Man Feast (Bergen Brothers Book 2)

by Krista Sandor

  Collin went over to the large worktable on the other side of the room—the table Jasper allowed others to touch—and arranged a series of folders. “She’s only recently made Denver her home, and I was surprised to hear she’s single.”

  Had Jasper been a retriever, his ears would have perked up. He mentally chastised himself. It didn’t matter if Elle Reynolds was single, married, or screwing the whole of Denver. She wasn’t the right fit for the company.

  “There was a bit of controversy about her back when the movie came out, but nothing really came of it.”

  He frowned. The last thing Bergen Enterprises needed was negative press.

  “What was the controversy?”

  “Just tabloid fodder. You know, what happens to a lot of successful women. People like to throw around that she might have slept her way to getting a book deal or the movie deal. But nothing came out of it, and now she’s more popular than ever in the travel and literary communities.”

  “What’s this about the travel community?”

  Jasper glanced up to see his grandmother and grandfather enter his office.

  “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Bergen. We were just discussing Elle Reynolds,” Collin replied.

  “Isn’t she something!” his grandmother gushed, settling herself into one of the chairs at the table.

  His grandfather took the seat next to her and crossed his legs, getting comfortable, and Jasper wasn’t sure what level of fucks he’d reached now—quadruple, quintuple? Was that even a word?

  He huffed out a breath. Having Gram and Grandad park themselves in his office usually meant a chat. He nodded to them and opened his laptop, waiting for one of them to start in on him.

  Grandad turned to Collin. “We are so impressed with Elle. She’s quite a remarkable young woman.”

  Jasper stared at his laptop screen, unable to focus on the string of emails. “I wished you would have discussed it with me before hiring her.”

  Gram leaned back in her chair. “Darling, my book club had just read her novel, and your grandfather has read all her travel books. She exemplifies the exact energy our company needs. We had to strike while the iron was hot. When our people reached out to her agent and learned she was between projects, I knew it was meant to be. Elle Reynolds appeals to women and the younger generation’s sense of adventure, and that’s the demographic we need to target with our rebranding.”

  Jasper went to the window and stared at the Rocky Mountains to the west, still covered in spring snow. He hated to admit it, but she was right. He’d gone over all the survey results. He’d watched the focus groups meet with the marketing team. He’d seen the sales reports.

  Bergen Mountain Sports was a trusted brand. They had loyal customers, but in the age of social media and the twenty-four-hour news cycle, companies had to entice and engage customers at all times and from different angles. According to the information gathered in-house, they’d lost their edge with the eighteen to twenty-four age group, and there was a trending decline in twenty-four to thirty-two-year-olds—especially with women.

  Yes, they needed to respond.

  Absolutely, rebranding was a powerful tool to address their issues.

  But Elle Reynolds wasn’t the answer.

  Gram gave an excited clap. “And the best part is that she’s going to be part of the family soon.”

  A muscle ticked in Jasper’s jaw. He took a breath and checked his reflection in the window. He didn’t need his grandparents thinking Elle Reynolds could get a rise out of him.

  He joined them at the table but didn’t sit. “Abby is going to be family. Sweet, kind, dragged Brennen’s ass into line, Abby, is going to be a part of our family. Elle Reynolds will not be a part of the Bergens.”

  “She is Abby’s cousin, Jas,” his grandfather said, sharing a look with his gram.

  Jasper stiffened. “I could marry Elle Reynolds if I wanted to. That definitely makes her not family.”

  Collin, his grandmother, and his granddad stared at him.

  Gram narrowed her gaze. “Now that’s an odd thing to say, darling.”

  Jasper shifted his stance. “You know what I mean. She’s not…It’s not like…”

  Sweet Christ! He was stammering, and he didn’t stammer. Jasper Ryan Bergen was cool under pressure. He thrived on competition. He loved complex negotiations.

  He didn’t get tongue-tied over a woman.

  He changed tack. He needed to steer the conversation away from his ludicrous comment.

  Marry Elle Reynolds? He couldn’t even stand being in a room with her.

  He kept his expression muted. “Did you need something? I have quite a bit to do before I head up to the cottage for Bren and Abby’s engagement thing.”

  Even after all these years, he still thought it was comical that they referred to the mountain mansion as a cottage. The cottage was about the furthest thing from a cottage you could get. With eleven bedrooms, a movie room, a sauna, and an outdoor pool heated year round, Bergen Cottage was the family’s palatial retreat and residence when they were up at Bergen Mountain.

  But it was more than that.

  It was the setting of many of his happiest childhood memories. Playing Battleship with his father late into the night as winter storms rolled in. Listening to their mother sing them to sleep after a day tearing down the slopes, chasing his brothers as they weaved in and out of the trees.

  Tree bashing, that’s what they’d called it. Brennen, the middle Bergen brother and younger than him by two years, led the pack as Camden, the youngest, tried to keep up. But Jasper always stayed back. Sure, he could have caught up to Bren. Hell, he could have pulled ahead. But he never did. He was the oldest Bergen brother, and although nobody had charged him with this, he knew it was his duty to make sure his siblings made it down the mountain in one piece—more or less.

  There was that one time when Cam caught a rough edge and wiped out, skis flying and poles sailing through the air. By the time he’d gotten to his little brother, the snow was dotted crimson red. He’d imagined the worst until he realized that the five-year-old had only lost a loose baby tooth.

  Jasper was only nine at the time. But during the whole ordeal, he’d remained calm and measured. He’d pulled off his glove, fished out the liner, and pressed it into the vacant space in his little brother’s mouth. They never found the tooth, but Jasper had found his calling.

  At least, he’d thought he did.

  From that day forward, he focused on becoming a strong enough skier to make the ski patrol. By sixteen he’d earned a coveted spot. By nineteen, he’d completed EMT training. Everything was falling into place. He wanted to study medicine. He’d splinted and boarded patients on the mountain, but his dream was to become a surgeon and help those people he’d loaded into ambulances or—if it was a life-threatening injury—onto medivac helicopters. He’d started down that track, earned his bachelor’s in biology, and had been accepted into medical school.

  Then everything changed.

  His parents died.

  And even with all his training, he couldn’t save them.

  All he could do was ensure the family legacy, and that didn’t include a doctorate in medicine. It required an MBA—Master of Business Administration.

  His grandmother rose to her feet and walked the length of the room, stopping at his desk. She glanced at the book. “I’m glad Nina got this to you.”

  He nodded. Nina. The receptionist. She must have breezed in when his assistant was away from his desk. He made a mental note to have Collin refresh the woman’s memory regarding his no touching the desk policy.

  His grandad leaned forward. “Your grandmother and I wanted to have a little chat before we left the city.”

  There it was—the little chat.

  As if on cue, Collin picked up a file and headed for the door. “I’ll leave you to it.”

  His grandmother turned to the man. “Oh, Collin, before you go, could you call and make sure Klaus has everything ready for our family
gathering up at the cottage? I told him to plan a feast to celebrate my first grandson’s engagement.”

  “Confirm with Bergen Mountain’s executive chef. Got it,” Collin said aloud as he typed the note on his phone then closed the door behind him.

  His gram joined his grandad back at the table and gestured to the chair across from them. “Sit with us, darling.”

  Jasper glanced at his watch.

  “This won’t take long, Jas,” his grandfather added.

  He sat down as his grandparents leaned forward and clasped their hands.

  Shit! They were going into Brooklyn mode.

  Harriet and Raymond Bergen weren’t native Coloradans. Born and bred in Brooklyn, New York, they left the subways and cement the day after they married and headed toward the Rocky Mountains to open a small mountain sports shop in Denver. A shop that had grown into a billion-dollar mountain sports empire.

  But they never lost that city edge ingrained in every New Yorker. They could drop the relaxed Rocky Mountain high attitude in a heartbeat and pin you with a gaze that said do not bullshit a bullshitter at the drop of a hat.

  His grandfather cleared his throat. “We know how your meeting with Elle Reynolds went the other day. Her agent called legal and asked about terminating the contract.”

  Excellent!

  Jasper bit back a grin. “If she wants out, let her out.”

  Gram and Grandad shared a look, and he knew he was screwed.

  Gram gave him her best get with the program grin. “We’re not releasing her from the contract, darling. Luckily, we just received word from her agent that she had a change of heart and wants to remain part of the rebranding effort.”

  Dammit! That figures! Even when the woman wasn’t here, she made him crazy.

  “We want Elle because she’s the push this company needs. She’s the fresh perspective we’re looking for,” his grandad added.

  Jasper stiffened and crossed his arms. “We don’t need her. This is your company. Our company. I’ve dedicated my life to ensuring its legacy. Mom and Dad deserve that.”

  His grandad’s gaze softened. “Do you know what your father would say?”

  Jasper remained silent, hating himself for bringing up his parents.

  “Great things can only happen when you push past your comfort zone,” his grandad answered.

  Jasper didn’t respond. He could almost hear his dad, nudging him to press harder. It was his father who’d helped him prepare for the ski patrol tryouts. His father, who made sure he could navigate the steep terrain and treacherous backcountry of Bergen Mountain like a pro. His father, who, when he wasn’t sure he was good enough, told him he could be if he trusted in himself and didn’t let that nagging voice inside his head hold him back.

  Gram smiled, her eyes growing glassy. “Darling, Elle Reynolds is the PR boost we need. I believe your father and your mother would agree with this decision.”

  Grandad nodded. “And you know that we’ve already made the bulk of the rebranding decisions. That’s been in the works for several months. Think of Elle Reynolds as the bow on top, tying it all together.”

  Jasper released a tight breath. “I want to be involved with every aspect of Elle Reynolds’s contribution to the rebranding. I don’t want any surprises.”

  And he wanted to make damned sure she didn’t write or say anything that could negatively affect the company.

  “Darling, she believes in this company. Your grandfather and I met with her for several hours. She grew up skiing in Bergen gear. Her first mountain bike came from a Bergen Sporting Goods Store. She’s visited our resorts in the US and Europe. She’s a good fit. She’s the right age. She’s got the right experience, and she can use her celebrity status with women and the travel world to highlight all the key points of our rebranding plan.”

  He crossed his arms, ready to list all the ways they could accomplish that aspect of the rebranding without Eleanor Reynolds, when the door opened and Nina, the executive floor receptionist, poked her head into the room.

  “I’m sorry to intrude. Mr. and Mrs. Bergen, your car is here to take you to the reception.”

  “Reception?” Jas asked.

  “A reception for the Down Syndrome Association. We’ll head up to the cottage after it finishes,” his grandfather said, helping his gram out of her chair.

  “Um, Mr. Bergen, did you see the book I put on your desk?” Nina asked meekly.

  Jas glanced at the receptionist, said nothing, and held the woman’s gaze.

  The receptionist’s bottom lip quivered. He seemed to do that to people around here.

  His gram glanced over at his desk. “Yes, he certainly did see it, my dear.”

  The fear he’d sparked in the woman diminished, and she pressed her hand to her heart. “Do you think you could ask her to sign it for me?”

  “You think Bergen Enterprise’s CEO has time to get a book signed for you?” he shot back.

  This Elle Reynolds fanfare was too damned much.

  She stared at the floor. “Well, I was just hoping…”

  Gram went to his desk and picked up the book. “Nina, do you mind if I ask how old you are?”

  “Of course not. I’m twenty-five.”

  “Have you been to Bergen Mountain recently?” she pressed.

  The receptionist blushed. “No, ma’am. My girlfriends and I like to do spa days and brunch. Isn’t Bergen Mountain just geared for families and skiing?”

  Gram eyed him then smiled at Nina. “Did you know we have an award-winning spa and three five-star restaurants at Bergen Mountain?”

  The woman’s eyes went wide. “We do?”

  “We do.”

  She cocked her head to the side. “Huh.”

  Gram took Elle’s book and pressed it into his chest. “I’m sure Jasper would be happy to ask Miss Reynolds to sign your book. We’ll be seeing her today.”

  “Wow! Thank you!” Nina said, edging out of the room with a smile plastered across her face.

  “We’ll see you at the cottage, darling,” Gram said, a slight lift to the corner of her mouth. A clear indication she knew she’d made her point.

  Grandad put a hand on his shoulder. “Nina works for us, and she doesn’t know all the things our resorts have to offer women in her age bracket. Imagine what one article or thirty-second spot by Elle could do. Your gram and I know asking you to work with her is out of your comfort zone, Jas. But we need you onboard. We need your expertise, too. Nobody knows the financial ins and outs of this company like you do.”

  Jasper knew what he had to do. He’d be on Eleanor Reynolds twenty-four seven to ensure she didn’t damage the company’s reputation. He swallowed hard. “I’ll always put the company first. You know that, Grandad.”

  His grandfather nodded and held his gaze with the same steel-blue eyes as his father. The same steel-blue eyes he and his brothers shared. The Bergen men’s unifying trait. A similarity he’d tried to block out for the last ten years with hundred-hour workweeks and weekends spent crunching numbers. Anything to distract him from the pain.

  His grandad squeezed his shoulder. “I know you will, Jas.”

  Jasper saw his grandparents out then surveyed his office.

  Fuck!

  He wasn’t going to get anything done here. Not today. He glanced at the book in his hand, grimaced, then shoved it inside his briefcase along with several files and his laptop. He left Collin with a list of tasks, then rode the elevator down to the parking garage, and got into his Audi.

  He released a long breath then glanced into the back seat.

  Goddammit!

  He’d forgot his suitcase. He slammed his palms against the steering wheel. All this damned commotion around Eleanor Reynolds was making him sloppy, forgetful, and tongue-tied.

  That ended now.

  He started the car, exited the parking garage, and sped down the boulevard toward The Dalton. It wasn’t a long drive, and soon, the building was in sight. But he wasn’t able to turn into the
side street to get into the building’s parking garage.

  A woman stood in the middle of the road blocking traffic. Jasper parked his car on the side of the road and got out to see what was going on. Arms waving wildly, this crazy lady blocked a tow truck from leaving the garage.

  He took a step forward. “What’s going on here?”

  The woman whirled around, red-cheeked and lapis blue eyes flashing.

  3

  Elle

  Elle spun around.

  This day couldn’t get any worse.

  Striding toward her like he owned the road, Jasper Bergen whipped off his Aviators and pinned her with his steel-blue gaze.

  She pressed her hands to her hips. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “I was trying to park my car in the garage. But you’re in my way.” He glanced past her toward the tow truck. “Are you having car trouble, Eleanor?”

  Eleanor! Jesus! What was it with this guy?

  She glanced at her beautiful car hooked up to the towing mechanism and currently blocking the entrance to the underground parking garage. “Yeah, you could say that.”

  “Lady, get out of the way! We’re taking the car! That’s the end of it!” the driver called, craning his head out the window.

  Jasper’s gaze darted between her and the truck. “Are they repossessing your Porsche?”

  Dear Universe, you suck!

  Clothes spattered with gray flecks of wet sludge. Her hair twisted into a damp bun and mascara running down her cheeks. Of course, she’d run into Jasper Bergen at this exact craptastic moment.

  “You should be more diligent with your finances,” he said with a frown.

  That frown.

  That trademark, judgmental, curmudgeon curl of his lips.

  She held up her index finger, signaling for the tow truck driver to wait while she turned her attention to the jackass in front of her. “You know what, hollow bunny? In the last hour, I’ve been pumped and dumped. I’ve been slushed by a bus, and now there’s a misunderstanding with the lease on my car. I don’t have time for your buttoned-up bullshit.”