I sat forward in my chair. “Stunning? That’s it?”
“Should there be more?” He was toying with me and I didn’t like it, not one bit.
“So, I was just a dress-up doll invited as arm candy, is that it?” I was letting my mouth get me in trouble, but my pride had been badly damaged.
“Okay, Callie, calm down. You have a temper, after all, it seems.”
I sat back, crossing my arms over my chest, waiting for an explanation.
“Don’t show emotion, Callie. You’ll lose your advantage every time.”
I let out an explosive sigh. “Alec, for one moment, stop with the lessons. This is you and me. Tell me what I’ve done wrong!”
He picked up his napkin, slowly wiping his mouth before laying it down. “Shall we?” he invited, motioning with his eyes to the sofa with its tray of coffee waiting.
“Okay, but no cigars this morning.” I don’t know why I said that. Alec had never smoked after breakfast. I was being peevish, and I hated myself for it. I sounded like my mother.
“I promise,” he answered in a tone you’d use with a misbehaving child and I took several deep breaths before I took my normal place in the chair opposite him. He took his time before he spoke up. “I noticed you had quite a conversation with Maximo.”
It wasn’t what I’d been prepared for, so it took me a moment to pair the name with the experience. “Yes, I met him early on. He was very nice to me. He wants to talk to you about investing in his import/export business. I asked him to send me information through your office and I would look it over. I thought I’d weave through the tall grass of it and give you the abbreviated version.”
“Just so you know, I’m not interested in partnering with Maximo. He is young, as are you, but he isn’t savvy enough to be worth my time.”
I preened a bit at that remark, enjoying the left-handed compliment. He went on.
“Just so that you are aware, Maximo has quite a reputation with the ladies. He seemed to be interested in giving you a heavy dose of his charms.”
“So, that’s what this is all about? My God, Alec. Don’t you think I know how to handle unwelcomed attention from a guy? He may be rich, and he may be one of your connections, but that doesn’t make him any better than what I’ve slapped away before.” I was annoyed.
“From what I saw, you were quite open to his attention. In fact, I don’t think I saw you slapping once.” He was being peevish and behaving like a rejected lover.
“Let’s just talk about this for a moment, shall we? Let’s begin with the givens. You are a healthy, desirable, wealthy, powerful man who could have any woman he wanted on the planet.”
“Well, I wouldn’t go quite that far.”
I was amazed. It sounded as though he had an ego after all. I played to it, using one of his tricks. “What do you mean? Didn’t you see the women staring after you as you circulated through the throngs? One little wink and you could have filled your bedroom for the next three months, whether they were married or not. In fact, I think some of the men would’ve gladly handed the women off if it meant doing business with you.”
“Come the kitten has claws. Make your point, Callie, while you still have my attention.”
I took the verbal slap in stride. “So, I’m dealing with a double standard here. I’m supposed to make myself attractive, be witty, chatty and generally entertaining. But when the attention I receive in return is from an attractive male, I’m suddenly crossing the line? And yet, you... you can talk to anyone you want, flirt with the best of them and then call it business? And while I’m on the topic, one would think you’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous.”
I noticed he didn’t deny any of the other statements. “Really?”
"For all I care, you can talk to anyone you wish. You are your own woman and you're perfectly capable of sorting through the trash on your own. This conversation is over." With that, he stood, let his coffee cup fall to the tray harder than necessary and stalked from the room.
I remained in my chair, toying with my cup and smiling. The only thing I gained from that conversation was the fact that he was jealous. The man was actually jealous.
Chapter Twelve
Alec
“You’re blaming her unnecessarily, Alec.” I looked up from my desk to see Walter standing in my doorway.
"Come in and shut the door," I told him. He moved reflexively, expecting the invitation. Walter took the seat opposite my desk and watched my face for an indication that he was free to speak his mind. I nodded.
Walter was sitting stiffly erect, an indication that he meant business. “Without interfering with the personal connection you have with Ms. Callie, I should point out that she conducted herself quite professionally. As a matter-of-fact, it was difficult not to overhear your displeasure with her a few moments ago, and I feel your emotions are misplaced. Ms. Callie signaled me while speaking to Mr. Saddhir. I believe she had some concerns as to the nature of his attention. I advised her to circulate among the other guests and she immediately complied. Ms. Callie is not accustomed to the nuances of such a dinner, and I personally feel she has been misjudged.”
“You do, do you?”
“I do, indeed.”
“Walter, have you fallen for her charms as well?”
“No, sir, nor have I fallen for yours. If I may be blunt, it is you who has lost perspective. I believe you have chosen her as a business protégé but are loath to risk losing her adoration and respect.”
“A fairly powerful observation, Walter.”
“He stood from his chair. “But, I believe it is an accurate one.” With that, Walter exited my office and left me with a great deal to think about.
I knew he was right. In fact, I owed Callie an apology, and I knew it. She hadn’t done anything other than what I told her to do, but when I saw her in action, I’d been overwhelmed with jealousy. I wanted her to myself. But that was one thing I could not have.
I didn't own Callie, and she owed me nothing. She looked so comfortable there, sitting on the sofa and laughing with Maximo. He was roughly her own age, and they had so much more in common than she and I did. The rational side of my brain said that fifteen years was not all that much, but I knew it was. We'd grown up listening to different music, experiencing different world events and even establishing a different set of values. She was adapting to mine, only because it was part of the tutoring process. I had no right to isolate her from the world, or even from Maximo, himself. I knew he was only the first of many, many men who would fall at her feet. She had everything. Beauty, grace, intelligence, wit, passion, and probably most of all, a spirit that allowed her to be forgiving without sacrificing her own ideals. Of course, I was jealous. I was in love with her. There was no denying that. I cringed at the mere thought that any woman would have that sort of control over me, and at the same time, I wanted to dwell on it. I wanted to surround myself with everything that was Callie. After all, everything else I owned could be replaced, but not her. Not my Callie.
She was on the deck, looking out over the lake. It was the perfect place for contemplation, even if flakes of snow were sticking to her head.
“Callie?”
“Yes?” She turned to gauge my mood, wondering whether I was safe to talk with, no doubt.
“Would you take a ride with me? Roman is waiting. I have something to show you.”
“Of course,” she answered willingly, coming indoors. Walter helped her on with her coat, his expression was stiff and he refused to look at me.
I put on my own coat and grabbed my gloves. "Let's go." Roman was waiting with the opened door out under the portico and she slid onto the seat, cheerful at the prospect of an outing, I supposed. We'd not been out often, in fact, I could only remember her costume shopping, and then, of course, our hike that ended with the night in the shack. I forced it from my memory.
“Where are we headed?” she asked as Roman guided the car through the accumulating snow.
/> "You'll see." To divert her attention, I commanded the car system to play Dvorak's Symphony No. 5. His work seemed to fit the mood. Callie sat silently gazing out her window, looking every bit like the puppy who was being taken to the pound but didn't realize it.
We pulled into the northern suburbs of Minneapolis, roughly an hour later. People were sweeping off their cars, preparing to go home early in the face of the forecasted storm. The area graduated into a rather elegant collection of tall buildings. Known as “The Lofts” it provided a unique combination of luxury condos with office accommodations. Roman turned into one of these and stopped before the building.
“Where are we? Who lives here?” she asked curiously.
I cleared my throat, closed the window between Roman and ourselves and flipped off the music in the rear of the car. “You do,” I said quietly.
“Me? What are you talking about?”
I nodded. “This is your new home, as well as your company.”
“You’re not making sense.”
“It will. Callie, I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, if you care about a thing, let it go. Well, that’s where we’ve arrived. I care about your future and want the very best for you. I’m not that, Callie. I’m too old and too set in my ways to be worthy of you. So, I’m calling in my marker, so to speak. I would like to partner with you in a new business venture. The kind doesn’t matter; I’m sure you are brimming with ideas. As part of that investment, you now own the fourth floor in this building. It will be your new home, and Walter will be following shortly with your new car. He insisted on taking up residence with you—seems to think you need looking after more than I do. Probably not a bad idea. His salary will be paid by the company, of course, as will all your expenses plus you’ll receive a tidy salary.”
“Wait! Alec! I don’t understand. What have I done?”
“Nothing, Callie. This isn’t banishment. It’s common sense. Now then, on the third floor is a suite of offices with some showroom and storage. It’s yours to do with as you please. Furnish it, hire staff, build a business. My investment is 30% of your net for the next five years. Then you’ll be totally on your own.”
“Nooooo! Alec, nooooo! Whatever I’ve done, just tell me.” Her hands grabbed my coat sleeve and there were tears in her eyes. Her bottom lip was quivering and it was everything I could do to not kiss it and tell her I’d changed my mind and we were going home. I forced myself to look straight forward, ignoring her pleas.
“I trusted you, dammit!” she cried.
“I haven’t reneged on any part of our original agreement. Have I?” She didn’t answer. “Have I?” I demanded more loudly.
She was sobbing, but shook her head in acknowledgment. “Is there someone else?” she asked, her voice stuttering as she tried to calm herself.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Callie. How could there be? Look, what happened between us wasn’t part of the deal. We both know that. As a matter of fact, I took advantage of the situation. Some people could even say I set it up that way.”
She looked up at me, her eyes like glass globes filled with water. “I didn’t count on falling in love with you, Alec. I need you—not your mentoring, and not your money. I need you.”
God, in heaven, please make her stop! I’m no good for her. I’m half used-up. She needs a man thirteen years younger who is strong, healthy enough to give her a dozen children and be there with her until the end of her life. “It’s no good, Callie. You know it and I know it. Now, here’s Walter. He has your things in the car with him. The condo is furnished, and he’ll give you keys and a checkbook, cards – everything you need. Carte blanche. He’ll look after you and make sure to keep away the predators. If you need anything, he’ll let me know.”
“You mean I can’t even talk to you?”
“The tutoring has ended. We are now business partners, and Walter will be necessary for the time being, so we keep our priorities in order.” I tapped on the glass and it lowered. “Roman, will you show Callie inside? Walter will take over from there. Goodbye, Callie. The next time I see you, you will be rich and successful all on your own, I know that in my heart. And to tell you a secret, you never did need me. I just couldn’t help myself. You adored me, and I came to adore you. But I’m not the man for you, Callie.”
Roman took his time. Eventually, he opened the door and helped her out. Her shoulders were still shaking with her sobs as she disappeared through the lobby doors. There was a lump in my throat and if ever I hated myself, that moment was it. Roman got back into the limo and I tapped the back of his seat. "Take me home."
Chapter Thirteen
Callie
I sat in an expensive chair, situated in the corner of an expensive living room that was part of an expensive condo, and I could not have been more miserable. I stared out the window as the snow came down in solid sheets, wiping clean the world and the scene I just survived. Or had I? I felt devastation in every fiber of my body. Somewhere on the same floor, Walter was putting away my personal belongings in the master bedroom. He was on his phone, ordering in supplies to stock the kitchen. He was opening closets and cupboards, checking for contents and making notes of what we lacked. He did his job silently, showing respect for the slashed disaster that was my heart and my life.
The deliveries showed up at the door and soon thereafter, Walter brought in a tray with sandwiches and coffee. He set them on the table before the sofa and when he turned to go. I begged him to stay.
“I hoped you might invite me,” he said, producing a second mug and plate from around the corner.
“Walter, I know it’s what you take pride in, but could you not work for me? Just for tonight, at least? I need a friend.”
“Of course, Ms. Callie.”
“Please, just Callie.”
“As you wish.” He took a sandwich, a pickle, and a handful of chips, and put them on my plate before handing it to me. “Eat,” he said. “It will help.”
I looked at him in disbelief.
“I’m serious, Callie, you need something in your system to bolster your courage. You have many decisions ahead to make and will need to keep up your energy.”
I nodded and accepted the plate. “Why, Walter, why?” I wailed as the tears broke free again.
He interrupted his own meal and set his plate down. “Callie, he did what he believed was best for you. That remains to be seen, and you are the only person who can be the final judge of that. That said, it is what it is. It’s now up to you to prove to him, but more to yourself, that you don’t need him, or anyone, to succeed. For the record, my money is on you.”
“Oh, Walter, what a sweet, wonderful thing to say. I know you pressed to come and look after me and frankly, I won’t for a moment say that I don’t appreciate it, because I do. I don’t know that I could be alone, especially tonight.”
“I go where I’m most needed.”
I took a bite, wiping my eyes with the napkin and snuffled a bit. “How long have you worked with him?”
He swallowed, took a sip of his coffee and cleared his throat. “Alec was a young boy when I first met him. I don’t know how much he’s told you about his younger years, but he had his own struggles. I worked for another family, one that was moving to California. Never could stand Los Angeles, so I was looking for another position. That’s when I ran across Alec. He delivered pizza to the family and was very cocky, and sure of himself. I kept an eye on him and once the family left, I took a few months off to look for that new position. I saw Alec almost every day; he worked across the street from the small apartment where I was renting. We became friends. Well, actually, I became more of a mentor to him. Nevertheless, we stayed in contact and when he was in a position, he came to me and asked me to work with him. I agreed, and I’ve been with him ever since.”
“And his money? How did he go from pizza to personal chef?”
“Alec was always an excellent study of character. He pulled himself out of starvation by hard work as a youngster and e
ventually, he positioned himself to learn from wealthy men around him. I believe he worked in a gentleman’s health club and made some advantageous friendships. He copied their ways, capitalized on opportunities, and learned. He invested early on in Robotica, and after building it to a small empire, sold the company for a hefty sum. Somewhere along the way he became a self-professed agent and life coach, specializing in aspiring women. He never let a dollar lay idle, and that was the beginning. Even I don’t know the extent of his wealth, but I believe his concept is to remain diverse. He is, after all, very adept at maximizing people and opportunities.”
“He doesn’t do anything illegal, does he?”
Walter vehemently shook his head. “Of course not. It’s not in his character.”
I nodded, taking a deep gulp of the coffee; the warmth felt good going in.
“Tell me the truth, please. Is there another woman?”
“There is not.”
“I don’t understand.”
"No, of course, you don't. Your only crime is that you believed in him, followed what he said, adored him. That had the sad result of making him fall in love with you."
My head snapped up. “Walter, people don’t hurt people they love.”
He looked at me directly. “Don’t they?”
I allowed my shoulders to sag with defeat. “Okay, so maybe sometimes they can’t help it, but the general idea is to take care of the people you love.”
“He believes he’s taking care of you. He believes that he’s the very worst thing you could have complicating your life just now—that he would be an impediment to your future. So, the problem-solver he is, he did the most unselfish thing he could think of. He made you leave.”
I fell silent at those words. I turned back to the blank, white sphere that surrounded us through the windows. It looked desolate, and matched my mood perfectly.
My Dream Job: A Billionaire Boss Romance Page 7
