scope out the hotel in person so I can start planning the murals.”
“Never could argue with you once you had your mind set on something, could I?”
Jenny smiled. “Nope.”
“Fine, fine. You just be careful and you let me know when you’re home safe.”
“I will.” Then Jenny listened as her uncle talked about what was happening at Snyder Arts. His R & D department was coming up with some interesting things. Jenny knew how important his company was to him. Until she had come into his life and he had taken over as her guardian, that company had been his entire world.
But the main point in all this was Hank didn’t need a deal with Celtic Knot to make Snyder Arts profitable. Their bottom line was very comfortable. Okay, not billionaire comfy, but still. It was laughable that Hank would have needed her to coax Mike into some kind of deal even if it hadn’t been insulting on the face of it. Snyder Arts didn’t need Celtic Knot and Mike had to know that, in some part of himself. He was just so down-to-the-marrow suspicious and hard, he’d never admit it.
While Hank talked, she smiled to herself and quickly packed away her hair products and makeup, zipping them into a small purple bag. She walked into the bedroom, tucked the bag into her suitcase and sat on the edge of the bed.
Now she was packed and ready to go. Well, as ready as she could be. Two days alone with Mike would be either a misery or wonderful—and that would turn into misery later. The man wanted her, that was plain enough. But he didn’t want to want her and she had no idea how to get past that. Or even if she should try.
Jenny had spent a lifetime knowing that she wasn’t wanted. Heck, her own parents had walked away from her and never looked back. She was twelve when they decided they didn’t really want the burden of a child and were bored with being parents. They’d dropped her off with Hank, her mother’s older brother.
Hank was a widower who had buried himself in his company at his wife’s death. Barely home back then, he’d had to shift his entire life around to accommodate Jenny. And she’d known it. She’d tried to be as invisible as possible so that he, too, wouldn’t decide to walk away.
Even as a kid, Jenny had known that Hank didn’t really want her. Taking her in had simply been the right thing to do. But Hank had always been kind and supportive, and she was still grateful to him for so much.
“You’re not listening,” Hank said with a short laugh.
Caught, she said, “I’m sorry, Uncle Hank. My mind wandered.”
“That’s fine. I know you’re getting ready to leave.”
True. Mike would be arriving any minute. Well, there went the knots in her stomach, tightening viciously enough that it was hard to breathe.
“I’ll just remind you to be careful.”
“I will, promise.” Jenny glanced out the window, saw Mike’s car pulling up and said, “I’ve really gotta go.”
Her uncle hung up, still muttering direly. Jenny tucked her phone into her pocket, zipped her suitcase closed and told herself to relax. Not that she was listening, but she had to try. Outside, Mike stepped out of his car, looked at her apartment and for just a second, Jenny felt as if he were looking directly into her eyes. That was stupid of course, but it didn’t change the zip of heat that raced through her.
This was probably a mistake. Two days. Alone. With Mike Ryan.
No way this was going to end well.
* * *
Traveling with a gazillionaire was eye-opening.
Even at the small airport in Long Beach, people practically snapped to attention for Mike Ryan. Baggage handlers hurried to stow the overnight bags they both carried, then the pilot stepped out onto the stairway to welcome them aboard personally.
Once they’d boarded the private jet, Jenny curled up in a buttery-soft leather seat and sipped at the fresh coffee served by a friendly attendant. Mike concentrated on work, staring so hard at the screen of his tablet, Jenny was
“Never could argue with you once you had your mind set on something, could I?”
Jenny smiled. “Nope.”
“Fine, fine. You just be careful and you let me know when you’re home safe.”
“I will.” Then Jenny listened as her uncle talked about what was happening at Snyder Arts. His R & D department was coming up with some interesting things. Jenny knew how important his company was to him. Until she had come into his life and he had taken over as her guardian, that company had been his entire world.
But the main point in all this was Hank didn’t need a deal with Celtic Knot to make Snyder Arts profitable. Their bottom line was very comfortable. Okay, not billionaire comfy, but still. It was laughable that Hank would have needed her to coax Mike into some kind of deal even if it hadn’t been insulting on the face of it. Snyder Arts didn’t need Celtic Knot and Mike had to know that, in some part of himself. He was just so down-to-the-marrow suspicious and hard, he’d never admit it.
While Hank talked, she smiled to herself and quickly packed away her hair products and makeup, zipping them into a small purple bag. She walked into the bedroom, tucked the bag into her suitcase and sat on the edge of the bed.
Now she was packed and ready to go. Well, as ready as she could be. Two days alone with Mike would be either a misery or wonderful—and that would turn into misery later. The man wanted her, that was plain enough. But he didn’t want to want her and she had no idea how to get past that. Or even if she should try.
Jenny had spent a lifetime knowing that she wasn’t wanted. Heck, her own parents had walked away from her and never looked back. She was twelve when they decided they didn’t really want the burden of a child and were bored with being parents. They’d dropped her off with Hank, her mother’s older brother.
Hank was a widower who had buried himself in his company at his wife’s death. Barely home back then, he’d had to shift his entire life around to accommodate Jenny. And she’d known it. She’d tried to be as invisible as possible so that he, too, wouldn’t decide to walk away.
Even as a kid, Jenny had known that Hank didn’t really want her. Taking her in had simply been the right thing to do. But Hank had always been kind and supportive, and she was still grateful to him for so much.
“You’re not listening,” Hank said with a short laugh.
Caught, she said, “I’m sorry, Uncle Hank. My mind wandered.”
“That’s fine. I know you’re getting ready to leave.”
True. Mike would be arriving any minute. Well, there went the knots in her stomach, tightening viciously enough that it was hard to breathe.
“I’ll just remind you to be careful.”
“I will, promise.” Jenny glanced out the window, saw Mike’s car pulling up and said, “I’ve really gotta go.”
Her uncle hung up, still muttering direly. Jenny tucked her phone into her pocket, zipped her suitcase closed and told herself to relax. Not that she was listening, but she had to try. Outside, Mike stepped out of his car, looked at her apartment and for just a second, Jenny felt as if he were looking directly into her eyes. That was stupid of course, but it didn’t change the zip of heat that raced through her.
This was probably a mistake. Two days. Alone. With Mike Ryan.
No way this was going to end well.
* * *
Traveling with a gazillionaire was eye-opening.
Even at the small airport in Long Beach, people practically snapped to attention for Mike Ryan. Baggage handlers hurried to stow the overnight bags they both carried, then the pilot stepped out onto the stairway to welcome them aboard personally.
Once they’d boarded the private jet, Jenny curled up in a buttery-soft leather seat and sipped at the fresh coffee served by a friendly attendant. Mike concentrated on work, staring so hard at the screen of his tablet, Jenny was
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