by Alexa Davis
“But,” he interjected before I could kindly ask him to get the hell out of my store. “I would like to have a think about things, to see if maybe my business brain can come up with a way to make this work. Would you maybe like to have dinner with me tomorrow night? That way I can tell you what I’ve come up with?”
“Erm…” I didn’t want to go through with it, not really. I didn’t want an outsider having any kind of impact on my business, but it made a bit of sense, too. Mr. Gains was a smart guy who, despite his arrogance, did have a lot of successful companies. I didn’t have to go along with what he said. I could just hear him out. I had to give it a shot, after all. After I heard him out, that could be the end of it…if I wanted it to be. “Yeah, sure okay.”
“Great,” he stood up, having not touched his coffee at all. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then. I will be in touch with a plan.”
“Sure.” It was difficult to keep the sarcasm from my voice, but I forced myself to do so. “Thanks.”
As he swanned from the building and the door closed behind him, Rae slid to my side in a heartbeat. My body was still freaking out, my mind still racing, so I pulled her in for a hug just to calm me down. She was my constant, my reason for doing this; I didn’t have to like it all.
“He’s nice, Mommy,” Rae started, shocking me. “I like him. He’s cute, too, right?”
I chuckled to myself, unable to believe that my daughter could actually find way to make light of such a shitty situation. “He may be cute,” I was forced to admit, “but nice I’m not so sure about.”
That didn’t matter, though. Nice wasn’t what I needed him to be. I needed him to help me with Boffees, to take me to the next level. I might not like him, and his attitude might stink, but the fact that he was giving me a second chance told me he saw something within me. If I could just focus on that, rather than the crappy way that he’d treated me, then maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe I could go to this dinner without a negative black shadow hanging over my head.
“Anyway, sweetie,” I smiled and rubbed her hair. “Come on, I promised you ice cream because you’ve been such a good girl all day long, so let’s go and get some.”
As she went to grab her belongings, a big smile on her face, I felt deflated and exhausted. It was safe to say that the meeting hadn't gone the way I wanted it to, leaving me a little numb. I wasn’t sure what I would do if this all went belly up like I suspected it might, but I didn’t feel like I go through all of this again. It was too draining; it left me feeling too despondent for words. I didn’t want to consider giving up, that wasn’t like me at all, but I couldn’t keep going on and getting rejected by investors.
Maybe it was time to just be happy with what I had. Maybe it was time to focus on another dream.
Chapter Seven
Justin – Friday
I didn’t want to tell Roy that I didn’t actually book into the B and B that he recommended. Instead, I found the most luxurious hotel I could, one that looked out over the water. As I woke up to the most amazing view, it all felt totally worth it. It might have been much more than he would be willing to spend on a room for the night, but I deserved it. After all the stress I’d been under recently with my brother, I wanted the best.
For a moment, I stared out of the window and thought about the way I’d behaved with Annie last night. I had instantly gone into Alpha Male mode: the cocky, arrogant rich shit that gets me where I want to be in business. Usually, it blew people out of the water until they felt like they owed me everything, but with Annie…well, she just looked a little disappointed in me.
Admittedly, when I felt like a hook up, I would also go to that mode because it always worked. It seemed to drive women wild, whilst also letting them know that I would not be in it for the long haul…exactly what I needed.
But with Annie, if that was my intention with her, then it really wouldn’t have worked. Not that it was my intention. She was beautiful, absolutely stunning, but not the sort of woman I would usually just sleep with and never call again.
I grabbed my phone, half wanting to call her, just to hear her voice again, but I couldn’t. Not if I didn’t want to seem strange. So I sent her a text instead.
Hi, Annie, it’s Justin. It was great to meet you last night. Did you want to go to dinner at the Italian at 8 p.m.?
While I waited for her to reply, I put in a call to my brother. The one thing I didn’t like about being away from home was leaving him unsupervised. Sure, there wasn’t a lot I could do for him and he never listened to me, but at least when I was there, I felt like I could keep an eye on him.
“Nghgh?” he answered quietly, clearly hungover to hell.
“It’s Justin,” I told him sharply. “What’s going on?” In my mind, I was imagining all kinds of things, all kinds of horrors occurring under my roof right now. The worst part was I couldn’t put anything past my brother.
“Urgh, nothing. I’m just…I haven’t yet woken up,” he replied, clearly trying his best to think on his feet. “Are you back today? I don’t think I can go in to work this morning.”
I rolled my eyes, unable to believe how idiotic my brother was. He didn’t even know what day of the week it was, and he was already making excuses. How screwed up was that?
“No, I’m not back today, but don’t start thinking that you’re going to make excuses come next week. Once you start working for the company, that’s it. You’ll need to sort yourself out.”
“Stop going on about it, Justin,” he all but yelled at me. “I don’t need this right now, okay?”
I rubbed my forehead for a moment, realizing that I was about to be reeled back in to the same fight again. It didn’t seem like anything was ever going to change with Garrett, and I needed to accept that. I couldn’t keep putting my hope into something that was never going to happen because I’d only end up disappointed over and over again.
“Okay, well, just be careful, be safe, and I’ll see you when I get back.”
As I hung up the phone, I couldn’t help feeling disappointed with everything. I’d really been hopeful that things were going to improve this time, but now…well, now I wasn’t so sure. I guessed I would have to forget about it now and focus on my date tonight.
Okay, so I hadn't exactly considered it a date when I asked her out, but now it was totally obvious that was how I saw it. Sure, I’d had millions of business meetings, but not with women that I didn’t really have any intentions of investing in, so what else could it be?
I guessed that I would just have to wait and see what happened.
***
As I strolled into the restaurant, I found myself oddly surprised to see Annie already sitting there, surrounded by paperwork. Clearly, she saw this as a business meeting even if I wasn’t totally sure. That was one mystery solved.
“Hey there,” I grinned as I pulled out the chair on the other side of the table. “You look nice.”
That was an understatement: she looked absolutely breathtaking. Sure, she was wearing a dress that was far too formal and not nearly slutty enough to be date worthy, but it fit her body well and it made her rosy cheeks stand out even more.
“Thanks, you. You don’t look too bad yourself,” she said stiffly, looking me up and down. I didn’t look any different to normal; it was just another designer suit, but I enjoyed the way her eyes widened a little as she drank me in. “Now, shall we get down to business?”
I hadn't met any other woman like her, anyone with such drive and focus. She cared more about the business than me, which was shocking. I met a lot of gold diggers, so I was far more accustomed to that type more than anything else. Annie was a welcome, refreshing change, and I couldn’t wait to get to know more about her.
“Don’t you think we should order first? Maybe get a glass of wine?” I teased. “I mean, I know that you have a lot to tell me, but shouldn’t we enjoy ourselves a little, too?”
“Sure…” she replied slowly, eyeing me curiously. “But I do want t
o go through all of this. I didn’t come here just to eat food and drink wine.”
I smirked to myself, enjoying that remark. She was serious about her company, and I had to respect that because I was exactly the same. “Of course, of course, I came here for that exact reason, too.” Sort of, ish. “But I will need a drink first.”
As the waiter came over and we placed our orders, I could tell that Annie was struggling with herself. There was a big part of her that wanted to let loose, to throw caution to the wind, and to actually have some fun. But the more predominant part of her was all business, and that part would ultimately win out.
“Now, give me your documents, and let me read through them.”
As I saw the business plan she had laid out, complete with varying models that could actually work, I found myself impressed. If I had found her in my very early days of investing, I would have been blown away by it all. I would have assumed that she was a shoo-in.
But now I was wiser, and now I could see the bigger picture. A great business plan and solid determination didn’t always equal money.
While I read, I could see Annie in the corner of my eye, growing increasingly anxious with each passing second. “This is good,” I told her, wanting to calm her down. “I have to say you really know your stuff.”
“Thank you,” she gasped back. “So, what do you think? I know it isn’t the business size that you’re normally used to, but I think…I think…”
“Well, I can’t make any definitive decisions right now; I’ll have to speak to my office,” I admitted before she got her hopes up too high. I still wasn’t sure that this was a company for me, and I didn’t want to lead her on. “But I will let you know as soon as possible.”
“Right, sure,” she nodded, gulping down. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
I hoped that would be enough to satisfy her for now, and from the way that she took a massive swig of wine, I had to think that we were done with being all business. “So, have you lived in Florence your whole life?” I asked her, wanting to know if she was willing to open up a little bit.
“I…no,” she told me quickly. “I moved here a few years ago.”
“It’s lovely, isn’t it,” I smiled, wanting her to know that this wasn’t an interrogation. She didn’t quite seem to know how to deal with me at the moment. “You made a good choice choosing to live here.”
“Well, it’s perfect for Rae,” she told me warmly. “She can grow up safe here, which is obviously very important.” Her eyes went misty for a moment, and I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in her mind. “I love it, too; there isn’t anywhere better in the world.”
“Yeah, it’s the sort of place that I want to go to when I retire. Maybe I’ll become a regular in your store.” She shot me a curious look as I said that, so I quickly offered her another glass of wine. Maybe once we were a little more tipsy, the conversation would flow a little better. I had to hope so, at least…
***
“Oh my God, are you serious?” she laughed loudly as I told her a story from my childhood. “That’s insane.”
The drunker Annie became, the more she loosened up and the more gorgeous she became. As she relaxed and I got to see a more natural version of her, the more I felt attracted to her. She was a real, natural beauty, and every moment I spent with her, the more I wanted to know. I’d never been that way about a woman before, actually wanting to get to know her, and it made me a little uneasy.
Fortunately, I was just about drunk enough not to care.
“This has been fun,” I smiled at her, feeling a little blurry and lustful. I knew that it was wrong to imagine myself fooling around with this woman, especially when I was well aware I probably wouldn’t be able to give her and her business what she needed, but I just couldn’t help myself.
One night couldn’t hurt; one night could be a whole lot of fun.
“You know, we could go back to my hotel room. I have some more drinks there…” I wiggled my eyebrows at her, wanting her to get the hint that I wasn’t really just thirsty for more booze. “Could be fun, right?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she replied a little coldly, the fun-loving atmosphere immediately vacating the room entirely. “That isn’t why I came here, and I don’t think that’s a good plan now.”
Shit, I probably shouldn’t have asked that question; maybe it was a step too far, but at the same time, I hadn’t expected to be turned down. Usually when I set my eyes upon a woman and I told her that I wanted her, she was all for it. In fact, thinking about it, this might have been the first time I’d ever been rejected. And, it kinda sucked.
“Oh, yeah, okay,” I stammered awkwardly. “Sure, I shouldn’t have asked.” I needed to get out of this place. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I felt humiliated, sickened, and very cold with shame. “Maybe we should…maybe I should get the bill.”
Annie looked as confused as me as we stared at one another across the table. We were in some weird standoff, one that neither of us knew what to do about, and I had no idea how it would end.
“Yes,” she eventually said, nodding rapidly. “We should get going. Thank you.”
Chapter Eight
Annie – Saturday
Before I even bothered to open my eyes, I flung my arm across the bed to see if Rae was lying next to me, which of course she was. It was an unfortunate habit that she’d gotten into over the last few months after a bout of night terrors, and I didn’t have the heart to really put a stop to it just yet.
“Rae, wake up, sweetie,” I murmured to her, holding on to my slightly achy head. I probably drank a little more than I should have last night, but at least I didn’t do anything too crazy. I could have, but I’d forced myself not to. Sleeping with my investor didn’t seem like the best plan.
“I need to get ready for work in a minute, and you need to be a bit organized for Nancy. She’s feeling much better now, so she wants to have some fun with you.”
“Yay, Nancy!” Rae squealed. “I’m glad she’s much better.”
“Me, too,” I smiled at her, trying to ignore my cotton mouth and how loud her voice seemed. “So, are you ready to wake up yet?”
“Wait, not yet!” She jumped on me, bringing up a wave of nausea that I hadn't been expecting. “You haven’t told me about dinner with the important man. How did it go?”
I laughed loudly, taken aback by Rae. Sometimes it was difficult to remember that she was just a kid, she seemed so adult most of the time. What other four-year-old asked such questions, honestly? “It was fine, thank you.”
“What did you eat? Did you have ice cream? Did you bring me any back?” By this point, she might as well have been jumping up and down on the bed. “I love ice cream, you know.”
“I do know,” I replied, pulling her in for a hug. “But no, I didn’t have ice cream. I didn’t have anything for dessert, actually.” By that point, it had gotten far too awkward and all I wanted to do was go home. The fact that Justin didn’t even know what to do with himself when I turned him down told me a whole lot about him – and I wasn’t sure that I necessarily liked what I discovered. “And, I ate pasta.”
“Urgh, I hate pasta,” she screwed up her nose in the most adorable way possible. “But I like the important man. Do you like him, too? Was he nice to you?”
I wasn’t sure exactly why Rae was so taken in by Justin, but clearly she didn’t understand him. He might have been nice to her, but I wasn’t sure how he was with me. I couldn’t work him out, at all.
I didn’t want to answer that question, so I rolled my giggling daughter up in a blanket to distract her from the conversation, and luckily, it seemed to work. She was so busy laughing that she certainly wasn’t bothered about the “important man” anymore.
“Right, come on,” I started, before sliding myself out of the bed. “I’m going to make breakfast. You hurry up and get your bottom downstairs. I don’t want to be late for Nancy; we don’t know how she’s going to be today. She
might not be one hundred percent better, and if that’s the case then you need to be all sorted for her.” But as I finished my sentence, I could hear noises coming from downstairs, a knocking from the front door, which meant she was already there. “Come on, she’s already here!”
As I let Nancy in, I was pleased to see that she was looking like herself. Whenever she got ill, she went ridiculously pale, so she had to be all right now. “How are you feeling?” I asked her anyway.
“I’m okay now,” she reassured me. “I’m so sorry that I got sick right when you had your meeting with your investor.”
“It’s okay,” I smiled widely at her as we walked into the kitchen. “You couldn’t help it. It was probably the undercooked food that Rae gave you the other morning.”
“So?” she asked excitedly as I handed her a coffee. “How did it go? How was your meeting? Is he going to invest yet?”
“I don’t know,” I told her carefully. “He’s a tricky one to read.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, one moment he was all arrogant and annoying, the next he seemed to take me pretty seriously, and then he would be flirting with me. He said he needs to run the numbers before he can tell me for sure.”
“Wait a moment,” Nancy interrupted, holding up her hand to stop me. “He was flirting with you? Are you serious? What does he look like?”
The heat that filled my cheeks at that question gave me away, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to lie – not to someone who knew me so well. “Oh, I don’t know, tall, dark, handsome…amazing eyes, a great smile. He’s good looking, but I get the impression that he knows it. He seems like the playboy type.”
“So, how did he flirt with you? What did he say?” Nancy seemed far too excited on my behalf, almost as if she hadn't heard the part where I told her that he was a playboy.
“He asked me back to his hotel room for drinks.” God, even saying it aloud now made me squirm inside. It had been difficult to turn him down, but I didn’t want to risk my future for one night of fun.