“Well,” Maxine continued, leaning back in the chair with a grin. “Crystal and Randy, who still don’t have a theme, but they want us to decide.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
For some reason, Lucy felt a small sense of relief. She thought of doing a risk-free romantic celebration.
“If you want, I can take that one over.” Maxine raised a brow with a wicked grin on her face.
“Okay, Maxine. I know it’s always been your dream, so...” Lucy breathed in then exhaled calmly. “We’ll do that one together. Okay?”
Maxine frowned. “Fine.”
“What’s the timeline on these?”
“Well, the mob-style is in two months and the unknown one is in two and a half months.”
“Great!”
“We’re not done yet, hon.”
“We’re not?”
“Nope.”
Maxine suppressed another wicked grin.
“Okay, Maxine. Cough it up.”
“Antonio Romero, that wealthy real-estate tycoon.”
“Romero? Romero Realty? No. Way.”
Maxine nodded slyly. “Yes. Way. And he’ll be the biggest client your aunt ever secured. God rest her soul.”
“Wow. I don’t believe it. But wait a minute. Isn’t he like, ninety?”
“Not quite. He’s seventy-six.” Maxine paused for a moment. “But he looks fit for his age and does scuba diving and stuff like that. Oh, this dude is young at heart. He’s got the body of a forty-nine-year-old. You know—like Joseph Pilates had.”
Lucy leaned back and relaxed in her soft-leather seat of her executive chair. Finally. A safe wedding. So, what could they do for a sweet elderly man and his equally senior bride? Perhaps they were both widowed and wanted a second chance at love. Maybe Dream Weddings could set up a romantic, authentic forties-style old Hollywood wedding theme from the era of the silver screen. That would be appropriate.
“Have they chosen a theme?” Lucy asked eagerly.
“Fun Birds!”
“Huh!” Okay, Lucy did not see that one coming. “Fun Birds?”
Maxine nodded emphatically. “It’s sort of like Angry Birds, only it’s not!”
Lucy could not imagine two seventy-something-year-olds having a Fun Bird wedding. “Okay, you’ve lost me. Exactly how are we going to do this?” Lucy leaned forward in her chair and pressed her elbows on her desk.
“Well, the bride wants to meet her groom at the altar by way of a human-sized slingshot.”
Lucy thought she was going to collapse. “Just...how old is this bride?” Or how young?
“Forty-six.”
Lucy flopped back in her chair and placed her palms on the edge of the desk. She pinched her lips to either stifle a hysterical laugh ... or a hysterical cry.
“Okay.” She nodded and hunched her shoulders. This was about the couples. This was about granting wishes to happy couples. “Okay,” she said again quietly.
“Are you sure you’re not having a meltdown?”
“Yep. Yep. I’m...sure. I think. Have fun at the dentist, Maxine. See you in the morning.”
“Um. Tomorrow is Saturday.”
“Right. See you Monday, Maxine.”
Maxine grinned and got up slowly. She grabbed her iPad and coffee and proceeded to walk about but paused at the door. “You know, Lucy. For what it’s worth, I’m proud of you.”
“You are? Why?” Lucy asked.
“For not contesting Chris’s will. She was an odd one at times but this business meant the world to her. She was able to make dreams come true for people just like her, I guess. You’re sort of cool. I thought you were some prude Miss Proper who was going to sell this company to the highest bidder and here you are...” Maxine seemed as if she was going to be teary-eyed but Lucy could tell she was only teasing her. “Doing your best to make this work. Kudos to you, girlfriend.” She strode out of Lucy’s office.
Lucy smiled and shook her head. She glanced at the clock on her computer screen and it was almost four-thirty in the afternoon. The young receptionist outside her door would be leaving soon, too. Lucy continued her aunt’s tradition of letting employees leave earlier than five o’clock on Fridays.
Just then the receptionist buzzed her office.
“Yes, Darla?” Lucy called out over the speakerphone intercom.
“You have an appointment, Lucy.”
“I do? I thought I was all clear for the afternoon.” This was the last thing Lucy wanted to hear. She was looking forward to going home early on this Friday after a hectic week at the office and soak in a nice aroma-therapy Epsom salt-soothing bath, sipping champagne to celebrate that she was still alive after a crazy week. Heck, just celebrating breathing.
“You have a Mr. Antonio Romero here to see you,” Darla answered back over the intercom.
Antonio Romero? Antonio Romero? Lucy glanced down at her notepad. Holy shit! The seventy-six- year-old tycoon with the Fun Birds themed wedding!
“Right. Please send him in, Darla.”
“Will do.”
Lucy straightened out her skirt, which had ridden up while she was seated. She looked as if she’d just worked a busy workday but she knew how respectable she needed to look for her clients, especially the elderly ones who were used to prim and proper back in the day. When the door swung open, Lucy’s jaw fell wide open.
Lucy was stunned, dazed, confused.
Standing before her was the most gorgeous, possibly six-foot, dark-tanned and sexy as hell young man she’d ever seen in her life. He was dressed in a stunning, expensive-looking suit that seemed to complement his obvious muscular frame and broad shoulders. He had dark, silky cropped hair and deep, rich dark eyes and high chiseled cheekbones. He was to die for. She wasn’t good with ages but he sure as hell was nowhere near seventy-six. There must have been a mistake. The other thing Lucy noticed was that Mr. Drop-Dead-Sexy was not smiling. He appeared not in a good mood. He glared at her through dangerously dark eyes framed with the longest lashes she’d ever seen on a man.
“Mr. Romero?” Lucy queried, still stunned!
“I’m his grandson, Antonio.”
Oh. My. God. “You’re Antonio Romero the third?” Lucy extended her hand then quickly withdrew it when she saw his jaw was clenched. Did he bite?
“I’m sorry, I thought it was your grandfather. We’re not allowed to discuss contracts with anyone other than the client and his or her spokesperson, sir.”
“Miss Shillerton, I’ll make this short. I know you’re probably as pressed for time as I am but I want you to cancel this wedding of my grandfather's. And I want you to do it pronto.”
“What?” Lucy almost fell over. Who does he think he is? “What are you talking about?”
“I’m aware you took over the business from your aunt and I appreciate what you are trying to do.” Antonio sounded more curt and authoritative, if that was possible. “But I will pay you any amount of money for your inconvenience to prevent my grandfather from making the biggest mistake of his life.”
“Do tell. What makes you think he’s making a mistake?” Lucy was growing hotter by the second. Was the heat climbing in the office all of a sudden—or was it the tension between them? It wasn’t merely the fact that this bossy man just barged into her office uttering commands for her to follow but, yeah, he was hot as hell. Focus, Lucy. Focus.
Lucy fought hard to keep her composure but it wasn’t easy when someone so good-looking and sinfully sexy was distracting your professional thoughts. “L-l-listen. My clients are my business. I’m sorry you are having family issues but-”
“Family issues?” Antonio repeated as he shoved his hands in his tailored pants pockets, swiftly pacing side to side in her office. Oh, she caught the soothing scent of his delicious cologne and it stirred some naughty feelings inside her. He smelled good! She noticed the way he moved. Powerful. Manly. It had been too long since she’d been with someone. Maxine was right.
Focus, Lucy. Focu
s.
“This has nothing to do with family issues, Ms. Shillerton. This is my grandfather’s life and I'm protecting him from some two-bit gold digger.”
“Gold digger?”
“Are you planning on echoing every select word I speak, Ms. Shillerton, or do you plan on following through on my wishes?”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Romero.” Hell, even his name sounded sexy. It just rolled around and off her tongue. Mmmm. “But your grandfather is my concern. I work for him and his bride-to-be. We’re here to make his dream wedding come true and who are we to tell him he can’t have it or to tell him he can’t fall in love? Besides, why didn’t you tell him to call it off?”
For a moment, Antonio paused. He locked gaze with Lucy causing a wave of hot emotions to spring through her body. She was shivering inside. Holy cow! No man had ever had that effect on her body. And just from one look. There certainly was some sort of indescribable magnetic pull between them. She just couldn’t quite pinpoint it. This man oozed sexual power and something else.
He pulled his gaze from her and left her cold for a moment. How odd. He glared her as if undressing her with his eyes but then he stopped himself and regained his composure.
“I did,” he admitted curtly. “I asked him to halt this foolishness and come to his senses but your agency had already convinced him that this was the best decision he was making. You need to undo this! You have until the end of next week to call this thing off. This is not a request. It is an order.” He spoke so calmly and quietly and so deadly cool that Lucy’s knees weakened and almost buckled.
What the hell was that about?
Antonio Romero, III, the hot and sexy grandson of her client uttered some sort of ultimatum and stormed out of her office as quickly as he’d blown in.
The end of next week?
What would this man do to her then?
CHAPTER TWO
Moments later, Antonio headed to his BMW parked outside the headquarters of Dream Weddings Inc. What just happened? His intention was to really put Ms. Shillerton in her place for taking his vulnerable grandfather’s money and planning some high-risk, embarrassing wedding that would probably aggravate his grandfather’s heart condition but he just couldn’t.
That was so unlike Antonio.
Antonio was always a man in control. And he’d seen plenty of beautiful women in his lifetime and dated the most eligible high-society bachelorettes, but Lucy Shillerton? Damn! She was stunning!
She had almost thrown him off balance. Good thing Antonio caught himself and got back on track with his demands. Antonio slid into the driver’s seat of his car with his jaw clenched. No way in hell was he about to be that easily distracted by a pretty face. A beautiful face.
He thought back to her smooth-looking, tanned skin and her large, brown, beautiful eyes framed by long lashes, her high cheekbones and well-defined, full lips that looked so damned kissable. Her long, dark hair looked so silky he was almost tempted to reach over the desk and run his fingers through it.
When she rose to greet him, Antonio noticed she was nicely filled out. She had optimal proportions. Lucy didn’t look like some of those malnourished and boney models he’d seen. She had the hour-glass shape. Small waist, shapely hips and a full bosom. He was an expert at detecting boob jobs. She, thankfully, had no sign of plastic surgery that he could discern. Lucy was the real deal. But it wasn’t just her physical assets, it was her aura. Yes, that’s what it was. Her aura.
Antonio could tell there was something sweet and humble about Lucy. The way she extended her hand so sincerely, and despite his coarse introduction, she retreated humbly and recomposed herself. She didn’t seem to hint at all at having an attitude or being hostile. Antonio could not be sure, of course, but he was often right in his assessments of people he’d meet.
“Start car,” Antonio commanded in a deep, forceful voice using his sophisticated voice-control engine-start system. The engine of his luxury vehicle promptly revved. He then navigated his way through the streets of downtown Toronto towards his high-rise condominium near the waterfront.
Still, his mind was on pretty Ms. Lucy Shillerton. He’d caught the fact that her ring finger was completely bare and had no sign of a ring ever being on it.
So there was a strong possibility that she was available.
Just then a tone rung from the speakers of his vehicle.
“You have a call from...Lucas,” the disembodied female voice stated through his speaker.
“Answer,” Antonio directed. He was still deep in thought, but he could take a call from his cousin and business associate.
“Hey, man. You okay?” Lucas Romero’s voice pierced the speakerphone.
“Just a little distracted right now. I’m on the road.”
“I see,” Lucas hesitated at first. “Listen, I just wanted to check on the latest with our granddad. Any news? He’s still not going through with the crazy wedding, is he?”
“Not if I can help it,” Antonio answered coldly.
“Did you speak to the people at the agency to get them to stop it?”
“Not quite. I got...a bit distracted. But I gave her an ultimatum.”
“Her?” Lucas sounded surprised. “Ultimatum?”
“Yes, it’s a young woman who has apparently taken over from her late aunt who owned this agency. They grant wishes to couples to put on interesting wedding ceremonies.”
“But you told them they can’t go through with it, right?”
“I gave her till next Friday to break it to him gently ... or else.”
“Or else what?” Lucas paused. “What a minute. Is she cute?”
“Lucas.” Antonio’s tone was sharper than he had intended but he was so not going there. Usually, he would entertain his playboy cousin’s juvenile sense of humor but he wasn’t in the mood for it now.
So why had his crotch jumped when Lucas pried as to whether Lucy was cute? Just thinking about Lucy made Antonio hard like a cucumber in its prime. Because she was hot as hell. He’d never seen anyone so stunning, so naturally beautiful. And then there was that sweet perfume she was wearing. What was it called? Angel? Yes, she certainly was an angel. How fitting.
Damn! Why did Lucy have to be so good looking in every way? That would only serve to complicate matters. Antonio was a man who usually focused on a mission and got it done. Period. But Lucy Shillerton was proving to be a distraction already and he hadn’t even known her long.
Still, he had to shift his focus back on track to his grandfather. The old man meant the world to him and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let some broad in her forties take his grandfather to the cleaners and leave him cold.
Antonio has had his own share of gold diggers in the past. Every society woman he’d ever met wanted to date him or would take “selfies” on their smartphones if they were with him. Subsequently, they would post to their Instagram accounts or Facebook pages with captions of “me and my boo” or something childish like that. Or “out with my baby on a date.” Those women would often give the impression that something serious was going on between them when he was only there at a party or event and even though they may know each other, there was nothing going on between them. The only way he’d found out was through his cousin Lucas who happened to be a social networking fanatic and would happily flirt with women online, exchanging hot poses of themselves.
Mind you, Lucas happened to go into one of the women’s online albums and saw a picture of Antonio there and promptly alerted him. That was another reason why Antonio wasn’t a huge fan of some social media sites. In fact, he tried to stay off the Internet most times unless he truly had to be "connected." Business was crazy enough with him. He’d left all that online work to his associates or the assistants who worked in his organization.
“Now that I have you on the phone,” Antonio continued, “how is that deal going with the community center?”
“Oh, that?” Lucas changed his tone. “Well, we still have a ways to go before we can get the
green light. Something about zoning issues in the area. Everything is on schedule otherwise, so we'll make the deadline.”
“Right. Keep me abreast if anything changes.”
“Will do, cuz, but I am sure we are fine.”
“And did you get any more information on this Shelly character?”
“Oh, right. The lovely lady who will be our forty-six-year-old step-grandmother.”
Antonio was thirty-three years old so he cringed at the thought of having a grandmother thirteen years older than he was. “Lucas. Enough of that!”
“Sorry, cuz. Yeah, she’s coming up all clean so far.”
“Well, no information doesn’t mean she’s in the clear yet. I want to know what forty-six-year-old would want to marry a seventy-six-year-old man. End of story.”
“Gotcha.”
“Besides, Granddad’s not doing so well and this would be his fourth marriage. We know how the others ended after Grandmother passed away.”
“I know. They took him to the cleaners every time. It’s amazing he still has any assets left. Don’t worry, cuz. We’ll protect our grandfather from any more heartbreak.”
“The thing what bothers me the most is that I don’t think he realizes what he’s getting himself into. He only just met this woman three months ago.”
“Well, she is his nurse, cuz.”
“Yes, I know. But she is also aware that he has that heart condition. Any unnecessary excitement and that would be it for him.”
“I know,” Lucas agreed.
“Keep your men on it, Lucas. I want to find out everything about this woman and how she got to know Lucy Shillerton and this Dream Weddings company. I want to find out if there is a connection. Something is not adding up and I don’t like loose ends.”
“I hear ya, man!”
After Antonio finished his phone conversation he pulled up at one of his glass condominium high-rise buildings. He had already inherited his share of the Romero Realty from his own father but had merged it with his own investment firm and created his own corporation. It wasn’t like him to pull himself away from his work, but after hearing that his grandfather was going to tie the knot with a woman old enough, or young enough, to be his granddaughter, Antonio gave his right-hand person and chief administrative officer, Mariam, the go-ahead to take charge of his affairs for a while as he tended to “personal business.”
The Billionaire's Second-Chance Bride (The Romero Brothers, #1) Page 2