He held up his hands, looking completely offended. “That was one time.”
“And the time you invited Senator—”
“Hush, lass. I won’t be listening to any more sass from you.” His harsh words were tempered by the twinkle in his green eyes. Suddenly, his gaze softened, grew so faraway that she wondered what year his mind was in. “You look more and more like your dear mother every day.”
“Thank you.” She missed her momma more than words could ever convey. She’d only been nine when Momma died of breast cancer. There were so many times that she’d needed her, but had to settle for a dad that didn’t know what to do with a girl, other than hire nannies to make sure she had a woman’s touch in her life. Still, he did his best by her and for that, she’d always be thankful. Reaching over to grasp her dad’s hand, she squeezed it tight. “I miss her, too.”
Dad cleared his throat. “Yeah, she would have loved to have seen what you’ve done.”
“Turn down the opportunity of a lifetime?” she said with a wriggle of her brows. Although, she loved her momma and missed her like crazy, her dad wasn’t emotionally secure when it came to talking about his wife. She didn’t know if he’d ever be.
“You could have run the entire department.”
“I didn’t have the experience to run your department.”
“You had the right last name.”
“Pretty sure experience beats last name.”
He frowned, then moved his hand out of her grasp. “You’re right. Besides, if you hadn’t turned me down, then you wouldn’t be where you are today.”
“Year two of barely breaking even with my business?” She’d started up a human resources company that focused on educating and training men and women to exhibit positive, assertive behaviors in the workplace in order to get ahead. Sure, she shared an apartment with her bestie and she paid herself just enough to cover the necessities plus an office space.
It was damn hard work, but she’d accomplished it without relying on her last name or the money that it could bring. She could even say that she hadn’t touched any Montgomery money… except she couldn’t exactly because she’d borrowed money from an Angel Investor against her inheritance to start it.
“Better than year two of being in the red.” He signaled the server to come take their orders. “You could always take my offer of an investment for a percentage of profits.”
“I don’t need it.” Although it would make her life a heck of a lot easier. “I’m projecting an actual honest-to-God profit next year instead of breaking even. I might even consider hiring someone to answer the phone.”
“You could simply pay for a phone service. It’s much cheaper for overhead and you won’t have to assume the cost of an employee who isn’t crucial to your business at this point.”
The one thing she could always count on from her dad, besides his penchant for matchmaking, was that he always treated her endeavors seriously.
“That’s true. Most of my referrals come through email, anyway.”
The server arrived and they stopped talking business long enough to place their orders.
“I’m so proud of you.” He lifted his Bloody Mary and toasted her. “May you be twice as profitable as projections.”
She toasted him back with her goblet of water. “May you find a woman who makes you as happy as momma did.” And may she find a man who couldn’t be bought, impressed, or intimidated by her family’s billions.
“About tomorrow night,” he began and she groaned.
“I knew there was a catch to your invitation.”
“No catch. Just wanted to make sure you’d still be in attendance because I need a date.”
She eyed him. “You never go to the spring ball.” Her middle brother Connor’s fundraiser benefited local animal shelters in the state, turning those that were former kill shelters into long-term care for aging and sick animals that were normally not good candidates for forever homes.
“Neither do you,” he countered. “I say we buck tradition this year and go. The guest list could use some new blood.”
“I feel like this is some sort of manipulation.”
He slammed his hand against his heart. “I would never—“
“You always.”
“Not with you,” he grumbled.
She laughed. “Especially with me.”
“Go. Don’t go. Doesn’t matter.” He lowered his gaze. “However, I’d thought you’d want to make an old man happy. Really, there’s telling how much time I have left in this world.”
Her lips thinned. “Enough to try to guilt me into going to Connor’s fundraiser.”
Her dad glanced up at her, a smile on his face. “Does this mean I’ll see you there?”
Just say no, London. In her head, she knew she should, because her dad was up to something. Unfortunately, her heart hated to tell him no, and her curiosity was fully piqued. “I’ll think about it.”
“My car will be ‘round at seven to pick you up.”
She arched a brow. “I’m starting to think no.”
“Think about the environment, lass. We’ll be carpooling.”
The environment? This from a man who owned a fleet of private jets… “Okay. Okay. If I decide to go, you may pick me up.”
He grinned fully now. “I’m very excited about our date.”
“You mean you’re very excited about the man you invited to be my actual date?”
“Did your brother tell you that Taggart attempted a hostile takeover of Synergy Development?” her dad asked, changing the subject. “I don’t know what’s gotten into John lately.”
John Taggart was her father’s biggest competitor, former best friend, and worst enemy. Supposedly, they’d fought over the same woman—her mother—and her dad had won, but his and John’s friendship hadn’t recovered. While her dad had turned into a devoted family man, John had a reputation as a notorious womanizer with a roving eye.
“Maybe you should try talking to him,” she suggested, although even with her penchant for optimism, she thought John Taggart was a lost cause.
“I’d have more luck getting a leopard to change its spots,” he grumbled. “I don’t trust him, London. He’s coming for Montgomery Industries next. Just you wait and see.”
“I don’t think Drew will allow anything to—
“Drew follows the rules, even when he breaks them…. John thinks the rules are for everyone else.”
This was the most serious she’d ever seen her dad, and the most pessimistic. “Why do you think he wants your company?”
“Because he’s been nursing a grudge for decades, biding his time until he has the right weapon to use against me.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “He doesn’t know you very well if he thinks that attempting to take your company would hurt you.”
Her dad smiled grimly. “But it would hurt my employees—thousands of them. Your brother… he’s too confident in his ability to hold the jackals at bay. Youth is not on his side in this game. ”
“Talk to Drew about your fears. Educate him about Taggart.” She squeezed his hand. “You’ll feel better if you do.”
“Aye.” He nodded, then released a breath. “It does an old man good to be listened to and counseled by his wise daughter.”
“It does a wise daughter good to listen to and counsel an old man.” London wriggled her brows. “But only if that old man is you.”
Her dad threw his head back and laughed heartily before sobering. “You’re my heart, lass. Don’t ever allow anyone to change you.”
“I promise I won’t,” she said.
2
London + Her Brothers
Connor Montgomery, Drew Montgomery
(2 people)
London: Dad is up to his old tricks again. He’s basically guilted me into going to Connor’s event (no offense, Connor)
Connor: None taken. Good luck tonight.
London: Not cool. Who’s on the guest list?
Drew:
This could have been done over email.
Connor: Give me a sec and I’ll share it with you.
Drew: Again, something that could have been shared via email
London: Thanks. Dad thinks it’s time for me to settle down and have babies.
Connor: Before you type it, that is not something you can do via email, Drew
Drew: -.-
London: You’re so cute when you try to emoji.
Connor: Don’t get him started on emojis.
Attachment
London: Got it. I’ll check it out this afternoon. AND OMG. Does you still think you invented them?
Drew: I don’t think. I know.
Connor: I said don’t get him started!
London: winces sorry
Drew: Do you need us to run interference for you?
London: The only way Dad won’t pay attention to me is if either one of y’all knocked up your respective wife.
Connor: … well, now that you mention it…
Drew: Oh God…
Connor: We do a lot of practicing.
London: Not helping
Drew: Make. Him. Stop.
Connor: And practice makes perfect, so…
London: !!! I’m going to be an auntie again!!!!
Connor: Actually, we adopted another cat, but still, Faith says I’m perfect, so it’s a win-win.
Drew: Why do we indulge him?
London: Same reason we put up with your sparkling personality
Drew: I hate group chats
Connor: I’ll do my best to distract him for you
Drew: Count me in, too.
London: <3 <3 You two are the best brothers ever!!!
3
London
Drew and Connor were officially the worst brothers ever. Instead of distracting their dad, they had invited potential dates for her to the spring ball.
The beautiful decorations, delicious food, and the amazing band did little to assuage her irritation. Worse, she’d worn a dress that she’d been saving for a special occasion to this, and it would be totally wasted on a man not of her choosing.
She was positive Connor had done it because he thought the entire situation was hilarious while Drew contributed to her misery because he thought his pick was better than their dad’s choice—a man none of them had met, yet.
“A word, if you please,” she all but growled at them.
Connor grinned. “Is there something wrong?”
“Not with my suggestion,” Drew said. “The man is brilliant.”
“The man is no more interested in me than I am in being here tonight,” London huffed. “How did you meet him anyway?”
“Employee.”
“You can’t do that with employees. Their personal lives are off limits,” she said. It also invited lawsuits.
“Their personal life is of no interest to me, only their job performance,” Drew countered.
“Then how did you know he’d be interested in meeting me?”
“I only required that the list given to me contained unmarried men... and I didn’t share that he’d be meeting you, only that he was an honored guest.”
Connor burst out laughing. “Your guy has been in a serious relationship with his partner for a decade, but they don’t want to get married. He and Trent would rather travel.”
“How do you know?” Drew asked.
London blinked. “Yeah, how do you know?”
“I asked him.”
London gave her brother a horrified look.
Connor let out a long-suffering sigh. “I didn’t ask him if he were gay. I asked if he were having a good time and he was the one to share it all with me.” He turned to Drew. “Do you even allow people to talk at work?”
“Why would they talk about their personal lives at work?”
London glanced at Drew. “Because that’s how people form relationships.”
“Waste of time, if you ask me,” Drew said.
“No one would ever ask your opinion on that,” Connor said.
“Says the man who ignored company rules to marry Montgomery Industries’ librarian and got her fired.”
Connor shrugged. “At least I didn’t have to buy my wife.”
“Stop it. Both of you,” London said before a fight ensued. “I need your help and what y’all have done is the exact opposite of help.”
“Who did Dad invited?” Drew asked.
“I have no idea.”
Connor scanned the room. “He hasn’t introduced you yet?”
“No. He was suspiciously quiet on the ride over, so that’s how I know he’s up to something that’s really, really out of line.”
“The night’s still young,” Drew said. “Maybe his pick hasn’t arrived yet.”
“Maybe he didn’t invite anyone,” Connor said.
London and Drew both gave Connor a yeah right look.
He held up his hands. “Fine. He invited someone, but he’s playing his cards close to the vest.”
“As the host, wouldn’t you know who?” London pressed. “You have security and a guest list.”
“Why don’t you simply ask him?” Drew suggested.
London started to disagree, but her brother was correct. They should simply ask their dad. “You’re right.”
“Great. Now you’ll never hear the end of it,” Connor said on a groan. “Let’s go.”
She shook her head. “Not us. Me. I’ll ask him.”
“I thought you wanted our help,” Connor said, his brows crashing together.
London nodded at his pick, who was currently on the dance floor, but instead of dancing, he was busy shoving his tongue down his dance partner’s throat. To be fair, judging by the way she grabbed his ass, she was enjoying every minute of it. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
Drew fell in step beside her as she walked away in search of their dad. “I thought that having someone here for you already would make Dad reconsider.”
“Are you attempting to apologize to me?”
“Yes.”
She glanced at her brother, smiling. “Apology accepted. Don’t ever do it again.”
“I promise not to interfere.”
London stopped, turning to Drew and rising on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I know we give you a hard time, but I do love you.”
“I love you back.” Drew smiled tightly. She knew he didn’t feel comfortable sharing his feelings. To be vulnerable was a weakness that he didn’t enjoy experiencing—except with his wife, and to some extent his best friend, Blake. “I’d do anything for you, little sister. Just remember that when I’m not so… agreeable as Connor.”
“Don’t compare yourself to Connor. He’s—“
“Charming and fun and people want to be around him.”
“Yes, he is all those things, but that doesn’t make you less.” She couldn’t imagine what her brothers’ relationship would be if they had to compete in the areas of business and women. Most likely, her tight family would have come unraveled. “Underneath that hard shell is a softy of a brother who would do anything, not only for his little sister, but for his family and friends.”
“Thank you for saying that. “ He lifted an imposing brow. “Remind our father that we Montgomerys tend to go our own way when it comes to love.”
“I will.” She gave him a quick hug, then resumed her search, only her dad was nowhere to be found in the enchanted forest themed ballroom. “I can’t believe he’s missing.”
“Who’s missing?”
London turned, a slightly embarrassed smile on her face and nearly swallowed her tongue at the sight of the man standing in front of her. Dressed in a bespoke black tux, the stranger’s blue on blue eyes seemed to penetrate to her soul. His lips were full and sensual, the type that people paid thousands to have surgically enhanced in order to copy. His nose was straight and his cheekbones were sharp, a wonderful contrast to his pouty mouth.
Impossibly wide shoulders, along with a confident stance, made her feel simultaneously pro
tected and on edge. This man clearly knew his place in the world.
“My date,” she said evenly.
“Not much of a date if he ghosted you.”
London’s temper pricked at his assumption. “He didn’t ghost me.”
A dark brow lifted. “If you were my date, I wouldn’t leave you alone for a second.”
She tilted her head to one side, the dark curls of her hair sliding along her shoulder. “Is that supposed to make me pick you over him?”
His sexy lips quirked. “Wasn’t aware that I was presenting you with a choice.”
She’d stepped right into that one, and more to the point, he was complimenting her after presumably insulting her. Lord, this man was confusing. “You inserted yourself into my conversation.”
“The one you were having with yourself.” He nodded a little. “I can see how you might consider my interruption to be rude. My apologies for assuming the worst.”
She bit back a smile at his seemingly genuine remorse. “Unless you were only interrupting to help me.”
“As in help you find your date?” He shook his head. “Wasn’t about to do that.”
“That’s not very chivalrous of you.”
“Maybe not… or I could be doing you a considerable favor.”
“Why would anyone consider a lack of help to be a favor?”
He smiled slowly, then said, “Because it would open you up to more options.”
“I think you meant option, as in you’re the only option for me.”
“Glad to see that we’re on the same page.” He held out his hand as the band started to play again. “Dance with me.”
“Absolutely.” She placed her hand in his much larger one and a delicious thrill traveled through her, all the way to her core, making her gasp.
“Sorry about the cold fingers. I had a drink first.”
His skin was warm and slightly calloused. A working man’s hands. “No, it’s not… your hand is the perfect temperature.”
“Will your date mind that we’re dancing?” he asked, pulling her in close to him. The air fairly vibrated between them.
Technically, her date was her dad and if he was watching them, he’d probably be gleeful. “If he does mind, will you stop dancing with me?”
Seducing the Billionaire's Daughter (The Montgomerys Book 3) Page 2