Triple Major

by Lana Hartley

  “I’ve made a mess of it!” Ryan cries.

  A wave of guilt washes over me. Ryan wants my help...but he doesn’t actually plan to improve the store. He’s a nice guy, but he wants to make excuses. Eric is not a nice guy and he wants to make money.

  Guess that makes me the only person who wants to help the bookstore.

  I figure my best chance is to help Ryan. Besides, he asked for my help anyway.

  “Eric Vanderville wants to buy the store and the only thing that’s making me hold on to it is sentiments. I need to let go, but I would only sell if I know that he wants to keep it as a bookstore. Otherwise, I couldn’t live with myself. I’ve taken out a loan on my apartment but I’d rather be homeless than give it to him if he wants to do something else to it.”

  Eric Vanderville. I’ve heard that full name before, but I don’t know where.

  I inhale and press my lips together, trying to think of what to say, what to do. “Ryan, please stop worrying. Leave it with me. I’ll talk to him. Just don’t worry about it right now because neither of us knows anything concrete yet.” I chew my lip, hoping that will assuage Ryan’s concerns at least for now so that I can get to the bottom of this.

  I hear Ryan swallow. “I shouldn’t put so much pressure on you.” He sounds worried, but this time that I might be brushing him off, or like he’s not sure that I should be doing this. Maybe Ryan remembers that he is the owner and I’m just an employee, but I have to make him remember how much I care about the future of the store.

  “It’s fine, really!” I hope that I don’t sound off-puttingly eager. I feel so off balance today.

  I rub my forehead and just then I catch a glimpse of Eric walking towards me.

  Shoot! I need to get off the phone and fast. His eyes are focused on me and he has a book in his hand.

  “Ryan, I need to go!” I feel bad for this, but I don’t wait for Ryan to reply and I hang up on him.

  Eric stands in front of me. “Did you have a nice talk?” His eyes have a mischievous glint that my traitorous body responds to immediately.

  I narrow my eyes at him, pushing down those thoughts and thinking again about where I’ve heard his name before. “Eric Vanderville,” I say aloud, trying to keep my voice even. I’m not getting frustrated with him. Not flirting. Just talking. I need to forget all the insta-lust and get on with my mission. But I open my mouth again and I can’t form any words.

  His eyes slide down my body, then back up. I know he’s flirting again, and I don’t know how to respond to it.

  Well, how to respond appropriately. Because a small part of me is like, girl, flirt back! I have to ignore the inner ho. I don’t need her screwing me out of a job. Yeah, I know what I did there! Mr. Fancy Rich Doctor probably doesn’t care about anyone but himself, and he thinks that he can just stroll in here and get whatever he wants.

  Now, I’m starting to feel a different kind of fire inside, and it helps me find words. “I was talking to Ryan, the owner.” I don’t say any more because there’s something in the way that Eric is looking at me now.

  Like he’s amused.

  Ugh!

  He reaches out and grabs a book behind me, but for the couple of seconds before his hand connects to the book, I think he’s about to touch my face. I actually thought he was going to brush my hair behind my ear or something...like he was going to kiss me.

  I feel stuck in time and I just don’t know how to process any of this. I take a deep breath, because my heart is racing at just the idea of him touching me.

  Eric looks over the paperback in his hands, but seems to be looking over it and at me. I think he must know what kind of an effect he has on me, judging by that smug smirk on his face.

  I inhale again and turn my head to the side.“Do you mind if we start again?”

  “Start again?” Eric asks with that bewildering amusement that makes him both incredibly handsome, all devilish charm in an extremely well-fitting suit, and incredibly annoying. But I’m a girl on a mission here. I want to figure out what he’s up to and save this poor bookstore from going under, if I can help it. Even if it would be a merciful death.

  “Yes. Instead of you picking on me, Eric Vanderville, why don’t we sit and talk about your plans like adults.” I chew the inside of my lip, realizing that I probably sound ridiculous. I just work here. He doesn’t owe me any explanation. Frankly, I don’t know why we’re talking again, or why we talked so much earlier.

  He clears his throat and says, “Yes. We can do that at dinner.”

  “What?” I ask. I snap my mouth shut so that I’m not staring at him stupidly. He didn’t deny picking on me. Eric didn’t dismiss me or say this was none of my business.

  Eric grins at me.“What time do you finish here?” His words seem to hit my ears slowly and I feel stunned.

  I answer him. “Six.” I feel like the words came out of me without me even trying to respond.

  “It’s a date.” Eric winks at me. He waves the paperback at me. It’s that new Alexis Angel book, Cindersmellya.

  I read that one as soon as it came out and I think I’m actually blushing, imagining him reading the lap dance scene. “My driver, Carl, will pick you up at six.” He pulls out a hundred dollar bill and hands it to me.

  Ella, in Cindersmellya, would have slid this in the side of her thong or something. I’m supposed to make change.

  I open my mouth to say that, but nothing comes out as I’m watching Eric’s perfect ass walk away.

  Eric

  My offices are all dark except for the examination room that Donna and Jackson Parker are in. “Thank you so much,” Donna Parker says and puts her hand over mine. “I know so many mothers must call you and they’re hysterical about their fevers, but Jackson has had all these ear infections this year, nothing like with my younger Tara, I didn’t know what to think…” Donna has those big grateful eyes and I feel for her.

  Not the feel her up, pervy way. No, the way I take care of children and their mothers is nothing like that.

  See, I’m not just a doctor. I’m Dr. Single Dad.

  Six years ago, a baby was left at the doorstep of my practice. I was a pediatrician then, too, but I thought I was going to be working with hot single moms. Fate had something else in mind. When I saw that little girl, my whole life changed.

  I’m buying the bookstore as a solid investment in not just my financial future, but my Rose’s. Yeah, I named her Rose because she’s beautiful. I’m a proud Daddy.

  “I know how I am with my Rose, Donna,” I say, smiling at her. “And I would never let another parent worry about anything. We gotta be vigilant as parents,” I say, and I can’t help but feel that sharp stab of pain. I became a pediatrician because I remembered what it did to my parents when my little brother died. I didn’t want any family losing their child whenever I could help it. My mother blamed herself for my brother Jamie’s death and thought she could have seen it.

  So Donna thinks she’s being nuts but I totally get it.

  “Thank you so much,” Donna says. Her fears settled, she does give me that look. The one that means her husband doesn’t pay attention to her and she wants to take blue-eyed, dark-hair doctor for a ride.

  I actually sleep with anything that walks..except for my patients’ parents. That’s too complicated even though I’m a manslut. But of course I’m always tempted, ya know? Like 12 inches of cock and I’ve never fit any ethics in there.

  But right now? No bulge in the suit to shift to hide.

  Hmm.

  Literally no reaction, and Donna has two very obvious breasts overflowing from her shirt that she’s trying to get me to notice now. I don’t blame her.

  I just immediately think of Elia. I wanna see her spilling out of something.

  And I was focused on the fever -- low grade, normal, nothing to worry about. “Keep Jackson hydrated,” I say as I direct Donna out of my office.

  But now I head to my car. Carl, my driver, sent me a text to let me know that he has El
ia. I knew I sprung this whole date on her but she’s taking it well. She went for it. I can't believe how attracted I am to her and it isn't because she's beautiful. She’s a knockout and I want to lick every inch of her sexy body. No, I just have never felt this intense of an attraction to anyone in my life.

  I...I have fucking butterflies in my stomach right now. Fluttery, nervous, tense but excited. I am anxious to see her.

  Sure, Elia wants to know why I’m buying the bookstore. I can tell she’s suspicious. Her fidget spinner comment made me want to laugh right on the spot, but I was too intently focused on just how much my body ached for me to touch her. I watched her lips as she talked and thought about tasting her.

  Tonight I can charm her and tell her the truth.

  Of course, this all feels suspiciously like dating in a relationship. As a wealthy doctor and father, I find myself too busy to date even if I wanted to consider it. I’m grateful I didn’t tell Elia an exact time that I would be at the restaurant, because I wouldn’t have kept that.

  I head for one my cars and setup a call with my assistant.

  Once in my car, I go ahead and make the call hands free.

  “Jess, I’m ready for the financial brief on Zedova’s Bookstore,” I say, rounding a corner and realizing that I’m about to lead foot the gas before I think about it. Fuck, it is like I think laws don’t apply because I’m that eager to have dinner with Elia.

  “There’s something odd in payroll,” Jessica says. She sounds weary and I wonder what’s she’s found. For her to not take a systematic approach of briefing the whole thing, as I have had her do with every investment briefing, but to skip right to a problem, well, I know it’s big. “Hit me with it.” I expected to find a mostly failing business. But is someone getting grossly overpaid? Like that store needs another financial hit against it.

  “Of course,” Jessica says. “According to the financials that the owner provided, the store has five listed employees,” She sighs before she continues her report. “But the weird thing is that four of the employees are paid nearly twice what the fifth one is.”

  “Oh, is that the owner, Ryan?” Maybe the guy is taking less pay. I know he’s got no reason to keep on with that place. He makes damn good money in freelance IT work with lots of top tier clients, middleman work for companies that need semi-permanent staff that travels. He ignores the store, and seemed pretty willing to sell. Maybe he trades his lack of involvement for a lack of pay. Still, the guy struck me as slimy. I tend to trust my gut, and my instincts tell me that Ryan Zedova is not the kind of man that takes less pay.

  “Nope. He’s not a listed employee. It looks like some poor girl my age is getting paid way less, Elia Watson. I looked her up on Facebook, she’s young, pretty...and I don’t know why he’s paying her less but it seems...gross.”

  Fuck. Jessica is smart as hell. That’s why she’s been my assistant for long, and why I’ve never fucked her. I don’t want to screw up a good thing. “I didn’t get a good feeling from him, either.” I grit my teeth. Something shitty is happening. “Did you find anything else out of the ordinary?”

  “No, sir.” My phone makes a little ping. “The files are in your email, with my written briefing. Anything else I can help you with before your dinner?”

  I put the dinner on my calendar, but not Elia’s name. I was in a hurry and told Siri to do it anyhow, but I have Jessica manage my calendar because I’m so damn lazy about things like that.

  This less pay shit with Ryan is really fucking weird. She called this guy, I heard her say Ryan. If they were dating, one, she’d have a better phone if he was any kind of man and it is obvious that he could afford to that...and he’d pay her more.

  “Yes, I met Elia today. She said something about her phone being busted and that’s the reason she was late. Do you think her boss would deduct her wages for a pattern of tardiness?” This is a long shot, I know, but it just seems weird as hell.

  “Odd as that would be, I just don’t think so at this ratio of her pay to the other employees, even if one is her supervisor, a Dana. This is the only that stands out in the financials. Do you think that you want me to find a new bookstore for your allocation?” Jessica sounds chipper...even though I’d allocated funds for this investment and decided against every possible opportunity since.

  “No, I think I will move forward with Zedova’s. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  “Enjoy dinner,” Jessica says.

  “Thanks, enjoy your night,” I say and I disconnect the call. Just in time because I’ve arrived at the restaurant. But then I think about how quickly Elia changed her tune today after that phone call.

  Something really weird is going on here, so I call my private investigator.

  I’ll have William, my PI, follow this Ryan and figure out what he’s up to. There was something strange about him when I talked to him last week. I couldn’t figure out what it was, but now I’m curious.

  “Hello, Mr. Vanderville,” says Will when he answers. “What can I do for you?”

  I could ask how he’s doing and have a little small talk. But Will’s never been much for that, and it is one of the qualities I appreciate in a PI.

  “I have a new job for you.”

  “Name it.”

  “There’s a man I want you to follow. He owns a bookstore that I’m looking to buy. His name is Ryan Cooks. Just get me anything you can find on him. I’ll get Jessica to send you the details. I need it done as soon as possible. Do you have something else on your plate?”

  There is a short silence, then, “I have some free time. When would you like me to start?”

  “Yesterday.”

  “That soon? Okay. I’ll have a report tonight.”

  “Good. Talk to you later, Will.”

  “Sure, I’ll call as soon as I have anything worth looking at.”

  I don’t need to tell him what to look for. He’s worked for me for a long time and knows exactly what I need, so as soon as he hangs up, I have a sense of relief knowing it’s all in good hands.

  There’s one person that I wouldn’t mind adding to the list and that’s Elia herself, but I decide that I’ll find out what’s up with her without getting an invoice from my PI. I’ll wine and dine her, and then after that who knows. I don’t like mixing business with pleasure. But with her curvy ass and wide hips, I might make her an exception to my golden rule.

  Elia

  I close up the store early. I know I shouldn’t, but Ryan said to find out everything about Eric that I can, even if he didn’t specify that I should date him. It’s kinda out of my hands. Eric didn’t ask me on a date; he’d commanded it. I’m just taking advantage of the opportunity.

  I could have just left work as I was when Eric’s driver came to pick me up, but I can’t. I need to look better to go out with Eric...not wear today’s sweaty work clothes.

  Besides, the store only had two customers today and one of them was Eric.

  This time I don’t get another taxi to go home. I take the bus, far cheaper.

  When I’m home, I throw a bunch of clothes on my bed, confused about what to wear tonight.

  I rarely go out for fun, even the dress that I put on today was something that I wouldn’t have worn if I wasn’t in such a hurry.

  This is so damn hard, I’m not going on a date with a guy from Burger King. I’m going out with a billionaire doctor. Eric’s watch probably cost more than I’ve ever made in my life, especially with my small paychecks. I need to wear something nice. Then again, maybe I’m thinking about this too much. Ryan told me to find out more about Eric, and that’s all I’m doing. Nothing else. So what if I don’t look nice. Maybe I’m letting my attraction to Eric distract me.

  Closing the bookstore early only loses us money if someone comes in last minute with some insane need to buy every book in some long fantasy series or something. I’m helping the bookstore more long-term by sleuthing everything out with Eric, right?

  My phone vibrates and it makes me jump, distr
acting me from my moral quandary.

  It’s Dana, probably trying to find out why I’m not in the bookstore.

  Crap!

  “Hey, Elia,” she says on the line.

  I decide to confess before she even has a chance to tell me off again today. “I had to close up early. Ryan said that I should find out more about that doctor looking to buy the store, Eric, and like no one else really came in. Just one woman who wanted an atlas for her son. The only other person that bought something was Eric. The place has been dead all day and Eric says that he wants to take me out to dinner. So, I had to come home and change.” I suck in my lower lip. Shit, if Dana decides that after my recent pattern of tardiness and my closing the store early...well then I’m totally fucked because I bet even Ryan, who knows I do everything that I can for the store, will agree with her choice to fire me.

  She laughs.

  I breathe an enormous sigh of relief because my job and my ass are safe, for now. Tonight’s got to go well, and I’m guessing some form of girl code has superseded my total fuck-up today.

  “I wasn’t calling to check up on you.” Her voice is muffled when she speaks. “I just felt bad about the way that I handled things this morning. I was a bit short with you, and I know this whole tardiness thing is just not like you.” Dana sounds concerned, more like the friend that I’m used to and not like the boss who had me on my toes this morning. Rightfully so this morning, but it is pretty out of the ordinary for me to be on such a bad roll.

  “No,” I say as a big wave of relief washes over me. “I should have called to make sure that you got to your appointment and that you’ve sorted out your tooth. The one that’s been bothering you. So, did you get it taken care of?”

  A true friend would have made sure that she’s okay and apologized for not waking up on time. I let my foggy morning brain forget that Dana is usually my friend, not just my supervisor. We’re a small store. I should be handling this all better and I have to find a way to make my mistake up to her.