Unplanned Love

by Sharon C. Cooper

  Unplanned Love

  by

  Sharon C. Cooper

  Copyright © 2019 Sharon C. Cooper

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For permission, contact the author at http://www.sharoncooper.net

  Smashwords Edition

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  Disclaimer

  This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Blurb

  Fate has a way of changing a perfect plan.

  Liam Jenkins hasn’t given up on the idea of marriage. However, he’s closed his heart to his impulsive, force of nature, ex-fiancée. He’s moved on. But Charlee Fenlon is kryptonite to his common sense, and his resolve is no match for the explosive passion that still brews between them.

  Liam, the stable, overprotective, loving man is everything Charlee wants in a husband. Yet, years ago she sacrificed his love for her career and a shot at becoming the CEO of her father’s company. But she’s still in love with Liam. And when a twist of fate leads to a second chance, Charlee’s going for broke to win him back.

  Chapter One

  “I’ll only consider you for the CEO position if you’re married.”

  Charlee Fenlon stared opened mouth at her father who was sitting at the head of the boat-shaped conference table shuffling papers. Surely, she hadn’t heard him right. There was no way he’d keep her out of a position that she was more than qualified for because of her marital status.

  She gripped the back of one of the leather chairs in an effort to rein in the annoyance and the anger swirling within her. The more she played his words around in her mind, the harder it was to drum up some semblance of calm.

  “Let me make sure I understand,” she said slowly, her teeth clenched and the hold on the chair tightening. She reminded herself that at the moment, Kingslee Fenlon was her boss, not her father. “You’re willing to break a number of labor laws by claiming that I’m not qualified for the CEO position because I’m not married. Is that what you’re saying? Because if it is, I’m going to make a phone call that will—”

  “Of course, that’s not what I’m saying.” He set the stack of papers that he’d been holding in his large hands onto the table, giving her his full attention. His bushy, dark brows with a hint of gray drew into a frown. “Don’t twist my words.”

  “Are you kidding me? Dad, I didn’t twist anything. Those were your exact words!” she yelled. Suddenly, remembering where they were, Charlee lowered her voice. The conference room door was closed, still there were a couple of offices within earshot. She wasn’t sure why he worked in there instead of his office, but this was where she’d found him.

  Somehow the topic of CEO had filtered into the conversation. The subject had been a course of contention between them from the moment he mentioned his plan to retire at the end of the year. This was the first time he had spewed such nonsense.

  “Those might’ve been my words, but you’re taking them out of context,” he said in his usual calm tone making Charlee angrier.

  Kingslee Fenlon, founder and CEO of Fenlon Manufacturing, a company that produced construction equipment and machinery parts, was always the epitome of cool. But right now, his normally refined and not easily shaken persona wasn’t as unaffected as he was trying to let on. That vein in his forehead, the one just above his left brow that often popped out when he was pissed, made a bold appearance. Still, unlike her, who sometimes wore her feelings on her sleeve, he looked calm and in control.

  “Yes, I want you married before you slide into that type of position,” he said, going back to organizing his papers. “I want you to have a life…a happy life outside of work. Sweetheart, you’re never going to have that if you spend eighteen hours a day doing something that centers around your job and this company. And that’s what you’re already doing as Director of Operations. What do you think will happen as CEO?”

  “I know how to delegate, and I’ll have even more support when I’m CEO.”

  “That might be so, but you have that now. Yet, you’re still doing the work of two people.”

  He sighed and sat back in the chair, slightly rocking back and forth.

  He glanced up and met her gaze. “I know you’re ambitious and have been working towards overseeing the company, but there’s more to life than running this business. The position is very demanding and can pull a person under in a heartbeat. Granted, I’ve seen some improvements with you. You’re not traveling for work as much as you used to, but how often do you leave the office before eight p.m.? How often do you find yourself sitting at your desk on Saturday or Sunday, trying to do that one more thing or sign on one more client?”

  Charlee broke eye contact and huffed out a breath. Instead of answering her father’s questions, since he already knew the answers, she strolled to the wall of windows where sunlight poured into the room. The conference room sat several stories above ground level and overlooked a picturesque courtyard.

  Practically every week, her father got on her case about letting the job be her whole life. But what did he expect? The company was thriving. A lot of that had to do with the processes that she had implemented. She came up with those ideas by having her thumb on the pulse of the operation. Unfortunately, that meant long days at work.

  A boulder-like weight that Charlee hadn’t felt when she first walked into the room, settled on her shoulders as she stared out of the window. The sight of the charming and peaceful looking courtyard did nothing to smooth out the irritation her father had ruffled.

  Another warm July day in Cincinnati and a few people who worked for their company clearly understood the concept of getting some air. Sabrina, an HR supervisor, shed her suit jacket and strolled along the cobblestone walkway circling the large water fountain. She looked as if she didn’t have a care in the world as she stopped periodically to actually smell the flowers. There was another woman Charlee didn’t recognize sitting on a rod-iron bench, staring at the screen of some sort of E-reader. People milled about outside, enjoying the weather while Charlee was detained inside, getting ready to attend a meeting.

  She couldn’t help but think that her father was right. She had no social life. When was the last time she ate lunch away from her desk? She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone out for cocktails with friends. Or taken a trip that didn’t involve work.

  Outside of her career, she didn’t have much of a life, at least not one she could brag about. She possessed the finest clothes, the most expensive shoes, furniture, appliances, and electronics. They filled her luxury apartment, but they couldn’t fill the void in her heart.

  “Are you happy?” her father asked, his voice carrying across the room.

  The simple question stabbed at Charlee’s already tattered nerves. At one time, she could honestly answer yes. Now, deep down inside, and during so many lonely nights, she knew something was missing.

  Liam.

  Liam Jenkins, her ex-fiancé.

  Rarely did a day go by, especially in the last year and a half, that she didn’t think of him and all that she’d given up. And n
ow that his cousin was married to her best friend, they frequently ran into each other—a mixed blessing. It was always good to see his handsome face, but the sight of him always reminded Charlee of her biggest mistake—letting him walk out of her life.

  “You’re a workaholic,” her father said, interrupting her thoughts. “I refuse to continue feeding into that behavior. I had hoped that when you were promoted to Director that you would be in town more and maybe even settle down.

  “You might not travel as much, but the long days you put in are just as bad. How are you ever going to meet someone and have a family if you’re in the office or on the road all the time? You’re not getting any younger. Your window of—”

  “You act as if I’m old or something,” Charlee said, turning to face him. “I’m only thirty-one.”

  “Only? Your mother was only thirty-six when she died of a heart attack. I will not play a role in you following in Charlotte’s footsteps.” His words were thick with emotion, his sorrow almost palpable.

  Charlee lowered her gaze and interlocked her fingers in front of her, not wanting to see the pain and loss in his eyes. She had witnessed the look countless times, like on her mother’s birthday or the anniversary of when her mother and Kingslee first met.

  Charlotte had died over fifteen years ago, but her father’s love for her mother never ceased. To this day, he had never married. There had never been another woman to claim his heart.

  For Kingslee, it had been love at first sight. Actually, for both of them, but her mother had put her career before their relationship. While living in San Antonio, they’d dated for a couple of years. Each time Charlee’s father mentioned marriage, her mother put him off, asking for more time.

  Kingslee eventually gave up, moved to Cincinnati, and started Fenlon Manufacturing. But during one of his visits back to San Antonio, Charlee had been conceived. Even then, her mother wouldn’t agree to marry him. By that time, she was a junior partner at her law firm with an ambition to make partner before she turned thirty-five.

  Charlee glanced up when she heard the crunch of wheels rolling over the hardwood floor. Her father had pushed his chair back from the table and stretched out his long legs. He folded his thick arms across his chest and studied her. Even sitting down, he was an imposing figure. In his sixties, Kingslee was over six feet tall and well built.

  “I can’t lose you the way I lost her, but that’s exactly what’s going to happen if you don’t make some changes in your life,” her father said quietly. “You’re not getting the job, Charlee.”

  Her anger went from zero to sixty. “You can’t do that to me!”

  “I can do whatever the hell I want. It’s my company.”

  “It’s against the law. You can’t withhold a job from me because of my marital status.”

  “Your personal life, or lack thereof, is not the only reason I’m not just going to slide you into that position. You’re not ready for that type of responsibility.”

  “Yes, I…”

  He lifted his hand, effectively silencing anything Charlee was about to say, and her hackles stood on edge.

  “You’re too reckless. I’ve watched you grow and mature over the years, but you’re still impulsive. Acting first before thinking a situation through. Making decisions based solely on your gut is not going to cut it in the CEO’s position. There is too much at stake for that type of behavior. I will not let you jeopardize all that we’ve built by acting on your whims.”

  Charlee glared, fighting to maintain the type of control she had mastered when things weren’t going according to plan.

  “I poured my life into this company with every intention of someday running the family business. Clearly, my efforts, my blood, sweat, and sometimes tears, even my innovations that have taken this company to new levels mean nothing to you.”

  Her father stood slowly and approached her, still maintaining a sliver of distance, assuming she would pull away if he touched her. All it ever took was one of his warm, bear hugs to wipe away any discord between them.

  Not today. Today, she wasn’t having any of that.

  “Sweetheart, nothing could be further from the truth. You’ve worked for the company since you were seventeen. During those fifteen years, you learned practically every aspect of the business from manufacturing to sells. I would like nothing better than to see you run a company that I have built from the ground up. But not at the expense of you finding true happiness.

  “I always have your best interest in mind. I’ve steered you in the right direction whenever the need presented itself, and I’m doing that now. I’m not saying that you can never be CEO, but—”

  “But you don’t want me to be like my mother and put my career before love.”

  Too late.

  Charlee’s heart ached at the thought. Little did he know, she had already done that and regretted it every day since. Except she wasn’t her mother. At least that’s what she kept telling herself.

  “You don’t have to respond,” Charlee said, a sudden bout of sadness of her mother’s death, consuming her. “I already know the answer.”

  A quick knock sounded on the door before it swung open.

  “Mr. Kingslee, your three o’clock—” Rebecca, his assistant, words trailed off when she spotted Charlee. “Oh, I am so sorry. I didn’t realize…”

  Charlee didn’t hear anything else Rebecca had to say. Instead, her gaze landed on the man standing next to the woman. The man she would always love. The man she had foolishly let walk out of her life.

  Liam.

  The anger directed at her father only moments ago slowly dissipated when Charlee met Liam’s gaze. She drew in a breath as a sweet thrill spiraled through her veins. Every cell in her body came alive at his presence.

  How was it possible that each time they ran into each other, her reaction was the same? Warmth traveled through her, heating womanly areas that hadn’t been touched in a long time. Sure, Liam was tall and gorgeous with brooding, coffee-colored eyes, sienna brown skin, and lips that looked so darn kissable she could almost taste them from across the room.

  And then there was his perfectly groomed, full beard that sparked something wicked within Charlee. The same, soft beard that used to gently brush the inside of her thighs whenever he…

  Whoa!

  Heat rose to her face at the direction her brazen thoughts had gone and she tried to look away. She couldn’t. His dark, penetrating gaze nailed her in place, staring back at her in that way that always made her wonder if he could read her mind.

  Charlee swallowed hard. She took in the length of his fit, muscular body and the way his massive biceps stretched the material of his gray polo shirt. Liam was powerfully built like an NFL wide receiver with broad shoulders that tapered down to a narrow waist, and long legs that took one step to her three. A big guy in a non-threatening way, but no less intimidating, he was the gentlest man she knew…until you got on his bad side. Then you were dead to him.

  A stab of guilt pierced her chest as memories of the way their life together ended. If only she could have a redo. If only she could make a different choice where he was concerned. Then maybe the anxiety pulsing through her would subside. It didn’t help that the intense, menacing silence that always pinged off of him surrounded her.

  “Ahem.”

  Charlee startled when Kingslee cleared his throat. How long had she been standing there gawking at her ex?

  She glanced at her dad as his hefty 6’2” frame moved past her and headed to the door.

  “Liam, thank you for coming. It’s good to see you again.”

  “You too, Mr. Kingslee,” Liam said, referring to him the way most people around the city referred to him. Though he was shaking her father’s hand, Liam’s gaze slid back to her. “Charlee.” His deep voice washed over her like warm honey.

  Damn. She still had it bad for this man.

  “Hi…Liam,” she said around the lump in her throat. She needed to get out of there.

  Be
ads of sweat peppered Charlee’s hairline as she drew closer to him. It never failed. There it was again. Her body’s visceral responses to him were mindboggling, each encounter eliciting a different reaction. Amped up heart rate. Sweaty palms. Nipples hardening. The list went on and on. There wasn’t a thing she could do about it. Grin and bear it took on a whole new meaning during these moments.

  Get it together, girl.

  “Good seeing you again, Liam,” Charlee murmured when she got closer to him, and then she glanced at her father. “Our conversation isn’t over.”

  “Yeah, actually, it is. My mind is made up,” he said gruffly. “Good luck with the meeting.”

  Charlee glared at the man who had raised her from the age of sixteen. She loved him to death, but there were times when he tested her beyond comprehension. Like now.

  But that was okay. There’d been plenty of times when his “no” made her work harder to change his response to a “yes”. She’d show him that she could have it all.

  Even if it means finding a husband.

  Chapter Two

  Liam’s heart and mind never led him wrong, except for where Charlee Fenlon was concerned. Part of him wanted to follow her out of the room and make sure she was all right, but the other part of him knew it was best to stay clear. She was still his weakness, and he was man enough to admit it.

  But something was wrong. He saw it in her eyes. Felt it in his bones. Considering the tension in the room when he arrived, it was safe to assume that she and Kingslee weren’t on the same page about something. But rarely did she let anyone get under her skin, not even him. Normally, those mesmerizing brown eyes held a bit of mischief, excitement, and usually her love for life could be felt upon meeting her.

  Not today. Today she seemed down, and there was something else… Sadness. Frustration. Uncertainty. Three elements that weren’t a part of her ardent personality.