Maybe she’d see that he wasn’t going to be the pushover she had hoped him to be. Kat Jerris would get pushback. He’d be the one to keep her on her toes. This wasn’t her project, after all. After the building was constructed, there would be no reason for them to interact with each other.
He headed for the door, but her voice stopped him.
“Mr. Chambers. With all due respect, we didn’t grow to be the company we are without asking questions. I wouldn’t be the successful woman I am if I didn’t cover everything. We need to make sure our investment is in good hands and while I trust Jane and Noah implicitly, I am still going cross every ‘T’ and dot every ‘I’.”
He didn’t turn around to look at her. As far as he was concerned, this meeting was over. She didn’t even seem interested in talking to him whatsoever. Her words were only directed toward Janeand Noah. Occasionally Leo’s brother would make a comment about his plans to secure higher credentials when it came to the therapy services being offered.
Leo pushed into the hallway, ignoring the apologies that Jane practically threw at the woman. The next time Jane asked him to come on one of these adventures, she’d be sorely disappointed.
CHAPTER THREE
“That infuriating, hateful man!”Kat snapped the second her office door shut behind her. She slapped her paperwork on her desk and paced. She’d felt his judgmental stare from the moment she’d entered the room. His eyes practically burned holes into the side of her head.
What right did he have to make her feel small and uneducated?
Kat bit back a screech of frustration and it came out in something that resembled a dying cat. She’d done her best to direct her questions to Jane and Noah. They were the showrunners for this project, after all. And Reese? He was striving to put the actual therapy program together with his plans for additional education.
There was no reason for Leo to come to this meeting besides the fact that at some point Jane and Noah would be unreachable. They had more important things to do than to fill her in with updates as the project progressed.
She growled again as she stopped at her window and stared down at the street. Four familiar figures exited the building andclimbed into a limo that had been brought around. She watched though narrowed eyes. Leo might have pointed out the obvious, but what he didn’t understand was how important it was for her to ask all the questions. Clearly, he didn’t know how businesses like her father’s worked.
“Idiot,” she muttered.
“Who’s an idiot?”
Kat whirled around to find Chaz standing in her office. He was the epitome of smug competition.
“Am I correct in assuming that this project of yours isn’t as easy as you thought it would be?”
Her lips curled into a snarl. “What do you want Chaz?”
He frowned at her, but it was as fake as the leather of his shoes. “You know, I was really looking forward to signing on the dotted line with you. Your father’s idea might have been a little… archaic, but why mess with something that has worked in the past?”
She folded her arms, giving him a once over. Chaz was handsome enough. He knew how to dress to accentuate his form. His suits were always top of the line, but then they both came from high society. His hair was the opposite of Leo’s. Where Chaz was blond and his cut was shorn close to his head, Leo’s hair looked like he’d spent hours making sure it was perfectly mussed. Chaz had remained clean shaven, while Leo wore scruff like he was the next James Bond villain. And he was muscular. Man, the way those muscles rippled…
Kat shook her head to clear it.
Leo might have looked like Adonis reincarnated, but his personality left much to be desired. Chaz at least didn’t talk down to her. He might be smug when he got his way. He might flirt even when there was no invitation to do so. But all in all, he was a decent guy. She could do worse.
She could have ended up with someone like Leo.
Placing her hands on her hips, she scowled at him. “The project is just fine. The meeting went perfectly.”
“Didn’t sound so perfect.” His expression softened and he shot a glance over his shoulder at the open doorway before shutting the door behind him. Then he moved farther into the room. Are you sure you don’t want to entertain an…”
“An arranged marriage?” she scoffed. “Absolutely not.”
“Why?”
She frowned. “Why would youwantit? I’ve met your parents. They love each other. Don’t you want that? Don’t you want to fall in love with someone who makes your heart stop beating just because they walk into the room? Don’t you want to find someone who is your perfect match in every way?” Kat was fully aware the way she sounded in this moment. She wasn’t a romantic. Not really. Even though she’d brought up love to her father, that wasn’t the biggest reason.
Kat didn’t need love.
She needed to make something of herself.
Happiness came from setting goals and seeing them come true. Hard work. Fighting for a future that she found worthwhile.
Startled when Chaz suddenly appeared before her, she forced herself to focus on what he’d been saying.
