The Beard (Haylee Thorne)

by Haylee Thorne

  “Is there another way out?”

  She shakes her head.

  “Okay, well I know this sounds weird, but do you have some clothes that I can borrow?”

  She looks at me, confused for a second, but then understanding shines in her irises.

  “Follow me.”

  I follow Faye into her bedroom, and she runs into her closet. Seconds later, she has pulled out a cute dress and some matching shoes.

  “Please tell me you can wear a size seven.”

  I smile, nod, and start taking my clothes off. I can’t believe that I am standing in a client’s bedroom getting undressed in front of her. She must have had the same thought because she excuses herself to give me some privacy. I quickly change into the dress and heels she has graciously let me borrow. I walk to her vanity, pull the pins out of my hair, and shake it loose to cascade around my shoulders. After scrutinizing myself in the mirror, I pinch my cheeks for some color and dab a little Vaseline onto my lips. Since I can hardly walk out with my uniform, I fold and place them neatly on a chair. I look at the clock; noting I got changed in under three minutes, which must be some kind of record. When I walk out of the bedroom, I find Faye pacing by the door.

  “I will have these returned to you as soon as possible.”

  She just nods at me, and we swiftly make our way to the front door.

  “Thank you for everything,” she says as she opens the door.

  I pick up my purse and step forward, my attention focused on Faye as I’m about to respond when I slam straight into a hard surface. I look up and see a pair of beautiful light brown eyes staring back at me, filled with an intensity that makes me shiver—in a good way. He tilts his head slightly to the left, and his eyes roam over me. A small smile appears on his face; and what a handsome face it is. I can’t put my finger on it, but he looks familiar. Maybe he’s a model? He’s certainly gorgeous enough to be one. The man must work out because the body I just crashed into is as hard as a rock.

  Crap, snap out of it.

  I force myself to regain my composure.

  “Hello,” I say almost breathlessly.

  Annoyed with myself, I clear my throat.

  “I’m so very sorry. I was just telling Faye goodbye, and I wasn’t looking where I was going,” I say sheepishly.

  He looks intrigued but doesn’t say a word.

  “Mr. Walker, please come in. And of course you as well, Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley.”

  It is only then that I notice the other two people behind him, which is surprising since they are a very striking couple.

  “Thank you again, Faye. I’m sorry I can’t stay for that wonderful meal you cooked, but I have plans that I can’t break tonight. Thank you for the invitation though.”

  She smiles at me gratefully. I step out into the hallway and past the man she just called Mr. Walker.

  “Such a shame,” he says as I walk by.

  I look up at him in surprise and see a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

  “Maybe some other time, Mrs...?”

  “It’s Miss,” I tell him, not sure why I feel the need to correct him. “Hart. Mackenzie Hart.”

  I smile sweetly and then make my way toward the elevator, certain that I can feel his eyes burning into my back the entire walk. My suspicion is confirmed when I step into the elevator and turn around. Our eyes meet, and remain locked on each other until the doors slide to a close, severing our connection. I slump backwards against the wall and release the breath I didn’t know I was holding.

  “Holy crap,” I mutter out loud.

  That was intense. I chuckle to myself. My cell phone vibrates in my purse, and I pull it out and answer.

  “You didn’t tell me you had a date tonight!” Amber says accusingly on the other end of the line.

  “A date?”

  “Yes, with that hot guy from the other night. Don’t play dumb. He’s waiting for you at the restaurant.”

  “Oh.”

  “Don’t ‘oh’ me. Are you coming or not?”

  ASHTON

  I’m not sure that anything can ruin my mood today. Last night was an enormous win for me. Getting Mika Kingsley to sign up as a client will definitely put me in the lead for the CEO position. I can’t deny that I was pleasantly surprised by Faye’s hosting skills, and I have to admit that the food was nothing short of incredible. When she first boasted about her cooking skills, I took it with a grain of salt; she doesn’t seem like the type to cook at all, but I was desperate. After learning that Raeva, Kingsley’s wife, prefers an intimate setting versus a trendy upscale restaurant, I was forced to change plans last minute. Ensuring that Mrs. Kingsley enjoyed her evening was all part of my master plan to get Kingsley in a good mood and more susceptible to us doing business.

  Also, I can’t deny taking pleasure in the fact that Faye might have failed, and I could have fired her guilt-free. Honestly, I have always believed that Faye Baker is nothing more than a spoiled socialite. Her father is a very powerful and very well-respected attorney; the main reason I gave her the job in the first place was because of her father’s amazing contacts. I can still hardly believe she pulled it off, but maybe the fact that she desperately wants to make it on her own and shed her image as spoiled little rich girl, makes her try that much harder. Whatever the case is, I’m impressed. Maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on her; she has more than proven her worth. Clearly the decision to hire her has worked out very well for me. I lean back in my chair, my arms folded behind my head. I am feeling particularly happy with myself, and a grin tugs at my lips, spreading from ear to ear.

  Suddenly, and not for the first time since last night, the mysterious beauty pops into my brain. Mackenzie Hart; her big, beautiful blue eyes staring up at me has been on repeat in my mind. Unlike most women I come into contact with, her flawless face was pretty much devoid of any makeup. For some reason I can’t quite put my finger on yet, I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. I’ve never particularly cared for blondes, but for some reason, I didn’t mind the hair color on her. I can clearly remember the way she smelled as she brushed past me. She smelled sweet—I’m not sure I’ve ever smelled that scent before—but it’s been burned into my memory now. The intensity that radiated from her is still intriguing me. I idly wonder if it would be inappropriate to ask Faye to get me her number, or maybe arrange a meeting? My thoughts are disturbed by my secretary’s voice over the intercom.

  “Mr. Walker? Your brother is on line one. Would you like to take the call, sir?”

  I smirk. I love my brother, but we are both fighting for the same position, and we have always been competitive. And now that I am winning, this is my chance to rub it in his face. I hold down the button to reply to her.

  “I’ll take the call, Mia. Thank you.”

  I pick the phone up from its cradle.

  “Well hello there, little brother,” I say in greeting because I know it annoys the crap out of him.

  I don’t have to see his face to know his nose is wrinkled right now.

  “You are seven minutes older, Ash,” Brock scoffs, and much to my amusement, sounding clearly a bit perturbed.

  “Still makes me older.”

  He sighs.

  “Fine,” he concedes. “I need you to clear your schedule tonight. I have a big announcement. I’m inviting Gigi, Pops, and a few more family and friends. It’ll be a dinner party, so bring your appetite.”

  Now this is interesting…

  “What is this announcement?”

  Brock chuckles. Bastard knows that he captured my interest.

  “Why would I tell you now and ruin the surprise? Nope. You’ll have to wait just like everyone else.”

  I’m not sure I like where this is going at all. Whatever it is, it’s big. Maybe even bigger than landing the Kingsley account.

  “Your office is just down the hall from mine, so why are you calling me instead of just walking over to my office?”

  “I am out of the office today. I have to take care of some
things.”

  It just stopped being funny. I’m not sure if I need to worry about my twin brother. He has never missed a day of anything, especially not work.

  “Brock? What is going on? Do I need to be worried?”

  He chuckles.

  “No need to worry. For once, Ashton, just do as I ask.”

  “Okay, I will clear my schedule. Where am I going?”

  “My place.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  We hang up after that, and the smug feeling I started my day with has quickly evaporated…

  I duck out of work early, which is very much unlike me, but I am antsy and can’t focus on anything so there’s no point staying at the office. I decide to head to the gym, because for me, nothing clears my head better than a good workout. As I suspected, the workout fulfills its intended purpose and by the time I hit the showers, I feel like a new man. On my way home, I stop by the store and pick up a bottle of wine. After all, our grandmother—or Gigi, as she prefers to be called—will have my head if I show up to a dinner party empty-handed, even if she isn’t the one hosting it. My brother and I were raised by our grandparents since we were six years old, and proper manners and etiquette have been drilled into us our entire childhood. Quite honestly, I don’t know what we would have become if it wasn’t for the two of them. They took us in after our parents died in a tragic car accident. They have been amazing; raising us and always treating us as their own children rather than grandchildren. Gigi is literally the toughest cookie I know. The only thing she values above propriety and family, is God—she’s very religious. Pops is a little more laid-back but has one of the greatest business minds I know, and I have always wanted to follow in his footsteps. Unfortunately, I am not alone. Even though I love my twin brother, there is no denying that we are both extremely competitive, and Brock has made it clear that he’s also set his sights on the CEO position at Walker Inc. I arrive at my brother’s apartment building, contemplating how to handle tonight. I have yet to rub in the fact that I managed to sign Mika Kingsley on as a client, which I had planned to reveal before this morning’s mysterious phone call. After reporting to the doorman, I head up to the penthouse apartment. I’ve got to hand it to my brother, his apartment is pretty damn amazing. It’s in a prime location and looks as if it was staged for a magazine. I’ve been wondering all day what this announcement can be, but not knowing any facts is causing me to speculate outlandish things. I don’t even get a chance to knock on the front door. It swings open and Gigi is beaming at me.

  “Come in, come in,” she says as greeting.

  I lean in to kiss her cheek.

  “Well, it is nice to be welcomed like this, Gigi,” I tell her.

  My grandmother, who is usually very reserved, is grinning from ear to ear, clearly ecstatic about something.

  “Why didn’t you tell me that Brock has a girlfriend? And such a lovely one at that!”

  I look at her, slightly confused.

  “Brock has a what now?”

  An image of me taking a sip of a drink at the exact moment she told me that and spitting it out at the end of that sentence flashes through my brain. I’m literally that surprised, although I would never spit a drink out in front of Gigi since she would have my head on a platter.

  “You didn’t know either?” she asks, her tone suspicious as she leads me into the living area.

  There are at least half a dozen people in the room. We walk toward my brother, whose back is facing me. He is standing next to a woman, his hand lightly touching the small of her back. I stop walking for a moment, taking in the sight before me curiously. He turns his head toward her, and I can see his smile from across the room as he leans in and kisses her on the temple. I cock my head. I have never even known my brother to date; he’s so private. Even around us; his family and his close friends, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him hug anyone besides Gigi—and in that he really doesn’t have a choice. But here he is, displaying public affection so easily, and it’s kind of taking me aback. A feeling of warmth radiates through me, and I swear I feel my heart swell. This woman must be amazing, and I am suddenly incredibly eager to meet her. I stride over to the happy couple with Gigi on my arm.

  “Mackenzie dear, come meet Ashton, Brock’s twin brother,” she calls out as we near them.

  Mackenzie?

  The woman next to my brother spins around at the sound of my grandmother’s voice and turns to face us. Our eyes meet, and I can feel my smile falling away. My steps falter, the air in the room suddenly thick. The eyes I’m looking into are the same eyes that have been haunting me since I first saw them. Mackenzie Hart. Her eyes slightly widen; I guess she recognizes me too.

  “Fuck,” I mutter under my breath.

  I feel a twinge of pain, and realize I am clenching my teeth. I’m thinking about a thousand things at once, too dumbfounded to even utter a hello. Gigi’s elbow makes contact with my side, and I welcome the pain since it snaps me out of my thoughts.

  “Ash, you made it,” my brother greets me excitedly. “Ashton, this is Mackenzie Hart.”

  Mackenzie smiles at me, clearly faster at recovering than I am.

  “I actually think we sort of met the other night. I can’t believe I didn’t put it together. Honestly, the two of you look nothing alike on first sight, but I knew that somehow you seemed familiar,” she says with a light giggle.

  The sound of her laugh flutters through me and is like music to my ears.

  Knock it off, Walker.

  “It’s nice to see you again, Ms. Hart,” I say, forcing a tight smile.

  Could I really have been mistaken about the attraction I felt between us that night? Even if it was just for a short moment, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her.

  “Please, call me Mackenzie,” she tells me as she holds out her hand for me to take.

  I take it before I even consciously decide to do so, and I immediately regret it when my brain catches up. The second her hand makes contact with mine, it feels as if an electric current has jolted something awake in me; an unfamiliar feeling in the pit of my stomach. Judging from the rapidness with which she withdraws her hand, I know she has felt it too. Brock’s voice distracts me from my thoughts.

  “Let’s get straight to the dining room. Mackenzie has cooked us an amazing meal.”

  He takes her by the hand, and I immediately feel hostile, though I’m not sure why. I stay behind the crowd for a moment and watch everyone make their way into the dining room. I take a deep breath to collect myself and follow, which seems to be yet another mistake since I am now forced to sit in the only available seat... right across from Mackenzie. Beautiful, can’t get her out of my head, off fucking limits, Mackenzie. I take my seat, trying my hardest to avoid direct eye contact with everyone, especially my brother’s girlfriend, but when she rises, my eyes involuntarily follow her. She walks out of the dining room only to emerge moments later, masterfully balancing several plates, and starts serving all of us.

  “These are M’s signature smoked salmon and potato bites,” my brother announces proudly.

  Mackenzie leaves and reenters the room with the last of the plates, placing one in front of me. I pull in a breath and savor the delicious aroma that emerges from the plate. I immediately recognize the scent, and my eyebrow cocks up. Gigi instructs us all to bow our heads and begins to lead us in prayer. I close my eyes and try to focus on what my grandmother is saying, but it’s hard. I zone back to reality just as my brother tells everyone to enjoy their meal. I pop a potato bite into my mouth, confirming my suspicion.

  “Did you give this recipe to your friend the other day, Mackenzie?” I ask, my tone a little more accusatory than I intended.

  She looks a bit contrite for a moment but recovers quickly—that seems to be her thing.

  “I actually did share some of my recipes with her,” she replies smoothly. “We swap our recipes often.”

  She’s either telling me the truth, or she is just that good of a l
iar.

  We eat an admittedly incredible meal, and while conversation flows easily, I am mostly observing. I can’t help but notice the way she has her hair twisted up into a tight bun atop her head, exposing her long neck and the sparkle in her eyes as she talks about food. Her cheeks pink up every time someone compliments her, the resulting smile brightening every inch of the room.

  “Mackenzie is an incredible chef, and she is opening her restaurant very soon,” Brock says, beaming with pride.

  Interesting…

  Brock rises from his chair and clears his throat.

  “Okay everyone, l am so happy to have everyone important to me here tonight. I wanted you all here to finally meet the woman of my dreams.”

  Mackenzie looks up at him and smiles.

  “I also wanted you all here to witness the most important moment in my life,” he says as he lowers himself onto his right knee.

  What the hell?!?!

  Mackenzie’s mouth drops open as he takes her hand in his.

  “I know that not everyone really knows how long we have known each other,” Brock says, more to her than any of us. “Or rather, how long I have been pining for you,” he adds with a chuckle. “But I do know that I can’t let you slip away now that we are finally ready to tell the world about us. You are incredible, Mackenzie. I admire your strength, your intelligence, your beauty, but mostly I adore you for the kindness in your heart. Would you make me the happiest man on the planet and agree to be my wife?”

  The need to punch something or someone sneaks up on me, like a ninja in the night. I can feel the color drain from my face. I feel disgusted with myself as I inwardly battle over my feelings. Here is my twin brother, for the first time in his life pouring not only his heart out, but showing emotions and affections for someone, quite publicly so. I am so happy he has finally found someone, but another part of me—and I am afraid it’s a very big part—hates the fact that it had to be her. I watch on in horror as he pulls out an enormous diamond ring. I look from him, to her, and back. He looks nervous, as if he’s not sure about her reaction. Gigi is sitting next to him, tearing up, hand on her chest. Mackenzie smiles up at Brock, and when I hear her answer, my heart sinks.