Brandon

by Anne, Melody

  “I really do feel something for her. I can’t seem to stop myself from pursuing the woman,” he admitted. He didn’t want to be too cheesy or reveal too much, but maybe a little bit of soul bearing was what he needed to get her approval. He definitely wasn’t going to admit he’d kissed Chloe the night before if her friend hadn’t said anything about it yet.

  “She might not feel the same way about you.”

  “Did she say something to you?” he asked. He found himself holding his breath. He hadn’t wanted to ask that question. He feared the answer.

  “She hasn’t talked a lot about you,” she said. He flinched.

  “Ouch,” he said. Sarah smiled. “But I think she likes me,” he added while giving her his cockiest smile.

  Sarah gave him a quizzical look. “How do you know that?”

  “I can see it in her eyes. She’s guarded, but she likes me, and I like her, and that should be all that matters in the end. The rest we will work on.”

  “If the world operated that simply, we wouldn’t have wars,” Sarah told him.

  “Not everyone’s as smart as I am,” he said with a cocky lifting of his lips.

  Sarah laughed as she joined him. He snatched a cookie off the plate and took a bite before grabbing some milk and washing it down. He got up and refilled the milk and grabbed a few more cookies before sitting again.

  “Not everyone’s as foolish as you, either. If you aren’t careful, you’ll mess this up.”

  “I don’t think so. I think being careful is what has us at a standstill. I think if the two of us go full force ahead, we’ll make a lot more progress.” It would certainly be more satisfying than sleeping alone every night. And every other tactic hadn’t worked so far, so a new way was the only way.

  His sister-in-law looked at him critically for several moments before she smiled and patted his arm. He’d have paid half his bank account to know what she was thinking when she got that twinkle in her eyes.

  “I wouldn’t mind having my best friend be my sister-in-law as a Christmas present,” she finally said. “I think, as a matter of fact, that I’m going to head on over and have lunch.” He’d gained an ally. He wanted to get up and do a dance, he was so happy about it.

  The timer on the oven went off, and Sarah left him sitting there alone as she pulled the last pan from the oven and turned it off.

  “She might hide from you like she did me when I went in there a few days ago,” he warned.

  “Chloe is one of two of my best friends. We never hide from each other,” Sarah insisted. Then she took off her apron and walked back over to him. “Don’t mess this up, or I’ll have your brother pound you. And then when you’re weak, I’ll kick you while you’re down.” She said it with such an innocent smile he couldn’t help but laugh. If only the world knew how tough Sarah truly was.

  “I could easily take my brother,” he said with a smile. There was no way he was going to say he could take her, because he knew he couldn’t. There was no chance of winning a battle you refused to fight.

  “Isn’t that cute? That’s exactly what he says about you,” she said with a laugh before she leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I think you are worthy, Brandon. And I also think you shouldn’t give up.”

  He wasn’t sure she could’ve said anything that would’ve shocked him more. But he was more than happy to have her full-blown approval. That would make a huge difference in how Chloe would react to him. One bestie down; one to go, he thought a bit too smugly.

  “I love you, sis,” he said, meaning it.

  “I love you, too. Now I’m leaving before this magical moment fades,” Sarah said. She bounced away.

  Brandon sat in his kitchen for a very long time. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do next, but he wondered how long he was going to be able to hold out before seeing Chloe again. He had a feeling it would be sooner rather than later.

  He finished off a pan of cookies and didn’t realize what a mistake that was until he stood, his stomach bloated and cramping. Maybe it wasn’t wise for anyone to bake in his house. He’d get fat and lazy in no time.

  Before he was going to do anything else that day, he’d have to lie down. But as he did, he couldn’t help but smile. His cookie binge was 100 percent worth it. He’d gained a new ally on his side and had the best lunch he’d ever eaten. So far his day was a win. Next, he’d have to win the girl. It could be done.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Chloe was mystified. She liked to continuously be doing something and always have her mind turning, but right now she felt stuck. She couldn’t even begin to figure out Brandon. She wasn’t sure how to respond to him now after their walk.

  The man had always seemed like the class clown from the first day she’d met him. She never would’ve guessed he was anything like her—motivated, competitive, and eager to win without hurting anyone in the process. He was so much deeper than she’d imagined he would be. And that wasn’t helping her not like him.

  He was like a dang spider, slowly weaving a web that was drawing her in. The more he spun his web, the more she wanted to see how it would be completed.

  She wasn’t sure what to do to stop it or even if she could stop it at this point. She sat at her favorite place on a pier overlooking the lake and mountains surrounding her small town of Cranston, and she was a hot mess.

  As long as her thoughts were filled with Brandon, she wasn’t concentrating on her restaurant, and she couldn’t concentrate on the veterans project that she was being drawn into. Was that because she wanted to help the community? Or was it because she wanted an excuse to be near Brandon without feeling she was caving? She couldn’t honestly answer the thought. The fact that she couldn’t frustrated her.

  She finally rose from her position and walked the short distance to town to her favorite coffee shop. Since it was the middle of the day, she decided to grab a treat and sit in the park. She wasn’t in the mood to visit anybody. She wasn’t sure she could fake a smile at the moment.

  As a business owner in a small town, she couldn’t allow herself to be less than perfect when she was out and about. If she scared off her customers, her place of business would go down in flames. That would end all of her dreams.

  Beyond that, her parents had so instilled perfection in her it was the only way she knew. She’d be more mortified to run into her parents looking like a mess than any of her customers. She might put a lot of it on herself, but it was hard to change your ways after so many years. She wasn’t sure she liked being this way. It made life so much more complicated. She would love to be easygoing like so many others she knew.

  She sat on a bench and sighed with pleasure as she sipped on her peppermint tea. One great thing about the holidays was the yummy drinks that came with it. She might not like them as much if she could get them year round. The calories she consumed during the holidays certainly wouldn’t like her over time. She absolutely hated working out, so she had to be a bit careful in her eating. She might have a great metabolism now, but studies she’d read proved that the older a person got, the more the body broke down. Someday her love of food was going to catch up to her in a less-than-positive way.

  “What are you doing out here all alone?”

  The booming voice that could only belong to one man about made her lose her cup. She jumped in her seat and was grateful when only a small amount splashed from the lid.

  Turning, she found Joseph Anderson, along with Lucian Forbes.

  Lucian Forbes was one of Joseph’s oldest friends, and if the rumors were true, the two of them had been up to no good not that long ago, and suddenly all of Lucian’s children were happily married. The rumors of Joseph’s matchmaking were unconfirmed, as he’d never admitted what he was doing, but it seemed all of his friends with unruly children suddenly had exactly what they’d wanted—a lot of grandkids running around and in-laws they were proud to call family.

  She should run—fast.

  She was also completely tongue tied for a momen
t. Joseph and Lucian had that effect on people. Except she didn’t usually allow the men to daunt her. That wasn’t what they were currently trying to do, but their mere presence made the average person intimidated.

  “Hi, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Anderson,” she said after too long a pause. “I’m just enjoying some sunshine,” she said as the sun was swept behind the looming gray clouds overhead.

  “Now, Chloe, we’ve told you formalities are for the boardroom many times before,” Lucian said with a smile.

  “It’s very difficult for me to address business tycoons by their first name,” Chloe said with a smile.

  Joseph scoffed. “You know how to stroke an old man’s ego since you’re a business magnate yourself,” he told her.

  She laughed, the sound real, and she suddenly felt wonderful. “For you to even sort of compare my small restaurant with your empire is downright funny,” she said in between giggles. “But I’ll take it, anyway. It’s not every day a girl gets such a compliment.”

  “Well, we’re hungry,” Joseph said. “Come and join us.”

  He said it politely, as if it was nothing more than a friendly invitation, but Chloe wasn’t fooled at all. Joseph had an agenda. There was a part of her that wanted to insert her independence and tell him she was busy, but she was very aware that not too many people turned Joseph down. She wasn’t going to, either—not on something simple like a lunch invitation.

  “I could grab a bite,” she said as she stood. Her blueberry scone had done nothing more than whet her appetite.

  “It appears they let anyone wander these streets nowadays.”

  Chloe froze as a new voice entered their conversation. She didn’t have to look to see who it was, but she looked, anyway. Didn’t the man ever work? It was almost noon on a Tuesday. She’d think he’d be knee deep in wires right about now.

  “Brandon, it’s good to see you, boy,” Joseph said as Brandon approached.

  “Hello, Joseph,” Brandon said. “It’s great to see you again, Lucian,” he added as he shook both men’s hands.

  “You’re just in time to join us for lunch,” Lucian said. “I want to hear everything that’s been happening with the veterans facility, and Joseph’s planning on filling me in. I’d like to hear what the next steps are and what you’ve gotten done.”

  “I’d love to join,” Brandon said with a smile that sent tingles traveling down Chloe’s tummy and straight to her core.

  “Do you ever work?” Chloe asked, instantly realizing how rude her words would sound to Brandon’s uncle. But it was too late to take them back now.

  Brandon didn’t look offended in the least. He laughed as he winked at her.

  “I’ve learned that it’s all about working smarter, not harder. I have a successful business with men and women I trust to do their jobs, which gives me the time to meet and greet with people to bring in more business.” Then he leaned over, as if he was telling a secret to only her, but his loud whisper could be heard across the entire park, and he knew it.

  “Besides, do you realize the amount of money Joseph and Lucian have at their disposal? I could work for only the two of them till the day I die and still not finish all their projects.”

  Chloe would’ve totally thought he was speaking the truth in those words even a few days earlier. But he’d opened up to her recently, and she now knew he had as strong a work ethic as she did. But she knew he was so used to cracking that type of joke he might not even realize he was saying it until it was out of his mouth.

  It was interesting. Very interesting. She wanted to delve in and learn more. She might’ve done just that if they didn’t have an audience. But the sound of Joseph and Lucian both laughing at Brandon’s words brought her back to reality.

  “Very tactful, son,” Joseph said.

  “I like this one,” Lucian added as he patted Brandon on the back. “And there is always work for those who earn it.”

  “I am the most charming out of my brothers,” he assured them. “And you’ve seen my work. I’m the best.”

  “Apparently the most humble, too,” Chloe said with a smirk.

  “Humility is a virtue,” Brandon told her.

  “Let’s walk,” Joseph said as he led the group away from the park. Brandon stayed by her side, their arms nearly brushing. She wasn’t sure if he was doing it to make her uncomfortable or if it was just that the man didn’t know the first thing about a personal bubble. She’d guess it was a little bit of both.

  “We’d go to your place, Chloe, but then you might try to run off and work instead of having a nice relaxing meal. I’m in the mood for street tacos, anyway.”

  “That sounds great,” she said. “I could go for a bowl of guacamole, extra spicy. It’s my favorite, and no matter how much I try, I can’t make it as good as Maria.”

  The town was small, and it didn’t take them long to reach the small Mexican cantina. It only held ten tables, but it was quaint, the staff was friendly, and the service was fast. Chloe ate there at least once a week. When a person was a chef, they tended to not want to prepare their own meals, and she couldn’t beat Maria’s tacos, not on her best day.

  “Chloe, you’ve brought guests,” Maria said with a smile as they walked in the door.

  “Of course I did. You make the best food in town,” Chloe said as she hugged the woman.

  Maria laughed. “Let’s say it’s a tie for the best food in town,” Maria said as she handed them each a one-page menu and led them to a corner table. Of course, Chloe knew the secret menu items as well as what was listed on the one Maria had handed over.

  Maria took their drink order, and Chloe put in for appetizers right away. The smells coming out of the kitchen were making her stomach growl. “We want nachos with a double serving of your famous guac and an order of poppers,” she said.

  “Extra spice?” Maria asked.

  “Of course,” Chloe said.

  The three men said that sounded good. She was so used to placing orders there she hadn’t even thought of asking Joseph or Lucian if everything was fine. She squirmed a bit in her seat. It wasn’t often that one forgot they were hanging out with billionaires and simply took over.

  “I think I could eat an entire cow right now. I didn’t realize I was so hungry until we walked in here,” Chloe said with a laugh, feeling slightly uncomfortable at realizing what she’d done.

  “I haven’t been here for a few weeks. What a fool I’ve been,” Brandon said. “And you ordered my favorite appetizers.”

  “At least you have good taste in food,” Chloe said, letting her ordering dilemma go while also letting down her guard as she smiled. He beamed at her, taking her breath away. She was happy when Maria came back, setting down their drinks and a large container of chips and salsa.

  “What thoughts have you put into the veterans project?” Joseph asked bluntly. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t been prepared for the interrogation, but instead of it irritating her as she’d thought it would, it made her smile.

  “I’ve been thinking on it,” Chloe admitted.

  That earned her a huge smile from both Joseph and Brandon. She shouldn’t give either man the victory, but the words were out.

  “That’s what I love to hear,” Joseph told her. “We’re behind schedule now, and I don’t like making good men and women wait on us.”

  “Nothing like a little shaming to get what you want, huh?” she asked as she gazed into Joseph’s steely-blue gaze. Maybe it was just these two billionaires who didn’t intimidate her. Then again, maybe it was the way she’d been raised. Her mother and father had been the most intimidating people she’d ever known, and she’d survived growing up with them.

  “I don’t mind using different methods to get exactly what I want,” Joseph said unapologetically. “It’s how I’ve done so well in the business world. Just because I’m officially retired doesn’t mean I’m going to stop now.”

  “Isn’t that exactly what retirement means?” she asked.

  Joseph laughed. �
�Maybe to the weak. But I’m not the type of man who is going to sit around and wait to die. Did you realize that most successful people who retire don’t live long when they do nothing after? They need to be stimulated. I might’ve turned over the reins of the Anderson empire to my son Lucas, but that just frees up my time to work on other projects that have been on hold for too long.”

  Chloe had a feeling that would be her later in life. She didn’t think there’d ever come a day when she’d be ready to hang up her apron. Maybe she wouldn’t always run a restaurant, but she was sure she’d always be doing one project or another.

  She sighed while pulling pieces of paper from her purse and setting them on the table as their waitress dropped off nachos and poppers. Everyone glanced at the papers as they grabbed food.

  “This is a plan I sketched. I haven’t been in the building in a long time, so it’s very basic, but you’ll have to assume the facility is going to be full more often than not, so you need a lot of counter and cupboard space. There’s nothing I like less than a small kitchen,” she said.

  “That’s why I wanted you for the job. My nephew gave us a great area to begin with, but we need a true chef to lay it all out,” Joseph said.

  “Okay, Joseph, you’ve effectively broken me down. I’ll do this job on one condition, and one condition only,” she said, her shoulders back, her expression firm.

  He smiled at her, as if he loved nothing more than a good challenge. She waited for him to say anything that would tell her he was truly listening to her. It could’ve been a minute or an hour that the two of them sat there in a standoff. Neither Brandon nor Lucian interrupted the face-off. Finally, Joseph smiled.

  “What is your condition?” he asked.