The Billionaire's Secret (Betting on You Series: Book One)

by Jeannette Winters

  Jon called Matt and gave him the instructions for the meeting. Then he called his attorney with the details of what he wanted to do and was given a few options. He instructed his attorney to write up a contract and have it to him by Thursday for review. On Friday, he would present the offer to Ms. Manning as a take-it-or-leave-it. It wasn’t up for negotiation. Based on what he knew of their situation, she didn’t have any choice but to take it.

  Jon grabbed another beer from the fridge and lay on the couch. Trent’s words replayed in his mind: “Do it or someone else will.” A week ago, he wasn’t looking to sponsor anything. The only commitment he had was to himself. And, until this past week, that was working for him. Nothing had been the same since the morning he found out about the charity event, and somehow he knew it never would be again. His world had been shaken, and now it was tipped on its axis. All he wanted to do was meet his deadline for the FDA so the software release could move forward as planned. He had about two weeks left for the final submission. If it failed again, the entire project would need to be put on hold, and the submission process would need to begin again from scratch. Too much was riding on this opportunity. Like Another Chance, this technology could help a lot of people, and he could not risk its failure. Downing his beer, he thought, Two weeks. Just two weeks and look at me—totally distracted by the most intriguing, sexy woman I’ve ever met. He was tempted to have Matt get the helicopter ready, go get her, and drag her back to New York, but the timing was off. Why couldn’t this have happened at any other time?

  Closing his eyes, he realized sleep wasn’t going to come easily tonight. He pulled out his cell phone and called his driver; he might as well be productive if he wasn’t going to sleep. When he arrived at his office he decided to focus on tomorrow’s tasks. He was surprised how quickly emails could get backed up. At about four a.m. his thoughts returned to Lizette. The memory of her from Sunday, when she’d answered the door in her robe, wet from her shower, was almost more than he could stand. This woman was way too sexy. Most women would have flaunted their looks, but Lizette was different. He wondered if she’d realized she’d driven him crazy in her slender jeans. He had wanted nothing more than to grab her firm ass, pull her close to him, and kiss her till she could do nothing but lean in to him and beg for more. With a long exhale, he rose from his seat. Yep, great timing, he thought sarcastically.

  Morning had arrived. It wasn’t his first sleepless night, and it definitely wouldn’t be his last. He rose from his desk and headed to the closet in his office. Good thing Matt knew to keep a change of clothes ready for any occasion. He had time for a quick shave and shower before the staff began to arrive. The next few days were going to be business as usual, and the team better be ready for it.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The rest of the week quickly went by as planned. Now it was Friday and Jon hoped today would follow the week’s trend.

  The intercom buzzed. Well, he would have his answer shortly. “Is she here?”

  “Yes, sir, Ms. Manning has arrived,” Matt said.

  “Send her in.”

  Ms. Manning entered the room, and Jon motioned for her to take the seat opposite his desk. “It’s a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Vinchi.”

  “Thank you for coming, Ms. Manning. If you don’t mind, I’d like to get right to business.”

  “Not at all,” Ms. Manning responded.

  She wasn’t what he’d expected. She was most likely in her early thirties, tall and slender with long dark hair. She dressed in business attire, but her style was not conservative, like he’d thought it would be. It was obvious she knew how beautiful she was. She carried herself with a confidence that many men would find intimidating. He, on the other hand, wasn’t interested in her on either a physical or personal level. There was only one reason he needed her here, and that was to settle the issue regarding his sponsorship. Once that was done he could concentrate on more important things, like his work.

  Jon leaned back in his chair and said, “As I mentioned on the phone, I’m well aware of Another Chance’s financial difficulties. My research shows you have less than thirty days before you’ll have no choice but to close your doors. Am I correct about this, Ms. Manning?”

  “You are.”

  “Ms. Burke expressed your need for a sponsor. I took the liberty of having my attorney draw up a contract. Please take a moment to read it. Then we can discuss the details.” Jon handed a copy of the contract to Ms. Manning.

  She sat quietly, reading the contract, for about twenty minutes. Once finished, she looked up and said, “Mr. Vinchi, this is quite detailed. Your offer is more than generous. However, I have some questions. You are offering to fully fund Another Chance, in terms of both wages and projects, for the next twelve months. Vinchi Medical Engineering will be our sole sponsor. Your only expectations are that we don’t make any changes to the programs we currently offer without your prior approval?”

  “Correct.”

  “And if I’m reading this right, our accounting manager needs to be relocated to New York within two weeks and will be provided an office here, at Vinchi Medical Engineering.”

  “Correct.”

  “Mr. Vinchi, I do have one concern regarding this demand. I can’t dictate the relocation of my staff on such short notice. I also have other concerns as well.”

  “What are those concerns, Ms. Manning?”

  “I believe your terms are more than fair. However, I believe my accounting manager’s time would be best utilized in the home office, close to our projects and the other members of Another Chance.”

  “I need her here so, at a moment’s notice, she will be able to provide any reporting and updates I require.”

  “Are you sure, Mr. Vinchi, that is your only reason for the relocation?” she challenged.

  Jon had read her correctly when he sensed she wasn’t easily intimidated. Not many people had the balls to question his motives. She wasn’t off the mark, but what he chose to do with Lizette was none of her, or anyone’s, business. “I don’t like your implication, Ms. Manning. The offer is nonnegotiable. If you want Vinchi Medical Engineering to sponsor Another Chance, this is my offer. Otherwise you know where the door is and feel free to look for another sponsor. I guarantee you won’t find anyone who will meet or beat what I have proposed.” Jon handed her a pen and said, “Make your choice, Ms. Manning. If you agree, sign at the bottom.”

  “You don’t seem to have given me much of a choice, Mr. Vinchi.” Ms. Manning hesitated a moment, then reached out her hand, took the pen, and signed the bottom of the contract, where Jon had indicated. She handed him the papers and he in turn signed next to her name. Jon then buzzed the intercom.

  “Yes, Mr. Vinchi.”

  “Matt, can you please make a lunch reservation for Ms. Manning and me? Also, please have the contract on my desk expedited to my attorney with the instructions to process it today.” Then he turned his attention back to Ms. Manning and said, “I will leave it to you to announce my sponsorship to your staff next week. However, I would appreciate it if any public announcements be approved through my office. Matt will be your contact here if you need anything or have any questions.”

  “Certainly, Mr. Vinchi. I look forward to seeing where this twelve-month trial sponsorship takes us.”

  Yes, the next twelve months should prove to be interesting. They would give him the opportunity to get to know Lizette better while still giving him all the time he needed to focus on his work. And if things didn’t work out the way he planned, then he could always move her back to Rhode Island. No harm done.

  The intercom buzzed. “Mr. Vinchi, Mr. Davis is here. He said you have a lunch meeting with him today.”

  Jon didn’t recall any scheduled meeting with Trent. A drop-in visit must mean he felt guilty about what he and Drew had pulled last Friday. “Send him in.”

  “Hey, Jon, I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” Trent asked as he looked Ms. Manning over from head to toe.

  �
��No, not at all. I would like to introduce you to Ms. Elaine Manning. She’s the CEO of Another Chance.” Jon enjoyed watching Trent’s expression as he took in the information. Who’s kicking himself in the ass now? “That is the company Lizette Burke works for. Ms. Manning, this is Trent Davis, a friend of mine.”

  Trent crossed the room and extended his hand to Ms. Manning. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Manning. Would you mind if I called you Elaine?” he asked boldly.

  “Mr. Davis, your reputation precedes you,” she responded without answering his question.

  Ouch. Jon chuckled to himself as he watched the exchange.

  “Is it too late for me to retract the advice I gave you earlier this week?” he asked Jon. “Best option would be your original proposal.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you, Trent, but Elaine and I have just signed the contract regarding my sponsorship.”

  “Well, there goes what could have been a beautiful relationship.” He winked at Elaine.

  “You’ll get over it, Trent,” Jon stated.

  Trent ignored Jon’s comment and told Elaine, “Don’t listen to him, Elaine. My heart is breaking already.”

  “I’m sure it will heal before the day is out,” Elaine said.

  Jon laughed, enjoying the fact that she wasn’t falling for the almighty Trent Davis’s charm. Actually, she was shooting Trent down. This was something Jon had never seen before. Not wanting the show to end just yet, he said, “We were just about to go to lunch, Trent. Would you like to join us?”

  “I would love to,” Trent replied. “But Jon, are you sure you can pull yourself away from work that long? I know you’re a very busy man. I would be more than happy to take Ms. Manning to lunch for you.”

  Jon laughed again as he noticed Elaine rolling her eyes. Trent had no idea what he was getting himself into. Elaine Manning wasn’t one of the starry-eyed girls Trent normally dated. “Thanks for your concern, Trent, but I wouldn’t miss this for anything.” Trent may have finally met his match, Jon thought as they left the office. Yes, this was going to be an interesting lunch.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Lizette had told Ms. Manning on Tuesday that she was ready to return to work, but her request had been denied. She told Lizette to continue with her time off until she got a response from Jon. He had promised to call with his decision by Friday—which was today. Looking at her watch for the millionth time, she said, “Should’ve known better.”

  Just when she was about to give up, her cell phone rang. Yes! It was her office.

  “Hello, this is Lizette.”

  “Hi, Lizette, this is Jill. Elaine asked me to call all the staff. There is a mandatory meeting Monday at nine a.m. I just wanted to make sure you would be back to work and able to attend.”

  “Yes, of course, I’ll be there.” She was hoping for more insight into whether Jon had called and if they had a sponsor or not. “Jill, is Elaine available?”

  “No, sorry, Lizette, she’s traveling on business. Is there something I can do for you? Elaine left instructions to provide you with whatever support you needed while you worked on getting a sponsor.”

  “Do you know where she went?”

  “No, sorry, I don’t. Actually, I’m not even sure what she’s working on. The arrangements were not made through me. Should I have her return your call when she calls to check in?”

  “Oh, no, that’s okay, I’ll talk to her on Monday. Have a great weekend.”

  “You too, Lizette.”

  It was already seven and no call from Jon or Elaine. This wasn’t a good sign. How was she going to tell her boss she had failed? Not only had she disappointed Elaine, but she’d let down all her coworkers and everyone in the community who depended on Another Chance. They were not just co-workers, they were all friends and that made this even more difficult. All the emotions she’d held in during the week hit her all at once. First one tear flowed down her cheek, then another, until they were spilling down her face like a waterfall. She sobbed into the pillow on the couch. Tears flowed for all those she let down, and she shed tears of disappointment in herself. She had so wanted to be wrong about Jon. She couldn’t believe he hadn’t even called her after the night they’d spent together. She was angry with herself for believing him, trusting him, and, worst of all, wanting him. She punched the pillow in frustration. He got what he wanted and then discarded her. She sobbed even harder. What’s wrong with me? She wasn’t a crier. Pull yourself together, Lizette. Taking deep, choppy breaths, she pulled her face from the pillow and brushed away the tears.

  Once she was able to think with clarity, it was clear she had cried for the company she loved, cried for the coworkers who would lose their jobs, cried for the community that needed them—but mostly she had cried for her heart, which was broken. Even when she’d been telling herself she wanted nothing to do with Jon, did not want to see him again, they had nothing in common, her heart had been telling her otherwise. And now it was shattered.

  The sound of her cell phone snapped her out of her self-pity moment. “Hello.”

  “Hello, Lizette?”

  “Yes, this is Lizette.”

  “Oh, I didn’t recognize your voice. Hope you aren’t sick too? Do you have a cold? You don’t sound like yourself.”

  “Oh, hello, Elaine. It’s just the sniffles, thank you.” She left out from bawling like a baby.

  “Oh, I hope you’re not coming down with the flu that’s going around. I’m still trying to recover from it.”

  “No, I’m fine, really.”

  “Good. Well. I just wanted to call to talk to you about Mr. Vinchi. Did you hear from him this week?”

  “I thought I would wait through the weekend and come in Monday and update you, but now is fine.” Better get it over with, she thought.

  “Okay, what is your update?”

  “Elaine, um, I, well . . .” How do you say, I blew it? “I really have tried my best. I met with Jon, I mean Mr. Vinchi, and explained our situation in detail. At that time, I fully expected he would have been willing to show some support. He said we would give me his response by Friday, but unfortunately, he has not contacted me.”

  “What I am about to tell you must not be repeated to anyone. A formal announcement will be made on Monday. Do you understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. I can’t thank you enough for all you did. I knew you could make it happen. Because of you, Another Chance will not be closing. I met with Mr. Vinchi today and everything is settled. Our doors will stay open, and all thanks to you.”

  What? Jon was sponsoring them? “Excuse me, you said you met with Mr. Vinchi—today?”

  “Yes, he flew me out to Vinchi Medical Engineering for a meeting to discuss our business needs in details. It was a very productive day. For the first time in a long time, I can sleep tonight and not worry about tomorrow. Great job, Lizette.”

  “Thank you” was all she could say—she was still in shock.

  “I would like to speak to you in person after the meeting Monday. There are details that you’ll need to be updated on, but we’ll talk about them later. For now, relax and enjoy your weekend. It’s back to work for you on Monday. Good night, Lizette.”

  “Good night, Elaine, I hope you feel better soon and thank you for calling.”

  She didn’t even hang up the phone. She just looked at it like it the entire call had been a dream—a dream come true. Had she really heard correctly? Jon was sponsoring them? He came through for them? Monday could not come soon enough—she wanted to learn all the details Elaine had alluded to. As they say, all’s well that ends well, but she didn’t want this to be the end. She wanted this to be the beginning, a new beginning—and not just for the company but for her and Jon as well. For the first time she felt like her dreams of the past week might actually have the potential of becoming reality.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Lizette was fuming for so many reasons. Jon had not even contacted her. Yes, she had left his penthouse, say
ing goodbye with only a note, but he never called her. Instead she had to learn the terms of his sponsorship from her boss. Sitting at her desk, carelessly packing up her supplies with less care than normally treated her belongings, she replayed Elaine’s words in her mind again and again. “You will be relocated to Vinchi Medical Engineering’s office in New York by the end of the week. This isn’t personal, this is a business decision.” It may seem that way to Elaine, but Lizette knew otherwise. This was anything but business.

  Relocated? The word still stung like a slap on the cheek. Jon was supposed to sponsor the company. At no point was she meant to be part of the deal. Who the hell did he think he was that he could just play with people’s lives this way? And after she opened up to him, shared who she was with him. Had he not listened to anything she had said about what was important to her? This community, her home, her parents, Ma and the boys. Obviously, he was only thinking of himself. The decision, Ms. Manning said, had to do with convenience, but not for one minute did she believe that convenience had anything to do with her accounting reports. If he thought for one minute there was going to be anything more than a business relationship between them after this, then she was going to set him straight on day one.

  She picked up her nameplate and slammed it into the box. Oh, she was so angry. And how could Elaine agree to such terms, especially without speaking to her first? She felt like she had been pimped out. Her first thought was to stand up and quit. Just leave this company. But then she thought about why she worked at Another Choice. It wasn’t because of the company but because of what they did and how they did it. No matter how hurt she was at the moment, she wasn’t ready to give up their shared mission.

  When she’d questioned her relocation, Elaine had said, “Not to worry, it’s only a short-term relocation.” Short-term. That was funny, because in this instance, short-term actually meant twelve months. That might not seem long to Elaine, but to her, it was an eternity. Especially after considering her last encounter with Jon. Yes, she was attracted to him; yes, she found him charming; but none of that blinded her to the fact that he was controlling and willing to manipulate situations to get what he wanted, and this contract was all the proof she needed.