She laughed but didn’t answer.
They were seated next to a window, a partial view of the bay spread out in front of them. He lifted his menu, ready to order everything on it. Before the maître d could leave, he ordered two appetizers and their drinks. “If you could just let our server know?”
The maître d nodded, and Kayla’s amused expression made him laugh. “I told you I was hungry.”
“Hey, I’m not complaining. I get the feeling that everything with you is fast-paced, efficient, and quality.”
Suspicious, he eyed her. “This is sounding very much like a lead-in to a business conversation.”
She laid her hands out on the table in front of her and took a deep breath. Then she straightened, and he saw a new woman emerge, someone who presented in boardrooms, the leader of a company, a strength she carried underneath her beautiful and fun personality.
“Tyler. We are in competition for the best bid Brazil has to offer bottlers right now.”
He nodded, his blood racing as his business sense kicked in, even though he was sitting across from such an enticing woman. “We are.” Say as little as possible, listen, strategize.
Their appetizers arrived. Caixhinhos, like the ones you could find on the street, but better, safer.
She leaned back in her chair, and her face took on a new vulnerability. “I have to sign this deal.”
He nodded. “I respect that. So do I.”
“Of course.” She rotated her neck. “This is all so awkward. We’re new, us. I loved spending time with you. It’s too early to even be having this kind of conversation. But I don’t feel like I can do what it takes to win this bid if I’m worried about being nice to you.”
He shook his head. “No, see that’s where you can change your way of thinking. I’ll give you this very good bit of advice, even though you’re the enemy.” He leaned forward. “It’s not personal. We go in. We fight for what we want. We leave.”
“But I don’t know if I can be with you when I beat you out of a bid you want.”
“If you beat me.” He couldn’t help it. She was so sure of herself, but a little reality check might help prepare her for when they eventually gave it to him.
“I don’t have the option to lose this.”
That was a bit of information she shouldn’t have shared. She was afraid to lose the bid. He leaned forward. “We shouldn’t talk about this. I am determined to win this bid. I’ll do whatever it takes to make a sensible business decision. I advise you to do the same. They’ll choose the one they most want to work with. And then we’ll be done.”
She nodded. “But I can’t keep being us and fighting you for a bid. It feels disingenuous.”
“Kayla. I met you before this whole situation began. Our hotel rooms are across the hall from one another. We connect like no one I’ve ever dated. I’d like to give us a shot.”
She sighed. “I don’t have the option to pursue a romantic relationship with you right now.” She went to stand up.
“What? Stay. You have to eat. Might as well eat with me?” He smiled, hoping she would give him some more time. He wanted her in his life. He didn’t want her in his life enough to give up Antar, but he still hoped he could somehow get both.
She put her purse on the back of her chair, her smile small. “I can’t really resist, and you know it.” She put two Caixinhos on her plate. “And these are so good!”
He exhaled slowly, hiding his relief. She had come to mean something to him, and their potential together thrilled him. Still, he had no idea how he was going to move forward, but he had a chance, one he was going to do everything he could to keep.
Chapter 8
Kayla watched Tyler eat his meal and shook her head. Somehow, she would have to separate her business dealings from her feelings. But she didn’t know if she could. She took pride in a people-centered business. She took pride in knowing she could go to sleep in peace every night when thinking about the way she’d treated people. Maybe she could have gone further as a business owner if she’d been more ruthless, but she figured one of the many blessings of running her own business was the ability to make those decisions. It would be different if she were in management for someone else’s company and asked to do any number of things for them that she didn’t personally agree with. But as it was, she made the decisions and could run the business how she liked. Especially with her brother unable to assist.
The familiar heartache when she thought of him jarred her insides. His wife was having a bad month, and he was sticking closer to home. Kayla could never find the words to describe the heartache associated with depression. It was tough, plain and simple.
“So, Tyler Sperring, now that we aren’t doing first names only, tell me about yourself.”
“I’m an Iowa farm boy.”
She almost spit out her drink. “What?”
“True.” He shrugged in an adorable, self-deprecating way. She wanted to kiss his little smile.
“I grew up on a huge amount of acreage in Iowa, in a growing town of good people. They were successful farmers, and we created a community of family minded people; we put a ton of money into our local school district, built up a really successful football team, and the area started to grow. We created a town center, brought in the best shopping, made it a safe, convenient, family-oriented community, and soon the land was worth more than what we grew on it.”
She nodded. “Then why bottlers?”
“Well, this was all when I was young. By the time I’d graduated from college, we had only a smaller version of the original ranch, and I had an inheritance to invest.”
“You got your MBA?”
“Yes, and I studied supply chains in my undergraduate. I worked for a major soft drink company and thought I’d stay there, but soon realized that international bottlers were a great niche business, under-represented. Most of the time the big companies would go in and create their own bottlers first.”
She smiled, proud of him. “And Sperring Bottlers was born.” She searched his face, wanting to know everything about him. “And what do you do for fun?”
“This.”
“This?”
“You.” He chuckled. “You’re the most fun I’ve had in a long time. I’m a workaholic generally. I was hoping once I got South America going I could step back a little bit, enjoy life, maybe have a relationship…” His pointed gaze and the warmth in his expression sent happy shivers down her arms. “So tell me, Kayla of Finley Bottlers––by the way, can I just tell you how happy I was to discover you are the face behind Finley bottlers?” He leaned forward and took her hand in his. “I thought you were sexy before, now I want to know everything about you.”
She swallowed. Who was this guy? Could she believe him? Was he trying to charm her into going soft on their bid for the bottler choice? She searched his face. He seemed totally sincere. “This is my daddy’s company. He started small in Texas, where I live.” Suddenly, talking to Tyler about her company, knowing she’d be fighting the man across from her for the sake of her family and to keep her company growing...a lump grew in her throat, and she turned so he would see her blinking back tears.
She cleared her throat. “It really took off while I was in college, but as soon as I graduated, he had a stroke. So I took over.”
“I’m sorry.” His hand resting on hers squeezed.
“When he passed away, he left the company to me and my brother.”
“It’s grown a lot in the last seven years. Was that you?” His eyes brightened appreciatively.
“Yes. I got my MBA also and started using some of the things I learned there as well. But it was more out of necessity than anything.”
“How so?”
“I wouldn’t mind keeping it small, regional, but turns out my brother isn’t much help. He's having family difficulties and my mom isn’t really interested or available to help. We need the business to cover all of us. I’m kinda hoping for some extra to put away for college and everything, for
the kids in my future.”
He nodded. She could tell he didn’t totally understand, but he didn’t need to understand to look sympathetic.
“And what do you do for fun?”
“This is where we’re different. I love this company. It serves its purpose, but it isn’t my passion.” She sipped her mango smoothie and shrugged. “It’s not my fun.”
He watched her. “And what is?”
“So many things. I want to live! To go out like we did last night and enjoy life, see people, be with them. I help out at centers for refugees, for the homeless. I’ve taken trips to India.” She shifted in her seat. “I love to travel. I’d like to see more of the world. That’s where this bottling company works well for me. I love to go into these countries, get to know the people, really become a part of their lives and see how the bottler can make things better for them.”
His face was unreadable, which immediately made her feel self-conscious. “What?”
“No, nothing. I’m just feeling inadequate.”
She laughed.
He shook his head. “No really, is it okay to just want to run a successful business, to be the best? Or even to make it the best it can be?”
She wrapped her fingers around his. “Of course. That’s impressive. You have goals, ambition. Drive. It’s remarkable what you’ve accomplished. Our companies serve different purposes for us.” She toyed with her fork. “I’d love to hand it off to someone. Once I’m in a position where we’ve grown enough, I want to be able to let the day-to-day stuff go and do other things. You probably can’t understand that.”
His smile turned victorious. “And that is where we are once again alike. I want that very same thing. Brazil would give me that.” He stopped, and his gaze flitted to her face.
“For me as well.”
They stared into each other’s faces for a moment, open, bare. Both wanting the same thing, knowing that one achieving it would stop the other from having it. She wanted it desperately, but how desperately?
Enough that she couldn’t give it up for a new man in her life, no matter how much he was growing on her.
He let go of her hand and sat back, appraising. “So I’m falling for a woman who has successfully brought her bottler from regional distribution to a worldwide, respected member of the bottling community, someone who has as her passion the interests of others, a woman who loves people and cares for communities on this planet outside her own?”
She blushed under his praise. “You make it sound so much cooler than it is.”
“Sounds accurate to me.” He nodded. Then his eyes turned teasing. “And like I said, I’ve seen you in the dress…so…” His smile was so contagious, his energy intoxicating. “I’m already a fan.”
“Oh, the dress shop. What are the chances?”
He shook his head. “I don’t really believe in fate.”
She snorted, and he held up a hand. “Or rather, I didn’t used to, until this trip. Now I’m starting to wonder.”
“Fate isn’t always kind you know. Like a sick sense of humor wreaking havoc on people’s lives. I’ve got to win this bid, Tyler. When this is all through, if we are still talking to each other, we can see where fate’s sense of humor takes us?”
He nodded, his eyes sparkling with a stunning masculine confidence. “And are you free tomorrow night?”
“Are you not hearing me?” Exasperated, she didn’t understand why he didn’t just want to back away until this was all through, though she admitted the thought of spending time with him was equal parts the best part of this trip and the worst torture possible.
“I hear you. I just think you are giving up before we even begin.”
When she didn’t answer, he reached over and squeezed her hand again.
“The way I see it, we are two remarkably talented people, successful in what we do and totally compatible. You don’t think we can find a way to be together through this?”
If even half of the stories about the way he secured deals were true, she might actually hate him when all this was through. But for now, how could she resist? “What do you have in mind?”
“There you go.” Smiling her shrugged in the carefree way she’d come to love about him. “We’ll think of something.”
Chapter 9
Tyler smiled when Kayla’s image popped up on his phone. Busy. Eat breakfast without me.
They’d danced at the Samba Sensation last night until the placed closed at midnight. He left her at her door. They’d not kissed again since that moment of goodbye early yesterday morning. He guessed it was a mutual decision, and for now, he was glad to take things more slowly and get to know her, to catch up the other areas where they knew nothing about each other.
He clicked several websites closed. He’d been studying the market trends, the history of bottlers in Brazil, and Finley Bottlers. The more he learned about Kayla’s company, the more he realized he’d underestimated them and their ability to win this bid. It wasn’t a hometown operation like he’d thought, and where he assumed his would be superior in experience and profit turning, they were close enough to his numbers to be a real competitor. He winced. And she had him beat as far as likability and love for the people. No, he corrected himself. Rogerio liked him better. But de Santos? That man had fallen for Kayla and her charm almost as hard as Tyler had, only his was more of an elderly, proud uncle sort of liking.
So how did he want this to play? Losing was not an option. His fingers flew across his keys in an email to his vice president with a whole slew of instructions. Satisfied that he had covered his plan, the back-up plan, and the plan to cover the back-up if that one failed, he clicked his laptop closed and, whistling, headed out the door.
After a lonely breakfast, he waited at the front of the hotel for the car to pick them up. Kayla was nowhere to be seen, and he fought the urge to text her. If she was going to be late to meet their client, all the better for him. He wouldn’t sabotage her, but he wasn’t going to stop her from sabotaging herself. Besides, if he won the bid and things progressed between them, it might eventually come to benefit her life anyway, when they were married. He blinked, stunned at his train of thought. Was he considering making Kayla a more permanent part of his life? Maybe he was. He’d have to give that further thought later. Today was business, all business.
At last the car pulled up. A driver opened the door, and he slid in. He looked over his shoulder at the empty lobby one more time and then told the driver to go.
When he arrived again at Antar, he walked briskly through the lobby toward the elevators, smiling at how Kayla liked to walk just as fast as he did. Hopefully, she’d hurry and meet them before too long.
The elevator dinged at Antar’s floor and he exited, winking at the receptionist. Loud laughter came from the conference room: Rogerio, de Santos, and then a lovely light trill he recognized immediately. His eyes narrowed. Kayla. It appeared he’d also underestimated the owner of Finley Bottlers. He stood in the doorway for a full minute before anyone noticed him. Kayla laughed naturally, sharing experiences of her cousin in Brazil and charming both men without them even realizing it. She was good.
Her eyes lifted to his, and he knew she’d been aware of his presence in the doorway since he arrived, but her overly large and innocent eyes made him grin. She waved. “Oh, you’re here. Hello, Mr. Sperring.”
“Tyler, you made it. We were just catching up with Kayla here. Are you ready to make a day of it?”
“I’m ready to go, yes!” He stepped back so that they could join him in the hallway, where he walked at Kayla’s side. “Nice to see you this morning.”
“You too. I trust you slept well.”
“I did, and you?” He could keep up the same game. When the others walked in front of them to the elevator, he let his hand run down her arm and enjoyed the slight pink of her cheeks as a result.
She entered the elevator ahead of him. She wore pink today. Where yesterday she was understated in blacks and greys, today, she
was bright and cheerful and feminine. He couldn’t decide which look he preferred. She had on the same spiky heels though, and he couldn’t imagine how much of an ordeal it was to move around in those.
Rogerio hustled them all into the limousine. “And now we will see the beauty of Guanabara Bay, Sugarloaf, and the stunning vistas of Rio.”
Did he imagine it,? or did Kayla stiffen? She sat across from him, to the left of Mr. de Santos. She shifted in her seat and wrung her hands together. Something was definitely bothering her.
They arrived and walked immediately to the front of the line. “We have arranged for our own private car.” Rogerio puffed his chest.
“That’s remarkable. Thank you.” Tyler had known Rogerio for many years, from when he had worked for the other soft drink company. He liked him, his work ethic, his commitment to excellence, and his success. “This is the regular VIP treatment.”
They all stepped inside, and the doors closed. The car wobbled as it began its ascent. And so did Kayla. Tyler instinctively reached for her. “Easy,” he murmured.
She gripped his arms in an irrationally tight squeeze, but she didn’t look up into his face. Her voice sounded shaky, and she cleared her throat. “These cars have such interesting patterns on the ceiling.” She turned her focus upward. Tyler did too, wondering at her nonsense.
She cleared her throat again and addressed the Antar men. “I’ve been looking at numbers. Antar did phenomenally well the last three years. Your growth has been unprecedented.” She pulled out her phone and directed Rogerio’s attention to it.
“See here, that spike in sales, it hasn’t quit.” She swiped. “And I’ve been studying the market. “Others haven’t been as successful but there’s been a spike all over Brazil. Your people are drinking more soft drinks. More Antar soft drinks.”
“Yes, we have seen a remarkable continuous growth. It’s a great time to be in the soft drink industry.”
Tyler knew Rogerio was drinking up Kayla’s speech. And if he didn’t know better, he’d assume Kayla was just trying to flatter her way closer to a bottler bid, but something was different in the almost frantic way she was drawing their attention.
The Bride's Billionaire Page 6
