“Yeah, sure.” She opened her door but remembered something, so quickly turned around. “Your father has already paid off two of the shareholders. Whatever we do, we need to do it quickly.”
“I agree. I’ll be in your office tomorrow morning by nine.”
He climbed in his car and drove away. As she watched him, her chest ached. It would be hard to work side-by-side with someone she didn’t trust, but it would be worse because she had seen Mick’s good side. She knew he wasn’t all bad.
Shaking her head, she sat in her car and drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. She must treat Mick as any other businessman she’d had to work with. He was not anything special even if he wanted to prove her wrong.
Oh, Lord... help me get through this.
She sighed and rested her forehead on the steering wheel. And whatever happens between them, she mustnotremember the steamy kisses or the sultry looks. He was a player, and he’d always be that way. She couldn’t change him... But she really didn’t want to, anyway.
ELEVEN
Mick had never beena nervous person, even in school when he was on the football team, or meeting girls for the first time. He was confident in his abilities, and he never doubted himself.
Until now.
He’d only known Nicole for a few days, and already she had his emotions twisted into a knot. Around her, he’d felt like a hero, and now the villain. He’d felt like the sexiest man alive, and now he considered himself unappealing not only to her but to everyone. Mick had always had a head for business, but these past two days, brilliant ideas were not entering his mind.
All because he’d wanted to be honest with her.
His chest tightened. If only Nicole would have let him explain his relationship with Tara Browning – USA’s next top model.
Sighing, he ran his fingers through his hair and stared at himself in the mirror. He really needed to snap out of this depression he’d put himself in. Why was he allowing Nicole to control his feelings, anyway? That was definitely not something he gave a woman permission to do.
He bent over the bathroom sink and splashed cold water on his face. The meeting with Nicole was in one hour. He needed to look his best, and especially to prove that she didn’t affect him in any way.
Of course, that would be a lie...
He rushed about his hotel room as he finished dressing for the day. Within forty minutes, he was heading out of the hotel toward his car. The morning air was crisper than usual. Autumn was definitely upon the town of Maple Springs. Memories of his teenage life here in this very place returned, hitting him full-force. Where had those carefree years gone? It seemed that in a blink of an eye, he’d gone from lovable high-school jock to one of the most feared businessmen in this country.
Was he really the jerk Nicole thought him to be?
“Mick!”
Before reaching his car, he stopped and turned in the direction his name was called. A beautiful strawberry-blonde woman waved at him from the front of the hotel. He blinked, not believing what he saw. Why was Tara here?
