Falling in Love Again: A Valentine's Day Proposal

But I falter a little when I get inside. Somehow, in here, it’s even more impressive. All white and sleek, like it’s designed to make people feel intelligent. R. Owens Parts is all about producing the best product, but it seems like Lace Enterprises wants to project a certain image as well. An utterly terrifying one.

“R. Owens?” the guy behind the reception desk ask Leon.

“Err, no. I’m Leon.” He steps to one side. “This is Raelyn Owens.”

“Ah I see. I do apologize. Welcome, Raelyn. Please, take a seat and I will contact Mr. Lace.”

Mr. Lace refers to Carter Lace, the leader in this industry. The man who I have been trying to catch up with. I never ever thought that I would end up teaming up with him, but I think the risk might be worth it. I hope.

“Mr. Owens.” A warm voice bursts into the room, followed by a man who does something funny to me.

He’s tall and very strong looking, almost bursting out of his shirt, and he’s strikingly handsome as well. Better looking than any of the guys I have been forced to date through the Internet. With sparkling blue eyes and a smile that lights up a room, he’s gorgeous. And as he runs his hand through his cropped dark hair, I become consumed by butterflies. This is trouble, I can’t be feeling this way about this man. Not a chance in hell.

“No, I’m not Owens,” Leon speaks out again. “I’m the production manager. This is Raelyn Owens.”

“Oh.” Carter stops and he runs his eyes up and down me, the criticism evident in his eyes. “You’re a woman.”

I bristle, any thoughts of desire for this man melting away in an instant. “Yes, I am.”

I have faced this before, the expectation that I shouldn’t be as far as I am in business because of my gender, which really winds me up. Aren’t we in the twenty first century? Shouldn’t we be beyond that sort of sexism now? Does it matter what I have between my legs? Honestly! Immediately, I’m turned right off of him.

“Yes, I am,” I reply coolly. The only good thing about his stinking attitude is that it shakes my nerves off. “I have always been one. Is that an issue? Does it affect how I can do business?”

“Clearly not. You have done very well; I just prefer not to work with women.”

I narrow my eyes at him. This is ridiculous. I should not have to face this sort of adversity. I want to turn and walk away, to put this behind me, but I know that I need this. I do. It’s the only way I can progress.

“Well, I think you will find it fine working with me,” I tell him through gritted teeth.

“Hmm, okay. Well we need to go through to my conference room and sign all the paper work.”

As he turns, I shoot Leon a pleading look, but he simply shrugs as if I shouldn’t get wound up by that. Maybe he’s right, perhaps this is all just a little test to see what I can handle. I will show him that I can take anything. I hold my head up high and I waltz into the meeting room, determined to win this little game. I might not yet fully understand the rules, but that doesn’t matter. I’m playing anyway, and my competitive side means that I’m playing to win as always. Carter Lace might have met his match for the very first time…

Woah. I have to admit that as I walk into the room, I’m struck by the lack of females inside it. Maybe that wasn’t just a throw away comment to wind me up. Maybe he doesn’t work with women. Well, if he’s going to work with me then he will just have to get used to it already.

We take our seats and listen as the lawyer goes through all the details with us again. I take it all in even though I don’t really need to because it’s ingrained in my mind. I wouldn’t consider signing anything without combing through it thoroughly and learning every single word. As I hear the words, I watch Carter intently. It seems like he is purposely not looking at me which gives me full reign to really see him.

He is good looking, in an objective way, I suppose. My initial instinct was right, but his arrogance shines through and makes him far less attractive to me. There is no way that I could ever like a man who doesn’t have respect for me just because of my gender. That’s enough to tempt me back to online dating… well, almost, I’m still not about to give in to Abbi’s demands just yet. I have all of this on my plate. This deal, the subsequent move to a brand new office, and now the possibility of dealing with this asshole every day…

Finally, the explanations end and it’s time to sign. I hesitate with my pen over the paper, trying to think of the pros and cons one last time. I had a list before, but it’s changed now that I have actually met Carter. He isn’t like I expected him to be, he is so much worse. I need to think about seeing him every day…

Although, I suppose I can avoid him as much as possible and just concentrate on my part of the business, just like I always have done. Just because we will be working alongside Carter, doesn’t mean that we will be with him. Just in the building and using the equipment. Our paths don’t have to cross unless we want them to.

I need this, I remind myself, even with the voice in my mind a little shaky. I can’t expand without this.

I have to do it. I have to connect the pen to the paper and sign. I don’t have a choice. I glance up to see Carter watching me curiously, which brings an intense blush to my cheeks. I don’t really know why, but the intensity of his gaze heats me up, it makes me feel all weird, like he can see right into my mind and he knows everything that I’m thinking. I have to snap my eyes away before I fall apart. I can’t lose my strength now!

I sign, but I don’t feel a sense of elation or relief. What I’m doing is just trying to anticipate what will happen. This will either be the best decision that I have ever made, or the worst. I’m not too sure yet. I can’t look at Carter again to figure it out either, because I’m scared of falling apart all over again.

“I will show you around,” Carter snaps, breaking me from panic mode. “Let you see your new office.”

He leads me and Leon to a smaller building next to his which will become our office. It’s nice. Nowhere near as sleek as his place, but good enough. Better than what we have already, not that I’m going to tell him that. Then we go to see the production line and I see Leon light up like a Christmas tree. I have to admit that I’m impressed to. I can already see how much more we can produce here, and how much faster. This is exactly the sort of expansion I was looking for, it’s like a dream come true. I just have to sell my soul to get it.

“That was amazing,” Leon exclaims with excitement as we finally leave the office. “Oh my God, did you see that? It’s incredible there. The best place that I have ever been. I cannot wait to work there. Don’t you feel the same way? Like it’s going to be the best thing that you have ever done in your life?”

“Hmm.” I can’t muster up quite the same enthusiasm. Carter has left a bitter taste in my mouth. His sexism and attitude has really pissed me off more than it probably should. “I sure hope so.”

“What’s up? Oh, is it Carter? Yeah, I get it.” Leon nods. “He’s a bit of a dick. I see that, but it doesn’t matter, does it? You won’t have to see him much when we start. Plus, I think he’s just a bit snippy because he’s threatened by you. And rightly so. You are a kick ass independent woman who has stolen business from him so much that he’s had to resort to ma