The Skipper & the Billionaire Playboy

“About eight years, and he was in the Navy for a good twelve

years. After my father retired, we settled near the ocean so he could restore the catamaran he had purchased and begin entering qualifying events.”

“And your father isn’t with you anymore, I believe you said?”

She nodded, feeling the familiar lump in her throat that appeared whenever she thought about Gideon. “His catamaran sank one day. I wasn’t with him, but two of his crew members were. They were taking it for a final sail before the next regatta in the Louis Vuitton Cup. As you probably know, you have to win the Louis Vuitton Cup to challenge for the America’s Cup.” Adding the factoid helped dissociate from the grief that surged inside her, restoring her equanimity slightly.

Sympathy warmed his eyes, and surprisingly, the older man reached out to take her hand. It was a kind, nonthreatening grasp, and he squeezed gently. “That must be difficult. I never knew my own father, because he died before I was born, but I was quite close to my mother. It was difficult when she passed away.” By the thickening of his tone, it was clear he also had a similar lump in his throat despite how many years it must have been since his mother had died.

A moment later, he blinked, and his voice sounded stronger. “Sawyer was always close to his father too, so you can imagine how distraught he was at finding him like that?”

Nadia nodded, wanting to press for more information that he clearly thought she possessed, but unable to do so. Just like yesterday at the spa, she was bound by the pretense of the relationship that prevented her from indulging her curiosity.

“It changed him, and I understand that. How could it not? Still, the answer isn’t to run away and live a life free of responsibility. He needs to take on more.”

Nadia licked her lips, wondering how to proceed. Personally, she agreed with Harold about Sawyer needing more responsibility. It didn’t seem natural for a man nearing thirty to have no strings and no ties, other than family he saw sporadically. Still, it wasn’t her place to judge, and she didn’t think it was his grandfather’s either. It was a difficult position to find herself in, and she didn’t have a clear response.

He turned that too perceptive gaze on her, his blue eyes locking with her dark brown ones. “What about you, Nadia? Are you good with responsibility?”

“I like to think so,” she said honestly. “My father was a proponent of hard work and doing what had to be done.”

He nodded, looking pleased. “So there’s some hope for the boy yet. I hope he’ll allow you to influence him. I don’t want to deny him a full life filled with all the things he considers important, but I’m not getting any younger. I’ve been running this company since my son-in-law died, coming out of retirement to do so, and I’d like to hand over the reins before I lose all chance of returning to retirement for a while.”

“It’s an indelicate question, but may I ask how old you are, Harold?”

“I’m seventy-seven. The first time, I retired just shy of sixty after selling my company, intent on enjoying all life had to offer with my beautiful Sophia. We had almost five years together before she passed away, and then a year later, Jefferson was gone too. There was no one else to step in, because Caitlin didn’t know anything about his business, and the kids were too young. So here I am, twelve years later, and still waiting to pass on the burden to Sawyer.”

Nadia didn’t think that was going to happen anytime soon, but she didn’t want to bluntly state her opinion either. Instead, she tried a more diplomatic approach. “What about Kiersten? Is she interested in the company?” Perhaps he hadn’t even considered his granddaughter due to her gender.

He shrugged. “Kiersten heads up our marketing department, and she’s good at it, but she doesn’t want to do the managerial side. It’s just not where her interests lie, and I’m not going to force her into it.”

Nadia couldn’t help her hackles rising, surprised by how defensive she felt on Sawyer’s behalf. “But you don’t mind forcing Sawyer into something he’s not interested in?”

Harold surprised her with a hearty laugh. “I like you, Nadia. You’re good for him. I wouldn’t force him either, but I know he wants it. There was a time when he used to follow his dad everywhere, including to the office. Sawyer worked weekends and after school for his dad, learning everything he could about the company.

“He was a natural fit for taking over, and if all that hadn’t happened, he would be heading up the company today. I’m not trying to be hard on the boy, because I understand where he’s coming from, and I agree he deserves to live his life however he wishes, but I am trying to remind him of how much he once loved the corporation and the future he’d planned around it. I want what’s best for him, best for me, and best for the company and the people it employs.”

Her irritation faded, and she had to blink back tears from her eyes. “I see. That makes a lot of sense, and I wasn’t aware he had once planned to take over the company.”

He waved a hand. “Sawyer’s priorities might have changed. It could be as simple as that, and he might never want to run his family’s company again. If that’s the case, we’ll find a buyer, and I’ll be happy. I just don’t want to shed the place too soon and then have the boy wake up one day to realize he’s pissed away his legacy on partying, women, and sailing.”

The pollen must be high, because she found it difficult to breathe due to the stuffiness in her nose, not to mention the burning in her eyes. Nadia had to clear her throat a couple of times before that feeling passed. “I think that’s marvelous of you, Harold. I hope Sawyer makes up his mind soon. Have you told him how you feel?”

He hesitated, looking uncertain for the first time. “Not entirely. I guess I’m as bad about protecting him as the rest of this clan. I think I’ll approach the topic with him while he’s visiting us though and try to get a firm answer from him about what he wants to do with the company. I just don’t have it in me to keep it running any longer on my own. No interest, and I’d like to spend my golden years doing something besides working.”

Nadia wasn’t certain if he was waiting for her to offer to speak to Sawyer about the matter, and had she been in a real relationship with him, one that involved more than sex and lying to his family, she wouldn’t have hesitated to do so. Understanding the older man’s perspective, she found herself annoyed with Sawyer and his lack of responsibility all over again. Still, she wasn’t in a real position to speak to act as Harold’s mouthpiece or express her opinions on how frivolously Sawyer lived his life. Instead, she maintained silence.

With a nod, he released the hand he was still holding gently and turned his attention to the controls of the scooter. “On that vein, I have to return to work now. I enjoyed our conversation, Nadia, and I hope you’ll end up being a permanent fixture in my grandson’s life, no matter what direction he takes it.”

“Thank you,” she said in a slightly thickened voice, plagued by that irritating lump at the back of her throat again. She refused to label it as an emotional response and clung to the theory it was simply pollen, though she had never been allergic to anything in the outdoors before.

Chapter Seven

Sawyer had expected to find the shopping trip with his mother and sister interminably boring. For the most part, he had been right, but he was still here just the same. He hadn’t missed their not-so-subtle attempts to steer him toward the jewelry section of every place they stopped.

Neither his mother nor his sister would have done well in the game of corporate bluffing. They were playing their hand too heavy, pausing to admire all the beautiful rings. He could have disabused them of the notion he’d need one for Nadia with a sharp word or two, and that would’ve been the end of their clumsy attempts to get him to shop for an engagement ring.

Instead, he found himself indulging them, at least to a point. He always veered away from the rings to admire the other pieces. Already, he had acquired a few gifts for Nadia. It was one area they had overlooked when shopping, and it didn’t mean anything that he was thinking about how each piece of jewelry would look on her. It was simply a gift, another way to add a convincing touch to her wardrobe and veneer as his girlfriend.