There were only a few cars in the parking lot, and Mick’s wasn’t one of them. She hurried inside the building and up to her room, dodging anyone who looked her way. Today she wore a dark blue pantsuit with a white blouse, her long hair tied in a ponytail, and wearing very little make-up, because she didn’t want to do anything to draw attention to herself. Especially, from Mick. She still wasn’t ready to talk to him.
She locked herself in her office and sat behind her desk. Tears stung her eyes, and she tried to blink them away, but self-loathing was hard to swallow. Why hadn’t her grandfather figured she would feel this way when he handed over the company to... a billionaire, for goodness sake. What a slap in the face.
Stop crying!She rose and went to the window. She started to close the blinds until she noticed Mick’s car in the parking lot along with a strawberry-blonde headed woman with her arms wrapped around Mick’s shoulders. The two were pressed so closely together, Nicole didn’t know where one ended and the other body began.
Growling, Nicole finished closing the blinds. She didn’t need to see anymore. Apparently, Mick hadn’t broken up with his girlfriend, yet. Nicole shouldn’t care, but she did. It wasn’t every day she told a man she was in love with him. Naturally, there would be some kind of pain with his rejection.
And yet, he told her he loved her. Those were words that she’d never had a guy tell her. Were they just words, or did he really mean them?
She hit her fist against the wall. Why was he playing with her heart? None of this made sense. Why would a billionaire love someone likeher? And... why on earth would a billionaire want her grandfather’s measly company? It was hard not to doubt everything Mick had ever told her.
Nicole shook off the confusion and pain as much as she could and logged into her computer to check her emails. There were so many! But as she scrolled through them, it softened her heart to know that there were many people who cared about her accident and gave sympathy for her grandfather’s passing. Several were from Mick, but she deleted those without reading them.
An hour passed by, and nobody came to her door. She’d sent her secretary a message to let her know that she didn’t want to be disturbed. So far, her day was looking better. But her gut still twisted, wondering when Mick would try to see her.
She moved away from her desk and to her window to peek through the blinds. The parking lot was filled, which she suspected since it was time to work. The American flag was at half-mast, which made tears come to her eyes. The people in this company loved her grandfather. He really was a good man – even though she was still upset at him.
The knock at the door made her jump. Her heartbeat quickened. Where was her secretary? Nicole kept silent, but since her lights were on, people would know she was here.
“Nicole, open the door, or I’ll break it down. And don’t think I won’t.”
She scowled at Mick’s determined voice. How dare he command her... Then again, he was now the president – herboss. He could do whatever he wanted.
Grumbling under her breath, she marched to the door and yanked it open. She tried to hold onto her injured feelings, and especially the ones she had right now due to his attitude, but when she looked into his eyes, the silent pleading in those beautiful gray-blue eyes began to melt her heart.
Stop it, Nicole!
His countenance softened, and a small smile touched his chiseled face. “Hi. How are you?”
She shrugged and rolled her eyes. He should already know how she was without telling him.
“I have a proposition for you.” He motioned into her room. “Can I come in so we can discuss it?”
She hesitated, not wanting to be alone with him again, but this time she didn’t have a choice. Nodding, she stepped away from the door to let him in. Once inside, she closed the door and walked to her desk.
“Nicole, I’ve missed you—”
“Let’s just get right to the point,” she interrupted. “What kind of proposition do you have for me?” She sat on her chair, facing him.
He sat on the chair across from her. “I think I know why your grandfather gave me the company.”
She clenched her teeth. What part ofget to the pointdidn’t he understand? “Mr. Remington, I don’t care—”
“He wanted to make sure there was no way my father could get his hands on Adkins Dev-Tech,” Mick continued as if she wasn’t trying to stop him from talking aboutthat. “You see, my father has no idea that I’m the new president. But because I am, I can pay off the loans that your grandfather fell behind on. There is no reason now that this company would be in danger of a takeover.”
She wanted to slap his arrogant face. He was a billionaire, but he’d never rubbed it in her face until now. “What is this proposal you have for me? If you’re now playing the part of a super-hero, then what could I possibly do?”
Sighing, he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. “I don’t want to be president. I wantyouto have that position. So, I will give you one week, starting today, to do those things we agreed on with the shareholders, to bring more revenue into the company. I promise not to pay one penny to the loans. Show me you are the woman I know you can be. Show me – and your grandfather in Heaven – that you are the rightful president.”
She pondered over his words. He’d said them with so much emotion that it actually gave her hope. Mick believed in her, so why was she still sulking? He was right. She could do this. She was the rightful heir, and she would prove it to the employees, to her grandfather, and especially to herself.
For the first time since the reading of the will, she felt like she could handle this – and win. Her heart melted, knowing that Mick believed in her.
Doubts tried sneaking in her mind.What if I fail?But then with Mick’s money to back them up, just in case, she couldn’t fail.
She hoped.
“Do we have a deal?” he asked.
