Saying Yes to the Boss (Dynasties: The Newports)

by Andrea Laurence

  Did he love her? “Yes. Absolutely.” He knew that much was true when Georgia’s presumed betrayal had hurt so badly. He’d let himself fall for her only to have her drop him for a bigger fish just like Candy had, only this one hurt ten times worse because he loved her. Realizing she hadn’t done any of the things he’d accused her of only made it that much more painful.

  “That’s refreshing to hear,” Rebecca said. “Does she love you?”

  That he wasn’t sure about. Because of her tears and anger, he was certain his accusations cut deep. She’d never said she was in love with him, but it was early. No one wanted to be first. To get her back, he would shout it from the rooftops. “I don’t know. I hope so.”

  Rebecca nodded thoughtfully. “And what big gesture are you planning to woo her back?”

  Big gesture? “I haven’t really thought that far yet. First we’ve got to find her.”

  “We’ll find her, sir. I have no worries about that. But when we do, it’s crucial you know what you’re going to say. Screw that up and we might as well save ourselves the time of tracking her down.”

  Carson swallowed hard. She was right. This was one of the most important things he would ever do, and he couldn’t wing it. Georgia deserved better. “What do you suggest?”

  “For one, apologize. No caveats, no justifications. Just apologize. Two, give her flowers. It’s a cliché, but that’s because it works. My husband can make me absolutely insane and then walk in with a handful of lilies and I melt. Do you know what kind she likes?”

  “No.”

  Rebecca twisted her lips in thought. “When you get to the florist, pick some that remind you of her. You can’t go wrong with that tactic. Then tell her you love her and see what happens. From there, it’s up to her.”

  “That’s it?” That sounded far too easy.

  “Well, it depends.” Rebecca arched a curious eyebrow at him before she laid down her challenge. “Are you wanting to go all the way? Pull out all the stops?”

  Yes. Yes, he did want to go all the way, and he knew exactly where to take it from there. “You’re right. All the way it is. I’ll take care of that part this afternoon. Now we’ve got to get her back, you and I. The problem is, she’s vanished. We’ve got to figure out where she’s gone. I just went by her building and her doorman says she’s got a hold on her mail with no expected return date. That’s not a good sign.”

  “Does she have family nearby or friends she would stay with?”

  “I don’t think so, at least not family. I’m not so sure about friends.”

  “Would you like me to look in her office? Maybe she had an address book or something? I could also get the IT department to log into her laptop, and we can see who’s in her contact lists.”

  Alarm bells started going off in Carson’s head. Yes, that was probably the smartest, most direct choice, but he remembered the look in Georgia’s eyes when she realized he’s looked into her purse. She had very strong personal boundaries, and understandably so. Technically her office was company property and he could do what he liked, especially since she’d quit, but if he could avoid that, he wanted to.

  “Let’s start with talking to her assistant and coworkers first to see if they have any ideas. Maybe we can strike gold without digging too far into her personal things. I know she doesn’t like that. Let me know the minute you find anything.”

  Rebecca stood up, tapping at her screen. She was almost to the door when a name popped into Carson’s mind.

  “Rebecca? Let me know if you find any references to a Sheila. That’s the only person she’s ever mentioned. She probably lives, or at least lived, in Detroit.”

  “Sheila. Got it.” With that, she disappeared to start the hunt.

  With her on Georgia’s trail, Carson started on the next task—going all the way. He called to make an appointment at Tiffany and Co. and headed there about an hour later. By the time he returned to the office with a tiny blue bag and a stomach full of nerves, Rebecca was sitting at her desk with a bright smile. “What?”

  She handed over a piece of paper with a name, a phone number and a Detroit address for Sheila. “Georgia’s assistant had this information. Apparently she sent flowers to her on Mother’s Day. That sounds like the place to start.”

  “You’re amazing,” Carson said with a wide grin. “I’m going to give her a call right now.”

  Carson went into his office and shut the door. He had a feeling that Sheila would know where Georgia had run off to. He’d follow her anywhere she’d gone. He just needed to know what flight to take.

  The phone rang for what felt like a lifetime. “Hello?” a woman’s voice finally answered.

  “Hello. Is this Sheila?”

  “Yes, it is. Who’s this?”

  “My name is Carson Newport. I’m—”

  “Hold on a second,” Sheila said, interrupting him. He sat waiting silently, his heart pounding in his throat as he heard her shuffling around and then doing something that sounded like closing a door. “Okay, that’s better. I don’t want her to hear us talking.”

  Her? “Is Georgia there with you?”

  “She is. She’s been here a few days.”

  He’d hit the jackpot on the first try. Thank you, Rebecca. She was getting a raise. “Thank goodness,” he said. “I didn’t know where else to look if you didn’t know where she’d gone. I’ve got to get her back.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. She doesn’t have many places to go, Carson. Georgia never really had a home or a family. I’m just her social worker, but I’m the only person she has. Except for you. Does she still have you?”

  “Yes, she absolutely still has me. I don’t want her to ever feel like she has to run away. I want her to run to me from here on out.”

  “You sound very confident, Carson, but Georgia is very hurt. You crossed a line with her. She’s not the kind that trusts easily to begin with, so it’s going to take a lot more than a smile and a casual ‘I’m sorry’ to earn her trust back.”

  “I know that. She deserves far more than that,” Carson answered. “She deserves a man she can trust. One who makes her feel safe and loved, and I want to be that man. I love her and I feel like a fool for letting my past issues color the situation. I—”

  “Honey, save it for her,” Sheila interrupted. “How soon can you get to Detroit?”

  Carson looked down at his watch. It wasn’t a long flight, but the logistics of the airport, even with a private flight, would take time. “By dinnertime.”

  “Good. I’ll keep her distracted and at the house until you get here. She was talking about going out to eat, but I’m going to insist on cooking something special that she can’t refuse. You’ve got my address on Mayflower?”

  The slip of paper showed the right address. “I do. I’ll have a car take me straight there from the airport.”

  “Good. I look forward to meeting you, Carson.”

  He hung up the phone, feeling a triumphant surge of adrenaline running through his veins. “Rebecca, book me the next available flight to Detroit!” he shouted and started gathering up everything he needed to leave.

  When he looked up a few minutes later, Brooks was standing in the doorway with a frown on his face. His large frame filled the space; he was like an angry Viking. Carson was about to get it, he was certain. With Georgia absorbing his every thought, he’d forgotten that he’d left his brothers in the lion’s den that morning.

  “What the hell was all that about back at Sutton’s? You walked out of a huge meeting. You left Graham and me dangling after the paternity test bombshell.”

  “I’m sorry,” Carson said. He hadn’t really considered that his brothers were probably upset about the news that their father was still a mystery. Graham had barely blinked, launching into an argument that would just secure a larger piece of
the pie for Carson. “How did it go?”

  Brooks shrugged. “A stalemate. With him dying, we don’t have much time. And of course, there’s still the matter of tracking down our father. How could you leave in the middle of all that? It was a crucial turning point for our plan.”

  Carson knew that, but in the moment, it simply hadn’t mattered. “I just had to go. This was more important.”

  He didn’t think it was possible, but Brooks’s frown deepened. “She’s just a woman, Carson. They come and go. We’re talking about getting revenge for our mother. Making Sutton pay for how he treated her and abandoned you. How can some lady you’re dating possibly be more important?”

  Carson took a deep breath and sighed. Nothing he said would diffuse his brother’s anger. It had taken Carson a while to get to this point, too. “Nothing we do to Sutton is going to change what happened to Mom. We can’t change the past. We can’t right the wrongs of thirty years ago. I’ve decided the future—my future with Georgia—is more important.” He stood up and grabbed the baby blue bag from his desktop. “And she’s not just a lady I’m dating, Brooks. At least, not for much longer.”

  “Is that what I think it is?” Brooks asked, his aqua eyes wide with surprise.

  “Yep. The future starts today.”

  * * *

  Georgia was helping put together a salad when a knock sounded at the front door. Sheila had dismissed her offer of a nice dinner out as a thank-you for taking her in, so she insisted on at least helping to cook.

  “I’m in the middle of finishing up the pasta,” Sheila said. “Can you get the door? It’s probably just a package. I’m addicted to Amazon Prime.”

  “Sure thing.” Georgia wiped her hands on a dish towel and trotted over to the front door. She flung it open, and stood frozen in shock when she found Carson on the doorstep instead of the delivery man.

  “Hello, Georgia.” He was wearing one of his best Armani suits and holding a bundle of bright pinkish-red roses in his hands.

  How had he found her here? Georgia’s gaze narrowed in suspicion as she glanced over her shoulder. The kitchen was miraculously empty, confirming what she thought to be true. Sheila had conspired against her and brought him here. She’d given Georgia no warning at all. She could’ve at least told her to change. Her hair was in a ponytail. She was wearing a pair of capri jeans and an oversized Detroit Lions T-shirt she’d bought at Walmart because she hadn’t brought any clothes with her. She self-consciously ran her hand over her hair to smooth the flyaways.

  “Are you going to say something?” he asked. His green eyes were pleading with her.

  She wasn’t going to give in that easily. She wanted to. Seeing him in that suit with those sad green eyes made her want to melt to the floor, but she wouldn’t. Carson had a lot of groveling to do before she was going to forgive him for how he’d treated her. “I would, but it seems that everything I say or do is twisted and used against me somehow. It’s probably better that I just let you do all the talking.”

  Carson nodded, his gaze dropping to the flowers in his hands. “That’s fair. I deserve that. You’re absolutely right. I took your well-intended advice and hard work for the company and turned them into something licentious. I should’ve trusted you the way you asked me to, and I didn’t. I am very sorry for that. I realize now that I colored everything with my own hang-ups, and they had nothing to do with you. You didn’t deserve any of the horrible things I said to you that night.”

  Georgia listened to him as he spilled his guts. He seemed genuine in his apology. But that wasn’t nearly enough to heal what he’d broken.

  “Sutton got everyone together yesterday and announced that he’s dying. Of course, you already knew that.” Carson looked at her, probably searching for some confirmation in her eyes. She kept a neutral expression. “I’m not sure he and I will ever be close, but I understand now what you meant about giving it a shot while I have the chance. We’re far from good, but I’m open to the possibility, at least. That’s a big step for me.”

  “Good for you. What about your brothers?” she asked in a flat tone. It would be hard for Carson to accept his father if his brothers felt different.

  “Well, it turns out they’re just my half brothers. Sutton is not their father.”

  Georgia nodded. This was also not news to her. She’d been right when she said Sutton was a jerk, but not a liar. “He told them that, but Graham wouldn’t listen.”

  “I’m sure he did. Listen, I’m not sure what’s going to happen with Sutton, or my brothers, or anything else there, but I know that I want you back in Chicago when it happens. The Newport Corporation needs you, Georgia. The plans for the charity gala have fallen apart since you left. The donation from Sutton needs to be put to good use and frankly, I need help. You’re an integral part of the Newport family, and we need you. I want you there when we have the ribbon cutting because this only could’ve happened with you at my side.”

  Georgia felt her hopes start to crumble. Was that all he wanted from her? Public relations skills? He’d wasted a trip if that was all he had to offer her. “You’ve come an awfully long way just to offer me my job back, Carson. You could’ve done that over the phone.” Not that she would’ve answered.

  He winced slightly and shook his head. “No, I couldn’t. And you know full well this is about more than just your job, Georgia.”

  “Then what is it about? Because that’s all you’ve talked about.”

  “Okay. I know. Work is just easier to talk about for me.” Carson swallowed hard and thrust the roses out to her. “These are for you. They’re American Beauties. I thought that was the perfect rose for you.”

  She accepted the bundle of flowers and brought them up to her nose. They were amazingly fragrant and delicate with velvety petals. No one had ever given her flowers before. She hadn’t even gotten a corsage at the prom because she didn’t go. She never could’ve afforded the dress and everything that went with it. Since then, her relationships had been far too casual for a romantic gesture like flowers.

  “Thank you,” she said, unable to tear her eyes away from them.

  “What I really came here to say…aside from apologizing…is that I miss you so much. Once you left, it was like I had this hole in my chest that I couldn’t fill. I’ve always felt that way about not having my father in my life, like there was a part of me missing somehow. I’m sure you know how that feels, too, growing up without any family.

  “After our fight,” he continued, “I realized that those two feelings were different. In reality, I couldn’t control my father and if he wanted to be in my life or not. But I was the reason you were gone, and I could do something about it. Blood doesn’t always make a family. Sometimes it’s more about who you choose. I don’t just want you to be a part of the Newport Corporation family, Georgia. I want you to be a part of my family. We’ve both felt like we haven’t really ever had one, or that we’ve lost it along the way. What I’m offering you is the chance to have a family, a real family, at last. With me.”

  Georgia clutched the roses in her hands as he spoke. Her chest grew tighter with every word. Was he really saying what it sounded like? That was impossible.

  “I love you, Georgia. I’m stubborn and stupid and scared to death of this, and I know that I almost ruined it…maybe I have…but it doesn’t change how I feel for you. I’ve spent my life being afraid of losing people because I wasn’t worthy of their love. When I thought the same thing was happening with you, I reacted. I exploded. I pushed you away to protect myself, and it was absolutely the wrong thing to do.

  “In the end, I was just as alone, just as heartbroken as if you’d left me, but I did it to myself. I don’t want to make that same mistake twice. So this time,” Carson said as he reached into his pocket, “I’m going to make it permanent.”

  When Carson pulled his hand from his inner brea
st pocket, there was a small, distinctively aqua-colored box in his hand. A Tiffany and Co. jewelry box by the looks of it. No one had ever given her jewelry, either, and since her mother had cleaned her out, the contents of that box were all the jewelry in the world that was hers. Or might be hers.

  Georgia watched as Carson sank down onto one knee on Sheila’s doorstep. “Georgia, I want us to start our own family here and now. You and me. I want us to put the past and all our pain behind us and start our lives together anew. If you’ll agree to be my wife, I promise to do everything I can to make you feel loved, valued, safe and special every day for the rest of your life.”

  Carson took the lid off the box to reveal a classic round Tiffany solitaire in a platinum band. She was no expert, but it had to be at least two or three carats. “I hope you like it. I wanted to go with something classic and traditional since neither of us have had much of that in our lives. You’re beautiful and timeless and I wanted your ring to be the same.”

  “It’s gorgeous,” she said, although her words were muffled by her hand covering her mouth.

  “Will you marry me, Georgia?” Carson held up the ring between his fingertips. The sunlight caught the large gem, and it sparkled with a thousand colors.

  “Say yes, you fool!” a voice whispered harshly from the back of the house.

  She didn’t need Sheila’s prompting to make up her mind. “Yes,” she said, tossing the flowers onto the nearby table. “Not just yes, but hell yes.”

  Carson grinned wide and slipped the ring onto her finger. Squeezing her hand in his, he stood up and looked down at her with eyes that reflected the love and adoration she’d never expected to see. “I’m pleased by your enthusiasm,” he said.

  “You ain’t seen nothing yet.” Georgia smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing her lips to his.

  * * * * *

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