The CEO, the Puppy and Me

by Jennifer Faye

  “That you won’t feel so alone anymore? That it will lessen the pain of losing both of your parents?”

  How dare he say those things to her? She jumped to her feet. “You don’t know what you’re saying. You don’t understand.”

  And with that, she turned and forced herself to walk in slow steady steps with her spine straight and her head held high. Gin trailed behind her. She wouldn’t let Ric see how deeply his words had hurt her.

  Had they hurt her? Or was it just that he was right? No. She wasn’t trying to find a replacement for her parents. She would never do that.

  All she wanted were answers, and there was nothing wrong with that. She needed to know about the part of her life that was missing. Who was her father? Had he known about her? And where did they go from here?

  * * *

  He’d utterly mucked that up.

  Royally.

  The next day, Ric was still worried about Gia. She was getting her hopes up for a happy reunion with her biological father, and Ric was worried that might not happen. Sure, his PI friend was good but sometimes good wasn’t enough. His friend had searched for Ric’s own father and come up with nothing. Absolutely nothing.

  Maybe his mother had been right. Maybe it really had been a bad time in her life and she’d lost control. Ric didn’t understand losing control like that because he always made sure he was in charge of everything from his business to his personal life. He had definite plans for both—none of which included a beautiful woman or a stray dog.

  Speaking of the pup, no one had claimed Gin. It was looking more and more like the little guy was permanently theirs—correction, Gia’s.

  Mrs. Rossi had offered to take Gin for a walk to the park after the little guy was caught ripping a pair of Ric’s socks to shreds. Why exactly had he said the dog could stay? The recollection was becoming fuzzier with each item of Ric’s that the puppy turned into some sort of chew toy. He reminded himself that soon they’d be gone, and he’d resume his quiet existence. However, that idea didn’t sound as appealing as it once had.

  Not wanting to examine his feelings for Gia, he turned his thoughts to getting the reclusive owner of Grosso Global Transports to sit down with him for a meeting. Ric knew if he were to publicly announce what his program did that bids would come pouring in. But a bidding war wasn’t what he had in mind. Money wasn’t his goal with this project.

  He wanted to test his technology with the biggest global transport company. If he could master their system, he could take what he’d done and duplicate it into something to help those in need. It would be a supply corridor using the goodwill of commercial transporters. That was his ultimate goal, but for companies to sign on to the emerging plan, he had to show them that he knew what he was doing and could make it work.

  Tap. Tap.

  Ric glanced up to find Gia standing in the doorway of his study. The sadness in her eyes was like a jab to his gut. He wanted more than anything to replace that sadness with a smile, but he didn’t know how to find her father for her.

  “Do you have a minute?” she asked.

  “Sure. Come in. I’ve been meaning to speak with you, but I wasn’t sure you wanted to hear anything I have to say—”

  “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have gotten so defensive.”

  “And I’m sorry for being such a pessimist.”

  “No, you were being a realist—something I’m not ready to deal with.” She sat down in the chair off to the side of his desk. She wrung her hands, letting him know she was still upset. “I just need to believe out of something so horrible happening that something good will come of it.”

  “I understand.” He truly did. And just because it hadn’t worked out like that for him didn’t mean it wouldn’t work out for her.

  “I also wanted to know if you changed your mind about me working on the villa?”

  A voice in his head told him she was giving him an easy out. Cutting ties with her was best for both of them. But what came out of his mouth was quite the opposite. “I haven’t.”

  What did I go and say that for?

  “Good. Very good.” A tentative smile lifted the corners of her lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I... I should go now. I’m sure you’re busy.”

  He didn’t want her to leave. He told himself it was because he wanted to cheer her up, but deep down he knew he craved her companionship for more selfish reasons—reasons he wasn’t ready to acknowledge.

  When he glanced up, she was already at the doorway. “Wait. I need your help.”

  He didn’t have a clue what he needed her help with, but this wasn’t the first time he’d been stuck in a position where he had to think on his feet.

  She immediately turned back. “You do?”

  Was that a flicker of interest in her eyes? Or was he only seeing what he wanted to see? It didn’t matter; he’d started down this path and now he had to keep going.

  He glanced down at his desk, and the only things on it were related to his current project. “Yes, I do.” He had to go with what he had, though he wasn’t sure how she would be able to help him. “I’m having a problem getting a reclusive businessman to meet with me. And it’s really important.” As he spoke, she ventured back into the office. “Everyone in the business knows he only signs on with the best of the best.”

  “So his working agreement is like the gold standard?”

  “Exactly.” He smiled, hoping she’d do the same. She didn’t. But that didn’t stop him from trying. “And I just have to get him to buy my technology.”

  Instead of smiling, she frowned. “Is this the meeting I interrupted on that first day at your uncle’s villa.”

  “Yes. Well, no, you had nothing to do with it being canceled. I just need to figure out a way to lure him to a face-to-face meeting. I know if we can meet, I can convince him to buy into my technology.”

  “So what’s the problem?”

  “He’s claiming there’s no proof my program works.”

  “Didn’t you test it?”

  “Of course I did.” The words rushed out of his mouth with a rumble of frustration. When Gia’s eyes widened, he realized his error. In a friendlier tone, he said, “But it was in a closed system with a simulated world.”

  “So you need something in the real world?”

  He nodded before rubbing the stiff muscles in his neck. His head started to throb.

  “You seem like a man who knows everyone. Just pick someone out and try your program on their business.”

  “If only it were that easy, but I don’t have anyone I trust in that line of business. And I can’t afford for news of my development to get out into the public. I can’t have another company steal the concept before I have a chance to use it to help others.”

  “Help others?”

  He nodded again. And then he told her about his quest to provide an efficient and free mode of transportation for goods to those in need. It was when he finished his pitch that she smiled. Not a little smile but a big beautiful smile that lit up her eyes.

  “That’s an amazing endeavor. And it’s so big. I mean, it would provide a transportation route to anywhere in the world. And people who never considered donating goods could do so without any real cost to them.”

  He nodded. “And the best part is that it wouldn’t cost the transportation companies much money because my program would streamline everything, and no one company would take on the burden of delivering all of the packages. It would be a shared effort. But those companies, both big and small, would have to trust me with their vital information—the backbone of their business. To gain their trust would take something major.”

  “Hence the need to convince Mr. Grosso to buy your technology.”

  “Exactly.”

  “What exactly does your program do?” Genuine interest was written all over her beautiful face. />
  He normally didn’t tell people about his work, most especially the things that were still being developed or that hadn’t been sold yet, but Gia wasn’t just anyone. He wanted to share this with her. Her stamp of approval meant a lot to him.

  “You have to promise not to share any of this with anyone. In my world, it’s all about who comes up with the idea first.”

  “Don’t worry. I won’t tell a soul. Your secret is safe with me because honestly, I’m lucky I know how to turn on a computer and enter reservation information. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear about your work.”

  That was all the encouragement he needed. He started talking, laying out the generalities of what his algorithm could do for the transportation industry and how it could help charitable causes.

  “That’s amazing. And you did all of that by yourself?”

  He nodded. He wasn’t used to people praising him.

  “You’re a genius. But don’t you have a company to run?”

  He nodded again. “I quickly grow bored with paperwork. I need to keep myself in touch with technology, and I start my own personal projects. Sometimes they don’t work out, and other times they explode into something bigger than I ever imagined.” Not wanting the whole conversation to revolve around him, he said, “I’m sure that’s how you felt when you started your own hotel.”

  She shrugged. “Not exactly.”

  “But you must have been excited to take on such a big venture.”

  “I like dealing with people. They are the best part of the business. And I had a lot of fun turning the villa into a boutique hotel. But I didn’t go into the venture because it was a dream of mine.”

  “What is your dream?”

  She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Sure, it matters. Life is short. You need to be passionate about the time you spend on this earth.”

  She arched a brow. “I didn’t figure you for a philosopher.”

  “It’s something my uncle used to tell me. At the time, I didn’t think he was serious. I thought he was just trying to get me to go do things and leave him alone.”

  “But now you know different?”

  Ric nodded. “He was trying to help me, but I was too young and too angry with my mother to notice.”

  “But you remembered and that counts. And you listened to him. Because if anyone is passionate about their work, it’s you.”

  He smiled. She was right. He hadn’t thought of it that way, but in a sense, he’d honored his uncle’s memory. He just wished his uncle was here so he could tell him thank you for always being there for him—even when he wasn’t the easiest to deal with. And...and that he loved him. He was the father that he’d never had.

  “Thanks,” he said. When Gia sent him a puzzled look, he added, “For helping me realize that my uncle cared.”

  “I didn’t do anything. You would have stumbled over those papers eventually.”

  “Would I have? I don’t know. I was so determined that he didn’t care to the point I might have thrown all that stuff out without paying much attention. But you made sure that didn’t happen. So thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, though I still don’t think I did much.”

  He glanced down at his desk. “It seems we got off topic.”

  “Oh, yes. You need to figure out how to show Mr. Grosso that your program works in the real world but without telling anyone.” She frowned as though giving it some serious consideration. “I’m not sure you can do that unless you were to try it on my business. But I don’t transport anything.”

  Ric shook his head, dismissing the idea.

  “Which is a shame because now that my sister has pulled out of the wedding business to marry the prince of Patazonia, the business at the hotel is spiraling.”

  “Wait. Your sister is marrying a prince?” When she nodded, he asked, “How is it that we’ve been sharing this apartment and puppy all of this time and you’ve failed to share this most interesting bit of your life?”

  Gia laughed. “Like you’re interested in fairy tales.”

  “I am when they concern you. So your sister...she’s really going to become a princess?”

  Gia nodded. “The royal wedding is set for Christmas.”

  “Next year.”

  Gia shook her head. “This year. The prince is going to be crowned king on New Year’s.”

  “Wow. Your sister isn’t just going to be a princess but a queen. And you’re good with all of this?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be? I love my sister and want her to be happy.”

  “But you haven’t found your father.”

  “One thing doesn’t have anything to do with the other.”

  Ric nodded in understanding. “So your hotel, it isn’t doing well because your sister isn’t offering wedding packages?”

  “Actually, her assistant, Sylvie, has taken over the wedding business. My sister still oversees it but mostly from a distance. Apparently, there’s a lot to do before a royal wedding.”

  Ric was concerned for Gia. If she didn’t find her biological father, she was going to need the hotel to focus on, and the last thing she’d need was to deal with a failing business. There had to be a way of turning things around.

  He had to give it some thought. His algorithm was geared toward a lot larger, complex system. Still, there were components of it that dealt with bringing in business from individuals as well as other businesses. Would it be possible to rework the algorithm to scale it down to bringing in customers to a hotel? It was a stretch. A big stretch. But he was up for the challenge.

  CHAPTER NINE

  THINGS WERE LOOKING UP.

  At least where the villa was concerned. The search for Gia’s father was still a wait and see scenario.

  More than a week had passed since Ric had agreed to let Gia work on his uncle’s villa. She hadn’t wasted one single moment. It felt so good to be productive. Sitting around just wasn’t for her.

  Ric had spent a lot of time in his study. Gia wasn’t sure how much time he spent at his office, as she had the go-ahead to hire a construction crew and to start work on his uncle’s villa. Not just a couple of men but a whole army of them, tackling different rooms at once. Ric wanted this job done as quickly as possible, and he was willing to pay whatever it cost.

  Gia was so excited about taking this run-down home and turning it into something magical that the wait for news about locating her biological father wasn’t nearly as excruciating. She’d even started taking calls from her siblings, who were so relieved to speak directly to her instead of getting by with sporadic text messages.

  And Gin went with her every day to the villa. Though the pup was interested in making it to the garden in back, Gia was having none of it. He was hurt back there once; they weren’t having a repeat episode. Though the garden was on her list of things to do, it had moved down in the order of priority because the gardener couldn’t fit her in for a couple of weeks.

  Gia wasn’t one to bark out orders and stand back; she was the type who liked to get her hands dirty. She blamed it on her—She paused. She blamed it on Aldo. Even though they weren’t biologically connected, she couldn’t ignore how much they had in common. Aldo had enjoyed getting his hands dirty at the vineyard, testing the soil, sampling the grapes and fixing the irrigation system.

  And so she’d spent the day patching walls and prepping them for fresh paint. In all honesty, the villa’s bones were in awesome shape. And with Ric wanting to keep the layout as it was, this job was going to go quickly. It was more a touch-up than a remodel. Still, she enjoyed it. The villa had a rich history and warmth to it that drew her in.

  There was a marble floor in the spacious foyer, with a crystal chandelier. Both were staying. They just needed to be cleaned until they gleamed. Each room had tall windows, and when the old drapes were removed
, the Mediterranean sun lit up the place. What wasn’t there to like?

  The walls had ornate trim that was unique but not over-the-top. Gia made sure to tell the crew it was to remain. Any trim that was damaged by a leak in the roof was to be repaired or if worse came to worst, it was to be re-created. She knew plasterwork could be a painstaking job, but it added so much character to the house. It was like this villa had its own personality. Some family was going to be very lucky to live there.

  She thought of Ric living in the villa. It was a lot of house for one person to live in alone. But would he always be alone? She could easily imagine him with a baby in his arms. The child would be laughing because Ric had just tickled them. Gia found herself smiling at the image.

  Then a beautiful woman entered Gia’s image. The woman was tall, slender and gorgeous. She was smiling as she came to lean into Ric. They both fussed over the child. She would be his wife.

  Gia blinked away the troubling image. It was best she focused on the here and now. And right now, she had to hurry and get to the villa. The kitchen floor had been put in, and the cabinets were being delivered today.

  She glanced in the mirror, taking in her newly bought navy-blue T-shirt, which hugged her curves, and the new jeans with the perfectly placed worn holes near the front pockets and her hips. She smiled. If her mother knew how much she’d paid for jeans that already had holes in them, she would lecture her about wasting her money. As her mother’s voice filled her mind, Gia’s smile broadened.

  She missed her mother. She may be mad at her for keeping such an important part of her life from her, but she really missed her. She missed being able to talk to her as they cooked in the kitchen together.

  Gia wanted to tell her mother about Gin and his boundless energy. But more importantly, she wanted to tell her about Ric and how amazing she found him. She knew her mother would take things out of context and suggest she date Ric. At which point she would tell her mother she couldn’t. He was a workaholic and she, well, she was still figuring herself out. It was bad timing among other reasons...