by Nina Singh
In paradise...with the boss!
When CEO Cabe Jordan accidently insults employee Jenna Townsend, he needs to make amends, and fast! Whisking her away on a business trip to the Caribbean could be the perfect opportunity.
After a difficult childhood, Jenna has always made work her priority. Only, Cabe is very distracting... How can she impress him when all she can think about is, well, kissing him! The dreams she’s spent her life suppressing are soon to be awakened—if only she’d let down her defenses!
“Do you know what it took to get you to come to the Caribbean?” he said. “Worse than negotiating a store lease agreement. It was quite a challenge, I must say.”
Her smile widened. “Yet another one that you’ve met and conquered.”
“Was that a compliment? Or a dig? Somewhat hard to tell.”
She shrugged, watched as a gaggle of dancing teenagers pranced by them. “Merely a statement.”
He took another sip of the coconut drink. “Pity. I was hoping for the former.”
“Fishing for compliments, are you?”
“My ego is a fragile thing.” He held his hand to his chest with mock melodrama.
That laugh again; he could easily get used to it. “Something tells me you come by compliments quite often,” she said.
He took a moment to respond, deciding to throw caution to the wind. “Some compliments mean more than others, given the source.”
Dear Reader,
The times I’ve spent vacationing in the Caribbean have been some of my happiest days. The sun, beach and friendly people everywhere make for a true paradise on earth. What better location for two people to fall in love? I knew I had to set Jenna and Cabe’s story in just such a paradise. After a colossal misunderstanding, Cabe hires Jenna to help him launch a new jewelry store on a luxe island resort. But the location is only one of the many reasons Cabe and Jenna fall for each other. Not that they make it easy on themselves. Cabe’s a staunch perfectionist who feels the need to constantly prove himself. And despite all her professional success, Jenna has never thought herself to be quite enough for the world she finds herself in. Together they learn that they can be perfect for each other.
Writing this book for Harlequin Romance was a dream come true. I hope you enjoy spending time with Cabe and Jenna as much as I did.
Nina
MISS PRIM AND
THE MAVERICK
MILLIONAIRE
Nina Singh
Nina Singh lives outside of Boston with her husband, children and a very rambunctious Yorkie. After several years in the corporate world, she finally followed the advice of family and friends to “give the writing a go already.” She’s oh so happy she did. When not at her keyboard, she likes to spend time on the tennis court or golf course. Or immersed in a good read.
This is Nina Singh’s first book.
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For my wonderful husband and children.
Thank you for all the patience, faith and support.
Not to mention the many very-needed nudges.
And for the best group of fellow writer friends
I could have ever hoped for.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
EXCERPT FROM STRANDED WITH THE SECRET BILLIONAIRE BY MARION LENNOX
CHAPTER ONE
THIS DEFINITELY WASN’T in her job description.
Jenna Townsend glanced at her watch, not actually noting the time. Then glanced at it again. A car should be picking him up from the airport right at this moment. Which meant he would be here at her office within the hour. She took a too-large swig of coffee and gasped as it burned her tongue and throat. Why was she so nervous? Babysitting the CEO of Jordan’s Fine Jewelry for the next several days shouldn’t warrant this much anxiety.
Cabe Jordan, CEO extraordinaire, was on his way back to Boston. The man who’d taken the small business his parents started in the historic North End and made it one of the most profitable national corporations of the last decade.
Hard to believe they’d grown up together in the same small town just outside Boston. Two years ahead of her in school, Cabe had been her older brother’s bane of existence, besting Sam at everything. Her brother had not been happy when she’d taken the position of regional manager and started working for his nemesis. But opportunities like this weren’t ones to be passed up, not for someone like her.
The job had been everything she could have hoped for and more. Until the email in her inbox the other day “requesting” her assistance in escorting Mr. Jordan as he revisited the flagship Boston site. For some reason, he’d specifically requested that she be his local liaison on this trip. Jenna shook her head.
Why did he need one anyway?
She’d felt like she’d been sent to the principal’s office, unable to shake the feeling that he was really here to check up on her. Had she done something wrong? Let something crucial slip through the cracks? Or had he woken up one day and realized he’d hired a small-town hick with no real-world experience. Maybe he was looking to replace her with some hotshot MBA from a real business school and he wanted to tell her in person. Maybe Sam had been right all these years and Cabe Jordan really was an elitist who had always looked down his nose at people like her.
Heavens, she had to get a grip. And try to stay positive. There could very well be a good reason for Cabe’s visit. Hadn’t she just come across an internal email regarding an opening in upper-level management? Perhaps he was here to tell her she was being promoted. It was possible. After all, her numbers spoke for themselves.
Did she dare to hope? Her job here meant so much for both her future and everyone who depended on her.
A quick knock on the door preceded the abrupt entrance of her assistant carrying a gleaming silver tray laden with pastries, a coffeepot and two brand-new porcelain mugs. Nothing but the best for Mr. Jordan.
“Thanks, Nora,” Jenna said as she set the tray down on a side bureau.
“You got it. Do we know his ETA yet?”
“Won’t be much longer now.”
Nora put her hand over her heart, a dreamy, faraway expression on her face. “I wonder if he’ll have Carmen with him.”
“Carmen?”
“You know, that Spanish model he was photographed with recently.”
Jenna shrugged. “I wouldn’t know.”
“Oh, come on. You have to be as curious as the rest of us. He’s been spotted out and about with at least three different beauties in the last month alone.”
Jenna merely smiled. If she was curious about anything, it was the reason for this whole trip to begin with. “Mr. Jordan’s personal affairs are none of my concern. I simply work for the man.”
“And what a dreamy man he is.” Despite being a happily married grandmother of a newly born infant, Nora was unabashed in her appreciation of handsome men.
“Be that as it may...” Jenna brushed an imaginary piece of lint off her right shoulder. This conversation was making her uncomfortable. Cabe had always been an
endless source of gossip around here. She understood the curiosity—of course she did. Handsome, successful, mysterious. Cabe had really made a name for himself in the retail jewelry business. But endless speculation about the man wouldn’t get her a regular paycheck.
“I should probably get back to work on this presentation I set up for him.” She glanced at the graphic on her screen. She’d worked all night on it, taking the initiative to put together a slide presentation for Cabe’s review. Even though she didn’t know the exact reason for his visit, she figured presenting him with some specifics on the current business numbers wouldn’t hurt.
“I’m sure you’ll impress him, dear. Please don’t fret.”
Nora, of all people, knew how much Jenna needed this job. Her school loans alone were enough to keep her in debt for a good portion of her adult life. But as far as assurances went, Jenna wasn’t convinced.
“It can’t hurt to be prepared.”
“Of course, dear.” Taking the hint, Nora walked out of the office, gently shutting the door behind her. As much as she wanted to relax about all this, Jenna couldn’t seem to heed Nora’s advice not to “fret.”
She had to face it. Whatever his reasons, for the next several days, she would have to be Cabe Jordan’s glorified and overqualified chaperone. If only she could figure out why he needed one.
* * *
The only thing draped on Cabe’s arm when he walked in was his suit jacket. Not that she’d really thought he’d have a date with him when he came into the office. Though if the gossip websites were to be believed, he didn’t travel far without female companionship. Jenna stood as she eyed him in the reception area, chatting with Nora.
She watched as he walked over to the doorway of her office. Dressed in a well-tailored suit that fit him like a glove, he looked impeccable. Tall, still fit. Jenna drew in a deep breath. Those websites hadn’t done him justice. She’d refused to acknowledge it since receiving that email, but the truth was absolutely impossible to ignore now. The silly schoolgirl crush she’d had on him as a kid hadn’t abated one iota.
Well, if he was out of reach then, he was downright unattainable now. Still, like Nora, she could certainly appreciate his...pure masculinity.
Snap out of it.
He was waiting for her to invite him in as she stood there with her mouth gaping open. Staring at him. How utterly unprofessional. So much for coming across as the dynamic, invaluable employee Cabe’s company couldn’t do without.
“Mr. Jordan. So nice to see you here. Come in. Please.”
Wow, now she was positively dazzling him with her talent for witty conversation. He strode into the room and gave her a warm smile that sent electric volts down to her toes.
“Jenna. We’ve known each other a long time. Please call me Cabe.”
He spoke the words cordially enough, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she sensed some subtle undertone, some kind of underlying message. Or maybe that was just her silly attraction to him that she’d thought she had gotten over eons ago. She’d been so wrong about that.
Definitely not the time to realize it.
She gave her head a brisk shake to clear it. She could not blow this initial meeting. She had the distinct impression the future of her livelihood depended on it.
“Would you like a cup of coffee? Cabe.”
His smile grew wider. “That’s more like it. And I’d love some coffee. But only if you’ll join me.”
She nodded and moved to the serving tray. Cabe held up a hand to stop her. “Please, let me.”
Really? He was going to serve her?
“How do you take it?”
“Just cream, please.”
He poured with a steady hand, doctored it with the small pitcher of creamer and handed her the cup. He poured a cup straight black for himself before sitting down across from her desk. In the smaller chair.
Was it her or was Cabe going out of his way to make her feel less of his employee and more of his equal?
Jenna cleared her throat. “So, what brings you here?”
He shrugged. “Just figured it’s about time I visit the flagship Boston site. Now that the Manhattan store is thriving, I can devote some attention to other areas. This is where it all began, after all. Feel I may have been neglecting it over the years.”
Did he mean it would have fared better if he’d been more involved? But the regional New England stores were doing fine with her at the helm. Sales had grown progressively over the years. Not at an astronomical pace but pretty steady, despite the slow economy. Heavens, why such paranoia?
“I see.”
“Just for a few days.”
“Well, I think you’ll be pleased with the overall numbers. Here, let me show you.” She walked over to the other side of the desk to face her laptop and motioned for him to follow.
Mistake. She hadn’t thought to pull over another chair facing the computer. They had no choice but to stand side by side. He smelled of pine and sandalwood.
She pushed herself to go through each slide, hardly aware of content. She stammered on every other sentence. Hopefully, she was at least coherent.
Cabe nodded at all the right points, so that was at least encouraging. He also asked some pertinent questions that Jenna was blessedly prepared for. Still, when she finished with her presentation, she felt as if she’d just trekked the full length of the Freedom Trail. And felt just as out of breath.
If Cabe noticed, he was too much of a gentleman to let on. “Very impressive,” he said, still staring at the upward slope of the graph on the last slide.
“Thank you.”
“Both the performance numbers and your presentation.”
“Thank you.” Again with the witty conversation.
“I’m not surprised. You’re a very capable regional manager.”
Don’t you dare say “thank you” again. She simply nodded, tried not to duck her head at the praise. The burning in her cheeks crept clear up to her scalp. She resisted the urge to fan herself like an old-fashioned Southern belle.
He did seem genuinely impressed. Maybe she’d been wrong to be so nervous. Perhaps he really was here to talk to her about a promotion. Stranger things had happened.
She decided to take a chance. “Oh. Well, then. Excuse me, Mr. Jordan—”
He interrupted her. “Cabe.”
She smiled politely. “I mean Cabe. If you don’t mind my asking... Why are you really here? After all this time. What aren’t you telling me?”
* * *
Cabe’s response died on his lips as the older secretary entered Jenna’s office. “Excuse me, Mr. Jordan. There’s a call on the office phone for you, from Corporate.”
He fished his cell out of his pocket, realizing he’d left it in airplane mode after his flight. “Thanks, Nora.” Sure enough, the phone started buzzing as soon as he changed the setting. A naughty text from Carmen popped up. He tried not to groan out loud. The woman could be draining. He would have to do something about that pretty soon. She had her sights on something that wasn’t going to happen. He’d have to find a way to let her down gently. No doubt it would cost him a pretty penny.
Then there were numerous messages from his assistant in New York, no doubt about the Caribbean expansion deal. Nothing about the project so far had run smoothly.
And so it began.
The interruption was just as well. He wasn’t sure how much he could share with Jenna Townsend just yet. Sharp as she was, she’d surmised that something else had prompted his visit.
He wanted to believe there’d been some kind of mistake, that she had no involvement. But it wouldn’t be the first time he’d misjudged someone.
“Would you mind if I take this, Jenna?”
She shook her head. “Of course not.” She walked toward the door.
“I’ll give you some privacy.”
“There’s no need for that.” But she’d already left by the time he reached for her desk phone.
Cabe hung up the phone several minutes later and tried not to curse in frustration. He’d been right. There were indeed yet more complications on the resort island where he planned to open a new high-end retail jewelry store, this time to do with zoning issues.
He would have to fly down there. The sooner the better. Which meant he had to wrap up here in Boston as quickly as he could. He had to address the real purpose of this visit. Of all the reasons to have to come back, a thieving employee. He shook his head at the utter surprise of it. There was absolutely no reason for an employee to steal from him. The company paid well and provided numerous benefits. The only reason had to be greed.
His head of security assured Cabe that such thefts were usually inside jobs, almost always involving the store manager, who in this case was Jenna Townsend. The timing couldn’t have been worse—Jenna had been on track for a major promotion before the theft came to light.
As soon as he’d heard the name, he’d wanted to deal with the matter himself. He’d hired Jenna personally. His parents had always been quite fond of her. They’d asked him to give Jenna a chance when she’d graduated top of her class from business school two years ago. Despite what the town had thought about the Townsend family and its troubled history over the years, his parents had insisted that Jenna was cut from a different cloth and that she just needed a chance to prove it. His mom and dad were all about giving people a chance. He liked to think that had served them well, at least as far as their son was concerned.
Cabe’s original plan was to spend a few days with her. Maybe even find some evidence. So he’d asked for her specifically to be his assistant on this trip. But now he had forty-eight hours at the most before he had to fly to the Caribbean to deal with the other pressing matter. That left him with only one choice. He had to come right out and ask her what, if anything, she knew about the missing jewelry.
