by Tia Siren
“Relax. You’re being a complete drama queen,” he said in a dry tone that rubbed me wrong.
“You’re such an ass,” I said.
“Avery, I had business. I couldn’t meet right then. I’m sorry about what happened. I’m free now. Can we please meet?”
“No.”
“Avery, don’t be like that. Come on now. Put aside the past. Just an FYI, I wasn’t the only person there that night. You need to take a minute and get over it. We have bigger problems,” he said firmly.
“No shit!” I yelled, thankful the windows of my car were up.
“Nice,” he cajoled. “Real ladylike.”
I closed my eyes, trying to calm my nerves. “Jake, I’m not interested.”
“Don’t you want Iris back? Don’t you want to be her mother?”
“I’m not her mother. I will never be her mother. That isn’t what I want. I want to love her and hold her and tell her stories about her mother,” I said, fighting back the urge to cry.
He sighed. “I understand. I’m sorry. I truly am. Please, meet with me,” he said in a voice I couldn’t resist.
“Fine. I’ll think about it. I’m the busy one now. I have to go to work, and then I have to go beat on doors and beg for a job.”
“Uh, good luck,” he said, and that was all I could take.
I ended the call without saying another word. I could not believe I had ever thought that man was what I wanted. He was so full of himself. I wanted to kick him at least three times in the shin. He deserved every bit of pain my kick would bring him. It wouldn’t even come close to the pain he had caused me.
I shrugged off the discomfort he always managed to bring and drove to work. Jake kept dangling that little carrot in front of me. I hated it. I hated that I was actually interested in taking him up on his offer, especially after he had blown me off yesterday.
I couldn’t let him get under my skin. I had to stay focused. I wanted to do this without him. I wanted to prove to myself, Tracy, and, most of all, Janice that I was the best person for the job. That was my sole focus. His games and the ability to yank my heart around were not going to get me off track. No way. Iris was too important.
Chapter Twelve
Jake
I stared at the phone. She had hung up on me. That had been a little surprising and a lot rude. I couldn’t understand why she was so pissed at me. It made no sense. The sex thing forever ago was just that—forever ago. I couldn’t believe she could still be that mad about it. My god, it wasn’t like we had professed our love for each other. Shit, we had barely talked about anything. She’d flirted. I’d flirted. Then we were in bed.
The fact she was still mad and so oblivious to who I was and what I could do was odd. She wasn’t afraid or intimidated by me in the least. I smiled, thinking of the feisty woman who had been on the other end of the line. She was spunky and so unlike the many women I met. She didn’t care about how much money I had or who I was.
That wasn’t entirely true. Many years ago, she had chased after me. She had fallen at my feet. That was before I was rich. I had been on the way, but she had liked me before I had become the man I was today. That was a good and bad thing. I liked that she had found me attractive and worthy of her V-card even when I had been dirt poor.
I knew I had been a complete asshole to her. It wasn’t intentional. In fact, I hadn’t even really thought about it. I had fucked her and left without so much as a good-bye. Back then, she hadn’t mattered to me. She was another notch on my belt. I could see that was a jerk thing today, but back then, I was young and wild. Hell, I would have done the same thing last week.
I remembered Tracy told me I was not allowed to date any of her friends. It had been our standing rule for years, ever since she had hit puberty, her friends right along with her. When I had come back to town for her graduation, she had made sure to remind me of the rule when Avery and I started making eyes at each other. In my mind, I hadn’t technically violated the rule. I never dated Avery. It was one night. We had sex a few times and that was it. We didn’t go through a messy breakup because we never dated. That was always Tracy’s hang-up. She didn’t want to get caught in the middle of something between her friend and me.
Avery’s temper tantrum could be chalked up to age and immaturity back then. But that was then; this was now. Avery had to grow up and realize shit happened. People had sex all the time. It was about enjoying life and feeling good. Avery needed more sex in my opinion. It would do her good. She was far too uptight.
It was time to think about the future. I was going to make Avery realize she was being childish. She couldn’t just hang up on me and pretend I didn’t exist. I was here to stay until this shit was finished. She could either be part of my solution or get run over when I solved it my damn self.
I picked up the phone and hit the return call button. She was damn well going to talk to me.
“What?” she grumbled. “I’m on my way to work. I don’t have time to do this now.”
“Good for you. I’m not going to take no for an answer. I want you to meet me. I want to talk. I want to come up with a plan. Tonight. Don’t even think about hanging up on me. I will keep calling you.”
She mumbled something unintelligible about turning off the phone.
“I’ll find out where you work and show up there,” I threatened.
She gasped. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“I would absolutely dare. I don’t think you understand me too well, Avery. I get what I want, one way or another.”
“Ass. You have always been an ass. Tracy warned me about you. I should have listened to her.”
I smirked. “Yes, you should have. That doesn’t matter. We’re talking about today and the future.”
“I really don’t think we have anything to discuss. I can hardly stand to be in the same room with you, let alone marry you.”
That was progress in my opinion. She didn’t completely shoot me down.
“How about we talk about it tonight?” I asked as nicely as possible.
“I said I would think about it.”
“And then you hung up on me!”
She snickered. “I think you forget. I don’t like you.”
The woman was impossible. “I don’t care if you like me. Really, I don’t. There are plenty of people who do like me. Meet me tonight.”
“Fine,” she practically shouted.
I bit back the laughter that threatened to erupt. I remembered pestering my sister in the same way until she finally gave in to my demands.
“Seven,” I demanded.
“Fine. I really do hate you,” she said and hung up on me again.
I chuckled. Oh, the woman was going to drive me crazy before this was over. It was actually fun to tease her. I liked that I could get under her skin and piss her off. It told me she did feel something for me. I couldn’t make her so frustrated if she didn’t give two shits about me. Again, I saw progress.
Feeling optimistic, I called Drew.
“You’re still not here,” he said.
I laughed. “You’re observant. I knew there was a reason I put you in charge when I wasn’t around.”
“What’s up? Coming back already?”
I sighed. “No. Not yet. Still trying to work this all out. I’ll be reviewing emails and stuff today. I’m checking in.”
What I really wanted to say but felt silly for even thinking it was that I needed to talk to a friend. As much as I wanted to push through all the drama and pretend none of it was affecting me, it was. Drew had a way of making me laugh and putting me back on the right track, even if it could be tough to hear at times.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked. “Want me to go down there?”
That made me laugh. “I wish there was a way for you to help. Unfortunately, all I’m doing is sitting around waiting.”
“That blows. George can’t get this thing wrapped up for you any faster?”
“No.”
�
�That’s too bad. I would tell you to sit back and enjoy the downtime, but I know you won’t.”
I hesitated a split second before blurting out what was really on my mind. “Do you have a way to convince a stubborn woman to do what you want?”
“You’re asking me? Don’t they usually fall over when you look at them with your steely eyes? That’s what you always told me. You can’t tell me you have finally found a woman who didn’t fall under your spell. If so, I need to write this day down in my calendar. I’m going to refer to it often.”
“I’m not trying to put her under my spell. I just want her to do what I want, and before your mind goes to the gutter, I don’t mean sexually. This is me trying to do what’s best for my niece, and this stubborn woman won’t listen to reason,” I said, not hiding my frustration.
He was laughing. “You mean you can’t make her listen to you? Holy shit. She must have some kind of forcefield up. I want to meet this woman.”
“No, you don’t. She kicks.”
“What?” he said, bursting into laughter. “She kicks? What the hell does that mean?”
I rolled my eyes. “She kicked me. And it wasn’t the first time. When she’s pissed at you, she kicks you right in the damn shin.”
“Damn, man, she must really hate you. What’d you do to her?”
“We had sex. She was young, and I guess she didn’t get the whole one-nighter thing. She clearly holds a grudge.”
“Please tell me she was legal,” he said, groaning.
“She was. Barely,” I added under my breath.
“Make it right. Say you’re sorry and then offer to buy her dinner. It’s probably too late, but you need to start somewhere, especially if this woman holds the key to your future happiness. I hate to say it, but sometimes you have to be kind. You have to try. You need to say the nice things and do the little things that matter.”
I knew he was right. I was so used to barreling my way through anything that was in my way. I forgot to think about the people I was hurting. I played fast and loose with other people’s feelings, and that was my mistake. I was going to turn over a new leaf, and that started today.
“I need her to be in my corner.”
“Why?”
I hesitated, not sure how much I should tell him. I wanted the guy to have plausible deniability.
“I kind of have a plan,” I started.
“Oh shit,” he said. “Is it legal?”
“Yes.”
“Ethical?”
I paused. “Not exactly.”
He let out a long sigh. “What is it?”
“The social worker had a bunch of requirements for either of us to get Iris back. There’s no way each of us alone could ever meet the woman’s standards. Well, she might, but I know there’s no way I could flip a switch and become nurturing. So, I proposed marriage.”
I heard a choking sound and waited for Drew to pull his shit together. “You did what?” he shrieked. “Tell me that isn’t why you needed a lawyer. You’re not having a prenup drawn up, are you?”
“No. Not like that. It wasn’t like a proposal for marriage. I mean, yes, marriage, but not like that. If we get married, I bring money and she brings nurturing to the table. They will have to give us Iris. She doesn’t have money, and I don’t have a nurturing bone in my body. It’s the perfect merger.”
“Gee, I can’t imagine why she turned down your proposal. You make it sound so idyllic.”
“It doesn’t have to be all rainbows and butterflies. It’s practical. You can’t argue with practical,” I said, defending what I thought was a brilliant idea.
“That doesn’t sound like it will work. I’m sure the social worker will catch on to your fake marriage,” Drew cautioned.
“We’ll get married, get through the home visits, and prove we’re a happy family. I’ll legally adopt her. We’ll move back to California and then I’ll divorce Avery and keep Iris. There’s no way she’ll beat me in a custody war,” I explained, feeling a bit like a dick for even voicing my plan.
“Wow. You’re a cold-hearted person. Remind me to never cross you. How are you going to take care of a little girl?”
“I’ll hire a nanny.”
Drew let out a long, low whistle. “You have thought of everything.”
I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “I don’t know about everything, but I think I’ve handled the most pertinent details.”
“And there is no chance you and this woman could maybe be friends? Maybe even more?”
“Definitely not.”
“Well, I guess you’re going to do what you feel is right. Maybe consider being nice. Give her a chance. If she is immune to your charms, she isn’t going to willingly do anything you demand.”
“Thanks, Drew. I’ll try your way. If it doesn’t work, I’m holding you responsible,” I warned.
He laughed again. “I’m sure you will. Good luck. I’ve sent you a few emails. I’ll check in later to see what your response is.”
“Okay. I’ll let you know. Bye, Drew.”
I hung up and felt better. I knew I would never win over Avery. That was fine. I wasn’t looking for happily ever after. That was not in the cards for me. I was pretty sure my family was cursed. I only hoped to break the curse before it could get Iris.
If I wanted to keep the money flowing and set Iris up with a fat inheritance, I had to work. I put Avery out of my mind. I couldn’t focus on anything if I kept thinking about the woman. Actually, it was the girl the woman used to be. She had been young and very pretty. She had grown into a beautiful woman—a feisty woman with a rocking hot body. I vaguely remembered the girl who had given me her V-card. Flashes of a young Avery floated through my mind. I wouldn’t mind a tryst with the more mature version of the girl from seven years ago, but I didn’t see that in the cards. The woman truly hated me.
“Focus. Forget her,” I said, stretching my arms above my head and rolling my head between my shoulders.
I walked to the small table in my hotel room and opened my laptop. I began to check emails, sifting through the important stuff and forwarding the rest to my assistant to deal with. It was tedious work and not the kind of thing that got my blood pumping, but with me stuck in Phoenix, it was all I could do.
I slammed the laptop closed and decided to take a quick shower before meeting Avery. No matter how much I disliked the woman, there was a weird attraction. I couldn’t explain it. Deep down, I knew exactly what it was. I wanted her. I wanted her under me. Maybe, if I could get her in bed, it would be easier to persuade her to marry me. Other women tended to be more amenable to my wants after I showed them my talents between the sheets.
It was an option. I wasn’t above sleeping with the woman to get what I wanted.
Chapter Thirteen
Avery
I was early for meeting Jake. My job search had failed miserably, and I was tired of the rejection. I was hoping to get to the café early enough to scarf down a piece of cheesecake before he showed up. The man looked like he had zero fat on him. I couldn’t say the same, and I didn’t feel like being judged for the few extra pounds that could be blamed on my love of cheesecake.
The waitress came by, and I was about to order my treat when I saw him walk through the door. My eyes focused on him. When the waitress turned to see what had caught my attention, she too ended up staring at him.
Jake spotted me right away and strolled toward me. I hated that he was so fucking gorgeous. I didn’t want to be attracted to him. I had no control over that. The man was hot. It made me hate him even more to see him looking so put together in his white button-down dress shirt and slacks. It must have been a real bitch to look that good without even trying.
I had caught a glimpse of my own reflection in my rearview mirror before coming in. I was a mess. I had tried so hard to look professional and put together. All that had faded about two hours into knocking on doors, trying to get an interview.
Jake sat down in the booth. The waitress
was still staring at him as if he were the sweetest eye candy she’d ever wanted to taste.
“Can I get you anything?” she asked him, forgetting all about me.
“Coffee, please,” he said with that practiced smile.
“And you?” she asked, looking at me.
I sighed, knowing the cheesecake was not an option. “I’ll have coffee as well.”
It wasn’t like I was going to sleep tonight. I took a deep breath and steeled myself to look at him up close. I was shocked by what I saw. He looked rough. I had assumed he was taking all this in stride, but judging by the dark circles under his eyes, it hadn’t been so easy for him. I had been a bitch.
“You doing okay?” I asked gently.
He smiled and nodded. “I am.”
He was lying. My heart went out to him. I should have known he wasn’t as cold and heartless as he pretended. He and Tracy had been close growing up. They had drifted apart in the last couple years, but they still had a bond. I knew Tracy loved him, even though they had been in a fight when she died. I imagined that would be a hard fact to live with. I didn’t have any brothers or sisters and would never understand that sibling bond.
The waitress carried the coffee pot over and filled our cups before leaving.
“So, what’s this about?” I asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
He grinned. “My proposal.”
I rolled my eyes. “Great.”
“Look, I’m sorry I couldn’t meet the other day. I was dealing with some other issues. I was really hoping there was another way around all this.”
The man looked and sounded sincere. I hadn’t been expecting that. “It’s fine. It was a moment of weakness on my part. I shouldn’t have called. It was dumb.”
“No, it wasn’t. I was hoping I could pay off a judge or arrange some backroom deals and get Iris. It doesn’t look like that’s going to be an option.” He sighed.
I chuckled at his joke until I realized he was serious. I knew the guy was wealthy, but I wondered how much money he had. It didn’t matter because his money wasn’t the answer to the problem. I didn’t care if he was a millionaire. I didn’t want a single penny of that money, but it would certainly benefit Iris.