Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
I knew before I got here that I had to tell her the truth. I can’t fumble my way through a bunch of lame excuses for not agreeing to partner with one of the most successful candy conglomerates in the world.
“Are you scared they’ll force you out?” she asks, jumping to an obvious conclusion. “That’s it, isn’t it? You think they’ll make your life hell so you’ll eventually throw your hands up in the air and give in and sell to them.”
They might, but I’ll never have to worry about finding out if it happens.
“I’m not scared of that.” I thread my fingers together, anxiety driving every one of my movements. “It’s something else.”
“What is it, Greer? Please tell me.”
I glance at her face to see understanding in her expression. I hope it’s still there after I confess what I need to. “I slept with Holden Sheppard.”
Her mouth falls open. “No, you didn’t.”
I hold in a laugh. “I did.”
She jumps to her feet, still holding tightly to the silver cube. “It was sometime before the meeting, wasn’t it? That’s why you couldn’t wait to get out of there.”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I nod. “We met in East Hampton when I was there. We both used fake names, so I had no clue I spent that weekend with Holden.”
“You spent the entire weekend with him?” Her hand leaps to her mouth. “So when you walked into the meeting, was that the first time you’d seen him since you two slept together?”
“Yes.” I stand, too. “I almost fell over.”
“I saw it firsthand.” She laughs. “This explains everything, Greer. It explains so much.”
“Does it explain why I can’t agree to you selling your half of the business to him?”
She purses her lips. “Maybe, but what if it’s a good thing for you if I sell to him?”
“It’s not.”
She wraps her arm around my shoulders. “He might be the guy for you, Greer. You know what they say about how thin the line between love and hate is.”
A bubble of laughter falls from my lips. “I’ll never love him. I don’t hate him, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ever go into business with the man. That will always be a hard no.”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Holden
Jameson sprints toward me as I exit the elevator on the floor that houses our executive offices. It’s a typical move for him when he wants something from me.
I’m just about to turn around and step back into the open elevator to earn a laugh from my brother, but the woman who snuck around me to get inside has already pressed a button, sending the doors sliding shut.
“Have a nice day, Mr. Sheppard,” she says as she disappears from view.
I toss her a smile at the very last second. “You too.”
Jameson reaches me just as the elevator takes off to one of the floors below us. “I needed to talk to her.”
“Her?” I jerk a thumb over my shoulder toward the elevator. “Who is she?”
He lets out a hearty laugh. “Jesus, Holden. Try and keep up. She’s our new accounting manager. I introduced you to her a couple of months ago on the day she started.”
“Nope.” I cross my arms over my chest.
“Yep,” he says, mimicking my stance. “It was right after you came back from East Hampton. The day after, I think. I remember because she told me I had a great tan, and didn’t say a word about you.”
My brother always seems to have a great tan.
“I should have known you’d forget that meeting.” He slaps the center of my back. “You had just spent the weekend with Greer. Your mind was not on business.”
He’s right about that, so I shrug off the comment. “You can take the stairs and meet her in the lobby.”
“Her name is Carol,” he says with a smirk. “I can also just call her and say what I need to say.”
“Which is?” I gesture toward the corridor that leads to our offices.
“To tell her what a great job she’s doing.”
Leave it to my brother to compliment every employee whenever he gets the chance. That’s who James is.
“Did you hear the good news?” He elbows my side.
I glance at him before I dart a finger into his bicep. “What good news?”
“The Sweet Indulgence news.”
“What?” I ask, my voice catching in my throat.
Any news that remotely involves Greer is news I want to hear right fucking now.
“You really like her,” James accuses, but there isn’t a teasing note in his tone. “I don’t know her, but she’s built a solid business with Krista. That tells me a lot about her.”
It tells me that she has strength and fortitude. It tells me the woman has grit and a will to succeed that not many people possess in this industry.
I loosen my tie slightly. “What’s the news?”
“She really didn’t tell you?” He motions for me to step to the left to allow room for Sasha to pass.