This subject was so difficult for her, but she couldn’t give up now. “Have you owned the house long?”

  Ric continued to stare straight ahead at the thickening traffic. “No.”

  That was it? A one-word answer. Not good enough. “Did you know the previous owner? Maybe he’s who I’m looking for.”

  Ric was quiet for a moment as though debating his answer. “The house belonged to my aunt and uncle.”

  “Oh.” Her mind ran with the idea. If the house belonged to his aunt and uncle. And if his uncle was her father—

  Her thoughts screeched to a halt. No wonder he was acting strangely around her.

  “Do you think—I mean, is it possible...could it be—”

  “That we’re cousins? I don’t think so.” His tone was firm.

  “But we could be...”

  Ric wheeled off into a parking spot and turned to her. “Did you hear about my uncle’s death? Are you here for the inheritance because if you are—”

  “I’m not!” She glared at him. He had absolutely no idea what she’d been going through ever since her parents died and left their family totally upended. “I swear. I have money of my own. Enough that I never have to work again if I choose not to.”

  “But you work now?” His tone had changed to something less hostile.

  “I do. I started a boutique hotel.” She didn’t offer him more details than that. At this point, he hadn’t earned her openness about her parents’ will or the contest to gain control over the Bartolini estate.

  Surprise and...was that respect flickered in his eyes? “So if I check, I’ll find that you aren’t some scam artist or anything nefarious?”

  There he went again, ruining their semi-truce. “Check if you must, but you won’t find any of those things.” And then turning the tables on him, even though she knew exactly who he was from all the media hype, she asked, “And if I were to check on you, what would I find?”

  “That’s a good question. I’m not sure either of us would like what the media’s printing about me these days.” And with that he made his way back into traffic. “I guess we have things to learn about each other.”

  “And whether we’re cousins. Or not?”

  The words hung in the air between them like some ominous cloud. The potential for it to be true bothered Gia. Her cousin should not be so dashingly good-looking. The memory of his tanned, toned abs came to mind. She definitely shouldn’t notice his good looks. But it was impossible not to.

  Without another word, he made his way to her hotel. When he pulled up in front, he turned to her. “I don’t have time to care for an injured puppy. And you can’t take him into the hotel, so it looks like we’re going to have to work together. Do you think we can do that, you know, for the good of the dog?”

  “I don’t see why not.” Her gaze met his. Every time he stared into her eyes, like he was doing now, her heart raced. She swallowed hard, trying to maintain her composure. “I don’t mind doing my part, but you should know I can’t take care of an injured dog full-time. I’m only here for a brief amount of time. And I have things to do.”

  He looked as though he was going to say something, but he paused as though rethinking what he’d been about to say. “Understood.”

  Using the utmost care, she handed him the puppy. And then she got out. She headed into the hotel to see if they would make an exception to their no pets policy and, as expected, they refused. And so she checked out early. She wasn’t sure where she was going to stay that night, but she couldn’t just abandon the puppy, and Ric didn’t seem comfortable caring for him.

  As she made her way to her room to gather her things, she couldn’t stop thinking about Ric. She’d recognized him right away in the garden. Someone would have to live under a rock not to recognize the man after all the media coverage he’d garnered for his part in that movie—this year’s smash hit.

  The funny thing was that he didn’t have an actual part—at least not a speaking part. It was more like he came walking out of the ocean with waves breaking behind him as rivulets of water raced down from his short dark hair to his broad shoulders to his muscled chest, and then there were those six-pack abs. She could now testify that those close-ups were most assuredly real and not airbrushed.

  But the fact there was a possibility he was her cousin utterly blew up all of those totally inappropriate thoughts. She’d been eager to learn about her other family, but she hadn’t thought she’d end up with Ric Moretti for a cousin.

  * * *

  This day had started so promising.

  And with each passing hour, his optimism had faded away.

  A frown pulled at Ric’s mouth. The fact Gia could be his cousin shouldn’t bother him. After all, it wasn’t like he would be upset about losing the inheritance. To be honest, he’d amassed his own fortune with his innovations. And now he wanted to pay it forward—to leave this world a little better than he’d found it.

  The dog whined, drawing Ric from his thoughts. He adjusted his hold. His thumb stroked the pup’s fur, feeling its little ribs in the process. This little guy had been on his own for a while now. Ric knew how that felt, but it didn’t make it better. In fact, it made it worse.

  “Don’t worry fella. We’ll make sure you end up in a good home where you’ll always have plenty to eat, a warm bed and you’ll never get hurt again.”

  The puppy turned its head and rested it on Ric’s forearm. He seemed quite content on his lap. And though Ric would not admit it to anyone, he was content holding the little guy. He could see why people had pets. Although he wasn’t changing his mind about walking through this life alone. No matter how cute the puppy was or how appealing it would be to share life’s burdens, he knew relying on someone—trusting someone—came with risks. And he’d already paid dearly. It was a lesson he’d never repeat.

  So while the puppy closed its eyes, seemingly content to fall asleep, Ric used his free hand to start searching for a hotel in the city that accepted pets. His first three tries failed.

  But the more he thought about it, the more he realized the answer was right under his nose. Or in this case, the answer was right under his roof. His apartment had a spare room that had never been used. And he didn’t mind having the dog there—on a temporary basis.

  And it would help to have Gia under the same roof until he unraveled the real story about her. Was she really his cousin? Or was she scheming for the inheritance?

  He didn’t want her to disappear until he knew the absolute truth. And so the decision was made. He would offer her a place to stay.

  The car door opened. Gia leaned inside. “I think we have a problem.”

  He smothered a sigh. “What is it?”

  “It’s my luggage. It’s not going to fit in your car.”

  Why hadn’t he thought of that?

  The puppy sat up. He lifted his head and licked Ric’s cheek. That was why he hadn’t been thinking clearly. This dog had upended his entire day.

  “Leave your luggage with the valet. I’ll send a car to pick it up.”

  She hesitated, not moving. The look on her face said she wasn’t sure about this arrangement.

  “It’ll be fine,” he said. “Just give them my name.”

  “Okay.”

  A few minutes later, she returned to the car. “You were right. Once I mentioned your name, there was no problem. You must have a lot of pull in this town.”

  “I don’t know about a lot, but enough.” He went to hand over the puppy, but its little paws went into overdrive as it fought to stay on Ric’s lap.

&nbs
p; “I think he likes you.” Gia smiled.

  Her face glowed bright like the sun. The way her lush lips lifted at the corners to the way her cheeks puffed up and her eyes sparkled, it chased away the dark clouds that had been dogging him all day. In fact, her sunny disposition warmed a spot in his chest. He was inclined to smile back, which wasn’t like him, but he resisted the urge.

  Ric cleared his throat. “Who? The concierge?”

  Gia laughed. “No. The puppy. Well, I don’t know about the concierge,” she said in a teasing manner. “Would you like me to go back and ask?”

  “No.” Now with the puppy on Gia’s lap, Ric checked his side mirror and then stepped on the accelerator.

  “Where are we headed?”

  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I did some searching and tried to find an available hotel on the island that accepts pets, but it wasn’t as easy as I would have hoped.”

  “Oh.”

  He glanced over, catching the smile slipping from her face. “But I do have a solution.”

  “I’m listening.”

  He drew in a deep breath. He knew once he uttered the words, there’d be no taking them back. “You could stay at my place. I have an extra bedroom. And it’s right here in the city, so you’d be close to everything.” Upon realizing that he was actually trying to talk her into this arrangement, he stopped himself. He would not beg. No way.

  “I don’t know. You don’t exactly seem like the dog type.”

  He cast a sideways glance at the puppy, who was watching him. “We can manage.”

  “I... I don’t know.” She seemed genuinely caught off guard. If this was a performance for his sake, she deserved an award.

  She wouldn’t be the first person to try to scam him out of his money—not that his uncle’s estate was truly his, at least it didn’t feel that way. It felt odd to take what once had been his uncle’s.