Once they made it inside the elevator, he shrugged off his jacket with a relieved sigh and felt the weight fall off his shoulders.
“That was something,” he said, eyeing Rachel with a grin.
She looked over at him, an incredulous smile on her face. “I was starting to think I should leave the two of you alone. That woman was insatiable. Be careful. When she comes to visit, she might just request you off the dessert menu.”
Logan chuckled, loosening his tie. A thought came to him just then. After a long day’s work, it was always important to unwind. It was a motto he’d stuck to since baseball and he had the perfect idea.
“I think it’s time to celebrate,” he said, sucking in his cheeks. “After a meeting like that, we deserve it. Got plans for tonight?”
She arched a slender eyebrow and gave him a dazzling smile that sent shivers down his back. “Not at all. Lead the way, Mr. Logan.”
RACHEL STROLLED INTO the auto dealership next to Logan, trying her best to keep her cool. This entire day had been a whirlwind of excitement and she was having a hard time keeping her eyes off the man at her side. She had to keep reminding herself that he was her boss, nothing more. No need to let herself get caught up in the rush of emotions that had gone through them both today. They’d had a great day. A wonderful first day of work. That was it. Nothing more.
And they were simply here to celebrate their big win.
Logan had asked the pilot to make a little detour on their way home, landing them squarely in San Francisco, where they took a town car to the Lamborghini dealership. She gazed at the shiny, vehicles of luxury surrounding them. To her, they resembled nothing more than hunks of metal. But to Logan, they must’ve been so much more. His eyes had lit up like a kid in a candy store as soon as they walked through the door.
“Mr. Madison,” a middle-aged Latino man called from behind the counter with a slight accent. He rushed toward them, a large smile lighting up his face. “You’re back. Did you have a big win today?”
“You know me too well, Mateo,” Logan said with a chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. “Huge win today. We bagged Mary Prescott to review my new restaurant.”
Mateo’s dark brown eyes widened and he whistled. “In that case, I think you need something a little stronger than usual. I’ve got something in the back that just arrived. Want to take her for a test spin?”
“Do you even have to ask?” Logan replied, barely containing his grin.
Rachel watched the exchange with an incredulous smile. It seemed that Logan was a frequent customer around here. She placed a hand on her hip and gazed at him as Mateo rushed off. Logan caught her staring and shrugged helplessly.
“Everyone’s got to have a weakness,” he said. “Mine just happens to come on four wheels. But this is just a test-run, I swear.”
“This is what you do to celebrate?” she asked, biting her lower lip. “Just how many cars do you own?”
“Too many to mention,” he said with a groan, slapping his hand to his face and grimacing at her. “Don’t hate me. I told you it’s a weakness. At least, it’s my only one. That I know of...”
She laughed again and her heart fluttered as his gaze turned darker and an emotion she couldn’t name passed behind his eyes. Heat flared inside her gut, like the afternoon rays of the sunshine on the San Jose roadway. Rattled by her own surprising reaction, she turned away and forced herself to look at the cars parked around the showroom. But even then, she didn’t really see them. All she could think about was the man standing behind her.
“I have it pulled around back, Mr. Madison,” Mateo said, rushing forth to drop a key fob in his hands. “She’s gassed up and ready to go.”
“Thank you, Mateo. Don’t forget to bring your wife in during my new restaurant opening. Dinner’s on me. I owe you.”
“You’re too kind,” Mateo said with a solemn bow of his head. “Please, enjoy your ride, sir.”
Logan looked at Rachel, his expression back to normal. “Are you brave enough?”
“To ride in a metal death trap with you?” She laughed, still feeling the remnants of butterflies in her stomach. “Just brave enough, I suppose.”
They walked outside and Logan let out a low whistle. Standing in front of them was a bright orange car that hugged the pavement. The two open doors stretched toward the sky like the wings of a bird ready to take flight. Rachel didn’t know much about cars, but even she could tell that never in her life would she be able to afford something like this, especially on a waitress’s salary. It screamed luxury.
Normally, she would’ve scoffed at something like that, but the look of wonder on Logan’s face made her rethink her opinion. Maybe, money didn’t always corrupt. After all, the Logan she was getting to know again was anything but snobbish and obsessed with business. Unlike her own father, who had never found time to attend any of his daughter’s dance recitals or school events or even her graduation ceremony. Business was always calling. Maybe, Logan was different. It seemed that his billions hadn’t dried up his soul. Yet.
But money had a way of ruining good things.
She watched him do a quick circle around the car, his jaw hanging open.
“This is the new Lamborghini Aventador,” he said in a reverent tone. “Over seven hundred horse power, hand-built V12 engine, and carbon-fiber monocoque chassis.”
She raised her eyebrows, not quite sure what he was rambling about, but it sounded expensive to her. “Should we get in?”
He placed a hand on the hood and gave her an intense gaze. “Does the Aventador come with an ISR transmission capable of shifting up to fifty percent faster than any dual-clutch gearbox currently on the market?”
“Uh...” She bared her teeth in a grimace. “I’m guessing that’s a yes?”
Closing his eyes, he nodded slowly. “That’s a yes.”
Laughing at his cute response, she climbed inside on the orange leather seats. A console with a control panel and screen separated her from Logan. He got into his seat and ran his hand softly over the steering wheel.
“Any chance you’re hungry?” he asked with a grin, bringing the car to life with a roar of the engine.
She smiled at him. Now he was speaking her language. “Completely starved.”
“I know a place.” He winked at her and threw the car into drive. “Believe me, there’s nothing quite as thrilling as taking a Lamborghini through a drive-thru. Just don’t leave any crumbs on the seat, or I’ll be forced to buy this thing.”
Rachel kept her eyes on the road as they sped off, her heartbeat hammering so loudly beneath her rib cage she was sure it was going to be heard above the drone of the engine.
No matter how charming Logan Madison seemed to be, she needed to keep her eyes on the prize.
Chapter Six
Rachel carried two cups of coffee down the San Jose street, her long legs stretching to walk faster toward Madison Park. It had already been two weeks since she’d started interning alongside Logan and they had been the best two weeks of her life.
Seeing the business side of operations was fascinating. Her mind whirled with ideas all day long on how to solve problems and improve the restaurant’s efficiency. It was unlike anything she’d experienced before. All these years, she’d scorned the uptight business types because of her father and his harsh opinion of her intellect skills, but here she was, finding her stride in a world he had always said would swallow her up whole.
And when she shared her thoughts, Logan didn’t patronize her or treat her like a stooge. He seemed to appreciate her opinions and took every opportunity to teach her about the business. They really seemed to work well together.
However, the soft opening of his restaurant hadn’t come without its challenges. Early mornings, long days, and working late into the night together. Already, she could see the strain in the fine lines around his blue eyes and the exhausted smiles he portrayed to the customers who trickled in.
Rachel could tell Logan was reaching the
end of his line. He had a habit of loosening his tie just a tad and rubbing his chin when he was especially worn thin. They were small signs, but important ones to watch for. She was doing her best to keep him stress free, although she felt as helpless as a puppy following him around everywhere. So this morning, she’d stopped at his favorite coffee shop around the corner from Madison Park to pick him up a grande cafe latte and an iced coffee for herself.
Anything to help his day start off better.
She was just about to cross the street when she bumped into a woman with her purse and the coffee nearly slipped out of her fingers. Righting herself and still managing to save every last drop of the precious liquid, she turned to apologize. She was met with the sound of a high-pitched squeal and arms being thrown around her shoulders.
“Rachel Knight, I haven’t seen you in years,” the woman cried.
Rachel blinked hard and tried to get a good look at the petite person currently crushing her ribs. The woman had long, strawberry blonde hair and sun-kissed skin. Her green eyes were rimmed with thick, black eyelashes. There was definitely something familiar about her. If only Rachel could remember...
“Katie!” she cried, nearly throwing her coffee again. “Is that really you? I hardly recognized you. What have you been up to?”
Katie had been one of her closest friends in school. They hadn’t seen each other for nearly ten years.
“Yes, it’s me.” Katie smoothed out her white blouse and smiled sweetly. “Lost a bit of weight and got the braces off after school. Graduated from UCLA. And now, I’m working at the Laramie Foundation as an event coordinator. Guess what they say is true — life really does get better after high school.”
Rachel smiled, glad that her friend had done so well for herself. She hadn’t always had it easy at their private school. Kids were merciless sometimes, but Katie had a career and a goal in life now. It was more than Rachel could say for herself — a phrase that kept repeating inside her head in her father’s disapproving voice.
“That’s really amazing,” Rachel replied, trying not to let the twinge of jealousy in her chest get the better of her. “I’m working down at Madison Park right now. We just opened.”
Katie grabbed her arm and inhaled sharply. “Is that the new posh American dining restaurant? My husband and I are dying to try it.”
“That’s the one.”
“Do you know if they cater?” she asked, placing a fingertip to her lips. “I just got a call from our caterer for next week’s cancer research gala at the conference center and they pulled out last minute on me. I’m dying. Tell me your restaurant does catering.”
Rachel’s lips twisted into a frown. Logan had mentioned eventually getting into catering, but that had been a goal for later down the road. Of course, he’d also been stressed about how he could launch his restaurant into super stardom and this could very well be the answer. All of San Jose’s finest would be in attendance. One taste of his food and they’d come flocking in. She was sure of it. All they needed was a chance to get it in front of them.
“I’m sure they’d be happy to,” Rachel said, excitement bubbling over into her voice. “In fact, I guarantee they will. Give me your information and we can talk.”
They exchanged phone numbers with promises to talk and then Rachel continued down the street, smiling so hard she thought her cheeks would crack. Logan was going to love this. She had told him she would be an asset to his business and here was the proof.
She might actually have found her calling.
Walking into Madison Park was like strolling into the middle of interstate 405 during rush hour traffic. Waiters and attendants ran everywhere, trying to get ready before the lunch rush. Loud clanging could be heard coming from the kitchen. Something smelled like it had been burnt. She weaved through the madness until she found Logan hidden in a secluded corner in the back of the dining hall, wearing a fitted navy Tom Ford suit and red tie.
He was bent over a copy of this evening’s menu and chewing on the eraser end of a pencil. Rachel felt her heart skip as she observed him silently working, his long slender fingers tracing over the printed words in front of him. There was no doubt that Logan was a good looking man, but there was more to him than just a chiseled jaw and strong arms that could wrap a girl up tight and chase away the worries of the world. He was kind and caring, always quick to ask her for her thoughts, and actually listened when she spoke. There was a charge between them, too strong to be ignored.
She wondered if he felt it, too.
She was still staring at him when he looked up suddenly and saw her standing there. A fond smile lit up his tired eyes. He rubbed a hand over his head and dropped the pencil, breaking into a stretch.
“I didn’t hear you come in,” he said, yawning. “What time is it?”
“Ten.” She crossed the room and held out the coffee. “Tell me you went home last night and got some sleep after our late night.”
“Why go home when you can nap in your office chair?” he asked, giving her a sheepish grin.
“Then, it’s a good thing I got this for you. Grande latte, double espresso. It’ll at least keep you from looking like the walking dead today.”
He smiled gratefully and reached for the cup. Electricity snapped between them as their fingers brushed, sending a thrill up Rachel’s arm and down her back. She watched him carefully, looking for a reaction. Surely, he had to have felt that.
Something glimmered in his eyes for a moment, but he quickly averted his gaze back toward the menu and took a sip. Rachel swallowed down her disappointment, knowing she’d probably just imagined that look in his eyes. Besides, he was still off limits. And she needed to keep her thoughts purely on business.
“Are you ready for some good news?” she asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet, feeling energy return to her limbs. A smile burst across her face. “I’ve just stumbled across an awesome opportunity for Madison Park. Well, actually, I kind of ran smack dab into that opportunity and nearly flattened her on the sidewalk, but same difference.”
He looked up at her, his brow wrinkling in amusement. “You have my attention.”
“How does this sound?” She placed her coffee on the table and held her hands up as if she were reading an invisible giant marque. “Madison Park catering for the Laramie Foundations’ Annual Cancer Research Gala. Sounds awesome, right?”
Confusion wracked Logan’s face. “What are you talking about?”
“I got you a gig.” She folded in her lips and tried to hold back a smile. “It’s next week, but I figured it would be worth the rush. Your food, in front of every wealthy San Jose resident. You couldn’t buy better exposure.”
The blood drained from Logan’s face. He leaned back on the table, his eyes widening. “I’ve got the restaurant opening to worry about and Mary Prescott’s visit coming up and now this? Rachel, tell me you didn’t.”
Her smile faltered as her stomach dropped into her feet. He wasn’t happy, it was easy to see. She’d overstepped her boundaries and now she’d piled more onto his plate. What was she thinking?
Logan was going to hate her now.
LOGAN WATCHED RACHEL’S beautiful smile crumple. She looked down at the coffee cup in her hand, her shoulders drooping. Immediately, cold regret washed over him. She was only trying to help. He shouldn’t have been so quick to react.
Only five minutes ago, he’d been praying for a little respite from the whole opening business and thinking about hopping in his jet and flying to the furthest ski resort to disappear indefinitely. This wasn’t like opening one of his pizza joints. So much was riding on this success, he felt like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. His nerves had been frayed to bits and he was about to lose his mind.
It was safe to say he wasn’t acting like his usual self.
He needed to slow down and think. From a business point of view, Rachel’s decision had been very astute. It was like free marketing. There was no way he could turn it down. Esp
ecially, when the idea belonged to the gorgeous, intelligent woman standing in front of him.
“Rachel, I’m sorry.” He placed a hand on each of her shoulders and sighed. “I shouldn’t have reacted that way.”
She continued to stare hard at the cup in her hand, her chest rising and falling in halted breaths. “I shouldn’t have jumped the gun. It’s my fault. I know you’re stressed and I’ve been doing my best to take the load off your shoulders, but this was too far. I’m the one who should be sorry. I forgot my place.”
“No,” he replied a little too harshly.
She really had been picking up the slack around here. Her efforts hadn’t gone unnoticed these last two weeks. He wasn’t sure what he would’ve done without her. Michael really had turned out to be a fabulous matchmaker. For business, at least.
Placing a finger below her chin, he gently lifted her head until she looked him in the eyes. Regret lanced across her oval face, darkening her eyes, and making his heart hurt.
“Don’t be sorry,” he said softly. “It was a brilliant idea. You’re right, this could really help get the word out about Madison Park. Don’t apologize. You did your job and you did it well. I don’t know what I’d do without you, Rachel.”
Something inside of him ached to comfort her. He just couldn’t help himself. She inhaled sharply as his fingertips traced the outline of her jaw and came to rest against her neck. Her skin was as soft as his favorite worn-in leather baseball glove. He could smell the floral scent of her perfume, delicate and feminine. His eyes flickered between her sensual gaze and her slightly parted lips. Temptation willed him forward as he imagined what it would be like to pull her body tightly against his and taste the mouth he’d been dreaming about these last few weeks.
He could do it. All it required was to cross the last few inches between them. But as he searched her longing eyes for permission, he was suddenly reminded of an identical pair of brown eyes. Eyes that belonged to his best friend.
The Billionaire and the Waitress: (Billionaire Matchmaker - Book 2) Page 4
