The Billionaire's Revenge (The Blank Check Series Book 6)

by Jeannette Winter

  “You got it!” Liz said as the started typing. “This is going to be so much fun.”

  Oh yay…. Gianna knew how to cook, and knew exactly what she was going to make. “And if you can put me down for three bean and mean chili. You might want to make a note that it’s…HOT.”

  “Oh yes! I love it spicy.” Liz winked with a wicked grin and added, “In food too.”

  Bobbi giggled and blushed. Rosslyn shook her head and turned to Gianna saying, “We better go start our meeting before this conversation heads in an entirely different direction.”

  Even as she followed Rosslyn into her office, Gianna could hear Bobbi and Liz snickering. I think those two get along too well.

  When Rosslyn closed the door she said, “I’m glad you came in today. We have so much to discuss.”

  It didn’t take long for Rosslyn to snap right back into business mode. Gianna was grateful too. She had too much to do herself to spend the afternoon chatting about some damn party. Now it was her turn to focus. “I’m happy to be here. What is it that you need?”

  “Help. I know that doesn’t give you much to go on, but I’m…burning out. I haven’t told Charles yet, but I can’t go on running this company, being a wife and mother, and still supporting Charles with Lawson Steel.”

  “Are you thinking about selling the company?” Gianna had done her research before taking her on as a client. It was a generational family owned business, one that she inherited from her uncle.

  “Honestly, I don’t know what I should do. Selling it isn’t an option. This is my family legacy. But I’m married to my competition. Do you know what it is like to prepare a bid only to find out that Lawson Steel was doing the same?” Rosslyn sighed and leaned back in her seat. “I know I could push harder and maybe even outbid them on a few. What would I win by doing that? I’d rather have a happy marriage than a successful company.”

  Gianna could tell that Rosslyn really didn’t want to quit working, but what she needed was just someone to talk to. Someone who wasn’t family. “From what I have seen, Charles adores you. Before you make any decision, why don’t you try looking at it from his point of view? What would he want for you?”

  “That’s simple. He’d want me to be happy.”

  “And?” she prodded Rosslyn to continue.

  “And I am. Most of the time at least. But there are times when I…”

  “Feel the weight of it all and panic?” Rosslyn nodded and Gianna continued. “You don’t have to be married to have those feelings. It’s hard having so many people relying on you.”

  “Yes. I’m worried about days like yesterday, Penelope was sick and I left. I had Liz cancel all my meetings so I could be home with my little girl. But I felt…”

  “Guilty?”

  “And torn between who needed me.”

  “I can’t speak for your employees, but I have a feeling you have their support and understanding. Grayson Corp isn’t the same company it was when your uncle was in charge.”

  “God, I hope not.”

  “Each person I spoke to has nothing but wonderful things to say about how you are running the company. But it is natural to question yourself and wonder if you’re doing the right thing.”

  Rosslyn smiled. “I know one thing I did right, I hired your company. You’ve really delivered some exceptional people.”

  “Thank you,” she replied. It was what she needed to hear. Just like Rosslyn, she’d been having her own doubts. “I’m glad they are all working out for you. I know Bobbi is young, but with the right guidance, she’s going to do great.”

  “I don’t know what I’d do without Liz. Do you know she used to work for my uncle too?”

  “No I didn’t.” She’d heard Mr. Grayson was one tough son-of-a-bitch. “It must’ve been interesting. I mean she’s…outspoken.”

  Rosslyn laughed. ”She is now. When I first met her, she was like everyone else here, afraid to lose her job.”

  “You have their respect without needing to instill fear. I’m not sure anyone else could fill your shoes,” Gianna said. “So what is it I can do to help you so you don’t feel so…”

  “You’ve done it. But I could also use a few more temps,” Rosslyn stated.

  That’s what she was afraid of. Gianna couldn’t send anyone average to Grayson Corp. There were only a few resumes that she received today that she was even willing to call in for an interview. “And when would you need them to start?”

  “Would you mind giving me a week or two? I’m going to take your advice and talk to Charles. He’s been doing this a lot longer than I have.”

  Whew. Thank you. “Take your time. In the meantime, you can email me a few of the job details and I’ll start matching up the right candidates for you.”

  “That sounds good. But could you do me a favor?” she asked.

  Gianna nodded. “Of course. What is it?”

  “When you come over Saturday, maybe you don’t mention our conversation. Charles is so supportive, but I don’t want him to worry about me. And that is exactly what he’ll do if he knew we spoke.”

  “Rosslyn, I assumed what you said was in confidence. Besides, Saturday isn’t going to be a business meeting.” At least I hope not.

  “Absolutely not. We have rules. No talking business at gatherings. And trust me, it isn’t always easy to do when all the Lawson men get together. They all have eased up on that. Well almost all. There is one straggler that seems to be still stuck in the old ways.” Gianna held her breath hoping not to hear it, but Rosslyn said, “Jordan seems to work day and night right now. But hopefully he stops long enough to come to your party Saturday.”

  Jordan? “I…I thought…I didn’t realize he was coming.” How did it go from Liz, Bobbi and her getting together to this?

  “Don’t worry. It’ll just be the Lawson clan and whoever else you invite to the party,” Rosslyn stated.

  All the Lawson family? She had no idea how she got herself into things like this. “Rosslyn, I hate you taking this on. Maybe we should just keep it at my place and just us girls.”

  “We could, but I think it would be a great time for the others to meet you. You never know when you want to expand your business. I’m sure Lawson Steel could benefit from utilizing your staffing agency as well.”

  “I thought you don’t talk business at those gatherings,” she reminded.

  Rosslyn smiled. “We don’t. But that doesn’t mean I can’t talk about how great you are.”

  Great. You set the bar and now I have to live up to it. Gianna was grateful that Rosslyn was so pleased with her staffing ability. Overextending herself might just change that. But her greater fear was what Jordan might say when he saw her at a family party.

  God, please don’t let him invite Marvin. I might as well close my doors now if he does.

  She wasn’t foolish. Gianna knew if Marvin was looking for her, it wasn’t for anything she wanted to hear. She was done with his manipulating ass and any of his smooth talking friends. Unfortunately, she just realized that there was no blowing off Jordan for his offer for coffee. It was best to find out what he wanted before they had an audience.

  When she left Gianna’s office she sent Jordan a text message.

  COFFEE TOMORROW MORNING?

  The response wasn’t what she expected.

  HOW ABOUT DINNER TONIGHT?

  She refused to turn the control over to him, but she was willing to meet in the middle. MARIA’S PIZZARIA. 6:30.

  If he pushed back, then she would have the perfect reason to decline, and it would be on him. But his final text was accepting her suggestion.

  With how crazy her day had gone so far, she wasn’t even going to waste one second trying to guess what tonight was all about.

  Ha. Who am I kidding? I’m not going to get anything productive done till I find out.

  There was something good about being the boss. You can alter your schedule as needed. And since her afternoon was pretty much shot anyway, she might as well use t
he remainder of the time accomplishing something. Like food shopping for a party that I’m not looking forward to either.

  4

  Jordan would’ve rather Gianna let him go and pick her up instead of meeting at the restaurant. Pushing it would’ve only resulted in her changing her mind. For some reason, she didn’t seem very happy to run into him earlier. That was one of the things he wanted to talk to her about. He understood her being angry with Marvin. His friend had been an asshole. Hell, he still was one. But why did she harbor ill feelings towards him?

  He looked at his watch and it was pushing seven. This would be when Jordan normally got up and walked out. He didn’t wait for anyone. Mostly because he didn’t feel as though anyone was worth waiting for. It wasn’t as though Gianna was special in any way, but he was willing to cut her some slack.

  The longer he sat waiting, the more he questioned why. All this was for her benefit, not his. Maybe she didn’t want his help. Years ago he’d voiced his opinion on how she and Marvin weren’t right for each other. She ignored him then. What made him think for one second that she’d value what he had to say now?

  Maybe because I was hoping she was different.

  Jordan wasn’t sitting there a minute more. He tossed a twenty on the table and walked out. But when he got outside he noticed Gianna was leaning against the wall looking at her watch. He chuckled and walked over to her.

  “Don’t tell me you’ve been standing her waiting for me,” he said.

  Gianna looked up at him and said, “I was just about to call it a night and go home. Were you in the restaurant all that time?” He nodded. “But I peeked in and didn’t see you. I guess I didn’t look as thoroughly as I thought.”

  “I had asked for a table more…private. Want to try this again?” he asked. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

  “Famished.”

  He held the door for her and followed her back inside. The hostess smiled. “Back so soon?” She looked over her shoulder and said, “The table is still open if you want to try ordering this time.”

  Jordan didn’t miss her sarcastic undertone. Instead he placed a hand on the curve of Gianna’s back and ushered her to the table. He held out her chair before taking his. Once seated he said, “Thanks for meeting me tonight.”

  “Still have no idea why you wanted to, but I assume you’ll enlighten me,” she replied.

  “I will. Maybe we can order first?” he suggested. She nodded and he called over the waitress. After placing their order, he stated, “I mentioned Marvin is looking for you.”

  “You did. I don’t care. He had his chance to speak to me long ago, and never did. Now, whatever he has to say, it’s too late.”

  He could hear the bitterness in her tone. Who could blame her? Marvin didn’t do right by her at all. “I agree with you. This isn’t about him. It’s about you. I didn’t want you to be blindsided.”

  She leaned back, staring at him. “I almost believe you.”

  “I have no reason to lie,” he stated.

  “And you have no reason to warn me either. What I can’t understand is why you are. I mean, he’s your friend. But then again twelve years ago he was, and I’m not so sure you had his back then. Either you’re not really that close, or you just suck at friendship.”

  Ouch. Gianna definitely wasn’t afraid to say what she meant. Maybe he should be worried about Marvin instead of her.

  “Probably a little of both. Then again, friendship takes two,” he stated.

  “Well I thought Marvin and I were friends. I learned the hard way that he only thinks of himself,” she groaned.

  He found it odd that she referred to Marvin as a friend. “You were much more than friends Gianna. You were engaged to the man.”

  Gianna looked away quickly and said softly, “I try not to think about that.”

  Leave it to him to remind her of the bad times in her life. That’s not why he wanted to see her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

  “It’s okay,” she said, looking him in the eyes again. “No matter what, you can’t change the past. Only learn from it. And I have.”

  “I hope that doesn’t mean you’ve decided to remain single forever?” he asked. What the hell type of question is that? This also wasn’t part of the conversation he wanted to be having.

  She seemed equally shocked by it. Her eyes widened and she said, “I don’t think that is any of your business. Then again, you never seemed to be able to stay out of it before, why should I think that would’ve changed?”

  Jordan raised a brow. “What do you mean by that?”

  “You know damn well what I mean,” she snarled.

  He replied calmly, “No. I honestly don’t.”

  Gianna leaned closer and said, “Are you telling me that you forgot all those mean things you said to me?”

  “I don’t recall being cruel to you,” he stated. If he had intentionally, she sure as hell wouldn’t be having dinner with him now.

  “Then I suspect you have a horrible memory just like Marvin.”

  Nothing angered him more than being lumped into the same mold as Marvin. They weren’t anything alike, at least not since high school. And even back then, he probably just didn’t notice how conniving he was.

  “I understand that Marvin hurt you, but it is him that you should direct this at, not me. I’m here because I was worried that Marvin might be back in town to…” He really wasn’t sure what Marvin wanted, but it couldn’t be good.

  “If he contacts me, I’ll send him back to his wife Rhonda,” she replied.

  Jordan chuckled. “I don’t think she wants him back either.”

  “They’re divorced?” she asked.

  “Yes. They are like a yo-yo. Those two get back together between each marriage.”

  “What do you mean by each? He’s had more than one?” Gianna asked as though she couldn’t believe his words.

  “Four.”

  “Four!” she blurted. “Oh my God, he’s been…busy.”

  Jordan almost laughed but couldn’t. Not if Marvin was in town to see about making Gianna number five. “That’s one way to describe it. I assumed you weren’t aware of his conquests over the years. If he contacted you, I thought it might be helpful if you knew who you were dealing with.”

  “I figured that out a long time ago when he changed plans on me,” she grumbled.

  “You phrase things so…oddly.” He guessed it was easier than saying left at the altar.

  “Everything about our relationship was odd. Then again, that shouldn’t surprise you since you were dead against us being together in the first place. It must’ve made you extremely happy when he told you he wasn’t going through with it,” she said.

  “It did,” he spoke without thinking.

  She laughed. “And yet you don’t recall being mean to me. How about now?”

  “Gianna, I’m not a person who lies. I have always called it as I saw it. You and Marvin didn’t belong together. You weren’t what he wanted. Hell, I’m not sure he knows what he wants even now.”

  “But I wasn’t it. And you know this how?” she asked. “I know we spent enough time together while Marvin and I were…dating. But I don’t believe you ever took the time to get to know me.”

  “I didn’t have to. I knew him. That was enough. Marvin was… is… a womanizer. I mean I see what he saw in you. You’re beautiful and were fun to be around, but you still didn’t fit.” Because you were also sweet and innocent and Marvin couldn’t appreciate either of those things.

  “Well let me tell you something you don’t know about me. I’m no pushover. I might have fallen for Marvin’s line when I was nineteen, but I chalk that up to the rebellious years. Since that time, I’d like to believe that I’ve outgrown such immature behavior.”

  “Is that what you call falling in love?” he asked. Once again she looked away from him as she answered.

  “I was a starry-eyed girl.”

  Yet another answer wh
ich he couldn’t understand. Maybe she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. It didn’t matter. She could call it whatever she wanted, but the facts remained the same. She had been Marvin’s girl, his lover, and Marvin didn’t deserve any part of Gianna.

  He wasn’t sure he’d have been any better for her back then, but now, it was a moot point. Jordan could never be with anyone who’d been with Marvin. Not just because friends don’t do that, but he knew he’d end up in prison. Marvin would run his mouth, dig after dig, until he sent Jordan over the edge. Yup, he definitely could picture himself harming Marvin over Gianna. That thought should be enough to make him keep his distance. He had too much to lose. And why risk it for someone who obviously isn’t interested.

  The waitress returned and asked, “Since you two haven’t even touched the pizza, would you like me to box it up for you to go?”

  Jordan had wanted to get the conversation out of the way. It took longer than he’d anticipated. There wasn’t anything left to say, at least not regarding Marvin. He asked, Gianna, “How do you feel about cold pizza?”

  “Love it.”

  Jordan turned back to the waitress and said, “You can box it. But I could use coffee and maybe the dessert menu.”

  “Okay. I’ll be right back.”

  “Dessert?” she asked. “We didn’t even eat our dinner.”

  “You can eat the pizza when you get home.”

  She chuckled. “Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of going out to eat? I mean I could’ve just ordered delivery if that was the case.”

  “Then next time, we eat in.”

  “I don’t remember discussing a ‘next time’,” she said flatly.

  He smiled. “I mean Saturday. Rosslyn has already called to let us know there is an informal dinner party being thrown by you and we were invited.” Jordan noticed her tense and he added, “Yet you don’t seem happy about that.”

  “I’m looking forward to it,” she replied.

  “But?” He knew there was one. It was written all over her body language.

  “But it might be growing larger than I’d first thought.”