by Lane, Terri
“His son’s damn good-looking!” Alex said. “I just saw him on the news, and I heard he’s taking over the entire business empire.”
“Alexandra!” Tasha exclaimed in pretend shock.
“Natasha!” Alex said loudly, copying her tone of voice mockingly.
Tasha laughed even more. “You know I’m not interested in any romance at the moment. And besides, I doubt someone like that would have any interest in me.”
Alex gave her a little push. “You know, that comment will never be made by the new Tasha!”
Tasha paused, biting her lower lip. “You’re right,” she admitted. “The old Tasha can be so stubborn sometimes, trying to resurface at times when she should just be hiding.”
Now it was Alex who gave a hearty laugh, her dark brown eyes twinkling as her short brown hair danced in the wind.
It’s been a year since Tasha Winters had moved into this beautiful upscale town of Danish descent, a dream come true for a simple young woman who wanted to pursue and live in extravagant success. Nestled in the midst of a mountainous countryside, with almost never-failing sunny weather, Tasha had instantly fallen in love with the place the first time she’d visited it many years ago.
At first, she had hesitated because that visit had been with someone she wanted to forget. But the charming town with its wonderful vineyards and orchards had still won her over despite the bittersweet memories it had dug up inside of her.
It had been a hell of a great year, working from home and having the time freedom to explore and enjoy the wonderful town. Her business was growing in leaps, gaining more clients within just a short period of time.
She’d made friends with some neighbors and the locals she often got to talk to in shops. But of course there were still some lonely nights when she’d call up her only family: her older sister, Tyra, who lived all the way in Singapore with her husband and two kids.
Just a month earlier, though, she had convinced her long-time best friend to leave their hometown and join her. Because Alex had recently broken up with her boyfriend, she’d finally decided to make the move too.
It was the perfect set-up for them, sharing a dainty, little home that Tasha had saved up for with her flourishing web development business. Meanwhile, Alex had conveniently found a job working as a manager in one of the local restaurants.
Paul’s Pancakes, the famous touristy restaurant where Alex worked, was thankfully not that crowded yet. The rustic colorful tables and the white wooden walls with hanging frames of positive quotes helped a bit to lift Tasha’s spirits.
While Alex went on duty, Tasha settled into her favorite spot beside a large window, trying to calm her nerves with her favorite hot chocolate drink. She tried to drink in the marvelous view of nature outside, with the green oaks and multicolored Danish houses seemingly beaming against a backdrop of mountains.
“You sure you don’t want pancakes with that?” Alex asked when she came back to check on her.
Tasha shook her head with a smile. She looked cool and composed on the outside, but her blue eyes reflected her uneasiness. Her wavy light brown hair was prettied up in a classic French bun, unlike her usual wild and messy ‘do.
“You’ll knock ‘em dead, Tasha,” Alex said, squeezing her friend’s hand. “You always do.”
Tasha felt the intense warmth, trust, and sincerity emanating from Alex. A surge of conviction filled her.
“You’re right,” she told Alex. “I’m going to close this deal.”
* * *
Tasha didn’t expect to be picked up by a black limousine with an actual uniformed chauffeur. Even in this upscale town, this scene wasn’t ordinary. Heads turned as she self-consciously climbed onto the spacious back seat.
“Make yourself comfortable, Madame,” the chauffeur told her from the front section of the long vehicle. “It’s a one-hour drive to the airport.”
“Airport?” Tasha gasped in surprise.
“You’ll be meeting Mr. Walton in his New York office,” was the brief explanation of the middle-aged, gentlemanly driver. “Feel free to enjoy the amenities of the ride.”
Tasha opened her mouth for another question, but the chauffeur had already closed the window between them.
“New York!” she exclaimed with disbelief. The office representative she had talked to had not informed her about it. She’d had the impression she was to meet her potential new billionaire client in Los Angeles.
A mixture of excitement and nervousness made her heart beat harder. She looked around then and was filled with awe too. The limousine’s deluxe interior was lined with plush leather, with an array of business and personal development books and CDs, a multimedia entertainment system, a mini refrigerator with wine and snacks, and a lot more.
Tasha smoothed down her cobalt blue blazer and tan slacks before crossing her legs and leaning back on the lengthy L-shaped sofa to feel like a real billionaire. Reveling in the feeling, she took a wine glass from the cabinet and poured a generous amount of the expensive white wine. As she slowly sipped, she could sense her anxiety melting away. She also tasted the chocolate-coated strawberries and teeny weeny cheese crackers she found with the wine.
Heavenly, she thought with satisfaction and bliss. She closed her eyes and imagined herself living the wealthy lifestyle she had always yearned for.
“We’ll make history together, Tasha…” That familiar voice suddenly appeared in her head. A memory she had long buried deep in her soul.
Her eyes popped open. She frowned as a picture of his loving brown eyes came to her head. She pushed the thought away and tried to focus on the exciting opportunity awaiting her in New York. Soon enough, she found herself wondering what an actual billionaire would look like and sound like up front. The possibility thrilled her. A whirlwind vision of promising developments for her company made her forget about the man who had hurt her long ago.
She almost couldn’t believe it when she found herself in a private jet an hour later. The modern, lavish interior was even more impressive than that of the limousine. It looked like she’d been transported to a small-sized elegant penthouse.
Wow, she thought, giddy like a teenager in love.
After basking in the beauty and sophistication of the room, she settled into the La-Z-Boy chair beside one of the windows. Looking at the clouds zooming past, she reclined the chair a bit and grinned widely. “I can get used to this,” she said to herself.
And as she relished the wonders of the billionaire lifestyle, she found herself dreaming even bigger dreams than she’d ever imagined.
“Would you like something for brunch, Madame?”
Tasha turned around in surprise. She hadn’t realized there was someone else on board apart from the pilot and herself. A lady food server in uniform held out a tray of mini sandwiches, cake slices, and fruits. Very tempting.
Thinking of her diet, she was about to say no. But then, she realized that this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! On second thought, she smiled and nodded.
The woman took out a makeshift table from one of the walls and placed it beside her. She placed the tray of delicious food on top. “What drink would you like? We have fresh orange juice, lemonade, coffee, soda…”
“Uh, just warm water, please,” Tasha said before the lady server could finish. She didn’t want to feel too stuffed or she might run into a problem during the meeting.
During the rest of the short trip, Tasha decided to review her presentation as she munched on the yummy treats. By the time they landed, she felt ready and confident enough to face the owner of the world’s largest real estate empire.
As Tasha stood on the pavement in front of the enormous Walton Enterprises building, she took a moment to look around and savor the Big Apple environment. She had only been to New York a few times before, and each visit always amazed her.
The headquarters of the world-famous Walton hotels and real estate developments loomed above her, making her feel quite small. But she knew she shouldn�
�t be thinking that way. After all, out of all the proposals they probably received on a regular basis, her company had been the one they had picked out to grant a meeting to. For all she knew, this was probably just for formality’s sake.
She squared her shoulders and sauntered to the front door, guided by a friendly assistant who had been awaiting her arrival. One mistake and she’d lose this deal. She couldn’t afford to make even the slightest blunder or her dreams for her company would go crumbling down.
It wasn’t long before she was ushered into a huge, elegant office with its own living area and dining setup.
A tall man with broad shoulders stood behind a classic shiny wooden desk, looking out the spectacular view of the city from the 28th floor of the building.
Tasha’s heart began to pound. She felt her palms growing sweaty. This is it. I’ve got to nail this.
The assistant gave her a smile and a nod before leaving the room.
Not sure what to do, Tasha slowly approached the desk, admiring not just the grandeur of the office but the obviously fit physique of the old man.
“Uh, Mr. Walton?” she said hesitantly upon halting a few inches from his desk.
He turned around then.
She almost gasped when she saw that it was a much younger man than who she’d expected. Was this the Bret Walton Alex had been talking about?
She’d seen him in some pictures but had not paid that much attention because she had been too preoccupied with learning more about their company and assets. She knew he had the looks of a Hollywood celebrity, but she wasn’t prepared for the heart-thumping, mind-boggling effect he’d have on her up close.
Bret Walton smiled broadly, making her eyes shift to his moist lips and sparkling white teeth.
“Hello, Miss Winters,” he greeted, his almond-shaped gray eyes seemingly drilling a hole into hers. His jet black hair was brushed up in an old school James Dean style that flattered him despite his classy navy suit. He was mesmerizing.
After a slight pause, she fortunately found her voice. “Mr. Walton, it’s a pleasure. Thank you so much for your time.” She shook his hand then and was surprised by the jolt of electricity that passed through her arm.
“I’ve been waiting for you.” He said in his deep, raspy voice.
I’ve been waiting for you all my life, she imagined him saying.
He smiled even wider, as if he’d read her thoughts. She couldn’t help blushing.
He had a playful glint in his eye. Or was she just imagining that too?
* * *
It took a few minutes for Tasha to calm herself down and get into the groove of her presentation. After all, the man sitting across her was an actual billionaire. It didn’t matter that he was only an heir. He now runs the whole business empire of the family. And what’s more, he is currently one of the most eligible and most gorgeous bachelors she had ever laid her eyes on.
Oblivious to her distracting thoughts, he smiled and nodded throughout her presentation. He quietly and patiently listened as she showed him her company’s portfolio and the major projects she’d helped other businesses with.
“Winters & Company can certainly give you the upgrades you desire for your hotels’ individual websites and online marketing needs,” she explained, speaking with ease as her years of knowledge and experience kicked in. “We can unify the look and improve the user experience as well, integrating mobile apps with advanced tools and reliable payment gateways…”
He listened attentively without any questions as she went on to discuss further. When she was finally done, she waited for him to hit her with the tough, rattling questions he was known for when dealing with potential business partners and suppliers.
His eyebrows furrowed a bit as he appeared to be deep in thought. After a few seconds, his handsome features relaxed. He leaned back on his swiveling chair. “It’s a deal,” he declared. “I’ll have my assistant contact you to finalize all the necessary paperwork.”
She leaned forward in surprise. “You, uh, don’t have questions?”
“No,” he answered. “I’m a busy man. Your presentation was clear, concise, and comprehensive. I’m actually impressed.”
She beamed, not believing her ears.
He stood up then, so she followed his lead.
“Thank you, Miss Winters. I look forward to seeing more of you and working closely with you.”
The way he said those words sent warm flutters across her body. Her knees felt like buckling as he led her to the door.
She quickly turned around right before letting herself out. Too quickly, perhaps as she suddenly found her face inches away from his, her nose catching a whiff of his manly scent. It made her heady and giddy at the same time. Her heart pounded harder.
He didn’t step back. He looked into her eyes.
She cleared her throat a little before speaking. “I’m sorry, I just wanted to say thank you and you won’t regret this decision. We always go the extra mile for all our clients.”
He smiled. “I know,” he said matter-of-factly. “I’ve done my research. Your company has great potential and I like that you’ve got such fire in your belly to make it big.”
Tasha was pleasantly surprised at the comment. “Thanks. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It is a compliment,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper.
She smiled rather shyly. “Thanks too for the ride and going to all that trouble to have me here in style.”
“It’s my pleasure,” he replied.
She found herself taking a step back just to breathe easier. Their close proximity was making her all hot and cold at the same time.
His cellphone rang, thankfully breaking the awkward moment.
Tasha wanted to slip away already, but couldn’t since they had not formally and officially parted ways yet.
As he listened to the speaker on the other line, he held up his index finger to signal for her to wait a while.
She nodded and smiled, looking unruffled on the exterior. But inside, she was going crazy with possibilities, both for her business and about this guy.
Alex would die of envy! She thought amused as she recalled all her new experiences that day, ending with this encounter with none other than the Bret Walton.
About a minute later, he put the phone down and motioned for her to follow him out the door and across the hallway toward the elevator where his assistant was waiting. It was the same woman who’d been with her earlier.
Tasha smiled at the middle-aged brunette, who gave her a friendly smile in return.
“The plane is ready, sir,” she said once they were all inside the elevator.
Tasha wanted to know what was going on, but she didn’t dare ask.
“Good,” Bret said. Then turning to Tasha, he said with a grin, “I’m going to Solvang with you.”
Tasha’s jaw almost dropped open. She bit her lip to keep from screaming.
* * *
“Someday soon, I’m going to marry you and move here with you and have kids here with you,” he whispered in her ear, making her heart race. His short beard and the stubbles on his cheeks tickled her skin.
She giggled as the two of them strolled down the Scandinavian-inspired street, holding hands while admiring the beautiful scenery.
“This place is amazing, Carter,” she told him, looking around in awe. “I would love to have a family here with you.”
He grinned, his kind chocolate brown eyes looking at her lovingly. He squeezed her hand. “It will happen soon, you’ll see.”
They had gone on that side trip one Saturday to celebrate their second anniversary as a couple. It was only a day trip, as the hotel rates were quite expensive. But they didn’t care. What mattered was they got to spend a whole day exploring the town together.
Arriving back to Solvang with a man had jogged Tasha’s memory, bringing up that particular recollection, another of the sweetest yet most painful memories of her life.
They never seem to go aw
ay, she thought bitterly as she looked out the window of the limousine at the charming, colorful houses zipping by.
If you wanted them to remain buried, why did you move to this town? The nagging voice came to her out of nowhere. She pushed it away irritably.
“Are you okay?”
Tasha snapped back to reality and the man sitting beside her on the limo’s plush leather sofa. It hit her again. Shit, I’m with a good-looking billionaire and my mind’s wandering off to a fucked up memory I can’t seem to forget. I must be insane.
“I’m good, thanks,” she answered politely with a smile. “Just glad to be back.”
“So tell me…” he said, initiating conversation again. “Why did you decide to live here?”
The question caught her off guard. Immediately, a picture of her ex-boyfriend came up in her head. But she discarded it as soon as it came.
Soon she was once again conversing with Bret as if the two of them were old friends. It was just like the easy banter they’d had while enjoying late lunch on his private plane. What a fairytale day it had been!
Instead of being dropped off home, Tasha found herself at the poshest hotel in town, Windmill Premier Hotel, which she discovered had recently been bought by Walton Enterprises.
“I want to preserve the classic Danish feel, but would like to incorporate modern-day amenities too,” Bret shared after explaining his intentions of renovating the place. “What do you think?”
Tasha was taken aback by the question. He was actually asking for her opinion. She remembered the complaints she’d heard from recent guests. The hotel, despite its upkeep, was lagging behind on facilities and services that most modern hotels offered nowadays.
“It’s a wonderful idea!” she told him. She proceeded to share what she’d been hearing from tourists lately and the reviews she had seen online.
“Hhmmm… thanks for the helpful feedback, Tasha.”
He called me by my first name! She screamed in her head.
