The Radcliffes

by T. J. Kline

  “All my life.”

  “And you’ve never ridden the streetcar?” Incredulity colored his tone. He held out a hand. “Trust me?”

  Alex took a deep breath, steeling herself for her first foray into the world of public transportation.

  “I hope you know what you’re doing,” she muttered, trying not to touch anything other than his hand as she scanned the worn red seats, unsure whether it was more sanitary to sit or stand.

  Nico leaned close, his mouth brushing against the edge of her ear. “That wasn’t exactly the bold declaration of confidence I was looking for, but maybe once we get where we’re going, you’ll change your tune.”

  Alex felt something in her chest loosen as Nico pressed a quick kiss to her lips. Nico was so unlike any man she’d ever dated. He had a knack for knowing exactly what she needed to hear. Somehow he was able to silence the serious, practical side of her, making her “logical” arguments seem illogical.

  Alex eyed the people inside, holding the railings, before taking in the clack and whirring as it crawled away from the stop. Butterflies took off in her stomach, twisting and twirling as the car picked up speed, the buildings whizzing by as they rolled down the street. The ocean breeze tickled her skin, blowing wisps of hair back from her face, as she tipped her chin up with a smile.

  When she was with Nico, her otherwise dormant desire to be a free spirit took flight. She was able to set aside the responsibilities of running a multimillion-dollar firm for a short time and feel unfettered. Away from her business pressures and her family obligations, she was free to be Alex instead of the Alexandra Radcliffe. Losing herself to her thoughts, she held on to the metal railing, leaning back against Nico’s chest, feeling his strong heartbeat against her shoulder. His arm circled her waist, holding her steady, and his hand splayed over her stomach, making her insides flutter.

  He wasn’t the kind of man her family would approve of. Well, Gabe and Fallon would love him, but her parents and grandmother would say he wasn’t part of their circle of influence, that he wasn’t worthy. She knew his worth shouldn’t be based on his lack of inheritance. Shouldn’t his kindness be taken into account? What should matter is that he was pursuing his goals and reaching for his dreams, building a legacy for himself, the same way her family had, so many years ago.

  The streetcar shuddered as it came to a stop and Nico’s voice rumbled against her back. “This is where we get off.”

  Alex looked up, surprised when she saw where they’d come to a halt. “The Ferry Building? We’re having brunch here?”

  “This is the most eclectic collection of stores in the entire city.”

  “I’ve been here before—”

  “But not with me.” He reached for her hand. “And our first stop is Boulettes for brunch.”

  Chapter 20

  Alex couldn’t help but laugh at the way Nico dragged her from one market to another after brunch. They sampled everything from wine to fish to nuts. Nico described every product knowingly, and it boggled her mind.

  When they reached the end of the market, he led her into Gott’s for ice cream. On their way out, she couldn’t help but feel her heart clench when he bought an extra cone and handed it to a little girl standing outside with her father.

  From the dirty smudges on her face and the threadbare clothing they wore, Alex knew they were just two of San Francisco’s many homeless, but Nico presented it to her as if she were a princess.

  “My lady,” he said with a bow, making the child giggle with delight. “Your vanilla with sprinkles.” He stood and shook the father’s hand before introducing Alex.

  “I’m Brad. What’s a lady like you doing with a reprobate like this guy?” he teased, nudging Nico with his elbow before laying a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “This is Meredith.”

  The little girl rolled her eyes. “Merry, I told you.”

  “Merry,” he corrected himself at her chastisement, with a benevolent smile.

  “Princess Merry,” Nico offered with another slight bow before turning back to Brad. “Any news?”

  “Still waiting to hear back.”

  “How’d that interview go?”

  Brad looked sheepish. “I couldn’t make it. I didn’t have anyone to stay with her since…well…” Alex glanced down at Merry, too intent on her ice cream to know the adults were talking about her. “I tried to reschedule but they said they needed someone right away.”

  Alex noticed Nico’s slight frown. “That’s rough, man. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

  She couldn’t imagine Brad’s dilemma, raising a child on the streets, simply trying to survive. Brad shrugged but Alex didn’t miss the way his eyes misted when he glanced down at Merry.

  Alex didn’t miss the money Nico pressed into the man’s palm, nor did she miss the way Brad’s eyes grew somber as he thanked Nico.

  Normally, she would have walked by, barely noticing him or Merry, but Nico wasn’t like that. She moved closer to him, her hand sliding into his. She was awed by his generosity, even as her guilt gnawed at the edges of her heart. She had far more advantages than he did, yet he was the one who saw clearly. She knew San Francisco was a beautiful city but, like so many cultural meccas, it could also be brutally unforgiving.

  Saying their good-byes, they wandered behind the market, onto the dock where Alex leaned over the railing, watching the harbor seals playing in the water below. Gulls circled overhead, crying out as they landed to fight over crumbs people left behind. Alex felt Nico’s hands land on her hips, his chest pressed against her back.

  She turned to face him, letting her fingers find the solid muscle of his forearms, feeling the tingles of pleasure at touching him. “How long have you known Brad?”

  Nico cocked his head to one side, studying her. “About a year, I guess. I come to the Market a lot and he’s here almost every day. As you can tell, Merry is his life, and since he lost his wife to cancer last year, she doesn’t like to leave him.”

  “She’s not in school?”

  “I don’t think so. I know they were at a shelter for a while.”

  Alex tried to imagine what it would be like to lose a parent at such a young age, as well as to be homeless. Nico took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them, she could see the sorrow there for a man he was barely acquainted with. Nico took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his eyes bleak as he shook his head. He had an artist’s heart. He felt things and they affected him deeply.

  She slid her hands up his arms to cup his jaw, the rasp of his whiskers rubbing against her palms. “I’ve never met anyone quite like you.”

  “We don’t exactly run in similar circles.”

  “And yet, here we are.”

  He lowered his mouth to hers, his lips brushing hers gently. “Are you sure this is where you want to be?” His voice sounded strained as he asked.

  She couldn’t help but feel as if they were standing on a precipice, as if he was asking for more of her than she was ready to give him just yet. He knew they were from different worlds but he didn’t yet realize how different—and she wasn’t ready to tell him yet.

  Instead she decided to focus on what they had. Her gaze met his, willing him to read the truth there. “Maybe you’re exactly the kind of change I need in my life.”

  Chapter 21

  Nico shut down his computer and rubbed his eyes. It had been a long time since he’d tried to cram that much financial information into his brain. Measurements—liters, cups, and tablespoons—were the only numbers he had room for in his head, but trying to figure out how to write up a business plan might just be the death of him.

  He knew he could have asked Alex to help him but he held back. After their afternoon at the Ferry Market, something had changed between them. And it made him want to prove to her that he had plans for success. He wasn’t all talk. She wasn’t the only one who could build a business and he wanted to see the look on her face when he took her to his restaurant.
r />   He’d spent every free moment over the past three days putting together the information he needed for the bank. He documented his competition, forecasted his profitability, and detailed how the loan would be spent. When the last t was crossed, he leaned back in the chair at his kitchen table. He yawned, stretching his arms above his head and trying to work out the kinks as he waited for the papers to finish printing.

  If there was one thing he’d discovered this past week with Alex, it was that fortune favored the bold. She spoke her mind, asked questions, and got answers. She wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted and it inspired him to take forward steps instead of sitting back and waiting. He’d wasted enough time waiting for more experience, for the money to come in, for the time to be right…

  She didn’t know it, but she’d changed him.

  Nico stared at the picture on his phone, his fingers playing with the edge of the business card in front of him. It was time to make the call and set up the appointment to sign the lease. He was that certain the money from the bank would come through this time. He could almost feel the building calling out to him, could almost see the marquee spelling out the Don, making his dream a reality. He wasn’t just visualizing his future—he was willing it into existence.

  He hesitated, flipping the card in his fingers. It would be difficult. Even if he quit his job at Martinelli’s, could he still continue working as a personal chef, since it was, at least, a steady income stream? Opening a restaurant was a hundred-hour-a-week job—he wasn’t going to have time to work anywhere else, no matter what the benefit was. He could ask Lowell if perhaps Mrs. Radcliffe might want him to do breakfast every day instead, which would allow him to open the Don every afternoon and still manage evening service. At least for the first year, and then maybe he could sleep. As long as he made the food he wanted, he would bring in enough income to stay in the black the first year.

  Swiping his thumb over his phone and making the picture of the old theater disappear, he punched in the number for the property management company that oversaw the building. He was finally making his dream a reality. And he had Alex to thank for giving him that final push.

  Chapter 22

  Alex stared at the food containers lining the counter in her kitchen. It smelled phenomenal. She couldn’t wait to eat it, but she needed to get it onto a plate before Nico arrived. The knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

  So much for that idea.

  Hurrying to the front door, she greeted Nico with a lingering kiss, her hands greedy to touch him again. It had been three days since she’d seen him and talking to him on the phone and by text just wasn’t the same as having the living, breathing man near her.

  She rocked back on her heels and Nico closed the distance between them. He captured her mouth again, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close. She savored the moment, her fingers digging into the hard muscles of his back.

  Nico pressed his forehead against hers. “Something smells good. You cooked me dinner?”

  She gave a quick, unladylike snort. “You’ve seen how empty my kitchen usually is. I ordered food.” She reached for his hand, pulling him back into the living room. “Come on, before it gets cold.”

  “Sit,” he said, easing her toward one of the chairs at her dining table. “I’ll dish it out.” Nico pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head and made his way into the kitchen.

  Alex couldn’t help but smile at the sudden change her life had taken. She’d gone from hectic, overworked, and stressed-out to relaxed and light-hearted, excited about what each day brought. Nico was reawakening her every passion.

  “You think you got enough food?” he called back to her.

  “I wasn’t sure what you would want.”

  Nico carried four plates of food back into the dining room. “So you decided to buy the entire menu?” He smiled and sat down next to her. “How was work the last few days?”

  “Small talk?”

  He grinned and winked at her. “Keeps my mind off how delicious you look. Instead of eating, I’d rather lay you out on this table right now.”

  A shiver of desire rolled through her, like a wave that was building, threatening to drown her. Suddenly, drowning didn’t sound so bad.

  His gaze slid over her, igniting the yearning for him.

  “Well?” he asked again.

  She fought to control her thoughts. Alex licked her lips, trying to focus while he was staring at her like she was the entree and dessert all wrapped up in one delicious package. “I…um, work is good. We’ve finalized the deal with Eco-Tech and now I just need to streamline some of the procedures.”

  He took a tentative bite of the mushroom ravioli dish. “Streamline?”

  “There are a few practices they have that don’t make sense financially.” She took a bite of a bacon-wrapped scallop and it practically melted in her mouth. “Oh, these are good.”

  He shot her a patronizing smile. “You think so because you’ve never had mine.”

  “You sound a little cocky,” she teased.

  “I am when it comes to my cooking. It’s no different than you coming in, ready to negotiate, knowing you’re going to close the deal. I saw how confident you can be, firsthand.”

  “Don’t remind me,” she said with a laugh. “Anyway, we’re hoping to save money by restructuring the IT department. The customer service will be transferred, for the most part, to a call center overseas.”

  He frowned, setting his fork on the table. “You can’t do that, Alex. Eco-Tech employs a lot of people in those two departments. Doug will have a fit. His employees are family.”

  She bristled at his reaction. “If Mr. Kincaid was so worried about his employees, he wouldn’t have given up his majority share. He knew this would happen. It’s not personal; it’s business. Besides, I’m not the only one making the decision. I have to think about my investors.”

  “I think there are other factors in the mix, Alex.”

  She stared at him, shocked by his objection. “Excuse me? My job is to figure out how to make the company more profitable, and that includes advising them on how to cut back on frivolous spending.”

  “It’s a person’s salary, Alex. Their livelihood. Not a ‘frivolous’ expense. Not everything’s about profitability margins. They need to know you see them as valuable or they’ll find a place that does.”

  “Thanks for your sage wisdom,” she said, setting her fork down as she glared at him. “Especially since you’ve run so many big corporations. I’ve done this before, Nico. I know what I’m doing.”

  The muscle in his jaw twitched as he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I can’t say that I have the same experience with investors and big company takeovers like you do. But I can say that I know regular people. If you walk into Eco-Tech and start throwing your weight around, making the employees feel more like numbers on a page than people, you’re never going to earn their trust or respect.”

  “Regular people?” She arched a brow, unable to believe how judgmental he was being. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means you’ve lost touch, Alex. Not everyone lives with an ocean view and drivers. Some of us are just trying to survive, dreaming of a life that isn’t even remotely like yours.”

  “I’ve lost…” Alex paused, looking down at her hands, trying to regain control of the emotions that had quickly spiraled out of control. This wasn’t who she was. She didn’t lose her temper. She didn’t get angry. She was too prepared and calculating.

  She inhaled slowly. “Perhaps you’re right, but you don’t understand the nature of my business. My job is to make money for my investors, and to make as much as possible. That means trimming what they might see as unnecessary expenses.”

  “Even at the risk of your empathy?”

  “It’s not at risk, Nico. At work, my job is to maintain a profitable company. I’m sorry if you can’t understand that.”

  “I understand it, Alex. But that doesn’t make i
t right.”

  She’d known that this was coming. She’d known that their differences would eventually create a chasm too wide to cross. She’d only hoped that they would have more time.

  Alex closed her eyes, blinking back the tears threatening to fall.

  “You should go, Nico.”

  “Alex—”

  “Please.” She lifted her gaze, locking it on his and squaring her shoulders, forcing herself to slip on the steely coldness that had served her so well in her business. “I think it’s time we part ways. I think that this—whatever it was between us—is over.”

  Chapter 23

  Alex rubbed her fingers at her temple, trying to concentrate on her grandmother’s ideas about the shipping company.

  “So, you see, we need a web presence. Whatever that is.” Her grandmother reached a perfectly manicured hand for the crystal goblet of water, sipping it daintily, watching Alex carefully. “Don’t you agree?”

  “Grandmother,” Alex said carefully, “Radcliffe Shipping caters to bulk shipping—containers—not to one-off projects from small businesses. Companies ship their large items overseas by airplanes now, which is causing the trouble you’re now facing. A webpage isn’t going to help that.”

  Wilhelmina Radcliffe narrowed her icy blue eyes on Alex, who was seated at the other end of the massive dining table. Alex waited as her grandmother pursed her lips thoughtfully, tapping her finger against the cherrywood table. Few people were willing to risk her grandmother’s ire enough to be honest, but Alex felt strongly about this. Somehow, she had to tell her grandmother that Radcliffe Shipping was facing several major flaws. It was going to crumble if they weren’t corrected quickly. She braced herself for the scathing retort.

  “Then what do you suggest? It seems you have something in mind.”

  Alex’s brows shot up. She hadn’t expected her grandmother to request her opinion and was surprised by the rare show of respect. “Well, for one, you’d need to change the way operations are run at the dock. You have more men than you need. They should be working shifts around the clock rather than ten-hour days. But the best option would be to sell.”