Her Best Match: A Sweet Billionaire Romance (The Best Girls Book 1)

by Tamie Dearen

Michelle nodded. “I said hateful things to him because I thought he’d lied to me.”

  “He’s just an uncle who loves his family.”

  Michelle’s expression was wretched, tears spilling from her eyes. “I know… You’re right. I was so blind and I wouldn’t even let him explain. And then, when I found out the truth, I was too proud to admit I was wrong. And I know I really hurt him.”

  “Henri mentioned you. He told me you were with someone else.”

  “I was. But he was a jerk. Just like always, he loved my money more than me.” She sniffed. “I could’ve had Henri, but I blew it.”

  Anne agreed, but she kept her opinion to herself.

  “What do you want from me?”

  “I think Henri is the only man I ever really loved.”

  Anne was thinking this woman didn’t even begin to understand the meaning of the word.

  “I’m going to see him next week, during the Thanksgiving holidays. Mr. Gherring doesn’t know. I haven’t told him because he doesn’t like Henri, as you well know.”

  “That’s mostly my fault.” Michelle picked at her ragged fingernails. “It really hurt Steven when I went back to Henri after we broke off the marriage, even though it was a mutual agreement. It hurt Steven’s pride for me to be with Henri. And I probably hurt him again last night by telling him about my feelings for Henri. Steven is so good to me. He only wants what’s best for me. I really wish I could love him the way I do Henri. I think I’ve waited too long now, anyway.”

  Her heart hurt, not for Michelle, but for Mr. Gherring. He must still have feelings for her, and it must have killed him for her to profess love for Henri. As much as she hated the idea, if he loved Michelle, she would help them get back together.

  “Maybe you should forget about Henri and try again with Mr. Gherring. It’s obvious he still cares for you.”

  “Actually, if you and Henri aren’t dating seriously, I was hoping you might put in a good word for me with him.”

  “I don’t know, Michelle. Henri’s going through a lot right now. I don’t think he could handle it if you broke his heart again.”

  “But I wouldn’t… not this time!”

  Anne grimaced. “Maybe. But I can’t make promises.”

  Anne worked alone in the conference room until lunchtime. She was about to order take-out from Papa’s when the door opened abruptly, and Gram marched into the room.

  “It’s time for lunch.”

  Anne thought about arguing, but she knew it would be fruitless. “I’m coming, Gram. But I need to get back quickly. I have a lot of work to do.”

  “I’ve already spoken to Steven and informed him he’s been giving you too much work. The very idea of you working here alone until nine thirty last night. You can take all the time you need for lunch, and Steven can and will take some of this workload.”

  “It’s not his fault.” Anne grabbed her purse. “In fact, it’s kind of my fault.”

  “How’s that?”

  “He had to fire this guy who was being fresh with me, and it left us with a crisis right before the big Switzerland presentation. And they’re leaving tomorrow evening.”

  “Humph! I don’t believe it was your fault Steven fired someone. He’s not a rash man. He’s infuriatingly deliberate about his decisions… well, usually.”

  “I know you didn’t invite me to lunch to talk about work. Have you made some progress on our project?” Anne asked as they got on the elevator with several other passengers.

  “Progress and setbacks. I’ll explain while we eat.”

  May chatted happily with Gram, leading them to the private room in the back. They ordered quickly, with Anne trying the new special—crab-stuffed whitefish.

  “So what’s up?” asked Anne.

  “I had a long talk with my grandson Sunday night, and I believe some of my advice is finally sinking in. He admits, at least, he doesn’t want to be alone for the rest of his life. But he says he’ll find the right person his own way in his own time.” Gram screwed up her face. “If I let him do it in his own time, I’ll be long gone before he finds someone.”

  “At least it sounds like he’s open to the possibility. What about Michelle?”

  Gram looked surprised. “Michelle? What about her?”

  “She’s in town. She was with Steven last night, and she was here this morning.”

  “That’s great information. I’ll give her a call. She owes me a visit anyway.”

  “And after Mr. Gherring comes back from Switzerland, I’m going to introduce him to my friend, Ellen. I think she’d make a good match.”

  “I’d still like to know why you’re doing all that work by yourself in the conference room. Why isn’t Steven helping you?”

  “Partly because he’s just swamped. But I also think it’s partly because he doesn’t want to work with me. We had a misunderstanding. I’m sure he’s uncomfortable.”

  “Sunday night?”

  “Yes.”

  “What happened?”

  “Let’s just say I get my feelings hurt too easily.”

  “That answer is pure hooey. Steven wouldn’t explain it to me either.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I can be professional, and I’ve proven I can get the work done.”

  “It does matter. We need to clear this up, or my plan is never going to work.”

  “I’ll still help you find him a wife, I promise. After all, I have to protect my reputation as the world’s best matchmaker. This one will be my crowning achievement.”

  Gram’s chin jutted out. “I’m afraid you’ll never win that title away from me, dear.”

  Katie came in the conference room that afternoon carrying coffee from the downstairs shop.

  “Coffee! Is that a latté? I love you, Katie!”

  “I haven’t seen you for days. Aren’t you going stir-crazy in here? Is there something I can help you with?”

  Anne stretched her arms, arching her back. “Ugh! I am getting a little stiff. But I think I’m almost finished.”

  “The president of the company from Bern just called. Gherring’s on the line with him now. There’s some kind of scheduling problem, and they may cancel the whole thing.”

  Anne groaned. “Noooo! After all this work?”

  “I’m sure they’d reschedule on a later date. But Mr. Gherring wanted to get this thing done before the end of the year. Postponing would get us into Thanksgiving, and December is really tough, with all the end-of-year business to wrap up. We’ll see soon enough. Here he comes.”

  His hair was mussed as if his hand had been pushing it in all directions, but he still looked like he could be on the cover of a magazine.

  “Are we canceling the trip?” Anne asked.

  “I don’t know what we’re going to do,” said Steven. “One of the companies involved has a conflict on Friday. We can’t move it up to Thursday because we aren’t even finished with the presentation.”

  Anne said, “I’ll stay tonight and work late. We can finish everything. I’m almost done with Jeff’s part, even the last stuff you interpreted for me. By the way, thanks for clarifying that mumbo-jumbo.”

  Gherring shook his head. “I’ve done this a lot. I’d rather postpone the presentation than show up for a meeting with jetlag.”

  “I’ll call the pilots, and maybe you can fly out tonight. Just check with Jared and see if he can leave a day early,” said Katie.

  “And you can give me the additions you and Jeff have. I’ll keep working tonight and email the PowerPoint,” said Anne.

  “Absolutely not. I want that PowerPoint on a flash drive, and I prefer to have it on my computer already. I’ve had that backfire on me before,” Gherring frowned. “I think I’ll reschedule. It may have to be January.”

  He strode to the door, but froze in his tracks. “Or… you could just go with us.”

  “Me?” Anne’s heart turned over in her chest.

  “That’d work,” said Katie. “I’d volunteer to go in a heartbeat, but I
have a meeting with the caterer on Thursday and a shower on Friday.”

  “And you already have a passport, right? I heard you tell Johanna you have one,” said Gherring.

  “You were listening?”

  “I just happened to overhear. So you do have one, right?”

  Anne nodded, numbly. “I guess I’d better get to work, then.”

  “No,” said Gherring. “Ms. Carson, you call and set everything up with the jet, the pilots and the hotel. I’ll talk to Jared and call the company in Bern. Ms. Best, you need to gather everything here in some organized fashion and be sure we have everything else we need for the presentation. Then we’ll get home and pack. We’ll leave as soon as possible.”

  Anne felt dizzy. Things were happening too fast.

  “Are you okay with this Ms. Best? Is there some problem I don’t know about?” Gherring studied her with concern.

  “No…”

  “We’ll finish the presentation tomorrow at the hotel in Switzerland. I’ll have a suite, and we’ll have plenty of room to spread out and work. Okay?”

  “I’m going to Switzerland?” she asked in a squeaky voice. “Tonight?”

  “Yes, you’re going to Switzerland. You’re getting your first stamp on your passport.” Gherring’s face broke out in a broad grin, flashing his dimples. “Now, am I forgiven?”

  “I guess so. I’m too excited to remember why I was upset.”

  “Perfect!” Gherring pumped his fist in the air.

  “I can’t believe it, Mom! You’re going to Switzerland? You’re so lucky! Switzerland this week, Paris next week. What’s next? Venice?” Charlie was so excited Anne saw her dancing around on the computer screen.

  “I don’t have any time. I tried to get Emily, and she didn’t answer. Will you tell her for me?”

  “Don’t worry your little head about that. I’ll be glad to call Em and tell her all about your fabulous surprise trip to Bern, Switzerland. On a private jet. With Steven Gherring.”

  “It’s for a presentation, and it will be me and Jared and Mr. Gherring. You make it sound like a tryst.”

  “If I’m telling the story, I’m telling it my way. Besides, it sounds so much better like that. So, have you told Henri yet?”

  She’d been dreading it, but she had to let him know. “That’s my next call.”

  Anne placed a FaceTime call to Henri, half hoping he wouldn’t answer and she could just leave a voicemail. He answered, dark circles under his green eyes, which had lost their usual sparkle.

  “You are calling really late tonight,” he said. “But I am glad because I missed your call earlier. I was at the doctor’s office, with my sister and my niece.”

  “What did they say? Do they have test results yet?”

  “The numbers do not look good, but we do not know for certain. They are doing the scans tomorrow and Thursday. We will know something on Friday.”

  “Henri, I’m so sorry. I’ll keep contacting you every day, but it may be at a different time. I’m going to be in Switzerland tomorrow through the weekend.”

  “And why will you be in Switzerland?”

  “It’s for work. We’re doing a big presentation in Bern.”

  “Yes, I know. You have told me about your work, but you were not going before. Or you did not tell me.”

  “It’s an emergency. It’s a long story that starts with a man named Jeff Murphy…”

  “That man is scum. What does he have to do with this?”

  “I didn’t even realize you knew him. But Gherring fired him. He was… he was making suggestive comments to me.”

  Henri’s brows furrowed. “Gherring should have never hired that man. I am glad he is gone.”

  “But Jeff was doing part of the presentation, and the date got moved up, and I have to go so I can help them finish tomorrow because the presentation’s on Thursday. Please don’t be upset, Henri.”

  “You are going with Steven Gherring?”

  “Yes, with him and Jared. It’s not like we’ll ever be alone. It’s my job, Henri, and it’s important to me.”

  Henri’s face relaxed. “I am sorry, angel. I do not want to cause you stress. I will not say any more about it. But if he does anything to hurt you, he will answer to me.”

  “Thanks, Henri. Maybe I’ll get to practice my French in Bern. Then I’ll be ready for Paris.”

  Henri waggled his eyebrows. “I am hoping you will practice your French with me, mon ange.”

  “If Anna-Laure is really sick, will you still want me to come next week?”

  His smile fell away. “If she is sick, I will need you to come. Even more.”

  “I’m praying for her, Henri.”

  “Merci! Please be safe. I don’t want to lose you. I think I could not handle any more pain.”

  Anne hung up, with more than a little concern that Henri was becoming dependent on her. What if he needed more than she could give?

  Anne finished packing her bag and checked for the fourth time to be sure she had her passport. Then she picked up a pillow and held it to her face. She screamed into the pillow at the top of her lungs, “I’m flying to Switzerland tonight! Ahhhhhhh!”

  She threw the pillow back onto her bed with a grin. “There—now I’m ready to go.”

  High Flying

  Anne was too excited to sleep. Her first time to fly in a private jet. Her first time to go to another country. Her first time to use her passport. Her first time to visit Switzerland. Her first time to be a part of a huge business presentation involving millions of dollars’ worth of assets. As if that wasn’t enough, she was traveling with Steven Gherring, whose soft cashmere sweater only enhanced the appearance of his broad shoulders and hard muscles. She was grateful Jared Hanson was on the trip with her. He was almost as excited as she was, tempered only by having to leave his wife and new baby daughter behind. Despite the fact this was his first big presentation, he seemed more eager than nervous.

  “This is great, isn’t it?” Jared explored the spacious main cabin. “These chairs are so comfortable. And they recline. And look, this part pulls out and it will lie flat, like a bed.”

  “You should sleep now,” said Gherring.

  “But it’s only eight o’clock,” said Anne. “I thought we’d work for a while.”

  “We’ll sleep on the plane, and work when we get there tomorrow. We’ve got an eight-hour flight and we’re losing six hours. So it’ll be ten o’clock when we get to Bern. Sleeping now will cut down on jet lag.”

  “There’s no way I can go to sleep now. I’m way too excited.” Indeed Anne felt adrenaline pumping through her veins. She needed to go for a run to expel some excess energy.

  “Not me,” said Jared. “I’m perpetually tired. I love Emery, but she still doesn’t sleep at night. I can fall asleep any time I want, and sometimes when I don’t want to.” He stretched his seat into a bed, grabbed a blanket, lay down, and promptly began to snore.

  Meanwhile, Anne started reclining her chair, but Gherring stopped her. “Let me give you a sleeping pill. You really need to sleep, because I need you sharp tomorrow.”

  “I don’t know. I’m kind of sensitive to drugs. I might overreact.”

  “I remember the Benadryl incident. How about half a pill? That should just make you relax.”

  “Okay, I’ll try it. But don’t leave me behind on the plane if you can’t wake me in the morning.”

  “I promise. But I’m taking a whole one. I need it.”

  “What if we oversleep?” She swallowed the proffered half-pill with a swig from a bottled water.

  Gherring laughed. “The pilots would wake us up, but I’ve already set my phone alarm to go off forty-five minutes before we get there. Come with me, and I’ll give you a quick tour first.”

  Anne followed him from the main cabin through a small area with a compact kitchen on one side and a table and seating area on the other.

  “There’s a bathroom here. Even has a small shower in the back. And the master bedroom
is back here.”

  “Wow—this is amazing. I can’t believe there’s room for this on the plane. And you have a flat screen TV in here. Why am I not surprised?”

  “We’ve got a great selection of movies and shows to watch. Not very good television reception on overseas flights.”

  “And do you have black lights in here and mood music? The world’s richest playboy’s private love plane?”

  “The music starts automatically when I say the words, ‘You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.’” He reached his hand over and felt for a button on the wall. The room was immediately filled with the sound of bagpipes. Anne giggled hysterically.

  “Oops, I must have said the wrong words.” He fumbled with the buttons while he spoke. “I think the correct phrase is, ‘Oh baby, you’re the best.’”

  The music changed to soft jazz.

  “Much better,” she said. “You’d better remember what to say. What if someone said, ‘Stop it! Stop it!’?”

  He flipped the channel back to the bagpipe music.

  She started giggling again. “Oh baby, you’re the best.”

  She was rewarded with the soft jazz again, and she lay back on the bed. “What? No mirror on the ceiling? What’s a love nest with no mirror on the ceiling?”

  He lay down next to her and locked his fingers behind his neck. “The mirror is actually hidden under that padded panel.” He pointed at the ceiling. “I’ve forgotten the magic words, though.”

  “Hmmm, let’s see… Gosh, you’re really kind of fat.”

  He grinned. “Nope, that’s not it. You don’t believe in shaving? Not anywhere?”

  She chortled noisily. “Ooo! Have you seen a doctor for that?”

  He laughed and quickly countered. “So you actually paid good money for those?”

  This time she laughed so hard she snorted, and he cheered. “I scored—I made you snort.”

  They both laughed until there were tears in their eyes.

  “That’s Norah Jones,” said Anne as the music changed. “I love her voice. So smooth. I used to listen to her all the time. Who’s your favorite singer?” She relaxed, absorbing the music, letting her tension melt.