by Ava Miles
One of his eyebrows winged up. “You sound like you know London well.”
She didn’t talk about her time there. In fact, she didn’t let herself think about it most of the time either. Doing so was like putting on black for a funeral. “I…attended the Glauca Rossi School of Make Up in London before coming back home.”
Please don’t ask.
Flynn rubbed his jawline thoughtfully. “And yet I didn’t see makeup anywhere in your product line.”
Or on your face, she imagined him adding.
“No,” she answered, balling her hands under the table to fight off the rising surge of emotion. She didn’t have anything to do with makeup anymore. At one time, her pots of colors and brushes had been as much a part of her as if she were a famous painter like Goya. She’d looked upon painting faces as a work of art, however temporary.
But those days were gone. Now she was reaching for new dreams, ones that were a better fit for her present life. She pulled and pulled on the long rope of her dreams, not caring when her hands got blistered from all the effort it took to bring her ship in.
“So London,” Flynn said, all his intensity still focused on her as if she were a difficult puzzle he wanted to figure out. “It’s a great town.”
She couldn’t talk about it without her voice cracking. “I named my company Bilberry because I thought I could pull that off better than using a French or Italian name. I don’t speak much of either language anymore.”
“But you once did?” He studied her again. “More questions about the incredible Annie Loudermilk.”
She winced. “Annie’s fine.”
“Loudermilk is your married name, I understand,” he said casually.
“Yes, unfortunately. I’ve…ah…been struggling with whether to change it back to my maiden name since my husband passed away, but I don’t want to confuse or upset the girls. Anyway, as we were saying…” Best not to get into those inner rumblings, she thought. Their conversation had already become much too personal. Somehow this man seemed to bring it out in her.
Rubbing his hands together, he said, “Right. I get the soap, but no one else does.”
His return wink eased her momentary tension, and she understood it was designed to recharge their original mood. “And anything else I have, of course.”
Oh, dear God, had she said that out loud?
If he noticed, he didn’t say anything. Only grinned. “I’ve always been a lucky guy. Thank you. Now, what about the shaving soap or body wash for the baskets?”
“I suppose I could train someone to follow the recipes for those pretty easily.”
“And the bath salts, face masks, or bath oils? I mean, gift baskets for the body usually include other products like a microfiber washcloth, sponge, or body brush. I can ask my sister, Caitlyn, what’s hot right now. She’s on the beauty products side for Merriam Enterprises, although she’s focusing on perfume now. She has the most gorgeous lavender farm in Provence. You’d love it there.”
Perfume. Provence. She’d been there too, and her skin had soaked in the scents like magic. The ache in her heart intensified. “How wonderful for her. I wish her much success.”
His eyes narrowed at the corners, and she hoped her tone hadn’t been bitter.
“Those additional spa accessories would help make the baskets more complete, right?” he pressed. “Plus, you wouldn’t have to make as many products to fill them up. Sound good?”
He was relentless in an easygoing way—not a common combination. “Are you usually this creative and persuasive?”
“I’m not even close to some of my other siblings,” he said with a laugh, “but I like to make everyone happy. I assume it would be happy for you from a profit sense to fulfill this order?”
It would be about as much as she usually sold in a year. Emily had been talking about meeting her and the girls somewhere in Europe. She’d offered to pay, but Annie didn’t like taking advantage of her kindness. This money would make that dream possible. She could take a vacation, and she hadn’t had one of those since…
Her last trip had been to Chicago to see Emily, who had been there for a photoshoot, four months before she gave birth to Amelia.
Oh, she wanted to take this order, and Flynn almost made her believe it was possible, but experience had taught her that the things you wanted didn’t lower themselves into your grasp simply because you wanted them. Her heart sunk.
“Yes, but like I said, I’m not sure it’s doable. I don’t have that many bottles or labels—”
“What if I could get those things for you ASAP, plus the extra ingredients you’d need and stuffer items like sponges? Let’s say Merriam Enterprises would foot the bill for those.”
She fell back against her chair. They would foot the bill?
Emily had promised she’d never ask for favors on Annie’s behalf. Had that changed? Otherwise, she couldn’t understand why this man was bending over backward to make this work.
“Did Emily put you up to this?”
He cocked his head to the side. “First Steven and now Emily. No, she didn’t put me up to this. She’s a friend, Annie, and I’m glad she introduced me to your products. But that’s it.” He paused, still peering into her with that intense gaze, then said, “Oh, you’re wondering if we have a relationship, right? The answer on that front is no.”
“I knew you didn’t have a relationship,” she said, her cheeks reddening. “She would have mentioned it.”
“Indeed.” He bit his lip as if to keep from laughing.
“Flynn, this is all really wonderful of you, and I appreciate you brainstorming about how to help me fulfill this order, but I have to be realistic. I have a daughter at home with me during the day. My other daughters come home on the bus around three unless it’s a gymnastics day.” She waved a hand. “I won’t bore you with the details. Basically, I would have to work nonstop to fulfill this order even with help, and my girls still need to be taken care of, ushered off to school, and fed. It would be easier for you to find another company.” Her hands clenched after she said it—as if she could keep herself from falling apart by sheer force of will. And she could, she supposed. She had.
He drummed his fingers on the table for a minute, almost like he was sending himself an internal memo. “What if I could find reliable childcare for you, the kind of person I would entrust my own children to if I had any, as well as a personal chef? What then?”
She burst out laughing. “A personal chef? You’ve got to be kidding.”
“I could have one here the day after tomorrow, as well as a reputable childcare expert,” he said, cocking his head to the side again. “How about that for brainstorming?”
He was serious. Her own personal chef and childcare expert? “I’m confused. Why would you do this?”
“Because I love my brother, and he needs these baskets. He’s just taken over as CEO, and it’s been tough. If I can make this easier for him, I’m going to do it. Also, I love your products, and I like you and what you’re about, so naturally I want to see you succeed.”
Few people had ever talked to her like this—like they wanted her to succeed. When she’d first started the company, her husband had been dubious, but he’d helped her anyway. The twins had been on the cusp of starting school, and he must have sensed she needed something else in her life. Or perhaps he’d known she wasn’t happy in their marriage. Helping her had been a sure way of keeping her with him. That was all he’d ever wanted: for her to be with him. He’d gotten his way, but it had made neither of them happy. “My head is swimming, Flynn.”
His chair scraped, and the next thing she knew he was standing next to her, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder. His touch held more than warmth. It held everything she craved: support, power, and even the promise of passion.
God, she almost wished he hadn’t come. What was he doing to her little world?
“I imagine it is, Annie.” He waited until she looked up at him. “Breathe. Perhaps this is the tim
e to tell you my other reason. Working with you to fulfill this order would give us the opportunity to get to know you and your company better. Merriam Enterprises might be interested in buying it.”
She saw stars and put her hands on her face, hoping to offset the light-headedness. “What?”
“Annie, your products are top-notch. Trust me. I receive a lot of hair and skincare products at various fashion events and the like. We’d need to go a little deeper into your business operations and talk about acquisition.”
“Are you serious?” she asked, her voice high-pitched even to her ears.
“Absolutely, if everything turns out the way we hope with the order and our assessment of your company. We’d make you a competitive offer, I promise. Think of all you could do for yourself and your girls with that money.”
Money wouldn’t feed her soul, but she’d learned a long time ago that it did allow certain freedoms. Her daughters would be able to fly higher than she could boost them now. She’d wanted them to see the world and have other opportunities. This would make that possible. If she wanted to sell. “I can’t believe this.”
He kept that liquid green gaze on her. “You could start something new too. Go back to makeup. Come work for us. There are all sorts of possibilities. The world is your oyster, Annie.”
Her oyster. At one time, she’d felt like that. With makeup. Bilberry & Co. was her way of dipping her oar into the ocean again. “I’d need some time.”
“Of course,” he said, returning to his seat. “That’s why fulfilling this order together is a win-win, Annie. It gives both of us time to decide what’s best for us.”
She let those words sink in. Time. Would they have more time together then? She was glad he might not be walking out of her life today. But maybe she shouldn’t be. He’d still leave, and it wasn’t like he’d ever be interested in a woman like her, even if she didn’t have three kids.
But this chance…
She had to take it. Flynn was offering her the opportunity to work through her expansion woes, ones that had kept her from letting Emily and her other model friends do a video endorsing her products. She wasn’t ready for that kind of demand, and she knew it. But with a little help, and a lot of exposure, maybe things would be different.
And if Merriam Enterprises really did want to buy the company at the end of this? She’d be foolish not to consider it.
“Okay, you’ve convinced me to take the order. With your help, of course.” She was already calculating her potential volume by day. “When do you need the baskets by?”
“People will be leaving for the holidays by December twentieth at the latest.”
“That’s the arrival date,” she said, pulling up the calendar in her mind. “I need the shipping date from here. Where are these baskets going?”
“Merriam execs all over the world. Let’s say they need to go out December eighteenth. That’s a Wednesday. Two-day shipping is the norm. That’s over two weeks away.”
Just about, since it was December 2 today. It would be one hell of a challenge, but challenges had always fired up her belly. “I still don’t think I can fulfill the full five thousand, but I can commit to half. With the help you offered. I’ll shoot for more, but—”
“It will be conditional on the fast learning potential of the helpers I find you,” he said with a smile. “Well, I can promise you at least one is a fast learner. Me.”
She gaped at him. “You?”
“I’d like to stick around and see this through,” he said, shaking his head as if refusing to listen to any arguments to the contrary. “I’m in between projects and travel, and this is a priority for Quinn. Plus, I have a feeling it’s going to be a great time. I mean, I love meeting people and learning new things. It always clears my mind out, and right now, I need that, honestly.”
Panic and excitement shot through her in equal measure. He was staying here? She’d assumed he would be in touch remotely. “But you’re a big shot. A Merriam. You don’t do this kind of thing.”
His slow smile was captivating. “You might be surprised at what I can do, Annie.”
Good God, her mind went to the gutter in seconds, and her body broke out into a sweat.
He continued to gaze at her. “Don’t judge a book by the cover. I just learned the three best ways to remove rabbit hair and dye the wool when I was at a new enterprise I’m funding in Ireland. This is the stuff I live for, Annie. I mean, I like tech, but learning about different fields fires me up. And I love to help people expand what they’re doing and succeed at an even greater level because of it.” A slight smile curved his lips. “Besides, I have so many more questions I want to ask you. You’re more complicated than you look too. We might be a pair in that way.”
Her stomach clenched. A pair?
He doesn’t mean it like that, she chided herself. But she couldn’t deny she was curious about him too. Like why in the world he’d want to spend the next two weeks with her in small-town Ohio when he could be enjoying the pre-holiday spirit in any European capital with a gorgeous model like her best friend.
The way he usually did, if the articles she’d seen were any indication.
“Are you okay with me being one of your helpers?” He leaned forward, his gaze entreating. “I’ve always thought working in Santa’s toy shop would be awesome actually, only I’m not sure I’d rock the elf hat. The ears…”
“You’d look good as an elf. Plus, you’d rock—”
“The shoes,” he finished for her, stretching out one of his fancy shoes and wiggling it.
She smiled as more goose bumps rose on her arms. “I was so going to say that.”
“Elves have good taste, and clearly so do you. As I was saying before we diverted to the North Pole, I happen to love hair and body products. We Merriams like to be hands-on in our work, especially in areas we feel passionate about. In fact, I’m going to bring in some other family members to help, ones I trust. You don’t have any age requirements for helpers, do you?”
Other family? She shook her head. “No, that would be discriminatory. So long as they can do the job, age doesn’t factor in.”
He laughed darkly. “Oh, they’ll do the job, don’t worry. I’ve seen this trio perform A-plus service time and time again. Well, I have a few calls to make. How about you come up with a shopping list and your daughters’ favorite dos and don’ts? Favorite meals, after-school schedules, and that sort of thing.”
Her head was spinning again. “You’re a whirlwind, you know.”
His smile held more charm and power than should be legal. “Glad you think so. I’ll swing by with dinner tonight and update you on my end. How does that sound? Be great to meet your other girls too. Annie, it was a real pleasure. I look forward to getting to know you better.”
He meant it. Her heart fluttered as he gazed at her thoughtfully, as if he were taking in her every detail and finding it pleasant. What was he thinking when he looked at her so? “Me too, Flynn,” she said in a daze. “I’ll show you out. Oh, wait! I need to make up your gift basket.”
“No, sit. You can give it to me later.”
But later seemed like an impossible concept while she was sitting here, staring into those intent green eyes that seemed to see only her. “Okay, that will give me longer to make it up to Zabar’s’ standards.”
He covered her hand briefly, and she had to repress the urge to suck in more oxygen. Gosh, his hand was so strong and warm. She could imagine it all over her skin, a thought that made her shiver.
“That’s really kind of you, Annie,” he said, stepping back. “Now, I’ll see myself out after I say goodbye to Amelia. I threw you a little off-balance, and for that, I’m sorry. We Merriams have a unique gene, something my dad calls ‘move that mountain.’ It’s part of our success. I’ll see you soon, Annie. Thanks again for agreeing to meet me. It’s been…fascinating.”
He left the kitchen after one last smoldering look, and it seemed as if the swirling winds he’d brought with him
stayed behind at his command.
It was like his wind had the power to make her ship come in.
She was going to fulfill the single largest order in her boutique company’s history, and a billion-dollar enterprise just might want to buy her business at the end of it. Her inner pilot light turned into a full-on backdraft inside her. The old yearnings of living on a larger stage, of sharing her talents with the world surged forth like lava from a once-dormant volcano as she sat in the quiet kitchen.
Annie was back on the fast track to the top.
And she couldn’t think of a better companion for the journey than the charming and fascinating Flynn Merriam.
Chapter 3
Clara Merriam Hale kissed her husband’s cheek as he set her cappuccino down in front of her.
“You’d better kiss me,” he said with his standard harrumph as he took the seat across from her. “Why we went out for coffee when we have perfectly good stuff at home—and your butler to make it, mind you—is beyond me.”
She socked him gently. “What a notion! Is this not your granddaughter’s coffee shop? Jill would probably cry if she heard you talking like that, Arthur! Behave yourself.”
Don’t Soy With Me was Dare Valley’s beloved local coffee shop with some of the finest beverages and treats around. The peppy holiday music had her tapping her foot under the table, and the café’s cheery decor and roasted coffee scent enlivened her senses. So did the chatter of the townspeople. Although she and Arthur had spent quite a bit of time traveling since their wedding, much to her delight, she’d gotten to know many of the locals nonetheless. It felt good to spend some time at home, what with the holidays approaching. Their plan was to spend Christmas here in Dare Valley and visit her Merriam family for New Year’s.
“Jill would only cry because she’s in her first trimester,” Arthur said, nodding at someone he knew from his Wednesday night Bingo. “Like that girl needs more hormones. She’s always been a steaming locomotive in a calm ocean, if you ask me.”
“Sounds like someone else I know,” she told him with a rare wink.
