“You look like you need this seat more than I do,” he said as he stood. A small half dimple formed on his cheek as he smiled, and Joanna was smitten all over again.
“Are you sure?” She said, thankful her voice didn’t crack. She had spoken with men who were just as handsome, or more, before. What was it about this man that made her so weak in the knees?
“Of course,” he said with a laugh, “You look dead on your feet.”
This can’t be real, she thought. I must be so tired that I’m hallucinating. She sat down and set her food on the table and struggled to come up with something to say next. She hoped he would offer her some indication that he was just as smitten as she was.
“Joanne, is it?” He said, squinting at the scribbles on her coffee cup.
“Joanna, actually,” she said, emphasizing the final syllable.
“Ah, apologies, Joanna,” He said, cheekily mimicking her.
“They never get my name right here, but this place does make the best latte in town.” Joanna felt heat creep up her face. Not even in her teenage years had ever felt so flustered in front of a member of the opposite sex.
“A small sacrifice for good coffee,” he said with a wink. “Enjoy your latte, Joanna.”
“Wait,” she said, as he turned to walk away. Every thread of her being screamed at her to not let him go. “How am I supposed to thank you if I don’t know your name?”
“It’s Benjamin, and you don’t have to thank me, Joanna.”
“I know, but I want to anyway. Thank you, Benjamin, for giving a tired girl a place to sit.”
“Anything, for a beautiful woman,” he said over his shoulder as he began walking away. Joanna gazed after him, taking in his receding form with longing. She knew that this was the point, in romantic stories at least, where she would run after him. She would ask him for a pen and then write her number on his hand. They would share a romantic date later that evening, have earth shattering sex, and eventually live happily ever after. Her life wasn’t a movie, though. Exhaustion, combined with the fact that her flirting skills were more than a little rusty, kept her rooted in her chair. Rather than sprinting after him, she half-heartedly picked at her muffin.
“Fate,” her mother had told her once, “drives us all. If something is meant to be, it will happen.” Joanna had never put much stock in fate, but something in her gut told her that this wouldn’t be the last time she saw Benjamin.
“So, who is he?” Kate said without looking up from her menu. In the hours since breakfast, Joanna had showered, napped, and met her sister Kate for dinner at their favorite greasy-spoon diner. She had not, however, managed to shake the floating feeling that had followed her home from the coffee shop.
“Huh?” Joanna said, flustered. She had always both loved and hated how transparent her thoughts were to her sister’s eyes. Kate had been her only confidant ever since their mother’s death over a decade ago, and, for the most part, they could read each other like a book.
“You know what I mean,” Kate said with a wry smile. “You look miles away. Is it a new beau? It’s about time you started dating again.”
“I barely talked to him. He offered me his table when I stopped for coffee on the way home this afternoon, that's all.” Joanna made a desperate attempt to sound nonchalant, but look on her sister’s face told her that she had failed miserably.
“Please tell me you gave him your number!”
“No! I wish I had, but I was so tired that I completely blanked.” It wasn’t the complete truth, but Joanna didn't feel up to defending her actions tonight.
“That’s a shame. You need to learn to be more aggressive, Jo.” Kate had always been the flirtier of the two sisters, and Joanna had always been jealous of the ease Kate had with men.
“It may not have worked out anyway,” Joanna said with a shrug. “You saw how I looked when you left the brunch this morning. I really doubt gorgeous men are looking to pick up smelly women with greasy hair.”
“Shush, you looked alright. It could have been so much worse. You could have spilled a pitcher full of coffee on yourself like Lauren did,” Kate said with a giggle.
“No, you’re right, I just get too in my head sometimes,” Joanna sighed.
“You are a beautiful, smart, and hard working woman. Any guy would be lucky to have you, even when you smell like stale champagne.”
Joanna smiled a little, not completely convinced. Before she could respond, however, the waitress came over to take their orders. Once that was done, Kate leaned over the table. Joanna could tell her sister was hell bent on getting every detail out of her.
“Now, tell me about this coffee shop hunk! He must be cute, right? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you swoon over a guy before!”
“Ok, well, he’s tall,” Joanna trailed off, unsure of how to continue. How could she put utter perfection into words?
“...and?” Kate prompted.
“And just impossibly good looking, like a prince in a fairy tale. He had black hair and green eyes that have these little flecks of gold swimming in them. When he looked at me it was like I was the only woman on earth. He was wearing a fitted gray suit with a white shirt, no tie, and he had just the right amount of stubble.”
“Mmm, sounds lovely. Did he tell you his name?”
“Benjamin, but he didn’t tell me his last name. We only talked for maybe five minutes.”
“Five minutes and you’re already in love with him!” Kate said.
“I’m not in love! Just, smitten I guess,” Joanna said. “I don’t think a guy that handsome has ever noticed me, let alone talk to me.”
“Maybe he’s a fabulously rich prince sent to whisk you away to a life of luxury!”
“Yeah right, Kate,” Joanna said. “He’s probably just some businessman who’s in town for the weekend. It would be a small miracle if I ever ran into him again.”
Kate fell silent and a frown formed on her face. She had a distant look in her eyes as if she had suddenly remembered something very important.
“Hold on a sec," Kate said. "You described a guy named Benjamin with green eyes and stubble, wearing a gray suit. Was he also about thirtyish and wearing a gold watch?”
“Yeah, actually,” Joanna said, “Why?”
“I think I know who your mysterious prince charming is! It’s a long shot, but I think he was one of the guests at the brunch this morning.” Kate began digging through her purse and eventually pulled out her small day planner. “Is this him?”
Kate often printed out small headshots to help her remember the names of her high-profile clients. She had always said it was personal touches like that kept her in high demand as a caterer. She unclipped the photo from her planner and slid it across the table to Joanna.
“Yeah, that’s him!” She said in shock. “How did I not recognize him from the event?”
“He was barely there. Showed up late, schmoozed a little, signed a check or two, and then left,” Kate said. Her frown had deepened, and she had a look of disbelief in her eyes. “Joanna. Do you know who this is?”
“If I did, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, Kate,” Joanna said impatiently.
“This is Benjamin Olken. His father was one of the most successful hedge fund managers of all time, and Benjamin is the sole heir to the family estate. Joanna, that man you flirted with at the coffee shop this morning is a billionaire!”
Chapter 2
It was three hours after her dinner with Kate, and Joanna was still trying to wrap her mind around everything that had happened that day. After dropping the bombshell of Benjamin’s true identity, Kate spent the rest of the evening trying to come up with ways for Joanna to reunite with him. They brainstormed for over an hour, but couldn't come up with anything feasible that didn’t involve stalking. In the end, Kate promised to keep an eye out for Benjamin Olken on her future guest lists. Joanna left the diner with the strong suspicion that her sister would find him one way or another.
Once she got
home, Joanna settled into an armchair and pulled out her laptop. A quick search told her almost everything she wanted to know about Benjamin Olken. His father, as Kate had said, had made his fortune managing hedge funds and left every penny to his only child. Rather than follow in his father’s footsteps in New York City, Benjamin moved to San Francisco and took to being a professional socialite and philanthropist. Joanna held her breath the entire time, afraid she would come across mention of a Mrs. Olken. She eventually found his name on a list of twenty-five of the country’s most eligible bachelors and breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t until she clicked on a Wikipedia link, however, that she found information she could actually use. Benjamin, apparently, was on the board of directors for numerous local charities. There was one toward the bottom of the list that caught Joanna’s eye. She ran a few more searches and scoured her emails to confirm her suspicions. After she was absolutely sure, Joanna decided she very much wanted a drink. She had just gotten up to pour a glass wine when her cell phone rang. She knew who it would be before she even put the phone to her ear.
“I still don’t understand why you’re being so stubborn about this,” Kate said. Joanna usually hated the way her sister would pick up a conversation exactly where they left off. Tonight, though, Joanna wanted to get down to business quickly.
“And I don’t understand why you’re being so pushy. It’s my life,” Joanna said as she tipped the bottle of merlot over her glass. She couldn’t wait to tell her sister the big news, but she wanted to be sitting down first.
“Sure, your life, but you met a billionaire today! A billionaire that obviously likes you!” Kate said. “Just from a pragmatic standpoint, dating a man with that kind of money can solve a lot of problems.”
“I am not our mother, Kate.” The gravity in her tone caused Kate to fall silent for a few seconds. Joanna realized she needed to steer this conversation back on track quickly.
“I wasn’t trying to compare you to her, Jo,” Kate said eventually. “Mom might have been a bit of a gold digger, but she was only trying to do right by us.”
Joanna and Kate had been raised like sisters, but they were actually half-siblings born to different fathers. Their mother had always said that men were placed on earth to take care of women, and the single greatest thing a woman could acquire was a rich husband. Joanna was certain her mother had never actually worked a day in her life. She had targeted rich, married men and strung them along with promises of love. Both Joanna and Kate were the results of scandalous affairs, and their mother had not been afraid to use her children as leverage when the cash flow slowed down. Even on her deathbed, her mother maintained she only did so to provide for her daughters. Joanna had been unconvinced then and would probably remain so for the rest of her life.
“True,” Joanna said to placate her sister. She felt no need to rehash that old argument tonight. “But I do have some good news. I think I’m going to get the chance to see Benjamin again.”
“Ooh, I knew you would! Do tell.”
“There’s this swanky charity gala happening at the Marriot next week, and the Chronicle wants me to write an article about the event. I bet you can’t guess who’s on the board of one of the invited organizations?”
“I knew you’d get another chance at prince charming! You are going to try to talk to him, right?”
“I’ll try,” Joanna said nervously “He might not recognize me all dolled up.”
“Please try? I know you still have issues, but you aren't Mom. I just want you to be happy.”
“I know, Kate, but I’ll definitely be flirting with him and not his money.”
“Deal. Love you Jo.”
“Love you too. I’ll swing by your place sometime tomorrow. I'm going to need help to figure out what I’m going to wear next Saturday!”
Joanna hung up the phone and sat on her couch, staring into her glass of wine. She couldn't decide if she felt more excited or scared about all the possibilities next Saturday held, but she did know that, despite her uneasiness, seeing Benjamin again was the most important thing in the world to her.
Chapter 3
One week later, Joanna stood near the entrance of the ballroom with an empty champagne glass that she twirled aimlessly. On her sister’s advice, she wore black cocktail dress that hugged her curves, a pair of sky-high black heels, and her hair was scooped up into a chic French twist. She topped off her look with a dainty silver necklace and her press pass. The whole look said, I’m working, but I want to look glamorous too.
The event had been wonderful. The décor stemmed from the large ice sculpture of two swans in the center of the room. Everything sparkled, from the crystal place settings to the fake icicles that hung over the dance floor. The guests and staff had been very accommodating to her; in addition to information for her article, she also had pages of notes on the delicious food for Kate. Joanna had enjoyed herself so far, but she had yet to catch sight of Benjamin. She had scoped out the registration table so much that the girls handing out name tags had been shooting her suspicious looks all evening. Joanna had just checked a few moments ago, and her heart had fallen when she saw his name on the table. The past week had been a roller coaster of nerves, and she was afraid she had gotten her hopes up for nothing.
The party had been winding down for the past hour, Joanna and realized she couldn’t wait for her prince charming any longer. There were only a few people left on the dance floor, and the caterers were starting to pack up the excess food and warmer trays. With a sigh, Joanna set her glass on the nearest table and made her way to the hotel lobby. Despite the overall disappointment, a small part of her was actually relieved. She had been worried about her ability to do her job if he had been there to distract her. She retrieved her coat from the attendant near the entrance and resigned to the fact that he had, once again, slipped away from her.
She was walking the stairs outside the hotel entrance when she saw him standing on the curb talking on the phone. Joanna stopped in her tracks, and, for a moment, time seemed to slow down. Benjamin looked like he either just stepped out of a cab or onto a red carpet. The hair that had been so delightfully messy a week before was slicked back. He wore a well-fitted three-piece black suit, but he still sported that perfect smattering of stubble. As if he knew she was there, he turned away from the street to face the hotel doors. She felt a jolt of electricity jump through her when her gaze finally met his. He said a quick goodbye to whomever he was talking to and slipped his phone into his pocket.
“Joanna,” he said as he walked up to her. “I barely recognized you! You look divine in that dress.”
“Thank you, you don’t look too bad yourself,” she said. “It’s a bit past fashionably late, don’t you think?”
“Honestly, I wasn’t interested in coming to this party at all tonight.” He leaned in slightly while he was talking, and Joanna got a delicious whiff of his spicy cologne. “I probably wouldn’t have come at all if it weren’t for you.”
“You knew I’d be here?” Joanna said in slight disbelief. It was one thing for her to know he would be there; he was something of a public figure after all. Joanna was a relative nobody.
“Not definitely, but I knew it was a possibility. I recognized the catering uniform you were wearing at the coffee shop, so I did a little snooping.” He said with a sheepish grin. “I know the man who had hosted the brunch that morning, and he was able to give me your last name after I described you. From there, it was easy to find out where you worked. I figured the Chronicle was sending someone to cover the event, and I was hoping it might be you.”
“Well, it’s lucky for you that I waited so long,” she said.
“I’ve actually been waiting out here for a while watching everyone leave. I figured it would be easier than trying to find you in the hotel.” He said. “But now that I have found you, I’d like to propose something.”
“Okay.”
“If it’s not too forward, I’d like to invite you to share a quick drink wi
th me. The Marriott has a bar on its top floor that I think you’d really like. The view is to die for.”
She paused a moment and considered his proposition. Up to this point seeing Benjamin had been nothing more than a fantasy. Now reality threatened to mar the perfect image of him she held in her mind. He could be a womanizer or a drunk or any number of terrible things. He was, after all, a stranger to her.
“Lead the way,” she said. Tonight was the night to take chances.
All of the anxiety that had plagued her the past week seemed to fall away as she followed him back through the lobby to the elevators. She thought that being so close to him would ramp up her nerves, but Joanna felt oddly calm by his side. They rode the elevator up in silence, but it was a welcome quiet, and neither of them felt the need to break it. When the elevator doors opened, Ben gestured for Joanna step out first.
“Oh, wow,” Joanna said as entered the lounge. It was a small rectangular space, barely bigger than the half circle bar that occupied the back wall of the room. The real selling point, however, was the floor to ceiling picture window opposite the bar. The entire skyline of San Francisco lay glittering below. The view, combined with the candles dotting the tables, made for a deliciously romantic atmosphere. Benjamin stood behind her and placed his hand on the small of her back.
“I’ll get us some drinks if you pick out a good seat,” he said. “Is white wine alright?”
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