by Tia Siren
“I brought pizza—your favorite, cheese and olives!”
Tommy nodded again, and the look Sarah gave me said it all.
“He wants to do this,” I defended against her silent accusation.
“You don’t think a day at the park would be more fun for a kid his age?”
I shrugged. “He doesn’t think so. I don’t get a lot of time to work with him on this stuff. I want to teach him as much as I can.”
She sighed. “Don’t get too caught up in all this.”
“Uh, kind of hard not to. I can’t mess this up.”
She laughed. “You’re doing fine. Quit trying to do so much. He’s obviously doing great.”
“I want him to be everything I’m not. He has the brains to be something really special. I want to make sure he gets every advantage. I want him to go to college and make something of himself. To do that, he’s going to need a scholarship or ten. There’s no way I can afford to pay for him to go,” I said, my voice high from the pent-up frustration and stress I’d been feeling for months.
She held up a hand. “Whoa! Take a step back. He’s three, Em. You have a minute to work things out.”
She thought it was funny and not a big deal. So maybe I was being a little dramatic, but three years had flown by in the blink of an eye. The next fifteen years were going to go fast as well.
“I just want to give him every chance. If I can get him into that school on a scholarship, he’ll have a good chance at getting into their private school. He’s going to need a scholarship for that, too. He has to be the smartest kid, and that means I need to keep teaching him,” I said, trying to make her understand why I was being a little neurotic about the education thing.
“You need a rich man, a sugar daddy,” she said with a chuckle.
I rolled my eyes. “That worked out so well for me last time.”
“Well, get this. Some guy called the office today making a huge fuss about needing an emergency meeting with Gabe. I tried to put him off, but he wasn’t having it,” she said.
“Why would anyone need an emergency meeting with your director? Like your production company in general?” I asked, not understanding the emergency.
She laughed, her eyes wide. “I know! I mean, we’re not exactly in the emergency business. Gabe has meetings booked out for months at a time. This guy calls, harasses the receptionist until she puts him through to me. I caved in. It was his accent that swayed me.”
“Accent? British?” I asked, knowing her love for men with British accents.
She shook her head. “Nope. It was Scottish I think. Not thick, barely there, but it was sexy as hell.”
“You caved?”
“I caved.”
She burst into giggles. “You’re getting me off track. Anyway, he works for some rich guy who wants to do a reality competition show like The Bachelor. He wants to find a way via the reality television dating circuit.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Is he an ugly old guy?”
She shook her head. “Nope. Not even close.”
“Ugly in general?”
Sarah had a funny look on her face. “He’s arrogant. Not that I’ve met him, but any guy who demands a show to find him a bride has to be full of himself.”
I nodded. “I cannot stand guys like that. So, he’s good looking, rich, and a snob. I’m sure if he tried hard enough, he could get someone to marry him. He’s probably too lazy. Why doesn’t he send his assistant out to buy him a wife?” I joked.
Sarah chuckled again. “I think he’s doing it for the attention. Why else would anyone willingly go on reality TV?”
I grimaced. “Even worse. Do you think you guys will give him the show?”
She nodded her head. “If I know Gabe, which I do, he probably will. Just trying to get a quick ratings boost, you know? Gabe likes this kind of thing and will really play up the drama that comes with a gaggle of women trying to land a rich bachelor. Here’s a chance for that sugar daddy.”
I rolled my eyes. “I would never do something like that. You have to know that. I’m really hoping you were joking. No way am I going to beg any man to marry me,” I said with finality.
She reached into her giant bag and pulled out a manila envelope. “I’m going to show you this, and I bet you’ll think twice.”
I rolled my eyes, uninterested in chasing after a man who was so desperate to find a wife that he was turning to TV. She pulled out an eight by ten picture and handed it to me.
The moment I took the picture, I felt as if I’d been hit by a huge gust of wind. Seeing the man’s face quite literally knocked the wind out of me. Those eyes! Jesus! What were the odds? I looked at her, holding the photo in my shaking hands.
“It’s him,” I whispered.
“What?” she asked, concern on her face.
“It’s him!” I leaned forward, dropping my voice to something just barely above a whisper. “It’s Tommy’s father.”
Her eyes went wide, and she jerked the picture out of my hand. “OMG!”
I nodded, snatching the picture back. I stared at it for a long time. Memories of that night danced through my mind. Those hazel eyes stared back at me, and I looked over at Tommy. The resemblance was striking.
“It’s him,” I repeated.
Sarah clapped her hands together. “You’re welcome.”
I looked up at her. “For?”
She laughed. “I found your baby daddy. I told you it would happen someday!”
“Yes, you did. Now what are we going to do about it?”
“You’re going to sign up for this show. Well, once it is a show, which I’m, like, ninety-nine percent sure it will be. I’m supposed to do some research into these kinds of things, which reminds me, I should go,” she said, checking her watch.
I handed her the photo, reluctant to let it go but doing it anyway.
“Wait.” I stopped her when she slid it into the envelope. “What’s his name?”
She burst into laughter. “This is crazy,” she said as she pulled out the envelope. “Tyler Case, thirty-five years old, and he lives right here in the city.”
I took a deep breath. “Thank you. I can’t believe I know his name. Four years and now I know.”
The sense of relief I felt at knowing the identity of Tommy’s father brought tears to my eyes. It was all quite overwhelming.
“You’re okay, Em. This is all going to be okay,” Sarah whispered, giving me a big hug.
I nodded, feeling a little choked up. It was as if a huge burden had been lifted.
“Tommy,” I called, turning back to him, “we’re going to the park! Come on. It’s a beautiful day!”
Chapter Five
Tyler
I was pacing across the plush beige carpet in my office, wearing a nice path into it, staring out the window, then checking my watch and getting pissed all over again, then pacing some more. The longer I waited for my wayward assistant to show up, the more frustrated I became. He had said he would check in with me first thing in the morning. It was damn near nine, and I’d been in the office since seven. He knew I came in early on Fridays!
I stomped to my desk, grabbed my phone, and started pacing again.
“Connor, where are you?” I growled when he answered his phone.
“In the hall,” he replied, his dry tone revealing his irritation with my call.
To be fair, it wasn’t my first call to him that morning. I wasn’t known for my patience. When I wanted something, I went after it and got it. He had been giving me one excuse after another since Wednesday. I wanted a damn answer.
He didn’t bother knocking and came right in. I stopped my pacing and looked at him, my hands on my hips, my suit jacket held back with the motion. “Well?” I asked.
He smiled. “I got it.”
I pumped my fist in the air. “Yes!”
“We need to have a little sit down,” he said, and that faint brogue came through.
I quickly took my seat behind the desk, waiting
for him to tell me what he had accomplished.
“Tell me.”
“We’ve got a meeting scheduled for two today. This isn’t set in stone, but I can tell you the production company I’ve been working with is interested. They’re interested because I told them they were,” he said pointedly.
I rolled my hand, encouraging him to keep talking. “Fine. You bullied them. Whatever works. I expected nothing less.”
“After a little persuasion, they thought it was a great idea. They want to meet with you in person and go over the details. They’re anxious to get this thing going.”
“So am I,” I said, checking my watch, frustrated to see I still had hours before the meeting.
“Do you want me there?” Connor asked.
I cocked my head to the side and gave him a look. “Yes, of course.”
“I’ll be there. If that’s all, I’ve got things to do. You keep me a very busy man.”
“I’ll see you at two,” I said in a firm voice.
Once he was gone, I shot out of my chair, too anxious to sit still. This was my one chance to find her. I hated that everything was coming down to this one embarrassing move. I would never hear the end of it from people in my social circle. I didn’t care. I’d deal with all that.
Sitting down at my desk, I focused on the multitude of emails and memos that needed my attention. No matter how hard I tried, I kept thinking about seeing her again. How would I respond? Four years was a long time. I had been a cocky guy back then. Who was I kidding? I was still cocky, just not quite as obvious about it.
“Mr. Case.” My intercom rang out. “You wanted me to let you know when it was close to your two o’clock.”
I checked the time and nearly hooted with glee. Apparently, I’d worked straight through lunch. That was good since I’d been neglecting my business as of late, with all my attention stolen by a mystery woman.
“Where’s Connor?” I barked into the intercom.
I heard a little snicker before April cleared her throat. “He’s here.”
“Connor, dammit, get your ass in here!”
The man opened the door, a smile on his face. I hated that he liked to fuck with me so much. Any other boss would have fired his ass a long time ago. I couldn’t. I actually liked the man and he was very good at his job.
“I have a few notes for you,” he said, handing me a brief. “You don’t want to appear too eager.”
I nodded. “Okay. You’re right.”
Quickly reviewing his notes, I was reminded why I liked having him on my side. “I don’t want to get paid,” I said, looking at line item number four.
He shrugged a shoulder. “Donate it. They’re going to make money off your relationship woes.”
I nodded my head. “You’re right. I doubt they pay much anyway.”
“You deserve something for putting yourself out there.”
We didn’t get to argue any longer, April buzzed in, letting me know the production company representatives had arrived. I quickly put my jacket back on and straightened my tie. I had no idea why I was trying to put forth a good image. Old habit I supposed.
April opened the door, escorting the men inside, and I suddenly felt overdressed.
“I’m Gabe,” a tall man in jeans and a T-shirt announced. “This is Jack, my producer.”
“I’m Tyler and you know Connor,” I said, taking my seat and gesturing for the others to find seats.
Gabe sat and crossed his long legs, looking relaxed on my couch. I suddenly felt it was too formal for me to be sitting behind my desk and moved to one of the chairs that faced the couch. Connor sat in the other with Jack taking a seat on the couch.
“Let’s get the details hammered out,” Gabe said, leaning forward and rubbing his hands together. The man had a laidback personality. It wasn’t the usual way I did business. I had to remind myself this wasn’t a business deal. It was a means to an end and I was on their home turf in a lot of ways.
I took a deep breath, still in disbelief that I was actually going to do the damn thing. “I want to have the final say in the women who will be allowed on the show. I have a particular type I’m interested in. I don’t know how you work that into your auditions or whatever you’re calling them, but I don’t want to waste my time or the production team’s time with women who would never appeal to me.”
Gabe nodded his head while pulling a pen and yellow pad from his briefcase. “We can try to do that. Hit me with your dream girl,” he said with a wink.
“I, uh, want a woman with green eyes, chestnut hair, at least five and a half feet tall, but not too tall. She has to be witty, strong-willed, and funny,” I said, describing the woman who had been haunting my dreams.
The three men stared at me. “The looks thing, we can nail. I’m not sure any of us can judge the rest. I guess we could give aptitude tests,” Gabe said, tapping the pen on the pad. “Interviews would help gauge personality, but that’s time consuming.”
I waved my hand. “The physical requirements are a must. I’d prefer an athletic woman. If the woman meets that requirement, have someone interview her. No, scratch that. I’ll have someone interview them,” I said, looking at Connor, who looked less than pleased to have just been elected.
Gabe nodded his head. “Got it. Age?”
I blinked. “Oh, uh, I’d say between twenty-five and thirty-five,” I said hesitantly.
I had a feeling my mystery woman was younger than I was, but I couldn’t say for sure. I assumed she’d been at least twenty-one that night, but nowadays, one could never tell for sure. I didn’t want anyone younger than that. I knew we would be incompatible.
“When do you want to do this?” Jack asked, all business.
“Today,” I shot back.
Jack grinned, showing a full set of teeth. “That’s what I wanted to hear. I think I can get this thrown together here in the next week. Is that possible, Gabe?”
Gabe nodded his head. “I can do that. We need to put out a casting call.”
I cut him off. “I want nationwide. I don’t want to limit myself to women in the Bay Area.”
Gabe cringed. “That could be a bit tough.”
“I’ll pay. Whatever it takes, I’ll pay.”
Connor shot me a glare. I glared back. He didn’t know how desperate I was to find the woman. It wasn’t like I didn’t have the money to burn.
“We’ll figure something out,” Gabe said confidently.
“I would like to have some say in the final roster,” I added. “No surprises.”
Gabe and Jack exchanged a look. “We can get into that later.”
“How will the women apply?” I asked.
Gabe shrugged a shoulder. “We’ll set up an online portal. They fill out all the information, attach a few pictures, and we go from there.”
I didn’t know if that was a great way to go about finding my girl. “What if they send fake pictures?”
Jack leaned forward. “We can’t send scouts to every city and town across the country. We can do online interviews.”
I nodded. “That works. The ones I agree to, they’ll be flown here?”
He nodded his head. “I have a scout checking out locations. We can set the women up in a house or have them in hotels.”
I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t want to visit a house. That feels like I’m going to a—”
Connor cleared his throat, stopping me. I had forgotten the two men across from me had done this kind of show more than once. They liked putting all the contestants in one house to up the drama.
“We’ll figure something out,” Gabe assured me.
“Look, I’m serious about finding a wife. I understand you have to make the show tantalizing to get the viewership needed to support the show, but this is serious. I’m not interested in a lot of fake drama and ridiculous stunts,” I said.
Jack smiled. “Have you never seen reality television?”
I shrugged a shoulder. “Actually, no, I haven’t.”
&nb
sp; “It’s all about the drama, real or fake. Drama sells; seriousness does not.”
I looked to Connor for help. “Mr. Case wants this to work for both parties. I believe we can work out the final details once you have a better idea of how this will play out.”
Gabe and Jack looked at the big redheaded man who could be very intimidating when he wanted to be. “Sure, yes. We’ll get in touch with you early next week,” Gabe answered.
The two men stood, and we all shook hands and agreed to be in touch soon. We were all anxious to get the ball rolling. When they walked out of the office, Connor turned to look at me.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked.
I took a deep breath and released it. “Yes.”
“This is not like you.”
“No, it isn’t, which is why I need to do it. Things are going to change,” I told him.
“If that’s what you want. Do you need anything else?” he asked.
“No, thank you.”
He left, and I took my seat at my chair, spinning around to stare out the window again. I had been doing a lot of that lately—a lot of daydreaming and not a lot of work. I was close to finding her. I just knew it. What would our reunion be like? Would she be just as beautiful? Would she even remember me?
The realistic side of me knew this could all be a huge waste of time. I was basing a lot of hope on a woman I had spent one night with. I hadn’t been drunk that night and I remembered every detail, but what if I’d been fantasizing about a woman who wasn’t who or what she had claimed to be?
I wasn’t going to know if it was real or a silly fantasy if I didn’t find her.
But I was going to find her.
Soon.
Chapter Six
Emily
“Harder,” I rasped, feeling the man between my legs, my body pinned against the wall. I moaned in pleasure, on the verge of what I knew was going to be a violent climax that left me seeing stars.
I opened my eyes, and he was staring back at me, watching me as he pushed me higher, physically as well as sexually. Every nerve ending tingled as he filled my body with every last glorious inch of him. I closed my eyes again, wanting to concentrate on what he was doing to me.
