Lacy's Billionaire Boss

by Francesca Lane

  Rafael’s gaze returned to her. “Good to run into you. Maggie says you might need some help with moving furniture and other jobs around the old place. Do you have my number?”

  Lacy grabbed her phone. “Great idea. I don’t, but give it to me and I’ll be in touch.”

  After she’d keyed his number into her phone and said goodbye, they approached the counter.

  They ordered two cappuccinos and eclairs, all the while Lacy wondering what she’d gotten herself into. The past hour felt like a dream. When was the last time a billionaire had taken her on a Sunday drive in his convertible?

  That would be never. Not that she had sought out that sort of thing. She had dated, plenty of times, but men were too picky. Or maybe she was. She took a surreptitious glance at Finn as he sipped his coffee and surveyed the creampuff of a bakery they had found themselves in. Lashes for days. Had she noticed before how long his dark eyelashes were? The soberness she had always found intriguing in him, well, on the few occasions that she had actually been in the same room with Finn, had vanished. He looked tan, relaxed, and maybe even a little smitten with the small town of Colibri.

  “I’m not overwhelmed,” he said suddenly, breaking her reverie.

  “Excuse me?”

  He stirred the foam in his cup. “Impressed, but not overwhelmed.”

  “With Colibri?”

  “Yes.”

  This rankled her somehow, like a personal slight, which, when you think of it, made zero sense since she had not really cared to come back here in the first place.

  Lacy kept her expression calm, unfettered. It wasn’t easy. Why did she suddenly care what Finn Hastings thought about where she had grown up?

  He leaned forward, as if pulling her into his confidence. “I do find the area charming in its own way, but I have yet to envision it as a host for one of our hotels.”

  “Of course.”

  “Am I wrong?”

  She looked into his eyes, searching for a dare, as in, would she, as his subordinate, dare to tell him otherwise? For a half second, Lacy considered suggesting they make one more stop on the way back to their respective houses. No one knew the area like she did. Somehow, this thought both emboldened and shook her. Her mind wandered to the hours she would spend on her bike as a kid, zigzagging through the streets, with no one breathing down her neck to get back home.

  Sometimes she wondered if anyone noticed she was gone at all.

  “You’re the boss,” she finally said. “I believe that when you find what you’re looking for, you will know it when you see it.”

  Finn considered her for a long moment, so long that she nearly broke eye contact with him. Finally, he nodded. “I suppose you’re right.”

  They finished their coffees and fat-laden snack in a comfortable silence, and she noticed, with some surprise, that she was not looking forward to the end of their time together. Lacy lifted her gaze once or twice to find Finn watching her. Or so it seemed to her. But she would not allow herself to think that his focus on her meant anything more than it did.

  He was doing his due diligence, and as the head of a thriving corporation, that was to be expected. Finn was known as a man who could be hyper-focused in business. One story that circulated around the office water coolers was the time he was in negotiations for their Chicago property when a car ran over a hydrant right outside of the all-glass conference rooms. His assistant and others in the room were agog as they watched thousands of gallons of water shoot into the street, scattering cars and people from the area. But Finn kept on with negotiations, never letting his gaze slide from the task at hand, until he got what he wanted.

  She thought about that. Maybe the so-called cool, calm exterior was part of his tactic all along.

  Well, no matter. Finn would be leaving Colibri soon, so she too needed to stay focused. No sense allowing her heart to take a hit. She’d already found herself falling for him once, and then learned how he treated his brother. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice? She wasn’t about to let that happen.

  If Lacy was anyone else, he might have asked her to dinner. But how could he have done so without annihilating all protocol? Finn puffed out his cheeks and blew out a harsh breath, trying to clear his mind. No wonder his brother was attracted to Lacy. She was more than beautiful to look at—she had spirit and fire. She wasn’t afraid of him, and he liked that, though he suspected she was holding back some of her fire due to his position as her, well, as her boss. Or at least, her boss’s boss.

  One thing he knew for sure: she complicated things for him in Colibri. And outside of Colibri as well.

  Finn frowned. Was it possible that he had misread his brother’s intentions? He knew that Adrian would not do anything to make Lacy uncomfortable. Even if he had feelings for her, he would have to know that those feelings were returned before he approached her about them. He thought more about this. Perhaps a call to their human resources director might be in order.

  Of course, Finn could clear all this up with one simple phone call to his brother.

  But would his very private, health-compromised brother reveal his true feelings?

  A groan escaped him and he checked the time on his computer. After eleven. Finn had been working at the mahogany desk with the ocean view for hours, only vaguely aware of the sun’s disappearance followed by the moon’s eerie glow. He might have stopped earlier if the Wi-Fi had not been so glitchy, but who was he trying to kid? He was a workaholic, though he did not discount that trait like some did. Like Paige did.

  He moved to close his email when he caught sight of one from Lillian Madsen. She had been making promises since Helene’s first communication with her, saying she had secured—or would soon secure—the listings of several beachfront properties that his company could buy as tear downs. The draw of an oceanfront resort, especially in this rather quiet little town, was not something he could easily ignore. It would mean an entirely new spin on Hastings Resorts, and in fact, he contemplated starting another entity to brand this type of resort as such.

  Ms. Madsen had laid out the general location of the homes. It was no secret that zoning laws would have to be changed, but to his mind, that was a minor blip. Along with the sweeping views, he had also seen areas of neglect in the town’s infrastructure. Roads that needed repairing, medians and sidewalks that could use some trimming or replanting, and signage that had been badly battered by sand-laden wind. Certainly his team could come up with an offer that would address those needs.

  Something, however, niggled at him. The Morelli house was among the houses designated, at least by Madsen Real Estate & Investments, as a potential tear down. And yet, Lacy had not mentioned it. He had heard about her parents’ accident, and his assistant had sent her a note of condolence and flowers for the memorial.

  Finn twisted his mouth, thinking. Guilt sank in his gut, like a rare stone. How had he not managed to personally offer her his condolences, especially after they had spent so much of the morning together? To acknowledge that her presence at the family beach house must come with mixed feelings?

  No wonder she hadn’t mentioned the possibility of the family home being designated as a tear down. The subject was likely a sore one. He pushed his laptop away as a pang of compassion filled him.

  After a moment, Finn stood, stretching his torso. Perhaps another reason for this long sweep at the computer was that it kept him occupied. He glanced over at the Morelli home, not able to help himself, and noticed light coming from an upstairs window. Lacy’s bedroom? A night owl? Did she like to read? Work late?

  The thoughts roused something in him and he stepped quickly into the kitchen, pulled open the refrigerator door and closed it just as quickly. He should have asked Frank to buy something other than coffee, milk, and wine before sending him on his way. Thankfully, he had asked the valet to pick up some dry goods for the pantry.

  Finn grabbed a bag of almonds, poured himself a glass of Syrah, and walked onto the back deck. His feet were bare, his s
kin slightly cool after sitting in one place for so long. The red wine warmed him and he smiled. He would have liked to tell Lacy that she had drawn his attention to the wine, though doing so would reveal that she had made an impression from day one of their meeting. As he sipped, he wondered more about her. Her likes, dislikes, tastes … and what about her job in Vegas? Was she happy there? More importantly, did she return her brother’s obvious admiration for her?

  He flicked a look to the south, where a bonfire flared, sending sparks and the occasional pop into the air. Even from here he could feel the energy of it. Directly in front of him, a group of people milled about close to the shoreline, their voices punctuating the night. The weather, though cooling some, still held the summer’s warmth in it and the revelers had noticed. If he were back in New York now, it would not be out of the ordinary to leave his apartment at this time of night in search of a late bite. Going for a walk on the beach, however, would have never entered his head.

  The moon was full and the tide flowing out, so he shrugged off his reticence. After another sip, Finn set his wineglass on the table that was anchored to the deck and dashed back inside for a jacket. Foregoing shoes, he wandered down to the sand where the number of people swelled, his curiosity piqued.

  He had nearly reached the crowd when he heard his name being called. Finn turned to see Lacy, her hair piled on her head with tendrils falling from it, like she had just been in a windstorm. Her bare feet stuck out beneath a massive towel wrapped around her body.

  “Good evening, Lacy.”

  “Sir.”

  “Sir?”

  “I thought we were being formal.”

  He cracked a confused smile.

  After a moment she said, “So you are a fan of grunion.”

  “Grunion?”

  “That’s why you’re out here, isn’t it?” She smiled earnestly and he had half a mind to join her inside that towel. Reluctantly, he cast a look around and had a revelation. “Yes. Of course.”

  She hesitated, her eyes searching his face, then laughed, the sound of it a revelation: she was a night owl. “You have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?”

  This is where he had trained himself to keep his facial expressions in check, not let the other side see his hand of cards—if he were in hard negotiations. But with her? He could not seem to wipe the silly smile from his face. “Maybe you should tell me.”

  A whoop or two ricocheted through the crowd, and she surprised him by dropping the towel some and hooking her arm through his, her fingers pressing gently into his flesh. “We’re out here waiting for the grunion to run. If it happens, it’ll be spectacular.” She gave him a friendly little hug and unhooked their arms.

  “Tell me more.”

  “This is something that happens along the coast several times during the spring and summer months, only after high tide. You’ll see thousands of shiny fish, like big sardines, come ashore. It’s magnificent.”

  He quirked a look at her. “You’ve been holding out on me. What other secrets of Colibri are you keeping?”

  Lacy fanned her arm in front of her. “Look at all these people. I don’t think it’s much of a secret.”

  He nodded. “Yes, actually, I believe I’ve heard of this, though I have never been in the right place to see it. Why do they come ashore?”

  She pulled back slightly, a strange laugh coming from her. “To spawn.”

  “Ah. Of course.”

  “What do you mean ‘of course’?”

  “It’s better than the alternative.”

  “Which is?”

  “I thought perhaps that they were coming ashore to die.”

  “Oh my goodness, Finn, that’s awful!”

  He sputtered a laugh, all in fun, and shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a New Yorker. Late nights are for after-show dining and elevator rides to the top—not walking barefoot on the beach.”

  Lacy sighed. “That has got to be one of the saddest things I have ever heard.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe you’ll have a chance to try it sometime.” He winked, though she might not have noticed it in the dark. Probably for the best.

  “I do love New York,” she finally said. “But there’s something about the craziness of all of this”—she waved that hand through the air again—“that makes me realize what I may have been missing.”

  His gaze brushed over her face, and for a second or two, her mouth turned down, as if regret had come over her. A sudden desire to know everything behind that statement filled him. Voices rose around them, but he blocked out the sound, studying her. He, too, had a feeling that he had been missing … something.

  “Lacy,” he began.

  She squealed and grabbed his arm again, pulling him away from the water’s edge. “It’s starting, Finn! Come on!”

  Chaos ensued as a sudden torrent of thousands of fish flip-flopped onto shore, alternately displaying their silvery bellies and blueish-green backs. Calls to get back and give them space controlled the crowd that rejoiced at the spectacle, laughter and awe coming from the youngest to old-timers who had shown up, as if on schedule, to watch the ritual. The sand in front of them was covered by the creatures.

  Her hand still gripped his upper arm. He resisted the urge to cover it with his own hand, to keep her from letting go. Instead, he turned his face to watch her in the moonlit night, her expression fully happy, joyful, and for a moment, he saw a flash of the little girl who had once been on this beach, laughing under the stars.

  “They’re so pretty!” she said, laughing.

  “And frisky,” another woman added.

  Yeah,” the woman’s male companion said. “That’s a lot of mating going on out there!”

  Lacy snorted a little and giggled, the sound of it strangely appealing. Another break of the waves sent a rush of grunion to the beach, putting Finn and Lacy squarely in the middle of thousands of fish, apparently doing their version of a mating dance. He took hold of Lacy’s hand and pulled her up a slope until they landed on dry sand. He dropped onto his behind and she landed next to him.

  Finn squeezed Lacy’s hand and let it go, both of them laughing still. Down below them the crowd of children and adults continued to squeal and run to the outer edges of the phenomenon. She lifted her phone and snapped a round of pictures, her sighs sounding like soft squeals. Waves crashed. A breeze picked up. After a few moments, Lacy pulled her towel around herself again. He thought he heard her teeth chatter.

  He moved closer to her, until their knees touched, though hers were wrapped in terry cloth. They sat there a long while, watching, until the crowd dissipated and gusts of wind reminded them how very late it was. Lacy slid a look at him, her face alive with the memory of the night. Silently, she stood and Finn followed. He walked her home, the quiet between them both comfortable and full of questions.

  Four

  “Do you have a plus one?”

  Lacy scrunched her entire face at Maggie’s question. “Have you lost your mind?” She turned away from her sister and glanced at her cell phone as if it were a magic eight ball, a kid’s game asking her a rather ridiculous question.

  Maggie laughed lightly. “Don’t be so easily offended. I was just asking.”

  “I’ve only been here a week.”

  “You grew up here. Sort of.”

  “That means nothing, you know.”

  “Not really, it doesn’t.”

  Lacy paused at the suspicious tone in Maggie’s voice. “Spill it.”

  “It’s nothing really. I ran into Rafael at the beach and he casually mentioned seeing you with a man at the bakery and I thought, perhaps, it might be the same guy—Finn, was it?—who showed up here the other day.” She giggled but hardly took a breath. “By the way, don’t mention to Luke that I was talking to our neighborhood shirtless wonder. He kinda has a thing against him.”

  Lacy snapped an eye roll to the ceiling. Doesn’t anyone have anything else to do around here?”

  “Well?”
<
br />   She shook her head. “The gossip chain is strong as ever around here.”

  “He said he was a suit. Um, wait a second. Lacy! You said his last name was Hastings. No way!”

  “What?”

  Maggie dipped her chin, her eyes narrowed. “Your boss didn’t follow you here, right?”

  “Not exactly.”

  Her big sister put a hand to her forehead. “How did I not realize this?”

  “You’re getting married. You are allowed to have bride brain.”

  “Ha! But you haven’t answered my question. He either did or didn’t follow you here, and have you reminded him that you’re on sabbatical? Not to mention that you have a job to do while you’re here?”

  Lacy had spent the morning removing photos, doodads, and anything else deemed too personal from the bedroom on the first floor. She ran her thumb along a photo of her and her siblings sitting under Maggie’s blue umbrella—Maggie looked curvy, Grace smart, Jake bored, and Bella otherworldly. The expression on her own face was more difficult to describe. It was a mix between anticipation and disappointment and she really wished she could recall what had been happening on that particular day. Or if that was just her regular face.

  She sighed and set the photo back down on the old whale bedspread. “If you must know, my boss’s boss, which actually makes him the big boss, has rented the house next door—which, by the way, is a big secret, so shush. Anyway, he is here to scout land and I was asked to give him a tour of Colibri. That’s it.”

  “So it’s a big secret because of competitors?” Maggie laughed. “I doubt seriously there are any, not that Colibri isn’t a hidden gem, in my opinion.”

  “No. Wren told me that a local group of homeowners are against vacation rentals, so she asked me not to mention that the one next door to ours is being used in that way. She also, quite coincidentally, asked me to bring the key over when Finn arrived.”

  “Huh.”

  “Huh, what?”

  “I don’t really think there’s such a thing as coincidence.”

  “I’m not lying to you, Mags. She asked me to bring the key over to the evening arrival and it happened to be Finn Hastings.”