by Sam Crescent
“No, it doesn’t.”
Bella hated loss, and if she wanted to, she didn’t even have to work at all. There was no reason for her to. Her father was incredibly wealthy, like stupid rich, and it made her uncomfortable when people found out who her father was. She never brought him up, and preferred her much simpler life. Her mother was a great believer in keeping your feet firmly on the ground.
Working was something Bella liked to do, and there was no way she could sit around all day or even go shopping. She liked to work. She enjoyed working, and the thought that she could be helping someone was more than enough reward.
Chapter Two
Alaric had resorted to a puppy. He hated pets, and now he had to remember he’d said his name was Blue. The vet, Deidre, had given him the all clear, and was more than happy with Buster. So, Bella Reed liked animals, and she hadn’t had any work done. The picture he had of her, it didn’t do her justice at all. She was a lot prettier in person.
“He’s all good to go. Bella will arrange another appointment for his first set of injections. Don’t let him out just yet, and keep him away from other dogs, unless they’ve been inoculated.”
“I will. Thank you.” He wanted to get out and talk to Bella. His plan couldn’t work unless he got a chance to talk to her, or even ask her out on a date. Alaric didn’t like that he had lied to her, which was strange. He was going to be doing a hell of a lot of lying in the coming weeks. There was a plan, and he wanted to get Bella to fall in love with him before the New Year, and end things. January was when he’d be at the same banquet dinner as her father. What better time to ruin Jackson Reed than with the knowledge he’d hurt her daughter?
It all made perfect sense.
First, he needed to get over whatever was bothering him when it came to Bella. He wasn’t used to caring about anyone.
Entering the main reception area, he saw that Bella was the only one there.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
“Perfect. Thank you for putting me in last minute.”
She waved her hand in front of her. “Don’t worry about it. We all do whatever we can for our pets.”
“What pet do you have?” he asked, not sure if he’d read about her having a pet.
“I don’t. I’ve not had a pet since I was a kid.” She looked really sad.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Thank you. I think.” She clicked on the computer screen, biting her lip. This job thing wasn’t a fake. She was staring at the screen while typing. “It looks like we can have him back in two weeks. Is that okay for you?”
“Yes. That’s brilliant.”
She wrote his details on the card, and handed them to him. “Thank you so much for coming. Have a wonderful weekend.”
Seeing no reason to linger, Alaric carried his new pet out of the veterinary practice. He was going to have to hire a dog babysitter or something.
Putting the puppy in his cage in the back of his car, he made sure he was comfortable, and had several puppy treats. There was so much shit to take into account when it came to having a pet.
He slammed the trunk, and grabbed his cell phone, jumping behind the steering wheel. Dialing Rex’s number, he waited for his friend to answer.
Rex was the only friend that had remained by his side since they were kids. They were both bachelors, and neither of them had any intention of settling down.
“What’s going on?” Rex asked.
“What are you doing?” Alaric glanced at his watch, and saw it was past seven.
“I’m working. Like I always work. Didn’t you know the best damn lawyers don’t get a chance to rest? So, how did your little meeting go? Is she there as a joke or something?”
“Nope. She’s there, and it’s legit. She also doesn’t go by the name Reed either.”
“Let me guess, it’s Jordan?” Rex asked.
“Yeah. How did you know?”
“It’s her mother’s maiden name. I wonder why she doesn’t want people to know who she is.”
Alaric agreed. “Well, my name is now Blue Patterson.”
Rex burst out laughing. “Seriously, I think you’re going to regret this.”
“Oh well. Nothing I can do about it now. I’m going to do this.”
“You’re an old man, Ric. This is not going to end well.”
“Fuck you. You’re the same age as me.”
He heard Rex sigh on the other end of the line. “Fine. We’re both old. This is going to bite you in the ass. Besides, what has this girl ever done to you? Not to mention, what about the other women in your life?”
“They can be put on hold until after I’m done. I’ve already thought about it. I think I can get her to fall in love with me by Christmas, and break her heart by New Year.”
“A month. You’re giving yourself a month to do all of that shit?”
“Yep, and let’s face it. I’m experienced. I know exactly what I’m doing, and she’s going to be putty in my hand. I’ll have her on her knees begging for it.”
He was sure he could hear Rex’s eye roll.
“I’m going to leave this with you. I’ve got a case to deal with, and my bitch of a PA has just stormed out of the job.”
“The chubby chick?”
“Yeah. My fellow partners got sick and tired of me banging the easy ones that worked for me. They even tried to put a married woman with me. I had her panties around her ankles in no time. It’s not even a challenge anymore.”
Looking outside of his window, Alaric saw Bella leaving the practice with the vet who saw him. They stood talking for a few minutes, and if he wasn’t careful he was about to lose his opportunity. “I’ve got to go.” Hanging up the phone, he tossed it onto the car seat, and watched, waiting for the right moment.
Deidre said something that made Bella laugh. She threw her head back, and he heard her laugh. The sound was musical to him, which was crazy. He found women’s laughter irritating. The pathetic chuckle drove him crazy. The older woman left, and Bella made her way toward her car.
When she was alone, he climbed out of his car.
“Excuse me, Bella,” he said.
She spun around to face him with a hand on her chest. “Mr. Patterson, you scared me.”
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I, erm, I was wondering, would you like to go on a date with me?”
“A date?”
“It’s a little unconventional. As a thank you for, you know, helping me out?”
“You don’t have to do that. I don’t do it to get dates out of everyone, Mr. Patterson.”
“Blue.”
“Huh?”
“Blue. That’s my name.” No, it’s not. My middle name is fucking Blue.
“Well, as I was saying, Blue, erm, you don’t need to take me out to dinner or make anything up to me. I’m good. I promise.”
“I insist. Please, it would make me feel much better? Do you have a boyfriend? Is that why you don’t want to go on a date?”
“No. I don’t have a boyfriend or anything. This is a little unconventional. Guys don’t usually ask me out on a date when you’ve known me for ten minutes.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
She chuckled. “It’s not a problem. I’ll see you in two weeks.”
He watched her get into her car and leave. He was so pissed off that she didn’t jump to his offer of a date.
Climbing back in his own car, he drove toward the city center and made his way toward his penthouse suite. What the fuck was it going to take to get her to go on a date with him? He didn’t get it. She was plain, and he was sexy. Even though he was forty-eight years old, he was damn good looking. He’d fucked many models and actresses along the way. He didn’t see what was so damn special about Bella.
Pouring himself a shot of whiskey, he took a seat on his sofa, and rested his head. He was going to get his revenge no matter what. This was going to take a little longer than he’d anticipated.
Taking a large gulp, he wondere
d how he was going to work his way into her life. She didn’t trust him, which she really shouldn’t, but still. He wasn’t a fucking monster, and it pissed him off that he was going to have to work at this shit.
There was no choice. He was going to have to step up the charm. As he took a long drink of his whiskey, he glanced around his apartment, and frowned.
What the fuck?
Damn! He’d left his dog in the car. Putting his whiskey down, he took the stairs to the underground parking, and opened up the trunk of the car, and there, curled up, was Buster.
“I’m so sorry,” he said.
He wasn’t a cruel man. Grabbing the comfy blanket, he wrapped it around the body of his new pet, and carried him back upstairs. “What am I going to do with you?”
****
“You need to get laid,” Rebecca said.
Bella frowned. “How is that going to help me?”
“You’re twenty-five, and we both know you can do whatever the hell you want, right?”
“No, I can’t.”
“Your father is loaded, and you’re determined to live as if you’re not even related. I thought you got along with your father.”
“I do.”
“Really? Then why are you interested in finding him a woman?”
“He’s fifty in three months, and with Christmas around the corner, I don’t want him to be lonely.”
“Doesn’t he have one of those trophy wives?”
Rebecca was her friend from high school. They both came from wealthy families. They were a lot alike. Neither of them could cope with spending their life shopping. Rebecca was a professional chef and worked in a high end restaurant. Whenever Bella wanted good food out, she went to Rebecca’s.
“Ew, no. He tried one about five years ago. She was the same age as I am, and believe me, it was gross. She would do this giggling stuff, and pretend that he was the best thing in the world, and yet whenever he touched her, she would recoil. That’s not love.”
“There are a lot of gold-diggers out there.”
“It’s sad of us to think like that about our fellow women.”
“I know, but it’s true. Is it the same word for men? Gold-digger?”
“I don’t know. Hey, guess what?”
“What?”
“That’s not guessing?”
“You’ve finally decided to adopt a pet.”
“No.”
“You’re taking scuba diving lessons?”
“Nope. Would you like me to actually tell you?”
“Sure. I’m not going to be able to guess what is going on in your world.”
“I was asked out on a date. I don’t think you could call it an actual date. He just wanted to say thank you.”
“Wait. Hold it. Someone asked you on a date?”
“Yes. A customer at the veterinary practice. He came in with this gorgeous little puppy. He was a little cocker spaniel, so sweet.”
“What was his name?”
“Buster.”
“The guy’s name was Buster? The guy who asked you out?”
“Oh, no, silly. The guy’s name was Blue. His puppy was called Buster.”
She heard Rebecca scream. “Seriously? You think I care about the dog. What did you say? What did you do?”
“I told him there was no need for him to take me on a date. I didn’t do anything special.”
“I’m going to hit you.”
“What?”
“I’m going to hit you when I see you, and that way I may be able to force some sense into you.”
Bella chuckled. “He wasn’t asking me because he wanted to date me.”
“How do you know that?”
“He was a good looking guy. Older than me as well.”
Rebecca sighed. “I’m going to need to take you to the hospital to have your head examined. An older, hot guy asks you out, and you say no? Who does that?”
Smiling, Bella was rounding the corner, when she bumped into a very hard male chest. She gasped, and held the phone away from her.
“I’m sorry,” she said, and looked up to find Mr. Patterson looking at her.
“Oh, Bella, hi.”
“Bella, what is going on? Who is that with the sexy voice?”
“Er, I’ve got to go.” Without explaining to her friend, she hung up the phone, and smiled at the man in front of her. “Hey,” she said. She was sure there was a frown on his face until he realized that he’d bumped into her.
“Good morning, Bella. You’re not working today?” he asked.
“Not on a Saturday. I catch up on errands. How is Buster?”
“He’s doing great.”
She glanced past his shoulder to see the coffee shop just a few feet ahead. “Well, I’m sorry for bumping into you.”
“Would you like to go for a coffee with me?” he asked. “That’s what you’re staring at, right?”
“You’ve got me.” She smiled. What would be so wrong about having a coffee with a guy?
“And call me Blue, remember?”
“I remember.”
Walking beside him was kind of surreal. At least to her it was. They entered the coffee shop, stood in line, and gave their order. Blue took her toward the back of the coffee shop, and for a split second she wondered if he was hiding them.
“We don’t have to stick around for coffee. I’m happy for us to head out.”
“No, I want us to have coffee. I wanted to go out with you, remember?”
“I remember. It’s just a little strange to bump into you the day after.”
“I know.”
“Do you work?” she asked.
“I do a lot of work. I work in this company. Have you heard of Alaric Technologies?” he asked.
“The name sounds familiar, but I’m not aware of it.”
“Well, I work in his building. I’m a manager.”
“That’s great.” So he was a good guy. “What about a wife, and kids?”
He started smiling. “Are you asking that because of my age?”
Her cheeks heated. Biting her lip, she stared down at her hands. “I’m sorry. I just, I’m not used to being the one that is asked out on a date.”
“You’re a beautiful woman.”
“Not all that beautiful to be honest.” She didn’t want nor need compliments. “No wife or kids?”
“I’ve been the kind of man that has focused on my career rather than my family to be honest.”
“It must be a little lonely?” she asked.
“It is now. It has made me realize everything that I’ve been missing out on.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“You don’t need to be sorry. What about you? Have you always wanted to work in a veterinary practice?” he asked.
She laughed. “No, actually. Not at all. When I was a little girl, I actually wanted to be a model. Before my mom passed away.”
“I’m so sorry,” he said.
“It’s fine. It was fifteen years ago, honestly. I wanted to make her proud, and she used to want to be a model herself, and it never really worked out.”
“What changed?”
Bella felt her cheeks heating. “I think that’s a little personal.”
Chapter Three
Alaric knew he had to stop pushing. If he didn’t, he was going to blow everything. Was Bella the reason that her father had bought Macalister’s stock? He didn’t know, but he wanted to. When he first bumped into Bella he’d been so angry. He hated it when people stumbled into him. Why should he have to deal with someone who couldn’t handle their own feet?
“You’re right. I guess I wanted to get to know you, and I finally had you here, drinking coffee with me. I don’t want it to end.”
“Oh.”
The waitress came over with their coffees and cinnamon buns.
They thanked the woman for their order, and he focused on the woman in front of him. “I shouldn’t pry. It’s all my fault. I want you to feel comfortable here.”
“I
am. Honestly, I’m comfortable.” She took a sip of her coffee, and he found it interesting to watch her enjoying something as simple as coffee.
The women he was with usually wouldn’t eat or drink anything unless they calculated the calories before it went past their lips.
She took a bite of the bun, and her eyes closed.
He did the same, enjoying the taste of cinnamon.
“This is so delicious,” she said. “Cinnamon reminds me of this time of year. My mom loved it, and she’d put it in all of her baked goods.”
He already knew her mother was a real homebody. It had been a long running joke that Reed had married a nobody.
“Your mom wanted to be a model?” he asked.
“Yeah, she did, but at the time they didn’t allow models for their imperfections. She had a scar down her cheek and neck.” She pointed on her face where it was. “I wanted to be able to live her dream, but then I realized I didn’t want to be in the limelight like that. I like my very quiet and peaceful life. How old are you?”
“I’m forty-eight years old.”
“Wow,” she said. “You’re a couple of years younger than my dad.”
“Ah, I take it this is embarrassing for you? An older guy wanting to date you.” For the first time since he decided to go through with his plan for revenge, he actually felt a little guilty.
“It’s not embarrassing. My dad once dated a woman that was my age. It was kind of creepy.” She shuddered.
He chuckled. “What happened?”
“It was just gross. She was trying too hard, and she was clearly wanting something else. Trying to eat dinner while a woman is pawing at your father sucks. Honestly, it was weird, and it made me leave dinner really early.”
Alaric was aware of that little relationship. Sandy had decided to leave him, and try to make him jealous by going to his rival. Staring at Bella, he finally saw how young she actually was.
She was twenty-five years old.
“You see me as a dirty old man?”
“Wait, no, not at all. This is really confusing to me, Blue.”
He got a little twinge at the fact she used his middle name.
She doesn’t know it. She doesn’t know anything.
This was not a game to her, or a ploy. Bella was the real deal. He saw that now. There were no batting eyelashes. Her brown hair tumbled around her in waves, and she had on the cutest pair of glasses he’d ever seen. Everything about her was the complete opposite to what he usually liked in a woman.
