by Jean Oram
“You know what?” she said. “I might know somebody. It’s a long shot. Really long, but I can ask.”
“Maya. You are a godsend.”
“I’ll call you back, okay?”
She hung up and rang Steve from Roundhouse Distributions, hoping he’d recall who she was.
“Hi, Steve? It’s Maya Summer, the girl with the taxi in Toronto.”
“Wow. How’d you know I needed a ride downtown?”
Maya laughed. “Sorry, I’m unable to take a fare right now, but I actually had a distribution question for you. Do you have a moment?”
“Sure.”
Maya explained what she needed. “So, I’m not certain if you can help, or point me in the right direction? We’ve ended up in a bit of a time crunch.”
“I’m actually heading to a meeting right now with a distributor who might be able to help you out. I can ask.”
Maya stared at her phone. If this was what everyone was talking about with the whole connections thing, then hot damn, it was the coolest thing ever.
“That would be amazing. Thank you.”
“No problem. Loving the Twitter jokes, by the way.”
“I’m glad.” Maya grinned at the sky. The Twitter jokes. She’d forgotten about the odd joke she’d been tweeting to him here and there. She had been connecting and maintaining their link without even realizing it. “Thanks, Steve. So much, really. I appreciate it.”
He let out a laugh. “I only said I’d ask. I can’t promise what they’ll say.”
“I know, but thank you just the same.”
She happily lowered her phone, feeling more hope than she had in ages. Listen, pause, reflect and connect. She and Connor could write a business book, because Snap was officially back in business. Too bad Connor was more interested in being a corrupt jerk, because she had a feeling they could make a lot of money as a team.
CHAPTER 15
Connor rolled over, bed sheets tangling around his legs as he scratched his crotch. Hmm. Something interesting was happening there. He stroked his morning wood and grinned. He was back. Connor the King MacKenzie was back.
Jumping out of bed, he dressed quickly and shot out the door of his penthouse to finalize the papers with James. Two more hours and he’d be free.
He sent a quick text to Tristen in Muskoka, giving him the go-ahead on a project they’d been working on. Today was the first day of the rest of Connor’s life. A real life.
He strolled into his building—his for only another few hours, as he’d ensured James would take immediate possession. If James was going to have a bit of financial suffering, then the least Connor could do was expedite it.
Dappled light filtered in through the lobby’s dusty side windows, and he couldn’t wait to get out of the city.
A few hours later, he hurried back through the lobby, the few things he wanted to take with him tucked under one arm, Daphne’s sunflower painting in the other.
The security guard glanced up and, recognizing him, shouted a hello. “Hey! Is it true you’re selling the place?”
“Already did it. I’m a free man.” If he didn’t have full arms, Connor would have spread them out to do a spin in the middle of the lobby. Within hours the money would be in his account and he’d be rich. Dirty, filthy stinkin’ rich. Well, until he completed the projects he had lined up with Tristen. That was going to skim a little off the top of his nest egg, but it would be well worth it.
Climbing into his Lexus, he headed toward Muskoka. He wondered how Maya’s entrepreneur project was going. Had she given up when Nolan hadn’t been able to deliver? Had she carried on by finding another way? Seeing as his name was on the contract, Connor should probably check in with her. Plus it was a very good excuse to see the woman who had been haunting his dreams.
Tapping the steering wheel, he sang along to the radio, knowing he could finally love Maya in all the ways he’d wanted to since the night in the boathouse. Only two steps away from happiness, and the man he was meant to be.
* * *
Connor stood on Nymph Island’s dock and stared up at the large green cottage. He turned to the water taxi. “If I don’t come down in ten minutes, assume you are free to go.”
The man nodded, folding the bills Connor had given him.
The cottage was quiet, but that didn’t mean Maya wasn’t there. He climbed the path, marveling at how he had energy and even a bit of pep, and was only slightly winded by the time he stood on the veranda. Not bad. Not bad at all. This place had been good for him. Magical, even.
The cottage was open and he went inside, calling Maya’s name.
No answer. He began checking rooms, including his old one. He still had stuff in there. Maya hadn’t packed it up and chucked it. What did that mean?
Noticing the battery was running low for the cottage’s power system, he rolled up his shirtsleeves and checked the wires from the solar panels. Something was funky with this system, judging how Maya kept fiddling with it. The wires all appeared to be in order, so he checked the battery’s water levels. All good. Probably just old.
Feeling as though he should do something to ensure Maya had what she needed out here, he bent over the generator. It required that adjustment she’d been tinkering with the other week. He headed back into the cottage and grabbed the toolbox from under the sink, then returned to the generator and began fiddling with it until he had the machine running smoothly. He straightened his back and stared straight into the blue eyes that had been haunting him since the night he’d left for Italy. Maya.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Giving your generator a quick tune-up. It’ll use less gas. I think you probably need a new battery, though.”
She let out a “humph!” and continued past him, into the building, the door slapping behind her. He carried the tool kit over to where the hinge was coming out of the old wood frame and fixed that, too.
Maya appeared on the other side of the screen, hands on her hips. “What are you doing?”
“Fixing the door. Don’t open it for a few hours. The glue needs to dry.”
“When’d you become a handyman?”
“I grew up in an old house.”
“Why are you here?”
“I was wondering how the entrepreneur project was coming along. I thought I should check in, but I got distracted by a few things that had been bugging me during my stay.”
Maya’s shoulders relaxed and she laid a hand on the screen door.
“Other exit!” He placed his own palm on his side of the door, keeping it closed, their flesh separated by nothing more than a thin slice of wood.
She stared at him for a moment, then slowly lowered her hand and turned away as though she’d been rejected. After a moment, he heard the screen door off the kitchen slam shut. There was so much to tell her that he didn’t know where to start. It didn’t help that she was using her poker face with him.
She came around to the wicker seating area and gestured for him to sit. He took a moment to take in her luscious curves, showcased by her tank top and shorts, before joining her.
“It looks as though we are all set to go,” she said. “We should have the product ready in six weeks.”
“Really? The dental device?”
“You seem surprised.”
He was surprised. “How’d you pull it together so quickly?”
“There were a few glitches. We overcame them.”
“Think we’ll make money?” He loved the way she jumped straight into things. No “Hi, how are you? Are we still mad at each other? Why were you such an ass?” She could be professional even when she was pissed at him.
Another good reason to choose her.
“Yes. And I think if we could get in to talk to someone at Health Canada we’d make waves faster.”
“I read the paperwork you emailed. The proposal and projections seem conservative, if anything.”
She nodded, and he could tell he’d reminded her of the other email s
he’d sent the same day as the proposal. The email about James. In time, Maya. Have patience.
Although the way she wasn’t asking about it right off the bat told him he wasn’t the only one who had changed.
“I know someone,” he said.
“Of course you do.” There was a bitterness in her voice.
“I think we could be a good team, Maya.”
“Maybe if you listened to me and were an honest, up front…and not a―a...”
He’d never seen her at a loss for words before and knowing he was the reason for all that emotion blocking her ability to express herself, he felt horrible.
“I do listen,” he said gently, “and I did. In fact, I took action based on what you told me. I’m sorry that I fired you. I should have handled things better.”
Maya shifted farther away from him, her arms crossing over her chest.
“I sold CM Enterprises, Maya.”
“What?”
“It’ll be in the news later today.”
She leaned forward, her eyes locked on his. “You’re kidding.”
“I’m not. What better way to ensure James got what he deserved than to leave him holding the bag?” Connor grinned. This was still too good to be true. The only downside was the way he’d had to treat Maya and still not knowing who held Bill’s allegiance—him or James—and whether he’d burned a good man.
“How did you manage to convince him to buy the company he was ruining?”
“He’s a proud man and would have had a lot of explaining to do if he refused to purchase the firm he’s always wanted. In fact, it probably would have sounded a lot like a confession. Thanks for throwing in that legal threat during your tirade back at the office, by the way. It really helped me out.”
Maya frowned, then her face slowly began to soften. He watched her expressions change, unsure whether she disapproved or not. It made him want to kiss her just to make her smile.
“It’s not so bad that he can’t turn it around,” Connor said. “And now that he owns the place, I’m sure he will. I wish him nothing but good things.”
Maya finally smiled, the tension drifting out of her pose.
Connor’s phone chirped and he held it up in bafflement. “You get cell service now?”
“They put in a cell booster across the water. It seems to help us a bit. It’s spotty, though.”
He lifted the phone to his ear. “Connor here.”
“The money went through,” said his lawyer. “You are out, Mr. MacKenzie.”
Connor thanked him and smiled at Maya. He set down his phone and dusted his hands together. “Transaction completed. I am officially no longer the owner of CM Enterprises, Ltd.”
“Remind me to never mess with you,” she said, with an admiration that stirred him up inside. He wanted to show her all he could do if given the chance, especially now that he was back on his game.
“Shall we?” he asked.
“Shall we what?”
“I’m pretty sure I can get a meeting with the man you need to see at Health Canada. Monday is a holiday, so I’d suggest we get moving. Can your people get to Ottawa on short notice?”
“You’re kidding!” Maya smoothed her hair in a move that was uncertain—not typical for her. “Today?”
He pulled her to her feet, keeping her hand in his. “There are two things I never kid about, Maya Summer. Love and business.”
* * *
Maya listened to Connor splashing in the cottage bathroom as he shaved and got suited up to meet with his man over at Health Canada. She tried to make herself believe that she could trust Connor to stay in the business game long enough to set this thing on fire, and that he was as excited as she was. Because, really? Who sold their multimillion-dollar company that was doing well, even given James’s added speed bumps? Sure, it was pretty cool the way Connor had stuck it to his corrupt advisor and all the man could do was open up and swallow it or face prosecution for misrepresentation of financial statements, bribery, having a negative impact on Connor’s product development, corruption, as well as a misappropriation of funds. But the way Connor had been a shadow through the whole entrepreneur deal, and now wanted to swoop in when Maya had it in the bag, didn’t quite sit right.
Then again, there was something about him today that reminded her of the old Mr. MacKenzie. A determination and focus that made her body weak with longing.
She rocked forward in her chair, hands tucked between her skirted knees, palm to palm. Then she stood and called through the bathroom door, “Why didn’t you trust me? Why didn’t you tell me about the deal you were making with James?”
There was silence. Finally Connor said, his voice low and tinged with regret, “I couldn’t risk it, Maya. I didn’t even tell Bill.”
She stood, hand on the bathroom knob. She wanted to see his face.
The door opened and Connor faced her, shirtless and buff, his chin covered in shaving cream. “I’m sorry I had to let you lose face in front of everyone in the office, but I couldn’t blow my position. I couldn’t let on that I wasn’t on James’s side. Not until he’d bought the company.” Connor turned to the sink to resume shaving.
“Why are you interested in this deal all of a sudden?”
“Do you not want me to go?”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Good, because I want to meet these people.”
While Maya waited for Connor to finish up, she went over her notes one more time, trying to quell her nerves. She toyed with her necklace and wondered what was taking him so long. Shouldn’t women take longer than men to get ready?
A few minutes later he appeared fully suited. She slowly took him in, her breath collapsing out of her lungs in a whoosh. He was hot. Ohmigod. So smoking hot she was amazed the smoke detector wasn’t having a hissy fit. He was sexy. Powerful. Everything she’d seen in the conference he’d spoken at all those years ago, but more. There was a determination within him that stoked her internal fire. She wanted him. Badly.
He’d shaved, and his chin was a thing of male beauty. She wanted to close the distance and pull him against her and see what their bodies suggested.
He tugged his suit jacket, buttoning it. He’d toned up, and it didn’t fit quite as perfectly as the man it had been tailored for, but holy… This was even better than she’d imagined. The world wouldn’t know what had hit it. He’d be leaving a wake of wet panties everywhere he went today.
And he’d be on her arm as her business partner.
She picked up her purse and the boat key. “Shall we?”
Connor strode to her side, giving her a peck on the cheek. She nearly swooned. The scent of his cologne. So corporate. Powerful. Expensive.
Yes, this was the life she had been dreaming about.
Connor adjusted his suit. “This feels good. Like putting on a comfortable old skin.”
She knew it. He may have sold his business, but he was still in the game. She led them down to the dock and gestured for him to get into the old Boston Whaler.
He held out an arm to stop her. “I have other plans.”
She frowned. Was he kidding? If they didn’t leave now they’d be late.
A seaplane roared in low, drowning out the rest of what he was saying. Damn Rubicore. Daphne was right to stop developments over there. It was disruptive, having richie-rich neighbors next door.
Connor pointed to the plane, which had landed and was motoring toward them. “Our ride awaits.”
“A plane is going to take as long as boating to the car.” Silly men. Always looking to show off.
“It’s taking us to Ottawa. We can land a block from the meeting.”
“What?” They were going to arrive by plane? She tore across the dock, eager to get on the aircraft.
Connor laughed. “I thought you might like that.”
Maya climbed into the seaplane and grinned at Connor. Without thinking, she grasped his face and drew his mouth to hers. Connor braced himself against the small plane’s frame and
leaned into her kiss, offering more than he ever had before. His free hand went to her waist as he deepened the kiss.
“I’ve missed you, spitfire.”
“My family calls me Snap,” she whispered, her lips barely away from his.
“Why’s that?” He gave her another warm, moist kiss.
“Snap decisions.”
“Not because you snap at people?”
“Only when they deserve it.” She flashed him a wicked grin and his eyelids lowered, his face nudging closer to hers. She inhaled his minty fresh breath and waited for him to kiss her again.
“You’ve learned patience, I see?”
“Shut up and kiss me. There’s a time and place for everything.”
“Ottawa?” the pilot asked.
“You know the place,” Connor replied. He turned his attention back to Maya. “Buckle up. We have some people to woo.”
* * *
He’d done it. Maya could barely believe it. Connor had come in all smiles and information, and drawn everyone in the meeting into one big happy, collaborative family. It was incredible. If there had ever been any doubt in her mind why he was the king, this meeting had definitively squashed it.
Connor helped Maya out of the bobbing aircraft back at Nymph Island.
“So?” he asked. “Did you like traveling in style?”
“Hell, yeah.”
“Want to keep doing it?”
Maya turned, her long skirt swishing against her legs. “What do you mean?”
Connor’s hand drifted to hers, and he linked their fingers lightly. “I mean, do you want to become business partners? On more than just this project.”
“Say what?” She couldn’t have heard that correctly, because her brain was definitely incapable of computing the idea of the two of them as business partners, and it could compute plenty.
Connor slipped closer, his expression serious. “You have amazing instincts. I ignored requests for backing for years, and never once considered venture capitalism. But maybe you and I, together, could help people achieve their dreams.”
