Fast Track by Julie Garwood

had a crush on him for so many years—she refused to call it love—and she knew it would take time to break old habits. She’d been completely infatuated with him, but infatuation wasn’t love. She imagined most women who met him quickly became captivated. It wasn’t just his looks that drew women to him. Yes, he was one gorgeous man, the epitome of tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome, but it was the power that radiated from him that kept women begging for his attention. And until a couple of days ago, Cordie had been just like all those silly women under Aiden’s spell.
    Her eyes were open now. Her father’s confession had opened them. She had never been in love with Aiden; it had been just a foolish crush. That was all. Fortunately for her, the man was clueless. As brilliant as he was in business matters, he was a neophyte where women were concerned. She knew for a fact that he didn’t have any idea how she felt—how she
had
felt—about him. If she weren’t his sister’s friend, she doubted he would have even given her a second glance. She certainly wasn’t his type. From all the women who had hung on his arm in the past, she knew he preferred tall, slightly anorexic blondes. Cordie was the complete opposite. Her hair wasn’t blond; it was as black as ink and looked even darker against her fair complexion. At five feet six inches she considered herself average height, though she was a smidge taller than Regan and Sophie. She supposed she was in good shape, but no matter how much she dieted, she couldn’t attain the flat-chested skinny-mannequin look. She was what men called curvaceous.
    She realized she was staring at Aiden and quickly turned away. God, she had been such an idiot for such a long time.
    Sophie nudged her. “Have you eaten anything today?”
    The question jarred her. “What? I don’t know. Why?”
    “Let me fix you something,” Regan suggested.
    Cordie shook her head. “I’m not hungry, but thanks for offering.”
    “You’re exhausted, aren’t you?” Sophie asked. She reached for her coat and put it on. “Come on, Regan. We should all go home and let her get some rest. It’s been a long, stressful day. Do you think you’ll be able to sleep tonight, Cordie?”
    “Maybe one of us should stay over,” Regan suggested.
    Cordie laughed. “No one is staying with me. I’m fine, really. I’m begging you, please go home. And take those men with you,” she added, waving her hand toward Jack, Alec, Spencer, and Aiden.
    Hearing her, Aiden turned around. “Those men?” He grinned as he repeated her comment.
    “I could be wrong, but I’m getting the feeling that Cordie might want us to leave,” Jack said.
    Aiden reached for his suit jacket and slipped it on. He looked as though he were about to walk into a boardroom. His suit was a perfect fit, of course. Everything about the man was impeccable. After asking her if there was anything she needed, he and Spencer, insisting that she not walk them to the door, came over to give her a hug. Aiden smelled divine when he wrapped his arms around her, and she tried not to react. She pulled away as quickly as possible.
    After they were gone, Sophie and Jack, along with Regan and Alec, prepared to follow, but just as Sophie reached the door, she suddenly stopped, causing Regan to bump into her. Sophie turned to Cordie. “I can’t believe I forgot to ask you . . . what was the surprise?”
    “There’s a surprise?” Jack asked.
    “Yes, her father told her something surprising,” Regan remembered.
    “She promised to tell us tonight,” Sophie explained. “So what was it?”
    “Maybe she doesn’t want to share it just yet,” Jack suggested, being diplomatic, but Sophie was already back in the living room waiting for an answer.
    Cordie stretched her legs out, then swung her feet down to the floor and sat up. Looking around at the curious faces of her four closest friends, she decided there was no easy way to say it other than to just