The CEO, the Puppy and Me

“That you won’t feel so alone anymore? That it will lessen the pain of losing both of your parents?”

How dare he say those things to her? She jumped to her feet. “You don’t know what you’re saying. You don’t understand.”

And with that, she turned and forced herself to walk in slow steady steps with her spine straight and her head held high. Gin trailed behind her. She wouldn’t let Ric see how deeply his words had hurt her.

Had they hurt her? Or was it just that he was right? No. She wasn’t trying to find a replacement for her parents. She would never do that.

All she wanted were answers, and there was nothing wrong with that. She needed to know about the part of her life that was missing. Who was her father? Had he known about her? And where did they go from here?

* * *

He’d utterly mucked that up.

Royally.

The next day, Ric was still worried about Gia. She was getting her hopes up for a happy reunion with her biological father, and Ric was worried that might not happen. Sure, his PI friend was good but sometimes good wasn’t enough. His friend had searched for Ric’s own father and come up with nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Maybe his mother had been right. Maybe it really had been a bad time in her life and she’d lost control. Ric didn’t understand losing control like that because he always made sure he was in charge of everything from his business to his personal life. He had definite plans for both—none of which included a beautiful woman or a stray dog.

Speaking of the pup, no one had claimed Gin. It was looking more and more like the little guy was permanently theirs—correction, Gia’s.

Mrs. Rossi had offered to take Gin for a walk to the park after the little guy was caught ripping a pair of Ric’s socks to shreds. Why exactly had he said the dog could stay? The recollection was becoming fuzzier with each item of Ric’s that the puppy turned into some sort of chew toy. He reminded himself that soon they’d be gone, and he’d resume his quiet existence. However, that idea didn’t sound as appealing as it once had.

Not wanting to examine his feelings for Gia, he turned his thoughts to getting the reclusive owner of Grosso Global Transports to sit down with him for a meeting. Ric knew if he were to publicly announce what his program did that bids would come pouring in. But a bidding war wasn’t what he had in mind. Money wasn’t his goal with this project.

He wanted to test his technology with the biggest global transport company. If he could master their system, he could take what he’d done and duplicate it into something to help those in need. It would be a supply corridor using the goodwill of commercial transporters. That was his ultimate goal, but for companies to sign on to the emerging plan, he had to show them that he knew what he was doing and could make it work.

Tap. Tap.

Ric glanced up to find Gia standing in the doorway of his study. The sadness in her eyes was like a jab to his gut. He wanted more than anything to replace that sadness with a smile, but he didn’t know how to find her father for her.

“Do you have a minute?” she asked.

“Sure. Come in. I’ve been meaning to speak with you, but I wasn’t sure you wanted to hear anything I have to say—”

“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have gotten so defensive.”

“And I’m sorry for being such a pessimist.”

“No, you were being a realist—something I’m not ready to deal with.” She sat down in the chair off to the side of his desk. She wrung her hands, letting him know she was still upset. “I just need to believe out of something so horrible happening that something good will come of it.”

“I understand.” He truly did. And just because it hadn’t worked out like that for him didn’t mean it wouldn’t work out for her.

“I also wanted to know if you changed your mind about me working on the villa?”

A voice in his head told him she was giving him an easy out. Cutting ties with her was best for both of them. But what came out of his mouth was quite the opposite. “I haven’t.”

What did I go and say that for?

“Good. Very good.” A tentative smile lifted the corners of her lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I... I should go now. I’m sure you’re busy.”

He didn’t want her to leave. He told himself it was because he wanted to cheer her up, but deep down he knew he craved her companionship for more selfish reasons—reasons he wasn’t ready to acknowledge.

When he glanced up, she was already at the doorway. “Wait. I need your help.”

He didn’t have a clue what he needed her help with, but this wasn’t the first time he’d been stuck in a position where he had to think on his feet.

She immediately turned back. “You do?”