by E. L. Todd
“That’s where your dad was wrong. If you want to increase your market, you have to expand. We can buy more land and feed the orders.”
“I’m already the biggest cotton manufacturer in the south. I don’t need more business.”
John shook his head. “You’re a horrible businessman.”
Blaise ignored the insult. Now he was more upset with Danielle because she let him in the house. He specifically told her not to. “What do they need the cotton for?”
John stared at him incredulously. “What does it matter?”
“It does fucking matter,” he snapped. “Why do they need the business now? How did you even get a hold of them?”
“I know a guy.”
“A smart businessman doesn’t dive head first into a pool when he doesn’t know how deep it is.”
“Fine,” John said. “They are selling it to North Korea so they can make uniforms. North Korea is losing trading partners by the day. They are growing desperate for goods so they’ll pay any price. I’m using South Korea as the middle man so I don’t have to deal with them directly.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Blaise snapped. “This is exactly why Dad wants me to run this business, not you.”
John stood up. “And what the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Blaise stood up. “Do you know what the hell is going on in South Korea? They are practically running concentration camps. Why would I give them cotton to make fucking uniforms? So they can enslave those innocent people even more? Fuck no.”
“That isn’t our concern. We are businessmen. We care about numbers, not ethics.”
Blaise slammed his plate on the ground, making it shatter into pieces. Danielle covered her mouth and gasped. John’s eyes widened. “Get the fuck out of my house!”
John stared him down.
“I said get out.”
John left the house and slammed the door behind him.
Blaise clenched his fists at his sides, trying to control the anger inside him. He turned to Danielle, wanting to rip her throat out. “I told you not to let him in,” he snapped. “I specifically said that.”
“I know—but he kept talking and it just happened. I’m sorry.”
“I can’t wait until you are out of my life forever.”
She flinched at his words.
Blaise marched into his shower and sat under the water, still fully clothed. He had never been so angry in his life. The frustration was so strong, he felt the tears bubble under his eyes. Everything in his life was so messed up. He was stuck there, carrying out the legacy, but he had no desire to be there. He wanted to get up and leave, never looking back.
14
Blaise and Alexandra worked in the field bright and early the next morning. Blaise was quiet, still upset about the day before. He didn’t have much to say and stayed quiet most of the time.
When they returned the seed planter machine to the warehouse, Alexandra stared at him, seeing the stress etched on his features. Blaise felt her look.
“Is everything okay?” she asked gently.
He kept his back to her and opened the refrigerator. He didn’t think he could lie to her. She would see right through his exterior. He had already told her more than anyone else. He grabbed two waters. “Yeah.” He turned around and handed her one.
She took it apprehensively. “I’m here if you change your mind.”
Blaise sighed, irritated that she didn’t fall for his lie. She drank from her water and tilted her head back, exposing her neck. He stared at the curves of her throat, noting the slender lines and grooves. She was petite everywhere, small and round. He noted the slight curl of her hair. The waves bounced around her shoulders and highlighted the green color of her eyes. He always preferred brunettes, and he was especially attracted to her. Her sweetness and compassion immediately drew him in. Selfish people flooded the world, and he was grateful there were a few people who weren’t like that. She had a naturally bounce to her. “I just had a bad day yesterday.”
She turned to the ladder that led to the hatch up above. She climbed it until she reached the top. “Come on.”
He tried not to stare at her ass as she climbed. It was round and perky. The jeans fit her perfectly, making his imagination run wild. He shook his head to clear his thoughts then followed her to the loft.
She sat on the hay pile then stared at him. He sat across from her then held his water tightly, suddenly aware of how alone they were. They were hidden from the world, away from the peeking eyes of her aunt. He looked at her lips, wandering how soft they were. He imagined how they would feel against his mouth.
“I used to climb up here when my aunt and I played hide and seek.”
“What?” He stopped thinking about kissing her.
She smiled. “When I was little I would hide in here. It was my favorite spot. Martha never found me because I would take the ladder with me. One day, she got so scared she called the police. I thought it was funny at the time.”
Blaise laughed. “I would have loved to see that. She must have been pissed when she found you.”
“Actually, she wasn’t. She hugged me and started crying, saying she was so happy I was okay.”
“That’s a sweet story.”
“But the next day she was pissed.”
Blaise laughed. “That sounds more like Martha.”
“So I always come up here when I’m trying to hide. You can use it if you want.”
His eyes softened at her words. When she said things like this, he fell for her more. “Thank you.”
She grabbed a piece of straw and played with it. Her gaze was downcast.
Blaise took advantage of the opportunity to stare at her. The curves of her face were angelic. Everything about her was perfect.
“Do you want to talk about it?” she whispered.
Blaise didn’t want to talk about Danielle. To keep her safe, he couldn’t tell anyone she lived with him, and if he did say she lived with him, he had to say they were still together otherwise it wouldn’t make any sense. And telling the wrong person in a small town could get back to Evan, and Danielle would be screwed. Blaise was screwed either way. Admitting she still lived with him even though she was his ex would be a huge turn off for Alexandra, if she even had feelings for him. Blaise couldn’t tell if she did. Sometimes she stared at him, her eyes lingering on his lips and chest, but he wasn’t sure if it meant anything. She was nice to him but she was nice to everyone. She was a sweetheart. “My uncle is upset that I got the business and he didn’t. He came over last night and tried to convince me to make a business deal that was completely unethical. I said no and lost my temper.”
“What was it?”
“Basically, I would be giving North Korea supplies. Since they have such an inhumane government system, I refused to do business with them. I couldn’t care less how much money was on the table.”
She nodded. “We need more business owners like that. We could have destroyed their government by now.”
“Maybe,” he said non-committedly. “Their possession of nuclear weapons might make that more complicated.”
Alexandra twirled the straw in her fingertips.
“I feel like my hands are tied. The easy thing to do would be give my uncle the company so I can pursue my own dreams but I can’t do that. All he cares about is making money. He’ll cut salaries and dilute the quality of the cotton to make a better profit. In other words, he’ll run it to the ground.”
“What about your brother?”
He shook his head. “He’s the laziest guy I know.”
“I don’t have any advice I can give.”
“Like I said, my hands are tied.” He rested his elbows on his knees and sighed.
She stared at him sympathetically then moved toward him.
Blaise watched her come beside him. His heart raced in his chest as she sat beside him. When she hooked her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder, he almost fainted. The touch seared his
skin, making him burn on the inside. Her hand was so small on his arm. Strands of her hair touched his neck. It was soft and silky, making him tickle.
“I’m sorry this is happening to you,” she whispered.
He placed his hand on top of hers. “I know.”
They fell silent. It was dark inside the warehouse and the sunlight flittered through the wooden boards. Blaise had other things to do today, but he abandoned them in light of her affection. He could stay there all day, just holding her.
“I admire you,” she said. “You refuse to let your father’s work fall into the wrong hands, even if it costs your passion.”
“I could never do that to him,” he whispered.
“You’re the most selfless man I’ve ever met.”
“You’re pretty selfless too.”
She didn’t respond to his comment.
Blaise knew he had to leave. He wanted to enjoy this moment as much as possible but he knew it had to end. He turned to her, and without thinking, pressed his lips to her forehead, letting them linger for a long time. She didn’t respond overtly. Only her breathing increased. “I should go,” he whispered.
She pulled away and nodded. “I have school.”
“And I have work.”
Alexandra stared at him, waiting for him to speak. He wasn’t sure what she wanted. Maybe she wanted him to ask her out. He couldn’t tell. It seemed like she had feelings for him because she was affectionate with him, but he couldn’t be sure. But he couldn’t do that just yet anyway. It would have to wait.
He climbed down the ladder and waited for her at the bottom. He forced himself not to stare at her ass. It was the hardest thing he’s ever done. When she joined him on the ground, they left the warehouse and walked to his truck.
“I’ll see you later.”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Blaise noticed the behavior. She did it often, especially when the moment was tense. The desire exploded inside him and he gave into his weakness. He pulled her to his chest and hugged her, feeling her body against his. He rested his chin on top of her head, feeling her small size in his arms. She fit him perfectly. The smell of her hair moved to his nostrils, making him relax. He loved holding her. He had never done it like this and he enjoyed it.
His hand moved to her lower back, where he felt the steep curve. Her frame was hard and solid, full of lean muscle. She had a small belly in the front, but he thought it was sexy. Her hourglass figure made him more attracted to her. She had all the right curves in the all the right places. When he thought about her body, his erection came to life. He hoped she couldn’t feel it.
Blaise pulled away. “Have a good day.”
She stepped back, a smile on her face. “I hope you feel better.”
“Alexandra, I already feel better.”
15
Alexandra was confused. She knew she felt something for Blaise, and she thought he felt something too. The kiss he left on her forehead left her feeling weak and happy. The touch of his lips, slightly wet and warm, made her stomach turn in knots. A smile was stretched on her lips. She couldn’t help but feel elated.
“You’re happy today,” Gabe said from across the table.
“Oh.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Alexandra hadn’t realized he was watching her. “I’m just excited to start my job today.”
He chuckled. “I’ve never been excited for work a day in my life.”
“I’m very unusual…”
“No, you’re just unique. And that’s a good thing.” He turned back to his book.
Alexandra hadn’t told her new friends about Blaise. Since she rejected Gabe, saying she wasn’t interested in dating anyone, she felt like a liar. She meant what she said at the time. But then Blaise made her blood rush to her head. Perhaps it was too soon to be with someone else. She and Paul hadn’t been broken up too long, but that relationship had died a while ago. All the calls he missed, the nights when he couldn’t explain where he was, and the rumors she heard about him damaged that relationship irrevocably. But she still felt guilty nonetheless.
But Blaise was different. He was so similar to her. The connection they felt as soon as they met was paramount, undeniable. He was already her closest friend, someone she trusted. She never felt that way with Paul. There was the physical attraction, but not the powerful bound.
She decided to keep her feelings to herself. Gabe had been nice to her since she moved here. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. She would wait a while before she said anything. But there might not be anything with Blaise anyway. He still hadn’t asked her out. There must be a reason why.
Hannah joined the table, dropping her enormous physics book on the surface. “This thing weighs more than I do.” She sighed then sat down.
Alexandra eyed it. “How’s it going?”
She leaned back in her chair. “You know that moment when you walk into a conversation and everyone is talking about international dividends and high interest bonds but you have no idea what’s being said, so you just nod along and pretend?”
Alexandra shrugged. “I guess.”
“Well, that’s what it’s like.” She ran her fingers through her hair.
“I can help,” Alexandra offered. “I took it fairly recently.”
“I just don’t get it. I don’t even know why I need this stupid class.”
“Well, physics deals with levels of force, angles of rotation, and speed. I can see why you would need that as a physical education teacher.”
Hannah glared at her. “Nerds…”
Alexandra laughed. “Sorry.” She opened the textbook and took out her notes. She skimmed through them then pulled out a problem. “You got this answer wrong because you didn’t square the speed of gravity. It’s always increasing the longer it’s in affect.”
Hannah stared at her. “Are you a genius?”
Alexandra shook her head vigorously. “Not even a little.”
“It seems like it.”
Alexandra looked at the time. “Let me know if you need any help.”
“Why don’t you have a cell phone?” she blurted.
“Oh,” she said. “I lost it.”
“Well, get a new one. How am I supposed to call you for help if I can’t get a hold of you?”
“Good point,” Alexandra said. “I’ll get one.”
“And we need to go shopping for Saturday.”
“Why?” Alexandra asked.
“What are you going to wear to the cornfield party?”
She shrugged. “Jeans?”
Hannah shook her head. “I’ll take care of you, babe.”
Gabe laughed. “Alex isn’t your Barbie doll.”
“She is now,” Hannah said with a smile. “Every guy is going to drool over you.”
Alexandra didn’t want every guy to drool over her. There was only one guy she wanted. “Uh…”
“You’ll be find, Alex,” Gabe said.
“Well, I should get to work,” Alexandra said as she packed her stuff. “I’ll see you later.”
“Bye,” they both said.
Alexandra changed into her scrubs then walked to the hospital. She was nervous. She hadn’t been in the emergency room since her last day of work. Since she wouldn’t be doing anything strenuous, she felt a little better.
After she clocked in, another tech showed her the floor, showing her the list of physician phone numbers, the medicals kits, and where the supplies were. She introduced herself to everyone and they seemed to accept her.
A man in a white coat approached her. “You’re the new tech?”
“Yes,” she said with a smile.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Dr. Kenley.”
She shook his hand. “It’s a pleasure.”
He handed her the chart. “Here are the orders. Make sure they go through.”
“Of course.” She took the chart and put the orders in the computer. A CT scan and a chest x-ray were sent to radiology. Habit got the better of
her, and she scanned through the chart, seeing why the patient was admitted and what medications were ordered. Everything seemed to be in order so she took the chart to the nurse.
She still hadn’t gone into a patient room because she was too scared. If a code came in, she knew she would have to do CPR or help with the intubation. That made her nervous. What if she did it incorrectly and cracked the patient’s sternum? She doubted herself in every single way, double checking her every move.
Suzie, the other tech, sat beside her. “You seem nervous.”
Alexandra shrugged. “It’s the first day…”
“Are you going into the medical field?”
“Uh…I’m not sure.”
Suzie raised an eyebrow. “Then why are you a tech?”
“It sounded like an interesting job.”
“Well, let me know if you have any questions. I’ve been working here for a few years.”
“Thanks,” Alexandra said. “I appreciate it.”
When it got slow in the ER, Alexandra sorted through the charts, making sure nothing was missing. She tried to be discreet about it so the nurses wouldn’t assume she was being nosey. After what happened to her, she was paranoid something would go wrong.
“Alex,” the charge nurse said. “Can you do a wound cleaning for room six?”
“Uh, sure,” she said. The anxiety flooded her body.
Suzie eyed her, noticing the fear on her face.
Alexandra grabbed her kit and washed her hands before she walked in the room. The patient had a soiled bandage on his back. She followed everything by the book and went through every step. The wound was extremely red, full of viscous blood. At least it wasn’t extremely infected. When she finished, she felt a little more confident. She grabbed his chart and looked over the paperwork. He had an IV placed into his left hand so she looked at the order, seeing it was for normal saline. Naturally, she checked the bag to verify. When she saw it was penicillin, the panic set in. She took a deep breath and assured herself it was written on the chart. His wound wasn’t seriously infected, so she didn’t see the necessity of IV antibiotics, but she wasn’t a doctor. She looked through the chart but didn’t see the order. Instead, she saw his list of allergies. Penicillin was one of them. Now she felt dizzy. She immediately went to the machine and stopped the IV, checking to see how much was let in the bolus. She was disconcerted to see the bag was almost completed.