“I like the scruff,” he said.
“I do, too.” Nina’s eyes traveled over him again. “Especially with the Armani. But you know it’s going to make his teeth rattle.”
“Give him a bone,” Jake said, looking over the four stacks of flagged papers on his desk.
“I marked all the signature pages,” she said. “He wants them ready for the meeting at ten.”
Jake glanced up. “When did I get them?”
“This morning.”
He shrugged and sat down. “Then he’ll get my signature when I’m done reading them.”
One of her eyebrows cocked. “They’re on the agenda as approved.”
Jake smiled. “Not my problem. By the way, I’m adding an agenda item.”
Marco pulled a binder from the stack on the other side of him and handed it to her.
“You can’t,” Nina said.
“Marco, can I add an agenda item?”
“The chief operating officer has full power to add, delete, pass, or veto any item up for vote at the quarterly boards,” Marco rattled off.
Damn, he was good at that.
“See?” Jake said. “I can. So while you’re in there, maybe you should edit these to pending.”
Nina got up and sashayed out, throwing a look over her shoulder. “Whatever you say.”
“You’re itching to poke the rabid dog, aren’t you?” Marco said, looking up. “Miss Haley must have you all stirred up.”
“Are we ready?” Jake ignored the Harper comment. It didn’t serve a purpose other than to fuel his anger and drive his vision. Outside of that, he didn’t need to talk about feelings. That was over.
“As ready as we’re going to be,” Marco said.
• • •
Neither Christian nor Harper’s dad pushed for much after the initial explanation about why Jake wasn’t returning. One oh my God from Christian and some stern looks from her dad and they let it go. Harper was grateful for that. She didn’t think she could stomach repeating it.
She’d been duped by a millionaire. Billionaire, probably. Twice. Not trusted with the truth, and patronized by lowering himself to work in a lowly coffee shop, and a food pantry/soup kitchen before that. For what? Escape from his father? Okay, but still, why not tell her the truth? It was like a cheesy movie trope landed on her head.
That boys have first loves, too line held more substance before she found out he hadn’t even told her his real name.
Funny, though, how a few days could change things. She was fine before he ever showed up, going about her non-banging, non-relationship-bound life just fine. Now that he was back, and gone again, he was everywhere. In her thoughts, in every turn she made, every nook and cranny of the shop, in every pair of chocolate brown eyes she looked into.
It had been a week since she’d walked away from him in the lobby of Metro Tower. A week of retrospection and stubbornness at work, and reliving every moment, every word, everything when she went home.
She missed him. And that pissed her off.
What kind of wuss missed a man that lied to her, fooled her, slept with her while pretending to be someone else? A man that never called or tried again after she cut it off.
That’s what bothered her the most. The nothing. Not even a peep about the big plan he supposedly had. Like it all disappeared with him.
Not even Frankie—
“Harper.”
She spun around from cleaning a machine to see Frankie grinning at her over the counter.
“Damn, speak of the devil,” she said.
“Were we speaking of him?”
“We were thinking of what a coward he is for not coming to me in person,” she said. “Same thing.”
Frankie sighed and hung his head like a kid in trouble.
“Oh, quit pouting.” She threw a rag at him. “It was your job, but you tried to stand up for me. I heard.”
Frankie lifted his head a little, peeking. “So we’re good? You’re not mad?”
“Oh, you still suck,” she said. “But yes, we’re fine.”
He leaned his elbows on the counter. “You know, Harper, he’s actually an all-right guy.”
Harper held up a hand. “Let it go, or you’re back in the doghouse.”
“Seriously!” he said. “Look what he’s doing.”
“I don’t know what he’s doing!” she said, exasperated. “That’s the thing!”
Frankie’s face broke into a grin. “He’s at a board meeting right now. Pitching our plan to overthrow his father’s deal.”
Harper’s skin broke out in goose bumps. “He’s still doing it?”
“This very second.”
• • •
Jake and Marco got to the boardroom fifteen minutes early just to sit there. Jimi Hendrix pumped into Jake’s ears as he leaned back in the board president’s chair, eyes closed, letting the decadence of the music soak in. He needed the attitude.
When Marco nudged his foot under the table, Jake opened his eyes, tugged his earbuds loose and tucked them into his suit pocket. Leaning forward on the table, he steepled his fingers as his father would while the other members filed in.
The surprise on some of their faces was unmistakable. Jake tended to skip many of these meetings, and certainly never arrived early to the ones he did attend. And there was the other little matter that no one was mentioning. No one, until his father and William Benson strolled in and everything went quiet.
“Jake, good to see you,” his dad said. “Marco, I assume you’re already on record as a guest.”
“Yes, sir,” Marco said from his chair next to Jake’s.
“Both of you will need to move over,” his dad said. “As you know, that’s William’s chair.”
“Not anymore,” Jake said quietly.
“What?” Benson said, stopping short.
“Son, that’s the board president’s spot at the table,” his dad reiterated.
“I’m aware of that,” Jake said. “Which is why I’m occupying it.” He met Benson’s startled look. “You can go. You’re no longer a member.”
That cured the quiet. Everyone started talking at once.
“Excuse me?” Benson sputtered.
“Jake, you can’t do that,” his dad said, gripping the back of the chair at the other end of the table.
“Turns out I can,” Jake said, an amiable grin on his face. “Marco?”
“According to the bylaws, the COO of Jericho Enterprises has the power to approve or disapprove the appointment of any board officer, including the president, without it going to a vote,” Marco read from his laptop. “You each have a copy in the binder in front of you. The red tab labeled See Ya.”
“This is preposterous,” Benson seethed.
“What’s preposterous is having a connection like yours to the historical society and using it like poison to destroy and taint information,” Jake said. “See, I have connections, too.” Or Marco did. “With an actual historian with integrity that you don’t have in your pocket. She has three of the newly acquired buildings earmarked for historical landmark certification.”
It was a total bluff. They hadn’t gotten confirmation yet, but these blowhards didn’t need to know that.
“Oh, and the COO reserves the right to act as sitting president in the absence of a president,” Marco continued.
Jake raised his hand. “Acting. We’ll work on replacing. So—now that that’s taken care of, let’s move on. Have a seat, Dad.”
The look he gave Jake was priceless. “I believe the CEO also has the right to unseat any member as well,” he said.
“Yes, you do.” Jake relaxed, maintaining that all-important arrogant eye contact. It was a gamble, this part. One that could bite him in the ass. “I’m sorry I kicked out your golf buddy, but if we’re going to give people tasks, we need to be able to trust them. Otherwise, they’re a liability.” Jake held out his hands. “But do whatever you need to do.”
Jake counted his breaths as his father�
�s jaw muscles worked overtime.
“Carry on for now,” he said under his breath. “But be prepared to take on what you stir up.”
Benson stormed out and Jake’s dad’s face just grew tighter.
“Great.” Jake focused on exhaling calmly and not like he’d been holding his breath for twenty minutes. Nina’s eyes were wide when she met his, knowing the bear he was provoking. “Next, there are two pending items on the agenda today—”
“Hang on,” said a nerdy rail-shaped man to Jake’s right. He pointed at a paragraph. “Why is this pending? I was told it was approved.”
“It likely will be,” Jake said. “But it just showed up on my desk an hour and a half ago, so I need more time review it.”
“Since when?” a large puffy man said, two seats down from Marco.
“I’m sorry.” Jake folded his hands again. “You are?”
“James Brown, Capital Contracts,” he said. “Which you would know if you were ever here.”
“Seriously?” Jake said, chuckling. “Your name is James Brown? Do you feel good?”
Three people snickered behind their hands, but Jake held a hand up. “I’m sorry. What was your problem?”
“Exactly that,” the man said, pointing. “You’re a screw-off.” He glanced at Jake’s dad. “No offense, Presley, but a board run by a womanizing playboy known for gallivanting around the city on Daddy’s money is not a smart idea. So, yes—since when do we ever need to wait on you to review anything and why would it matter?”
Jake smiled pleasantly. “Since now.”
Brown sneered. “So I guess you’ll take your time approving mine, too?” he asked. “This is a multimillion-dollar deal you’re sitting on.”
“Oh, I’m aware of that,” Jake said calmly. “And the answer will be no.”
Brown’s eyes bugged. “What?”
“We will not be approving Madison Contracting on any deal. Ever.” Jake made a checkmark on his agenda and took a breath to keep the tempo even.
Brown pushed back his chair. “You’re insane. Madison is the best and most reasonably priced contractor in New York.”
“Interesting that you feel that strongly about him, since he’s a crook,” Jake said.
Brown guffawed. “Where’d you hear that, boy? The Internet?”
“No, actually from Madison himself, and his even more worthless daughter,” Jake said. “At a party.” Jake sat back and twirled his pen. “I must have been taking a break from womanizing at that moment, but you find out all sorts of things when people get a few drinks in them.”
“Like what?” his dad said, turning all heads.
Jake met his hard gaze. “Like how he’s able to lowball because he uses cheap illegal labor off the books,” he said. “Books that Princess Madison takes additional liberties with to fund her extravagant little vacations. So no. We won’t be getting into bed with that.”
Brown’s mouth hung slack.
“Plus, she puts selfies all over Facebook, and no one over twenty-one needs to post a selfie,” Jake added. “But hey, don’t feel bad for not knowing all that,” he said, addressing Brown again. “You just need to get out and gallivant more.” He cleared his throat and pointed back at the first guy. “Speaking of the Internet, excellent social media strategy, by the way. I’m impressed, so far.”
The guy literally beamed, like no one had ever given him an attaboy in his life.
“Thank you,” he said.
“Okay,” Jake said. “That brings me to my item. We Are New York.”
“That’s not new business,” a lady with glasses chimed in.
“My version of it is,” Jake said. “Just hear me out.”
He went over the plan in detail, showing them the computer model Marco created on the big screen, which featured a smart and quirky Old Town with a retro feel.
Jake watched their faces. This was it.
“Bringing Brooklyn’s colorful history to the forefront and drawing in tourist and retail dollars hand over fist.” He stood and pointed at the images on the screen. “Cobblestone the streets, incorporate antique lighting, involve the business owners. Give them a piece of it and you’ll have allies who will bend over backward to make it successful for us.”
“You mean cancel the sales?” the lady asked.
“For the ones that want to stay, yes,” Jake said, walking the length of the table. “Sink money into helping them revamp to fit the theme, and build up new ones to compliment. Instead of condos in the spaces you’re rebuilding, do specialty retail. Use the historical district as a tourist attraction to bring dollars in, and add it to the chamber’s package with the bridge walk. Pirates and Prohibition! Who the hell could turn that down?”
That got a laugh from the majority.
Promising.
He stopped next to the screen, frozen on the perfect image of a town from another time.
“We’re calling it We Are New York and then alienating the very people we’re claiming to be a part of,” Jake said. “Let’s do something positive for once.”
“And if we vote to go ahead as planned?” Brown asked curtly.
Jake walked back to his chair and sat down.
“Then we go ahead as planned,” Jake said. “Except for those three buildings.” He smiled as the image illuminated the three. Marco was a genius.
“What does that mean?” Brown asked.
“It means that it is illegal to destroy a certified historical landmark in the state of New York,” Jake said.
Ah, the lightbulbs. Heads nodded. Thoughts were percolating. Everywhere but at the other end of that table, where his dad studied him. When the meeting broke, Jake knew he’d done his best. Now he’d wait for the final decision. And when the room emptied of all but himself, Marco, and his father, Jake knew the other shoe was about to drop.
“Marco, give us the room, please,” his dad said.
“Sure,” Marco said, throwing a wide-eyed glance over his shoulder as he exited with his laptop.
Here we go, thought Jake as he regarded his father on the opposite end. Hell’s coming.
“You called down the thunder today,” his dad said. “Maybe you’re like me after all.”
Jake shook his head. “I’m nothing like you.”
His dad chuckled. “I remember saying the same words to your grandfather.”
“And you were right,” Jake said. “You’re nothing like him.”
He gave a slight shrug of his head. “True enough. You are, though.”
Jake took a deep breath, unsure if it was a sincere comment or a ploy to throw him off balance. “Maybe so,” he said.
“So where’s that man been?”
Jake blinked. “What?”
“I don’t know what Jake that was just now, or where he came from,” his dad said. “But all I know is, regardless of that vote, my chief operating officer showed up for work today.” He got up and grabbed his binder, cocking one eyebrow. “About damn time.”
Chapter Ten
“I’m leaving, honey,” Harper’s dad called out. “Come lock up behind me.”
She cleared her calculator for the hundredth time and vowed to somehow make it all work. Apartment hunting was fruitless. Everything was either too expensive, too far away, or too freshly scrubbed clean of blood spatter.
“Coming!”
Harper headed up the hall from the office and through the kitchen, just in time to hear the bell ding over the door.
“Jesus, Dad, give me a minute,” she said. “I said I was com—”
The words floated off, sucked out of her mouth and absorbed into the walls with all the other memories and conversations, as Jake stood there at the door.
Jake Jericho.
Next to her dad. Dressed like a million bucks with that look that said all the things. Boys have first loves, too.
And looking at her like she was supposed to know what to do.
As if. Her mouth worked, but nothing came out. Then she remembered she was supposed to b
e angry, and she pushed away all thoughts of first love and how deliciously well he pulled off a suit and how he looked without it, and focused on lies and deception.
“You clean up well,” Harper said. “But we’re closed. And I don’t need any help today.”
“Harper.”
“I’ll—let you two talk,” her dad said, reaching for the door handle.
“No, please stay,” Jake said. “I need to tell both of you something.”
“Jake,” Harper began wearily.
“It passed,” he said.
She blinked. “What?”
“The plan,” he said. “All of it. The historical district, new boardwalk, everything. Those who haven’t sold yet won’t have to, and those leasing have the option to buy in, depending on the building.”
Harper put a hand to her mouth, watching the glow in his eyes. There was something else.
“What about ours?” she asked. “It already sold.”
“These three original buildings can’t be touched,” he said. “They’ll be improved. Restored. Since they’re historical landmarks,” he added.
Her dad’s forehead scrunched above his nose. “No, they aren’t.”
Jake tilted his head. “Well, maybe they’re about to be.”
Harper’s eyes went wide. “You bluffed.”
“It’s in the works,” he said.
“Oh my God, are you saying we don’t have to leave?” she breathed.
“Either space,” he said, nodding toward upstairs.
Harper expelled a breath and blinked against the hot tears of relief that pricked her eyes. The stress, the worry, everything she was going to have to leave behind—it was over. She felt like she could fly. Like she could hurl herself into his arms with one leap. Except she couldn’t.
“Dad,” she whispered instead, two tears escaping.
“I heard, baby girl,” he said, beaming. She rushed to wrap her arms around her dad’s neck, and he laughed heartily. “This is the best news I’ve had all month.”
He let go of her to shake Jake’s hand, and she moved out of the way before she could do something stupid like hug him, too.
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