by Zoe Ann Wood
Give Me a Dream
Billionaires Abroad
Zoe Ann Wood
Copyright © 2019 by Zoe Ann Wood
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover by Elle Thorpe at Images for Authors.
Edited by Emmy Ellis at Studioenp.
Created with Vellum.
For my husband, always.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Epilogue
Sneak Peek into Give Me a Day
Acknowledgments
About the Author
One
Ava
The printer in Ava’s office whirred, spitting out her letter of resignation. Her hands trembled as she picked up the paper, proofreading it one last time.
Dear Mr. Howe,
It is with great regret that I inform you of my decision…
It was unnecessary, really. She’d read that letter a dozen times, tweaking the words, trying to find a way to end a professional relationship without killing the friendship with her boss.
Friendship. Sighing, Ava signed the letter, folded it neatly in thirds, and slipped it into an envelope with Daniel’s name printed on the front. She’d used the computer because she’d been afraid her hand would shake too much and his name—the name that haunted most of her waking moments, and sometimes even her dreams—would come out all wobbly.
Their friendship was an unbalanced mess. Daniel was a great boss, and since they worked together closely on a daily basis, they’d gotten to know each other well over the past four years. But Ava’s feelings for him were decidedly non-platonic, and had been for the past…oh, three years and eleven months, give or take.
Which was why she’d finally decided her personal life had to take precedence for once. She’d find another job—had had offers, in fact—where she would do good, empower young women in science, and help save the planet. Howe Industries was a progressive haven, sure, but if working here meant she’d never get over her ridiculous crush on her boss, then the time had come to make a change.
She tucked the letter into her purse, next to her inhaler. She was confident that Daniel’s secretary would find her a time slot in his busy schedule during which she could deliver the news and sit through the intensely uncomfortable conversation that was sure to follow. Daniel wouldn’t understand why she was leaving, so she’d need to either tell him the truth or come up with a spectacularly good lie. She wasn’t sure which of the two options would be worse.
She prayed she wouldn’t have to spend too much time with him before she left for good.
“Burke, I’m glad I caught you before lunch.”
Ava jerked, hitting her knee on the underside of her desk. The very subject of her thoughts stood at the doorway of her office, having somehow appeared there, panther-like and silent. He wasn’t wearing his suit jacket, and his rolled-up shirt sleeves exposed strong, wiry forearms. Not that she was staring at his arms. She just didn’t want to meet his gaze yet. She massaged her aching knee and tried to calm her heartbeat. How long had he been standing there, observing her?
“Hey, what’s up?” she asked, proud that her voice was almost normal in pitch.
“Sorry for startling you,” he replied. “But I just heard back from Paolo’s team. The deal is on, so I need you to go home and pack.”
That caught her attention. “Where are we going?”
Their eyes met, and a jolt ran through her body, a reaction she’d become so adept at disguising. Every time he looked at her, she nearly blurted out her embarrassing truth.
Just a month. You need to hold out for a month, then you can be free.
He didn’t seem to notice any of her inner turmoil. His grin was wide and beautiful as he replied, “To Rome.”
Four hours later, Ava stood on the sidewalk in front of her apartment building in Boston’s South End, checking her phone for any last-minute emails from her assistant, Nadia. The younger woman had forwarded all travel information to Ava’s email, proving herself once again to be the best assistant Ava had ever had.
She’d be sorry to leave her behind when she started a new position, but she couldn’t poach employees from Daniel’s company. Ava wanted her departure from the billion-dollar corporation to be as unobtrusive and seamless as possible. She’d even put a note in her calendar to inform their HR department that they’d need to find her replacement. Off the top of her head, she could think of two or three candidates who’d do a credible job in her place.
You’re getting ahead of yourself. She pushed the thought of her resignation firmly to the back of her mind. Daniel needed her full cooperation on this international deal with a renowned Italian wire manufacturer. Their negotiations had come to fruition after months of tedious contract-tweaking, and Howe Industries needed the partnership.
Ava’s phone pinged. Her sister’s name popped up on the message screen.
You’re going to ROME?! You better take pictures.
Ava smiled, lifting the phone and snapping a selfie of herself. Here’s one, she wrote back.
Of the MONUMENTS, Ava. I don’t need your pretty face reminding me what I looked like before I decided that motherhood was a wise idea.
Snorting, Ava pocketed her phone. Cara was a year older than her, but they looked so much alike, people always assumed they were twins. Now Cara was married and had two beautiful boys. Ava anticipated spending more time with them before she started a new job. Her job at Howe had left her with a generous nest egg that was the reason she wasn’t freaking out over finding a position straight away; Daniel had made sure her salary increased with each new responsibility she took on for the company.
You’ll never find another boss who values you for your skills like he does. The insidious thought wormed its way into her mind, repeating the old argument she’d had with herself time and time again.
A small car zoomed around the corner, gliding to a stop next to her. A moment later, Daniel jumped out, smiling, and popped the trunk for her.
“Come on,” he urged her, heaving her suitcase in the back and waving at her to enter the car.
He had a thing about driving himself instead of using a driver like many of his peers did. Being a self-made billionaire apparently didn’t prevent him from being obsessed with cars—but his choice of vehicles were always compact, eco-conscious electric machines instead of gas-guzzling muscle cars. It made sense, given that his company made batteries for electric cars that ranged from humble Renaults to Teslas.
“Is this a new one?” Ava asked, buckling in and running her fingers along the cream leather of her seat. The car smelled as though it had just arrived from the factory, which was good: it distracted her from Daniel’s addictive scent. In normal circumstances, any car ride with her boss was an exquisite form of torture—she was close enough to touch, to feel him, yet had to keep her hands to herself.
“Got her last week,” he replied, merging into the heavy afternoon traffic. “Listen to how she purrs.”
It was a standing joke between them—the car was nearly silent and accelerated smoothly. It had taken Ava a while to get used to the lack of rumbling from beneath, but she’d bought her own little electric Smart car a year ago, trading in her hybrid.
She should probably have driven herself to the airport and avoided unnecessary additional time in close proximity with Danie
l, but he’d insisted—and she didn’t want to explain why riding with him had her breaking out in goosebumps.
Daniel chatted about their upcoming meeting, glancing toward her from time to time, and Ava pretended to take notes on her phone. She’d already done her research, but having him talk about business was better than having to discuss her personal life.
She imagined how painful that conversation would be.
Hey, Ava, did you do anything fun last weekend?
Oh, not really, just sobbed uncontrollably over my sister’s broccoli casserole as I explained that I was finally resigning from the best job I ever had. And you?
Yeah. She was not looking forward to that.
“Are you listening to me?” Daniel asked suddenly, breaking through her musings.
Ava jerked her gaze to him, startled to find his hazel eyes focused on her. They’d stopped at a traffic light not far from the Logan International Airport, and Daniel wasn’t looking at the road anymore.
“What?”
The corner of Daniel’s mouth quirked up. “I asked you if you wanted to grab some dinner before we board, and you said, ‘Sure, I’ll send them an email.’”
Ava closed her eyes briefly, then gave him a rueful smile, hoping she wasn’t blushing. “Sorry, it’s been a long week.”
“It’s Wednesday.”
“All right, it’s been a long three days,” she snapped, her tone sharper than she’d intended.
He raised his eyebrows, then looked back toward the road as the traffic moved ahead of them.
“Sorry.” Ava blew out a breath. “I got lost in thought. And I’d love to grab some dinner.” Airplane food was not her favorite, even though they’d be flying in business class with the best food one could get served at the altitude of thirty-five thousand feet.
“Who’s the lucky guy?”
Ava froze, staring at him. They never discussed their respective dates or—in Daniel’s case—fleeting relationships. Never. Their friendship allowed discussions on the weather, sports, movies, and work. Possibly their families and holidays. But relationships were out of bounds, and she’d thought he was aware of that unspoken rule. Especially since her own dating experience in the time she’d worked at Howe could be summed up in a sad, short sentence: I go on a lot of first dates.
“I’m not— It’s not like—” She coughed, looking down at her lap. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Daniel chuckled, but the sound was wrong, all forced. “Relax, Burke. I’m not going to pry about your latest conquest. It’s just unlike you to be distracted.”
She glanced at him, but he stared ahead, focusing on the road. His jaw was clenched, though, and he braked more violently than usual to stop in front of the terminal.
Before she could answer—or even find a good excuse—he was out of the car, handing the keys to a valet who would drive the car to Daniel’s garage and bring it back for their return. Ava wasn’t sure how the service worked but suspected it involved hefty tips and a full security check for the employee who would have access to Daniel’s coveted car park.
Daniel faced her again; his earlier tension was gone, replaced by his usual relaxed smile. “Do you feel like Italian or Mexican?”
“Anywhere they do a good salad,” Ava answered, feeling whiplash from his mood change.
She used to hate being ‘that woman who never ate carbs’ and forcing people to acknowledge her choices. But breaking through as a businesswoman and scientist in a male-dominant segment of the industry had taught her that she was constantly being judged for one thing or another, so her choice of food was the least of her worries.
“I know, I know,” Daniel replied. “You liked the steak salad at the Mexican grill last month, though, right?” He turned and walked in the direction of the VIP check-in.
With a heavy heart, Ava followed. That right there was the reason leaving Howe Industries would break her heart. Daniel remembered every detail about her, he was a good friend and a better colleague, he just never noticed her like that. Even though he was a highly intelligent man, he’d never realized how his prized employee felt about him.
Which was a good thing, Ava reminded herself. Imagine the awkwardness if he knew. Their every interaction would be tainted with the knowledge that she was crushing on him. His every decision would be made harder because he would have to think about her emotions. No, that was no way to be professional. And professionalism was what got her this far—she was the best at her job, always punctual, always ready.
By the time they checked in their luggage and passed the security point, Ava had had enough of the crowds. Somehow, Daniel seemed to be aware of that and picked a table in the remotest corner of the restaurant, where they were shielded from the bustle of the large terminal.
Daniel studied the menu, though Ava knew what he would order already. They often visited this restaurant when they traveled because its fare was made of organic, locally sourced ingredients—which was the only kind of food Daniel ate. His environmentalist streak ran deep and was oddly contagious. Ava couldn’t remember the last time she’d had regular fast food.
“Want to watch a movie together once we’re up in the air?” he asked suddenly.
Ava froze. His offer wasn’t even suspicious. They’d often watched films or series together on long international flights, each plugging into their own video system, then counting down and pressing Play at the same time.
Yet this time, it seemed too close to a date. She couldn’t do it, couldn’t stand two hours of exchanging glances with him at particularly exciting moments, or worse, hiding her blush at romantic scenes. Even watching action movies wasn’t safe these days—characters kissed left, right, and center, and she’d had to keep her gaze pinned to the screen, nearly perishing from the knowledge that Daniel was sitting right there. She could have leaned over and kissed him if he’d only ever shown a sliver of interest in her.
“No, I need to catch up on some sleep,” she said instead, then smiled at the waiter who’d come to take their order.
The young man stammered and blushed, spilling some of Daniel’s water as he poured it while gawking at her.
It was an unpleasant experience.
Daniel rolled his eyes, waiting for the waiter to leave before commenting. “You should have that smile registered as a lethal weapon.” Ava frowned at him, and he chuckled. “Well, at least you never aim it in my direction.”
“I smile at you all the time.” It was true. She couldn’t help it.
He leaned back, aligning his cutlery against the edge of his place mat. “Not like that.”
Ava’s stomach clenched. So he had noticed? Scrabbling for a way out of the uncomfortable conversation, she asked, “So Paolo finally agreed on the five-year terms?”
Their visit to Rome was more of a courtesy call than a real business meeting; the contracts had been negotiated ahead of time. But Paolo Corti claimed to be an old-fashioned businessman who wanted to shake his new partner’s hand when sealing the deal.
Daniel studied her, silent and serious. Ava thought that he would insist on returning to their interrupted conversation, but he finally dropped his gaze to the table and accepted her diversion.
She sighed with relief, her shoulders sagging. A moment later, however, a quiet dread filled her: would their entire four-day trip be filled with awkward moments? She now doubted her decision to take the resignation letter with her. She imagined how that would go. Talking to Daniel, maybe even giving him the true reason for her decision, then staying in his close proximity for days might not be the best idea.
I’ll talk to him on the last day. The idea cemented itself quickly in her mind. Their plane ride would be uncomfortable, but they might request separate seats if things got really bad between them. She couldn’t imagine level-headed Daniel making a big fuss about it—she was worried about herself and her ability to keep the tears at bay once she told him the truth.
So she nodded along with Daniel’s information
about the man they were meeting in Rome, asked focused questions, and stayed far, far away from personal topics. They expected a significant amount of work after the contract was signed; there would be meetings to attend, paperwork to prepare, and people to charm. She’d make herself extra busy, and these four days would be over in a flash.
She hoped her poor, battered heart survived this last stint in Daniel’s company.
Two
Daniel
The plane cruised calmly over the Atlantic, the windows showing only inky darkness. The cabin lights were muted, and Daniel kept his private lamp low as he read on his tablet. The thriller he’d bought just before leaving for the airport did nothing to distract him, though. He was still painfully aware of Ava who was sleeping in the seat next to him.
He called this version of her Soft Ava, and he only got to see her during their travels. He had no idea if Soft Ava ever made an appearance after work, in the quiet evenings or with her family. He liked to think that she shed the skin of Business Ava every afternoon.
She was wearing black leggings and a cotton tunic that molded to her form, and her red hair was arranged in a loose plait that rested on her shoulder. Business Ava’s severe chignon was gone, and though Daniel had fantasized about messing up her perfect hair nearly every working day, he preferred this relaxed version.
She’d gone through her usual preflight ritual the moment they’d settled in their cozy seats: hand lotion, face mist, earplugs, eye mask. Ten minutes later, her breathing had deepened, and she’d been asleep before the plane had even took off. He made a mental note to suggest she take some personal days—if she was so tired she’d slept through the massive Airbus engines’ roaring, she likely needed some time off work.
