His Tempting Cherry Pie: A Double Virgin Valentine
I Googled him while I was at my office, and holy shit.
He’s like the savant of venture capital investing. He did his first deals right after he was discharged from the military because of his injuries.
Some small start up that had the idea to offer all the money he’d saved to a company called Pitter-Patter, and we all know how that turned out. That was his first, but he made other investments back then that did well and he just kept going.
I like that he doesn’t just help the big ballers, he’s helped tons of small nobodies and helped guide them to greater success than they probably would have accomplished with anyone else.
I knew he was rich but he’s scraping up on the half a billion dollar mark in value, although much of it is in stocks and holdings, but still. He doesn’t act like that guy and I feel so small sitting here watching him like a magician.
It doesn’t help that I can no longer lie to myself and say I’m not falling in love with him. I am. Fast. And my heart wants to fling us headlong into the abyss that is Reid Andrew, but reality tells me, and my business has taught me to the tune of two hundred thousand bouquets of dead flowers, happily ever after isn’t so ever after, after all.
How am I going to tell him about my own disaster of a company? The black cloud hovering over me with the news from my head accountant has my stomach churning and there’s no way his company would take a risk on my little venture.
Seems my father has been skimming more than I thought as well, our growth is outrunning our funds and two of our biggest suppliers are threatening to not fulfill orders that are due to come in tomorrow morning for our Valentine’s Day orders.
We’re going down. Hard. And if I could, I would disappear into the gleaming black marble floor and forget I ever had this stupid dream of running a business of my own.
Besides that, what am I doing practically jumping my new brother-in-law or uncle-in-law or whatever, with every ovarian twitch I get? But God, he’s so hot and I can’t even begin to understand the way my body reacts to him.
“Milly.” Reid is looking my way and I jump, sitting up straight, trying to look professional but feeling like a pig on roller skates, surrounded by all the suits and spreadsheets. “I have to go take a quick meeting. Like twenty minutes.”
He lifts a hand and crooks his fingers to someone behind him, and I turn to see a leggy brunette wearing some killer corporate designer dress and mile-high heels followed by a redhead dressed in a similarly well put together ensemble.
“This is Becca and Maggie. They are going to show you the conference room, get you whatever it is you need and generally take care of you until I get back, then we’ll have our meeting. Okay, baby?”
I see both the women’s eyes go wide with that last word and I turn back to see Reid looking at his phone.
He walks over and leans down to whisper in my ear. “Don’t forget Daddy’s always with you.” Then he tips my chin up, gives me a quick kiss and disappears out the door, leaving me in a thick silence with the pair of Powder-Puff power players giving me tight smiles.
I nod, trying to look like I belong here.
“So,” I begin, raising my eyebrows. “I’m really okay. I don’t need anything. If you just want to show me to the conference room, I’ll just be out of your hair.”
I stand up, running my hands down my witch hoodie, suddenly aware that if I take it off the words “Cute Psycho Bitch” will be emblazoned across my chest.
“No, it’s no bother. We want to help.” The brunette looks at the other woman who seems to get some silent signal because she suddenly perks up.
“Yes, let us help.”
The one named Becca comes forward, looking me up and down. “Where did you meet Reid?”
“Oh, well, actually…” I shift my weight as their eyes bore into me, making me feel like Swiss cheese. “He’s my…brother-in-law, I guess. His sister married my father.”
“Wow.” The redhead says on a snorting giggle. “You guys seem…close for in-laws.”
“I guess,” I answer, the vibe turning a bit sour, but maybe this is just how life is in the corporate world.
“Listen.” Becca steps closer, flinging her hair in an arch. “I’m going to help you. It’s what I do here. PR. Image stuff.” She looks me up and down. “This is what I do and I’m going to be honest…our investors, the team that looks at potential acquisition partners, they are conservative if you get my meaning.”
“Sure.” I narrow my eyes.