“Can you believe that?” Lindsey asked me as we parted ways. “This is too much to absorb on a Monday morning.”
“Amen to that,” I said.
I walked down the hall to my office and pondered if there was anything I’d missed over the past few weeks. Had Mr. Borroni dropped any hints? Had I seen Lucas around the building, sizing up the company? Nothing came to mind.
I didn’t blame Nicolo for his decision. Heck, if I’d devoted half as much time as he had to the company, I’d have taken any offer that would allow me to live comfortably.
Though Lucas hadn’t explicitly said the words “layoff” or “redundancy,” they had definitely been implied. But it wasn’t just the words he’d said that made me nervous. It was how he’d said them. In all the years I’d known him, Nicolo had never spoken to the team in such a harsh manner.
As much as I might feel down sometimes about my single status, it had its advantages in a situation like this. I lived alone, in an admittedly impressive condo, but one that was well within my means. I had a decent savings account and no kids or pets to speak of. I was my only serious responsibility.
Most of my colleagues, on the other hand, had families to support. They had childcare, and soccer uniforms, and veterinary bills, and birthday parties to worry about. I hoped that, for their sake, Lucas was all bark and no bite. I thought about people like Lindsey, who had just had to pay a few thousand dollars for cancer treatment for her beloved dog, and Harry, who had one son in college and another starting in the fall. They needed their jobs.
I knew one thing was for sure. I was in the worst possible position in terms of the office atmosphere, because I’d unknowingly chatted up the new boss and let my guard down around him. I wished that I’d never stopped into Mocha Madness this morning, or that I’d been on time so my encounter with Lucas never would have happened.
But this was my reality, and I’d have to deal with the awkwardness of our flirtation. Worst of all, I’d have to find a new spot to get my morning coffee.
Chapter 2
Zoe
The workweek had simultaneously flown by and dragged on. Each day had brought about new facets of the company takeover, some larger than others. On Tuesday morning, I’d walked into my office to find that my business cards had been replaced with ones that listed our business name as “Borroni Chocolates by Cadieux.” By Thursday, Greg had been assigned as Lucas’s new assistant, and he and I were working together often. At least no one had been fired yet.
Lucas’s stern warning had a clear impact on company morale. Instead of engaging in the usual morning greetings and lunchtime chatter, most everyone kept to themselves and focused solely on their work. I understood. No one wanted to give Lucas a reason to replace them.
While I was fairly certain that my job was secure, I knew there was no guarantee. Those harsh words still loomed throughout the office. Usually, on Friday afternoons, small talk of weekend plans and TV show recaps ran rampant throughout the office.
Now, it was five thirty and I hadn’t heard a peep. Nothing about Brandy’s upcoming trip to visit her long-distance boyfriend in New Jersey. Nothing from Amir about his soccer team’s schedule. No “what to binge-watch this weekend” advice from Monique. It was becoming surprisingly disheartening.
I’d hardly seen Lucas all week. We’d passed in the hall from time to time and offered up polite grins, but we hadn’t spoken beyond the initial meeting he’d held Monday afternoon with all of the vice presidents within the company.
A knock at my door was the first noise beyond the clicks of keyboards I’d heard in an hour.
“Come in.”
Greg stepped into my office. “Hi Zoe,” he said.
“What can I do for you, Greg?” I asked, sliding my rolling chair away from my computer so he knew he had my full attention.
“Sorry to bother you. I know you’re probably on your way out, but it’s sort of an urgent issue. I have a humungous favor to ask.”
“Okay…” I said, wondering where this was going. “What’s up?”
He took a seat on the other side of my desk. “As you know, I’m supposed to go with Lucas to that confectioners’ conference this weekend.”
He seemed to be looking for confirmation, so I nodded my head, letting him continue.
“Avery is sick,” he said, referring to his adorable six-year-old daughter. “Chickenpox had to get her this week, of all weeks. And my ex-wife is out of town this weekend and can’t take care of her.”
“I’m sorry to hear about Avery,” I said. “I’m just not sure I understand where the favor comes into play. Do you want me to watch her or something? Because I’m not sure—”
Greg held up his hands. “I was hoping you might be able to accompany Lucas to the conference instead of me.”
“Me?”
“I know it’s a lot to ask,” he said. “But you’re the only person on staff who might reasonably be able to fill in. Plus, it’s in Hawaii!”
Hawaii? That did sound nice. I supposed that, if I had to do a favor for someone, going to Hawaii certainly wasn’t the worst way to do it.
“When would I have to leave?” I asked.
“Tomorrow morning.”
Beyond being in close quarters with Lucas, I couldn’t think of any other reason to turn Greg down. I could see the desperation in his eyes, and I knew I had to do it. I didn’t want there to be a sick kid at home without a parent to comfort her because of my own selfishness. Plus, it was in Hawaii. How bad could it be?
“I’d be happy to,” I said.
“Oh, thank you, Zoe. You’re a lifesaver! I can’t thank you enough!”
I smiled. “Just send me an email with the details before you head out.”
“Absolutely. I’ll do it right now.” Greg walked over to the door and looked back at me as he turned the handle. “Thanks again, Zoe. And good luck with our new overlord!”
Chapter 3
Zoe
Weekends, or at least the weekends I wasn’t at a conference or overseeing a new product launch, were my only opportunity to sleep in past seven. As such, I was admittedly less-than-thrilled at the idea of giving up a perfectly good Saturday for a man who seemed to see Borroni Chocolates as nothing more than another conquest, another acquisition to pay for some fancy vacation home or yacht.
I still couldn’t quite get a read on Lucas, which made this trip even more of a challenge. Each time I regretted my decision to come, I reminded myself that I was getting an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii, a place I’d always dreamed of going. If that didn’t work, I thought back to the look on Greg’s face when I’d told him I’d take his spot and accompany Lucas. He’d been so appreciative.
It wasn’t lost on me that this weekend could make or break my future with the company, since Lucas seemed to be holding all the power. I just hoped I wasn’t out of my depth. Soon enough, I’d find out if he was the sweet Lucas from the coffee shop or the gruff, demanding Lucas from the staff meeting.
The taxi ride to the airport was usually only a fifteen-minute drive, depending on traffic, but the driver Lucas had sent for me had been driving for at least twenty minutes. I was too sleepy to question it.
As I stared out onto the Chicago streets, I pondered how Nicolo would feel if he knew I was going on a business trip with our CEO of less than a week. Sure, he had gotten a hefty payout and had been able to move to Indiana to be with his children and grandchildren, but I still felt like a traitor. After all, Borroni Chocolates had treated me well from the moment I’d stepped through the door for my first interview. I didn’t want to betray them, or do anything that could be construed as betraying.
I smiled when I thought back to the twenty-two-year-old version of me, bright-eyed and freckle-faced, walking into Mr. Borroni’s office with a smile in an effort to land a sales position. I’d spent only six months in that position before I’d jumped at the chance to take an opening on the marketing team, then worked my way up from being a marketing assistant, to a marketing manager
, finally to my role as VP of Marketing.
I’d lost count of how many business trips I’d taken with Nicolo, but it had to be at least twenty. All of my work trips had been either with him or by myself, so it was odd to think that I’d be spending the next few days with my admittedly attractive new boss who was decades younger than my previous one. Mr. Borroni had been a father figure for me, maybe even a grandfather figure. Lucas, on the other hand, would certainly not be the type to fill that role.
The driver slammed on his brakes and mumbled an apology.
“Here we are, Ms. Green,” he said.
I looked out the window to see an unfamiliar airport hangar. To our left was a private plane, the first one I’d ever seen anywhere outside of TV or the movies. Sure, I’d traveled in business class with work before, but it was clear that Cadieux had a much higher standard of travel.
Then again, most of my previous business trips had been less than a few hours by flight—confection conferences in Detroit, visits to our distributors in Ohio and Pennsylvania—save for the occasional international or cross-country trip for seminars and conferences. Something told me, though, that this caliber of traveling was nothing out of the ordinary for Lucas and his company.
As the driver handed my luggage off to someone who I presumed was a hangar staff member or butler, I made my way toward the stairs that led up to the plane. Lucas was waiting for me at the top of the steps, all smiles. He was still too handsome for his own good, and I hoped I could keep myself from staring at him all weekend.
“Zoe!” he cheered, as if I’d just surprised him with a magnificent gift. “Right on time.”
I offered up a polite smile, not wanting to let my guard down quite yet. “Punctuality is one of my strong suits,” I said.
“Come on in.” He stepped to the side. “I just have to tell you, I’m thrilled you were able to fill in for Greg on such short notice. I don’t think I could do this trip solo. Too many seminars to attend, too many details to remember. You’re a real lifesaver.”
His words made my stomach twist, and I wasn’t sure if it was in a good way or a bad way. I hoped I wasn’t blushing.
The plane was like something off of a movie screen, with an array of large, plush seats and sofas, as well as a dining area. I was caught off guard by the color scheme, an array of sleek blacks, whites, and grays that added a futuristic vibe.
As I walked further into the cabin, I noticed glass bowls filled with all sorts of Cadieux products—truffles, chocolate drops, something that looked like chocolate-coated espresso beans or raisins. I wondered how things would change with the acquisition. Would Borroni Chocolates by Cadieux matter to the company, or would they just be a little blip in the lifespan of their empire? Either way, I found it sweet that they’d included the little touches that made it a uniquely Cadieux plane.
“Nice plane,” I said.
“It’s only a ten-seater, but it works for the company.” He gestured for me to take a seat on the sofa on the right side of the plane.
I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle when he said the word “only.” Maybe, in his world, a ten-seater private plane was something to scoff at, but for me it was an unexpected surprise, and would certainly take the edge off spending the next nine hours with the handsome boss who I still couldn’t get a read on.
* * *
The bright Hawaii sun woke me from my sleep, glistening through the unshaded window beside me.
“Perfect timing,” Lucas said. “We should be landing in ten minutes.”
“Already?” I asked, surprised at how fast the flight had flown by.
While I’d half-expected the flight to be awkward, that hadn’t been the case in the slightest. Lucas had gone over the basic itinerary for the weekend with me after takeoff, and I’d alternated between reading and napping for the rest of the flight. Lucas, meanwhile, had opted to watch some movies and TV show episodes with his headphones in, despite me telling him that he was more than welcome to use the large projector screen and sound system instead of a smaller, personal-sized screen.
I found it sweet that he’d been concerned about bothering me with his noise. It reminded me of the first interaction I’d had with him—when he’d been so kind about me spilling his coffee and had been willing to take the lukewarm café mocha so I could get a fresh one. Maybe he wasn’t such a big, bad monster after all.
With the time difference, it was around noontime when we hit the tarmac. Even from the private airport hangar, the island of Oahu was absolutely breathtaking. I could already tell I was going to love this trip—well, at least the part that didn’t involve working.
On the ride to the resort we were staying at, in typical tourist fashion, we pointed out stunning sights to one another, talking about all the places we wanted to visit. I was surprised to learn that Lucas had never been to Hawaii before. He’d been to dozens of other incredible places— Fiji, Iceland, Indonesia, The Maldives—but never Hawaii, and always for work.
We pulled up to a grouping of buildings that looked like small palaces. Waterfalls and fountains stood on both sides of the main building, and I couldn’t help but fixate on the gorgeous architecture while I stepped out of the car.
“Here we are,” Lucas said. “Our home for the next few days. Let’s go and get checked in. Our first seminar starts in a half hour.”
“A half hour?” I echoed. “How far away is the conference center?”
Lucas pointed down the street to a tall, gray building. “Right there.”
I followed the direction with my eyes. “Not too shabby.”
Lucas took care of talking to the front desk agent and getting our room keys while I wandered around the lobby. This was the true definition of paradise, and I found myself wishing that we didn’t have to work all weekend. Of course, I wouldn’t have been in Hawaii in the first place had it not been for this conference, but the warm air and sunshine was a stark contrast from the dreary Chicago April and made me long for the beach.
* * *
Our first day of the conference went by in a blur, both because I was exhausted from traveling and because I felt totally out of my element. Sure, I was one of the top-ranking executives at Borroni Chocolates, but that didn’t make walking into a room full of competitors and vendors any less intimidating.
After the keynote speech, we broke off into groups to attend our pre-selected seminars. Unfortunately for me, I’d had no say in where I’d be going, since Lucas had signed us—well, him and Greg, at the time—up for the same sessions.
Our first seminar was “Wholesale vs. Retail: Getting It Right.” While the woman leading it seemed knowledgeable enough, her voice was so monotonous that at least half of the attendees around me dozed off at some point or another. Luckily, the rest of the seminars proved to be surprisingly interesting and informative, and I found myself feeling strangely appreciative that I’d lucked out in getting to come on the trip.
This was by far the largest convention I’d attended, which had allowed for a wider range of seminars and panels. “Product Photography That Sells” gave me some solid ideas to bring back to the marketing and media teams, while “Expanding Your Brand” had Lucas and I spitballing ideas about our next product launch. I wasn’t sure what would come out of the ideas once the excitement of the conference was gone, but it felt good to be learning new things about an industry I felt I’d known almost everything about. It was refreshing.
In between the last seminar time slot and the banquet dinner, the conference organizers had arranged what they were calling “Show Your Sweets,” an opportunity for each company to present their latest ideas and products to a group of potential investors. I’d hoped that Lucas, like many of the other CEOs and attendees, would opt to skip the presentation since our own presentation wasn’t until the following day, but he decided that it would be beneficial to see our competitors’ presentations to know what to expect. Per Lucas’s request, I took notes on each of the other companies’ ideas for our own intel.
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br /> While dinner was usually one of the more pleasant parts of my day, the first day of a conference like this always involved a networking dinner. In between bites of filet mignon, I had to mingle with as many of the other few hundred attendees as I could manage.
This wasn’t new for me, but I’d always been the sidekick at these sorts of things. Lucas expected me to network on my own, figuring that we could cover more ground if we each made our own connections separately. I had a pleasant conversation with a woman who had recently started a gourmet candied nut company, and I spent a good half hour chatting with the CEO of a chewing gum company who I’d met once before at another conference.
It was after eleven when I finally got back to my room. Every inch of my body felt exhausted. I wanted to hop right into bed, but I changed into the sweatpants I’d brought for pajama bottoms and took off my makeup instead. After the long day I’d had, curling up under the covers was next on my agenda.
Just as I put my pajama top on, there was a loud knock at the door. My initial instinct was to ignore it and go to bed anyway, but this was a work trip, and I had to consider that maybe there was a conference-related issue.
I looked through the peephole and saw Lucas, still fully dressed and wide awake. What was he doing here? Could he possibly be… No. Well, maybe he could be.
I’d written off any possibility of a relationship, sexual or otherwise, between us, but there had definitely been a vibe between us all day. I’d thought it was all in my head, but now he was here, just a few minutes after we’d said good night to one another.
I ran over to the mirror and tried to fix my hair and make myself look as presentable as possible, which proved hard to do, given that I was now bare-faced and pajama-clad. I told myself that, regardless of what he was here for, we’d keep it professional, but I reached for the doorknob unsure if I believed my own statement.
The Deal With Triplets Page 2
