by Hope Stone
We didn’t mention Henders’ involvement in the leak. If we did that, it would have sounded like slander. Instead, we had an investigator from our legal team prove that the leak came from Henders and then leaked that evidence to journalists so that it didn’t look like it was us pointing the finger.
After a few days, the dust had settled and the company was saved through good PR and honest hard work. But I didn’t feel any sense of relief. There was something missing and I knew exactly what it was.
Chapter 17: Ally
It had been a few days since I’d been back and I was taking my dad to chemo. I hadn’t told him what had happened. All he knew was that the job on the island hadn’t worked out. I left him to play cards with the other people receiving treatment to go and talk to his doctor. I had planned to pay everything off when I returned, but now I would have to try to figure out some kind of payment plan.
But when I spoke to Dr. Griss, she seemed confused. I just started blurting out how I would need a little more time to figure out a payment plan but that I would definitely be able to cover the bills, I just needed time. Eventually, she handed me a tissue and asked me if she could speak. I hadn’t even realized that tears were streaming down my face.
“Your father’s treatment has been paid for. In full for the duration that he needs chemo. I thought you knew this.”
I was confused. “How? Who paid?”
“Finley Joseph, the tech billionaire. The one who has been on TV for the past few days. He said he wanted to do something nice for a good person. He was just here. You must have made quite an impression on him because he tracked down the hospital and doctor treating your dad. And that’s not easy… I’m not even sure that’s legal. He was just here and left shortly before you arrived.”
I couldn’t believe it. I walked out of her office in a daze. Why would he do this after everything I had put him through? I was thinking of calling his phone since I still had the number, but I didn’t know what I would say if he even decided to call me back.
But I didn’t have to worry about that. He was sitting in the waiting room outside where my dad was receiving treatment.
“They told me you’d be coming in today and I thought I’d wait. I would have called, but I didn’t even get your number.”
“Thank you. I don’t know how to tell you how much this means to me,” I said, tears welling up in my eyes again. “After everything I did to you. I’m so sorry.”
“You did what you needed to do to help your father. That doesn’t make you a bad person. Just a really good person who did a bad thing for a good reason. And you know what? I can’t blame you. I tried. I tried to be angry with you, but I can’t. Because you’re amazing. And I haven’t stopped thinking about you these past few days. Um, I guess, what I should say… even though it might sound crazy… is that I am in love with you.”
I fell into his arms and kissed him gently as he wiped away my tears.
“I love you too, Finley Joseph,” I whispered and he smiled and held me tightly.
Epilogue: Ally
15 Years Later
For the following months, Finley was there for me and my father while throughout his entire cancer treatment. On the day that my dad was told that he was in recovery and was given the all-clear, Finley asked him for permission to ask me to marry him. He eagerly agreed. That night, while drinking whisky and watching the sunset, Finley asked and I said yes.
When my father no longer needed me to take care of him, I was able to become a full time journalist for The New York Times. Over the years, I won many awards for investigative reporting and breaking news. Finley couldn’t have been prouder of me… until the day I gave birth to our first child.
We went on to have three children together, two boys and a girl. With a family waiting for him at home, Finley learned how to balance work and life and spent a lot less time at the office. He is always there for us whenever we need him. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
THE END
Book 2 - His Obsession Her Curves
Insta Love Alpha Male Series
Chapter 1: Tessa
“Good morning, Tessa.” Mr. McAllen greeted me as I let myself in through the front door. He was already dressed and on his way out, even though it was only 6:30 am. “The kids are still asleep. I didn’t have time to wake them. I need to be at the office early this morning. Please have them at school on time. I don’t need to have the principal on my case right now. It used to be that teachers listened to the parents. Now apparently we need to follow their orders and pay for the privilege to do so.”
He seemed stressed. But then again, he was always on his way somewhere. But I guess that was why he’d hired me. I took care of the children so that he could focus on business. I wasn’t judging him; it’s just that during the two weeks I’d been working for him, he left early every morning and came home late every night. But that wasn’t my problem. My job was to make sure the children were looked after.
He downed his coffee, grabbed his briefcase and nodded a goodbye as he fled the house. I watched him walk down the stairs to the garage. He was a good-looking man and the fact that he was extremely wealthy and looked pretty damn gorgeous in that fitted suit didn’t help. But there was something off about him. He wasn’t exactly cold, but rather just too busy to be warm.
I felt for Spencer and Lissa, the two kids I was looking after. Their mother had died three years earlier and, from what I’d heard, they’d had nanny after nanny taking care of them. Apparently, most of them resigned because of the hours. And I could understand that. If I’d had a family of my own, I certainly wouldn’t be able to work these hours. But I was new to town, completely alone, and saving up for my post-grad... so I was happy for the overtime.
I walked up the two flights of stairs to the children’s rooms. If this job stuck, at least I would be getting lots of exercise walking around the mansion. Spencer, the six-year-old, sprang to life as soon as I walked into the room. He always had an excessive amount of energy. It was cute but exhausting. His sister, on the other hand, was never a morning person. She was two years older than her brother but acted like she was a decade more mature.
I promised that if they were up and dressed in 20 minutes, I’d make them pancakes for breakfast. That seemed to get Lissa excited enough to get out of bed, even if she was frowning. Even though I had only been with them for a short period, I really liked the kids. They were interesting characters and I found we could have quite a bit of fun together.
I got the kids to school on time, as I had every single day since I’d started the job. I didn’t know what Mr. McAllen had been talking about that morning, but it annoyed me. I would never let the children be late. I wasn’t that kind of person. I was always on time. I was reliable. That was pretty much my best quality, according to my mother.
“Oh, hi there. You must be the McAllen’s new nanny,” a young woman with a blond bob dropping off a set of adorable twins said as we handed over our respective kids.
“Yes, I’m Tessa van Borne. And you are?” I smiled brightly, hoping I didn’t come on too strong. I hadn’t made any friends yet in this town and it didn’t help that I didn’t go anywhere where I could meet people.
“I’m Alison Hulling and those are my two brats. They look cute, but they’re evil.” She laughed, clearly joking. “Do you want to grab a cup of coffee? I promise I’m not a bad person, just dying for some grown-up conversation. And, to be honest, most of these prep school mothers are a bit stuffy for me.”
I agreed and we went to a coffee shop a short drive from the school. Alison was super chatty and it really did seem like she needed some adult company. So did I, to be honest. And she was right about the other moms and even the nannies. The few I’d tried to start conversations with had all treated me like I was from a different planet.
“So, how is it working out with Jack McAllen? My husband works for him and apparently, he never leaves the office. Must be hard, though, after his wife passed away
. Guy could use a date, if you ask me. And it’s not like it would be hard for him; he clearly still manages to make time for the gym… if you know what I mean?”
I did know what she meant. The other night, he’d come home with his sleeves rolled up and those arms were something spectacular. And he had these piercing green eyes that made you want to stare into them. If he wasn’t my boss, he would definitely be daydream material.
Chapter 2: Jack
I was pleased to see the new nanny was on time. Not that I could remember her ever being late. I needed to leave the house early, since we were going to meet with new investors later in the day and I needed time to prepare. I couldn’t think in that house. Usually, I didn’t feel guilty leaving at that hour. It’s not like the kids were counting on me to wake them up, anyway. But something about Tessa made me feel like I had to explain myself. Actually, no, that’s incorrect. Nobody made me feel like I have to do anything. She made me want to explain myself.
I ended up mumbling something about getting the kids to school on time and the principal and then headed out. Maybe it was because she was far more attractive than the other nannies. I found myself thinking about her pretty face and gorgeous, curvaceous body as I drove to the office. I shook my head. I didn’t need any distractions.
The company needed to impress the new investors. If we didn’t, we’d be in trouble. I, personally, would be fine. I was worth billions in my own right. But I couldn’t invest any more of my own money in the business than I already had. Something to do with the way the contracts had been drawn up and the board of directors had been structured. I didn’t know the details. That’s why I paid the legal department.
The point was, today I needed to be impressive. I needed to get the new guys on board. I had to be charming and convincing; otherwise, the business would need to start downsizing and that’s the last thing I wanted. The 3,000 or more people who worked for my company worked hard and deserved to keep their jobs.
As I walked into the office, my secretary warned me that David Calswell was already inside waiting for me. I hated it when he did that. Even though we both had a seat on the board, he treated me like an inferior because he was technically the majority shareholder. Also, he had a good thirty years on me and had worked alongside my father when the business had been his.
I sighed. “Morning, David. You couldn’t wait for me to have my coffee?” I took my seat behind the desk.
He pushed his mug across at me. “Here, kid, have some of mine.” He was joking but his face was dead serious. “You need to nail it with the investors, today, okay? You’re the guy they want to meet with. Daniel Abel is who you’ll be speaking with. He’s a family guy, so play up the fact that you have kids. Show him pictures from your wallet if you have to. And keep it positive… no talking about Ellie, no depressing stuff.”
I flinched when he said my late wife’s name. He had no right to lump her in with depressing things. She’d always been the most positive thing in my life. I balled my hand into a fist underneath the desk and kept a smile on my face. There was no use losing my temper with David today.
“Well, I’ll leave you to prepare.” He tapped my desk as he stood up and left. I sighed heavily once the door was closed. He’d left his damn coffee. I took a sip and winced… how many sugars did that man take? I buzzed my secretary and asked her to bring me a decent cup of coffee.
Time flies when you’re preparing for a big meeting and soon it was time for the all-important lunch with Daniel Abel. I took one last look at the numbers and statistics and grabbed my jacket from the coat hook.
We had arranged to meet at a restaurant near the office. Wining and dining potential investors was a tradition that I wasn’t fond of. Why couldn’t we just meet at the office? We have a state-of-the-art conference room where I could pitch them ideas and show them a presentation. But no, instead I have to go through the theatrics of making small talk and showing them pictures of my kids.
I put on a smile and shook hands with Daniel. He actually seemed like a decent guy. Youngish, must have been in his mid to late thirties. I preferred doing business with people my own age. The older men seemed to think I was somehow less competent because of my age. They didn’t know that I graduated early and had been working at the company since I was 22, while my dad was still alive.
“Oh, I see you’re also a married man,” Daniel commented, pointing at the wedding ring I hadn’t yet taken off. It was stupid of me. If I didn’t want to bring up my late wife, then I should have taken it off. The problem was that I often forgot I was wearing it. “Any kids?” he asked. I nodded and took out my phone, showing him pictures of Spencer and Lissa. He didn’t give me a chance to explain that my wife had passed away three years ago, which was probably a good thing since David had insisted that I not talk about depressing matters.
He showed me photographs of his little ones and we got to talking about our families. I was careful not to bring up my wife and he didn’t seem to notice. Eventually, we got down to business and I felt more comfortable with the topic. Until, that is, the lunch was over and we were saying our goodbyes.
“You know, Jack, we have a house out in the countryside. A few hours from here. We’re planning on going this weekend and the couple we were traveling up with canceled at the last minute. I know it’s a bit sudden, but why don’t you bring your lovely wife and kids? They can all play together, the wives can chat and we can talk about business on the weekend without feeling guilty.”
I wanted to say no. I easily could have made up an excuse. It wouldn’t have been difficult. I could have said that Spencer had a soccer match or that Lissa had a birthday party. But I thought about all the people who counted on this deal going through. I had to do everything I could to make it happen. And so, I agreed to join his family for the weekend.
Chapter 3: Tessa
It was 5:30 p.m. and I was upstairs with the kids, getting them dressed after bath time. I heard a noise downstairs and immediately went into panic mode. We’d been burgled when I was a child and I’d been at home with my mom at the time. We were held at gunpoint and it was something I’d never recovered from. But I knew that I couldn’t freak out. I had to make sure that the children were okay.
I quickly whispered that we were playing a game and that they had to hide in their playroom and not make a sound until I told them to come out. I could tell they were confused, but they did as they were told. I then locked the room from the outside, pocketing the key, and looked around for a makeshift weapon. I spotted Spencer’s baseball bat and thought it would have to do.
I tip-toed down the stairs with the bat in my hand, ready to attack if I had to. As long as the kids were safe, that was all I cared about. I knew there was an alarm, but I hadn’t been told where the panic buttons were. It was supposed to be an incredibly safe neighborhood and I’d thought the house was basically a fortress. I heard a noise coming from the kitchen and prepared myself. If I caught the burglar by surprise, I had a fighting chance.
I burst into the kitchen ready to swing the bat around wildly. But quicker than my eyes could adjust to what was happening, an arm reached out and caught the bat mid-swing. I let out a blood-curdling scream… until I realized it was Jack McAllen standing in his own kitchen looking at me like I was a lunatic.
“Tessa, what the hell are you doing?” he asked calmly, yet sternly.
I let out a sigh of relief and then my vision started going blurry and I felt my body collapse to the floor. I must have fainted because when I opened my eyes again, I was lying on the couch and my employer was looking at me with concern.
“I-I’m sorry,” I said, sitting up a little too quickly. “I thought you were a burglar.” At that point, something inside me switched and I could feel tears streaming down my face.
“Hey… hey, it’s okay. You had a bit of a scare there. It’s okay. It was only me.” His voice was gentle and caring.
“I’m sorry, I had an incident with a break-in when I was a kid and I just…
I obviously overreacted.” I was stammering between sobs and Mr. McAllen put his hand on my arm to calm me down. It helped, it honestly did. That and his sweet smile and the reassuring smell of his masculine yet refined cologne.
“You’re going to be all right. But I would like to know where you’ve hidden my children,” he laughed as he made a point of looking around the room.
I took the key out of my pocket and handed it to him, “I locked them in the playroom. They think they’re playing a game,” I said sheepishly, embarrassed by my overreaction. But he seemed oddly impressed.
“You made sure the kids were safe before coming down here to face a possible intruder all on your own?”
I nodded.
“Well, I think that’s really smart and brave of you. Thank you. At least I know that my children are in good hands.” His smile broadened and there was a look of tenderness in his eyes. He might have been my employer, but I was definitely starting to have a crush on him.
Chapter 4: Jack
I looked back at the nanny lying on the couch. Damn, she was beautiful. She was wearing a simple yellow sundress and a cardigan, but it hugged her curves in all the right places. It wasn’t exactly low-cut, but her cleavage was still very visible. I knew that I shouldn’t be looking at her that way, but I couldn’t help myself.
I told myself to knock it off as I went to find my son and daughter and check that they were okay. They came running out to hug me as soon as I opened the door. They didn’t seem scared in the slightest, they were just surprised to see me home so early. Tessa had done a great job with them. I left them upstairs to play for a bit on their own while I went back downstairs.
