Her Tycoon Hero

by Narelle Atkins

  “Are you up for a promotion?”

  She shook her head.

  “You should apply for something else.”

  “I have.” There, she’d said it. For better or worse.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Internal or external?”

  “Queensland. A sister company to my current hotel chain.”

  He sat back in his chair and met her gaze. “When did you apply?”

  “Weeks ago and yesterday I learned the date and flight details for my interview at the island resort.”

  He smiled. “Good luck. I’m sure you’ll do well, and it’s about time you focused on furthering your career.”

  What did he think she’d been doing for the past few years? The doorbell chimed. “I’ll get it.”

  She opened the front door and widened her eyes. “Ryan.”

  * * *

  Ryan nodded. “Hi, Cassie.”

  Confusion clouded her face. “You don’t have Indian food?”

  “Huh?” What was Cassie doing here? He’d recognized her car out front.

  She looked past him to the road. “The home delivery person should arrive soon.”

  “I’ve got documents for your father.”

  She took a step back. “Come in.”

  A beaten-up hatchback pulled into the drive, and Ryan paused in the doorway. “Looks like your dinner is here.”

  “Excellent.” Her eyes lit up. “I’m starved.”

  His stomach sank. Food held more appeal for her than his presence. Not a comforting thought. “I’ll carry it in for you.”

  “Thanks.” Her mouth almost curved into a smile.

  He collected the food and followed her through to the dining room. She strode ahead in silence, her back straight and unyielding.

  John sat at one end of the table, absorbed in reading some papers. He glanced at Ryan. “Thanks for finalizing that deal for me.”

  “No worries.” He hovered at the entrance of the room. “Everything’s in order.”

  Cassie turned to her father. “I’ll fetch the plates and cutlery.”

  “Set the table for three. Ryan, have you eaten?”

  He shook his head. “I’ll grab something on the way home.”

  “Please stay and join us,” John said.

  “I don’t want to intrude.”

  Cassie gave him a polite smile. “We’ve got plenty of food.”

  Ryan frowned. She didn’t want him to stay, but John needed to check the documents. Work came first. “Sounds good.”

  “I’ll be back in a minute.” Cassie walked toward the kitchen.

  He couldn’t blame her for being annoyed. At church a few weeks ago he’d spoken out of anger before leaving in a rush. Later at home he’d gone a few rounds with his punching bag. Even then, his fury over Sean’s behavior hadn’t diminished.

  Cassie deposited a tray with glasses and a jug of iced tea on the far end of the table. She left the room without glancing once in his direction.

  Ryan shook his head. How could he improve their relationship tonight? What would it take to convince her that she was wrong about Sean?

  He handed an envelope of documents to John. “Everything’s here that you’ll need. Tomorrow I’ll email the supporting documentation to London.”

  “Great. Thanks for rushing this through at the last minute.”

  “No problem.” He dropped into a chair and loosened his tie. The rest of the week shouldn’t be too hectic because his other projects were on track.

  Cassie returned with plates and cutlery. Sapphire earrings hung from her lobes and her navy suit added to her air of cool professionalism.

  “Here, let me help,” Ryan said.

  “Thanks.” She passed the cutlery, her fingers skimming over his hand.

  He paused, meeting her startled gaze. Her mouth parted, and he remembered the sweet kiss they’d shared on his yacht. He wanted a repeat performance.

  Why did Sean have to return and mess everything up? Things had been going so well between him and Cassie before Sean ruined it.

  She sat opposite Ryan. “Dad, can I please say grace?”

  John shrugged. “If you insist.”

  She closed her eyes, appearing to ignore her father’s gibe. “Lord, thanks for this delicious dinner and good company. Amen.”

  Ryan glanced over at John. A cynical expression covered the older man’s face.

  She opened her eyes. “Please, Ryan, help yourself.”

  “Thanks.” He served up his food and tasted a sample. The aromatic spices tingled in his mouth. “This is good.”

  “These guys do the best Indian food in Sydney.” She took a mouthful, her eyes sparkling.

  If only he could stare into her mesmerizing eyes all night and put aside his issues with Sean.

  He ate some butter chicken. “Wow, this melts in your mouth.”

  “It’s her all-time favorite,” John said. “I’d be in trouble if I ordered Indian and forgot the butter chicken.”

  “But I can’t eat it too often,” she said. “Too many calories.”

  John’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen and accepted the call, listening for a minute before turning to Cassie. “I’m sorry. I need to take this call and I might be a while.”

  “Don’t let your dinner go cold,” she said.

  “I’ll take it with me.” John picked up his plate and left the room.

  Ryan cleaned up his first serving of butter chicken. “I guess it’s just the two of us.”

  “I’m yet to have dinner here without an interruption.”

  “At least you’re not eating alone.” He added a second serving of butter chicken and basmati rice to his plate. He’d try the korma next.

  “True.” A wistful expression flitted across her face. She reminded him of a little girl who missed her daddy.

  “Have you seen Sean?” he asked.

  “Yes.” She lowered her lashes.

  Anger stirred inside him. “How did it go?”

  “Not well.”

  He nodded. His brother would never change, and Ryan hoped she’d now listen to him. He’d told her this would be the inevitable outcome.

  “Are you seeing him again?”

  “I don’t know.” She played with the food on her plate. “Ryan, he needs help. His life is spiraling out of control.”

  He stabbed a piece of chicken with his fork. “Not my problem.”

  “How can you say that? He’s your brother.”

  “Why are you on his side?”

  “This isn’t about sides. I had a revelation after my conversation with Sean.”

  “Which was?” This had better be good. He refused to listen to more excuses for Sean’s bad behavior.

  “I could still be walking in the wilderness like Sean. Lost and without any direction in my life.”

  He frowned. “But you’re not. Sean’s an adult, not a small child. He needs to grow up and take responsibility for his choices.”

  “I know.”

  He widened his eyes, her words sinking in. “You agree that enabling Sean to continue along his current life path isn’t helping him.”

  “Yes, but Sean doesn’t see things from this perspective.”

  “Did he ask you for money?”

  She shook her head. “He threatened to harass you for more money because you fixed his last money problem.”

  “He’d better not.” Sean wouldn’t see one more cent from him until he repaid his debt.

  She spooned some korma on her plate. “Why did you bail him out last time?”

  Good question. At the time he thought he’d be helping his brother. Criminal charges were pending, his parents were distraught and Sean was missing. It had seem
ed like the right thing to do.

  “I made an error in judgment,” he said.

  “Which made everything worse?”

  He nodded. “My parents weren’t coping well with Sean’s disappearance, let alone the missing money.”

  “So you thought by repaying my father you’d alleviate some of their stress?”

  “I was wrong.” He raked his hand through his hair. “My decision hasn’t helped him. He needs to apologize and make amends with everyone.”

  “I can’t see that happening anytime soon.”

  Neither could he. Pain wrenched his heart. His brother had set his path and he couldn’t save him this time. “Has he shown you any remorse?”

  Hurt flickered in her eyes. “If anything he’s happy he got away with it.”

  How typical of Sean. “Do you still intend to forgive him?”

  “I don’t know what I want to do.”

  He held her gaze. “I know this is hard.”

  “I want to help him fix his life.”

  “I’m not sure that’s possible.”

  She nodded. “His heart is hard and he’s in a really bad place.”

  Last week Ryan had met with Cassie’s pastor. The subject of forgiveness had come up during their conversation. He still had more questions than answers, and Simon wanted to talk further about Ryan’s opinion on forgiveness.

  He tightened his grip on his glass. “Why do you care so much about my brother?”

  She sighed. “I feel partly responsible.”

  “How can that be possible?”

  “I encouraged him to party and introduced him to people who were a bad influence.”

  “It’s not your fault. You didn’t force him to make bad decisions.”

  “But I failed him back then and I want to make things right now.”

  He reached for her hand. “It’s not your job to rescue him.”

  She nibbled her lower lip. “But I’m not going to turn my back on him, either.”

  He nodded. “I’m sorry I took my frustration with Sean out on you.” He drew in a deep breath. “Can we get past this?”

  She squeezed his hand, her gaze soft. “Yes. I want to get to know you better.”

  Her words warmed his heart. “Are you busy tomorrow night?”

  She smiled. “Dinner together two nights in a row?”

  “Why not?” He couldn’t think of anyone he’d rather have dinner with tomorrow night.

  Chapter 8

  A few weeks later, Laura stood in front of a full-length mirror. “This dress is the one.”

  Cassie smiled. “Are you sure?”

  Laura twirled around in the spacious fitting room. “With a V-neckline and a different pattern for the beading and sequins, this dress would be perfect.”

  “You like the straight skirt?” Her sister had tried on dozens of wedding dresses today, and the majority had a full skirt of some description.

  “This ivory silk fabric is just divine. The line of the dress is stylish and the train is buttoned on so I can remove it at the reception. This is the one.”

  “Excellent.” Cassie slumped into a plush seat in the corner. Her feet ached from spending her Saturday traipsing all over Sydney searching for the right dress for Laura. Mission accomplished.

  Her sister preened in front of the mirrors, inspecting the dress from all angles. “Calista can alter the neckline. Do you think the skirt will sit right?”

  Cassie grinned. “You look beautiful. I can’t see anything wrong with the line of the skirt, and Calista has measured you to ensure it’s a flawless fit. Stop fretting.”

  “I’m so excited. My wedding day is getting closer. Less than a hundred days to go.”

  “Why don’t you get changed and I’ll let Calista know you’ve made a decision.” Exhaustion washed over her. She needed a coffee.

  “Okay, I’ll need your help unbuttoning the back.”

  Cassie unfastened all the tiny pearl buttons down the back of the gown. She left Laura in the fitting room and found Calista deep in conversation with another customer.

  Calista’s assistant approached her. “How’s Laura doing?”

  “She’s made her decision and is getting dressed.”

  “That’s great news. Would you like a coffee while you wait?”

  She nodded. “Thanks.” There had to be advantages to shopping at an exclusive bridal boutique in Double Bay.

  “I’ll bring a tray out shortly.”

  She sank back into the leather sofa, glancing around the boutique. Wedding dresses worth tens of thousands of dollars surrounded her.

  Calista finished with her customer and caught Cassie’s eye. “You should try the cream silk on.”

  She widened her eyes. “Why?” Her gaze returned to the cream silk strapless gown.

  “It would look fabulous on you,” Calista said. “You have the right body shape to pull it off.”

  Laura emerged from the fitting room and admired the wedding dress Calista held on a hanger. “I’m all done. You’ve got yourself a sale so I won’t need to try anything else on.”

  “That’s wonderful, darling. I’d love to see Cassie try this one on.”

  Laura beamed. “So would I.” She turned to Cassie. “All day you’ve watched me try on dresses. Now it’s your turn.”

  “But I’m not getting married.”

  “One day a smart man will snap you up,” Calista said. “I saw the photo of you and Ryan Mitchell in the society pages. You two make a great couple.”

  “Ryan’s a great guy, but I don’t need a wedding dress.”

  “Come on, Cassie, indulge me. When I designed that gown, I’d envisaged someone like you wearing it. Remember, not all my brides are as beautiful as you two.”

  Laura giggled. “I’ll take a photo with my phone, if that’s okay.”

  Calista nodded.

  “All right, I give in. I’ll only do a quick on and off fitting. No fancy stuff.”

  “Promise,” Laura said.

  Cassie followed her sister into the fitting room. “I’m going to need your help with all these buttons,” she said.

  Laura’s smile widened. “My pleasure.”

  She changed out of her clothes and stepped into the bridal gown. Laura helped her pull up the dress and fasten the buttons.

  She spun around in front of the mirrors.

  “Wow,” Laura said. “You look sensational.”

  The gown was beautiful and she looked like a bride. “If I ever need a wedding dress, I know where to come.”

  She gathered up the skirt of the gown and walked to the front of the boutique.

  Calista smiled. “Stunning. This dress was made for you, darling.”

  Tears welled behind Cassie’s eyes. Would she ever be a bride? A vivid picture of Ryan formed in her mind. He’d make a handsome groom, cutting a dashing figure in a suit.

  “Okay, show over.” She lowered her lashes, holding back a few tears. “Laura, please help me with the gown.”

  Calista snapped a photo. “I’ll note the details for you. I’ve a hunch you’ll be back before long.”

  Calista’s assistant returned with a tray of coffee. The sweet aroma distracted Cassie and urged her into action.

  She’d enjoy her coffee while Laura finalized the details of her bridal gown purchase. Would great coffee help her forget her daydream about being Ryan’s bride?

  * * *

  Later in the afternoon, Cassie followed Laura into the elevator leading to Greg’s apartment.

  “Please stay for dinner,” Laura said. “It’s the least I can do to thank you for all your help.”

  “I don’t want to interrupt your plans with Greg.”

  Laura waved away he
r concerns. “I suspect Greg’s slouched on the sofa watching football.”

  “Please don’t make me watch football.”

  “I won’t. The wedding invitation samples are upstairs. We can’t make a decision and I’d appreciate your input.”

  The elevator beeped and Cassie stepped inside with her sister. The doors closed and they began the upward ascent to Greg’s floor.

  Laura examined her fingernails. “Did I mention Ryan might be watching football with Greg?”

  “No, did it slip your mind?”

  “Cassie, don’t be like that. Oh, I’ve chipped my nail again.”

  “You’ll cope.” She suppressed a smile. Ryan had sent her a message a few hours ago, letting her know he was at Greg’s apartment for dinner. Laura’s matchmaking would go into overdrive if she knew about the message.

  “You two are meant to be together.” Laura’s eyes twinkled. “I’ll show Ryan the photo of you trying on the bridal gown. That should inspire him to take action.”

  “No!” She tightened her grip on her purse. “Okay, here’s the thing. We are finally getting past the whole mess with Sean and moving to a better place, and we don’t need your matchmaking help.”

  The elevator door slid open and Laura smiled. “You can’t blame me for wanting to see you marry Ryan.”

  She ignored Laura’s comment and followed her inside Greg’s apartment.

  Her heartbeat quickened. Ryan sat beside Greg on the sofa in the living room.

  “Hi, guys,” Laura said. “We’re celebrating tonight. I found my dress.”

  Greg stood and gave his fiancée a hug. “That’s great news.”

  “And I’ve invited Cassie to dinner. Ryan, would you like to stay?”

  Ryan’s warm gaze swept over Cassie. “Greg’s already lined me up to man the outdoor grill after the game finishes.”

  Cassie nodded, holding his warm gaze for a few moments.

  “Excellent,” Laura said. “We’ll see you after the game.”

  Laura turned away and Ryan winked.

  Cassie stifled a giggle and followed Laura out of the room.

  After spending an hour with Laura selecting wedding invitations, Cassie carried the coleslaw to Greg’s dining table and laid out the cutlery for four places. The aroma of grilling meat wafted in from the balcony.