I got to work only twenty minutes early. It was the first little change in my routine. I remembered her holding my hand to my chest. I did the same as I strolled through the empty hallway. The change in routine hadn’t killed me. I sat down at the desk, and instead of doing the usual check of email and voicemail, I got busy with the stuff I liked to do most.
I started jotting down some ideas for candies I wanted to attempt to create. My inspiration came from the craziest places. It could be a smell, a sight, or something that popped into my head. After spending the day with Jace and Harper, I felt inspired. We had enjoyed lunch together on the back patio and then played a few of the backyard games that had sat unused since I purchased them.
The sound of Jace laughing echoed through my mind. I quickly wrote down strawberry. It was one of the things Jace had said he loved. I was looking for something fun and kid-friendly. I tapped my pen against the pad, staring out the window and trying to tap into my creative side.
“Knock, knock,” Sawyer called, pushing open my office door.
“What’s up?” I asked, returning to my list and jotting down blueberry.
I heard the sound of keys jangling and looked up again. “Let’s go for a ride.”
“You got your car?”
“Yep.”
“What is it?” I asked, knowing he had told me before, but I hadn’t really paid attention.
He groaned. “You’re killing me. It’s the Jag F-Type. Convertible. Loaded. Come on. Let’s take it for a spin.”
“Do I have to?”
“Yes.”
“All right,” I said, putting down the pen and getting up.
“Really?” he asked with surprise. “You’re just going to come out with me?”
“Yes. You asked me to, didn’t you?”
He nodded. “Yes, but I didn’t expect you to actually do it.”
“Let’s go.”
He led the way to the parking lot where we had reserved spots. I saw the silver car and had to admit I was impressed. I would never be called a car man, but it was a sexy car. I could appreciate nice things. It was the kind of car Sawyer would like. He liked to be flashy. He liked to be the center of attention. I liked comfort and style, but I preferred a much more subtle approach.
“Nice, huh?” he asked with a grin. “Convertible. I can’t wait to take this baby down the road.”
I smiled and slapped him on the back. “It is very nice, but I don’t understand why you wanted another car. Don’t you have three or four?”
“Because this isn’t just a car. This is an experience. This is what life is all about.”
“Hmm,” I said, walking around the car. “I thought life was about peace, love, and happiness.”
“That too, which is why I needed this car,” he said. “It brings me all those things and then some.”
“Some?”
“Women. When women see me in this, they are going to be all over me.”
I groaned. “I know you know that is not real. Materialistic women are nothing but a pain in the ass.”
He laughed. “I’m not trying to fall in love with those women. I’m just looking for a little fun.”
I rolled my eyes. “You say that now, but when you get dicked over, don’t come crying to me.”
“I won’t. I’ll just hop back in my car and go in search of the next one. No harm, no foul.”
“You’re so shallow.”
He winked. “Nah, I just know that life is short, and there are a lot of women to meet. Women talk about kissing a lot of frogs to find their prince, but men have to kiss a lot of frogs to find their queen.”
I groaned. “That was terrible.”
He laughed it off and pointed to the car door. “Get in. We’ll go for a spin.”
I knew he wasn’t going to leave me alone until I did what he wanted. I got into the passenger seat. I felt like I was two inches from the ground. The car was not meant for long-legged people. I felt like I was going to eat my knees.
He started the engine, the sound very quiet and soothing to the ear. “I like it.”
He grinned. “I know. So, what’s with you? I thought I was going to have to bribe you with candy to get you out here.”
I shrugged. “Nope.”
“What’d you do this weekend?” he asked, pulling the car into the street and punching the gas.
My head jerked back, hitting the headrest. “Not much. Went up to San Francisco.”
“What? Why? Alone?”
“Yes, alone. I’m a big boy.”
“I know, but you never take road trips.”
“It wasn’t really a road trip. I went to the Golden Gate Bridge.”
He jerked the wheel. “No shit?”
I smiled. I liked surprising him. I liked doing things that were out of the ordinary. “Yep, I did it. I walked about halfway across.”
“You didn’t. Why?”
“Harper asked me to.”
“Harper? Do you have a fever?”
I laughed. “No, I don’t have a fever.”
“Who’s Harper?”
“You met her in my lab. She and her son came over yesterday.”
“Holy shit!” he shouted. “You’re dating?”
I scowled. “No. Not dating. We just hung out.”
“I know you’re not well versed in these matters, but hanging out with a woman could be construed as dating. Where’s the kid’s dad?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Not in the picture.”
“Are you sure?”
“No, but I think so.”
“You had them in your house,” he said.
“Yes, I did.”
“She’s pretty.”
I nodded. “She is. Oh, I forgot. We’re doing the Halloweenfest. We need to get some people to man a booth or kiosk or whatever you talked about before.”
“We are?” he asked with complete shock.
“Yes. It sounds like it might be fun.”
He shook his head. “I’m driving straight to the hospital.”
“Are you sick?” I asked, concerned for the wellbeing of the man behind the wheel of the very small car that was going very fast.
“No, but something is wrong with you.”
“I’m fine.”
“In all the years I have known you, you have never invited anyone to your house. You’ve never hung out with a kid. And you have certainly never volunteered to do a remote.”
“A man can change,” I told him.
“Yes, they can, but usually, it’s a woman that inspires that change. Guys that are hooked on a woman will do whatever she wants him to do in order to keep her happy. I think this woman might have her hooks in you.”
I scoffed. “She doesn’t have her hooks in me. I don’t even know what that means.”
“You went to the bridge. You had company over. You agreed to be a part of Halloweenfest, which by the way, I told you about and you shot it down. The hooks are in.”
“She is trying to help me, and I’m okay with that,” I reasoned.
“Help you do what? You’re a very successful man with more money than about ninety percent of the world’s population. What could she possibly help you with?”
I sighed. “To experience new things. To be less nervous about being around other people. She thinks I’m missing out on the world.”
“Are you?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never walked the Golden Gate Bridge before. That was new. And exciting.”
“Well, I’m happy for you. That does sound like a step in the right direction.”
“Her kid is shy,” I said.
He smiled, turning the corner and heading back to the factory. “I gathered that. Do you think she sees him in you?”
“Yes, she said as much.”
“So, she’s mothering you?”
I thought about it. “I don’t think so.”
“Do you like her?” he asked in a completely serious tone.
I thought about it
before I answered. “Yes.”
He nodded. “All right then. When we get back to the office, I’ll start putting together a team to run a booth at Halloweenfest. You’re going to go?”
“That’s the plan. She says it will be fun.”
“I think it will be.”
He parked the car back in his spot.
“Thanks. I like your car.”
He chuckled. “Thank you. One of these days, I’m going to take you on the highway, and we’re going to open her up.”
“Open her up?”
“Speed.”
I grimaced. “No thanks.”
“That’s real living.”
“That’s real dying.”
He was still laughing as we walked into the employee entrance of the factory. I headed for my office, anxious to get back to work. I sat down at my desk, only then realizing I had left my phone sitting on my desk. It wasn’t like I ever talked to anyone. If people wanted to talk to me, they left voicemails or talked to my assistant. People didn’t talk to me.
I checked the phone anyway and was surprised to find I had a text. I checked the message and smiled when I saw it was from Harper. She asked if I was still interested in going to dinner. I quickly responded with a yes. She replied with her address and told me to pick her up at six.
It was a date. A real date. It had been a long time since I had dared to go out with a woman. Harper was different. At least, I hoped she was.
I was not up for another woman interested in me for my name or my money.
Chapter 14
Harper
I walked into the restaurant where I was supposed to be meeting Kylie. I had promised to take her to dinner as a way to repay her for all she did for me. I knew I pushed her hard, and she never wavered. She was my rock and a lot like my other half. She took care of Jace for me whenever I needed her to. She would make a good wife one day.
She was already seated, sipping on a soda while she ran her finger over the screen on her phone. She was always working just like me.
“I’m here, sorry,” I said, taking my seat. “The babysitter had a thousand questions.”
“It’s fine. I was just getting caught up on the social media buzz.”
“About the festival?”
“Always about the festival.”
“I’m sorry. It’s almost over.”
She smiled. “And then I will be sad.”
I laughed. “And then it starts all over.”
“So, you started to tell me about your big day before we got interrupted. Tell me all about it.”
“We went to his house—his mansion,” I told her.
“You are seriously going through a lot of trouble for this one business. If it gets out that you’re giving this business such VIP treatment, there are going to be some seriously jealous people.”
“It isn’t going to get out, and I do try and give all the vendors and sponsors my undivided attention.”
“But this guy is getting very personal attention,” she said with a smile.
“Which reminds me,” I said.
“Uh oh, what did you do?”
I grinned. “I haven’t done anything yet, but I was wondering if you could watch Jace tomorrow night.”
She frowned. “Meeting?”
“Kind of. I’m having dinner with Theo.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Is this to convince him to do the festival, or is this personal?”
I shrugged. “He’s nice. And he has a very dry sense of humor.”
“You like him.”
“I do like him. I’ve already said that.”
She slowly shook her head. “I see this going in a very different direction. This isn’t just a business arrangement or you making a new contact. You like this guy.”
I sighed. “Is that wrong?”
“Nope. Not at all. I think I’m surprised, is all. You don’t usually use business to get pleasure.”
“I’m not using the business. He’s a good guy. He has some challenges that I think I can help him with.”
“Harper, don’t you think he’s got plenty of people on his team and in his life to do that? The guy is a billionaire. I’m sure he can afford the best of everything. How are you going to be the one that changes everything?”
“Because I don’t want to change him,” I insisted. “I want to show him how good life can be when he lets go of some of those fears he is holding on to.”
She was quiet for a few seconds. “And you think you can do that for him?”
“I do. This weekend is proof of that. He enjoyed himself. I saw it, and he told me as much. I think he likes to be challenged.”
“I think he probably likes the challenger.” She winked.
I smiled. “Maybe so.”
“What’s tomorrow about? Business or pleasure?”
“Maybe a little bit of both. I asked him to dinner. I got the feeling he doesn’t eat out a lot. He really prefers his own company, and while I’m sure he can probably hire the top chefs in the world to make him a meal, the dining experience is part of the fun. I want to show him how nice it can be.”
“You don’t think he’s ever been on a date before?” she asked incredulously.
“No, but I don’t think he’s been on a dinner date he’s really enjoyed before.” I grinned.
She groaned. “You are really confident in yourself.”
“I am. You should see Jace around him.”
She looked at me and slowly nodded. “I get it now.”
“What do you get?”
“You like this guy because Jace likes him.”
I thought about it for a second. “Not exactly. Jace likes this guy, which tells me he’s a good guy. Jace is a very discerning kid. He rarely talks to other adults. Hell, for that matter, he rarely talks to other kids, but with Theo, he seemed so comfortable. I swear the two of them had this weird understanding of one another, like they recognized kindred spirits.”
“You can’t hook up with a guy because Jace likes him,” she pointed out.
“I’m not. I like him too. He’s so genuine. It’s hard to explain. When you talk to him, you know he is listening and actually thinking about what you are saying. He doesn’t say or do anything he doesn’t mean. He’s truly a breath of fresh air in the world of men. I feel like he is this creature created from a different cloth. He’s not like everyone else. He isn’t like you or me or the hundreds of people we meet.”
She smiled. “You’re so into him.”
“I feel completely ridiculous saying this, but he makes me feel young. You remember that feeling you would get when you saw a celebrity in the magazine or in a movie and you just get all dreamy and googly-eyed over him? That’s what I feel like. Like it isn’t real, and I know it can’t be the real thing, but I’m really enjoying the dreamy feeling.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know why it can’t be real.”
“Because we come from two very different worlds. Besides, we had a good time yesterday, but I don’t think he’s quite in the right place in his life for a ready-made family.”
She looked thoughtful. “I think counting him out before you even know for sure is a defense mechanism.”
“I just want to take things slow and see how it all pans out,” I said. “I have to be careful with Jace. I know he likes him, and I’m sure we can be friends, but I don’t want to blur the line between friends and lovers. If the lover thing doesn’t work out, I don’t want to lose him as a friend. I’ve not been the best mom to Jace, but I won’t risk losing the one man in his life he truly likes.”
“Stop it. You are a great mom.”
“I feel like I’m failing the kid. I feel like David is looking down and shaking his head with disappointment.”
She scoffed. “As if. You were a widow, a single mom with no job and no way to support your child, and now you’re a powerful woman who makes a very good living doing something that brings a lot of happiness to people. You’ve kicked ass at the mom thing. No m
om is perfect, and although I can’t speak from experience, I think all moms probably feel like they could be better. Jace is a wonderful kid. He’s well mannered, very well taken care of, and you devote your entire life to him. That’s all you can do.”
I sighed, wanting to believe her, but I always felt like I could do more. Be better. Try harder. “Thank you. I do appreciate you saying that. All this stuff with him and school. I just wish I knew how to fix it.”
“It’s part of growing up. I certainly don’t like what’s happening, and I will be the first one to beat a little punk’s ass if I see him picking on Jace, but you’re doing what you can. You’re wrapping him in love and supporting him. That’s what he needs.”
“Good, because that’s about all I got.”
She laughed. “I’m hungry. Can we order?”
“Absolutely.”
We each ordered our food and sipped on our sodas while chatting about the various things we still needed to get done before Halloween. I loved the lead up to the big day. It was a huge adrenaline rush. It always felt like I was going in a hundred different directions, and I always worried I wouldn’t get finished in time, but somehow, with a little luck and a lot of work, it always came together.
“How do you think your man is going to do tomorrow?” Kylie asked.
“My man?”
She smiled. “Your project? Your date? Your business associate? I’m not sure what we’re calling him.”
“My friend. And my friend is going to do just fine.”
“You think?”
I nodded. “I think he gets himself worked up. Then, when he’s actually in the moment, he realizes it’s not so bad. When we were walking on the bridge, he was very relaxed. He didn’t even seem to notice the people walking around him.”
“I bet it’s you. You have that effect on people.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh yes, I’m such a calming type of person.”
“No, but your energy is so powerful, it’s hard not to get caught up in your orbit. The rest of the world fades away when you’re around. I bet he was focused on you and feeding off your energy. Hell, I think you are the woman he needs. I think you should go for it. Screw the friend line. Just go all in. That’s how you roll.”
I shook my head. “Not with this. Not with men and dating and all that.”
All About The Treats Page 9