Her Billionaire Boss Page 3

  “Nice to meet you,” I said, holding out my hand and pushing all thoughts of a wild party to the back of my mind. I led the way into my office and was mildly surprised when Chelsea joined us. She had moved one of my straight-backed chairs to the side of my desk and perched herself there, holding a notebook and pen in her hands.

  Chuck and I both settled into our chairs, and he began to speak. The whole time he talked, I could see Chelsea taking notes out of the corner of my eye.

  “I think that we should look into expanding into higher education,” Chuck was saying, and I tried to ignore Chelsea so that I could give him all my attention.

  “Could you elaborate?”

  “Production, Inc. has dominated the business world with its software applications over the years, but I think there’s untapped potential with colleges. There isn’t a high-quality software built specifically for higher education’s top institutions, and I think we can be the ones to provide it.”

  Chuck handed me a piece of paper and Chelsea stood up, coming up behind my chair to peek at it over my shoulder. I could smell her floral perfume. The paper was a proposed list of features that could be utilized in such software, including curriculum management, academic advising, and student records.

  “I suppose you’d want to be the team leader on this?” Chelsea asked Chuck to my surprise. I hadn’t even gotten that far in my thought process yet.

  “Yes. I know I haven’t led a team before, but I think—I know that I’m ready.”

  “We’ll take that into consideration,” I said. “Let me look this over and do a little research. I’ll let you know if we decide to go forward with this.”

  “Thanks for your time,” Chuck said, standing and shaking my hand. “Thanks, Chels.”

  I frowned as he shook Chelsea’s hand, too. What’s with the nickname?

  Chuck left the office, closing the door behind him. I turned to Chelsea, who had reclaimed her chair and was looking at me excitedly. “Well, what do you think?” she asked.

  “I think Chuck seems nice. How well do you know him?”

  “What?” She looked confused.

  “I was just wondering what your relationship is with Chuck,” I said, feeling a twinge of jealousy bubble up within me. I had no idea where it was coming from, but I didn’t like it one bit.

  “Relationship? Don’t be silly. I’ve gotten to know tons of people here in the last few days.”

  “Tons? It’s been four days,” I said, incredulously.

  “What can I say? I’m a delight.” She winked at me with a cheeky grin. I felt a curious warmth spread throughout my chest. “But I wasn’t asking what you thought of Chuck. What about his idea?”

  “I don’t know yet. I’m reluctant to go for something like this so soon. We’ve produced business software for nearly twenty years, and this is so outside of the norm for Production, Inc.”

  “Yeah, that’s the point!” she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with her passion. “Innovation is the key to keeping a business moving forward. Someone in your position needs to be willing to take risks.”

  I nodded, but I couldn’t help hesitating. Would Dad think I was crazy if I brought this to him? I knew there was only one way to find out. I was going to take a risk.

  Chapter 5

  Chelsea

  “So, how do you like the job?”

  Mr. Keller’s sudden voice drew my attention away from my computer screen. He was standing in front of my desk with his hands in his pockets and a small smile on his face. I hadn’t even heard him approach, being so absorbed in my work.

  “You know, it’s not too bad,” I replied, shrugging.

  “Well, you seem to be doing a great job,” he said, his eyes flitting over the papers scattered across my desk, and Jay’s office, which was empty.

  “Thanks. Are you looking for Jay? Because he’s still at lunch.”

  “No, no. I just came by to check in on my newest employee. Jay actually came to see me this morning, to pitch this college education platform idea.”

  “Yeah? What do you think?”

  “I think you’re already having a strong influence on him.”

  “What makes you say that?” I asked, leaning forward in my chair.

  “I know my son, and that’s not something he would normally take a chance on. I’m thinking that you had something to do with it.”

  “I might have…” I trailed off with a smile. “The real question is: what do you think of it? Is it worth taking a chance on?”

  “I think it is. Jay’s going to do some market research and the like over the next couple of weeks and we’ll see what he comes up with, but I can see this being the next big thing for Production, Inc.”

  “Me too,” I agreed.

  “Then keep up the good work,” he said, rapping his knuckles twice on my desk before walking away. He had quite a pep in his step for an old man.

  Minutes after he was out of sight, Jay came back from lunch. I noticed first thing this morning that he had gotten a haircut, making his thick blond hair more tamable. The shorter style accented his strong jawline, which was covered in a sexy stubble beard. I found myself appreciating his looks more and more every day that we worked together. It was as if he became more attractive to me the more I got to know him, and he wasn’t exactly a troll to begin with.

  No, he had a classically handsome look, with his blond hair and blue eyes. He was also tall and muscular, making him a forbidden fruit that I couldn’t stop staring at.

  “Anything new come up while I was gone?” he asked as he usually did after being out of the office for a while. I pulled my eyes away from his handsome face, hoping he didn’t notice my staring. What is wrong with me?

  “Actually, yes. You were invited to a casino night charity event to benefit the children’s hospital,” I said.

  “Oh? When is it?”

  “This weekend, tomorrow night. I forwarded the email to you. They aren’t charging an admission fee, but all proceeds from the games go to the hospital.”

  “Tomorrow night’s not good for me,” he said with a slight frown.

  “Really? Can’t you change your plans? This is an awesome cause and it would also be a great PR move for the company. As vice president, anything you do is likely to be reflected back on Production, Inc. This a good opportunity to take advantage of that.”

  “It’s too last-minute.”

  “What are you doing tomorrow anyway?” I asked.

  “I’m having a party.”

  I waited a moment for him to elaborate, but he didn’t say another word.

  “What kind of party? Like, a special occasion?”

  “No, just for a bit of fun.”

  “Then why not just cancel it? You should go to this. You’ve had some bad press in the past, mostly related to your partying, actually. You can turn so much of that around in just one night. This is going to get great press coverage.”

  “I’m not just going to cancel a party,” he responded, his tone and the look on his face both showing that he thought I was suggesting something crazy. “These people have certain expectations of me. That means throwing an awesome, over-the-top party.”

  “What kind of expectation is that? If these friends of yours can’t understand the need to reschedule because of something important, maybe they’re just using you for a good time.”

  I could tell I’d just struck a nerve. Jay’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he stepped away from my desk, heading into his office. He spoke without bothering to turn around and look at me. “I’m not canceling my plans. Just throw the invitation in the trash.”

  “It was sent in an email,” I responded, but he just closed his door without another word.

  I was disappointed. I didn’t begrudge the guy a good time but this kind of thing was such a smart move for his career, and he cared more about a party that, by his own admission, was nothing special. The casino event was for a worthy cause too.

  Well, I decided, if he wasn’t going to go,
I was. I may not have the sway that he did here at Production Inc., but this would probably be a good chance to meet others in the tech industry. After all, there were plenty of wealthy men and women in this region that were probably invited.

  Now, I just had to figure out what to wear.

  I double-checked the address on my phone as I pulled my car up in front of a building that looked like an old warehouse. This couldn’t be the place, could it?

  Yep, it was.

  I stepped out of my car, the light breeze causing the skirt of my dress to flutter in the air. I had settled on a backless black dress that hugged my curves and came down almost to my knees. I knew that this was a formal event and figured that I couldn’t go wrong with a classic black dress.

  To my right, I saw a couple dressed to the nines and walking toward the warehouse with confidence. Guess they know something I don’t.

  I followed them into the building through a large door that creaked when it was opened. But once I was on the other side, my jaw dropped. The inside looked nothing like I expected. It had been completely repurposed and was decked out to look like a Las Vegas casino. The space was full of people, both gamblers and workers, and tables with games of every kind.

  Looking around the place, I couldn’t help feeling intimidated. I had never been to a real casino, so I wasn’t sure how to play most of the games I saw. I stopped at a desk and exchanged cash for chips, then started to wander around the large open room, searching for something that looked familiar.

  Finally, on the far side of the room, I came across a game that I recognized: blackjack. There was only one other person at this table, and I took a seat beside him. The man glanced at me as he placed a bet, then snapped his eyes to me again in a double take.

  “Well, hello there,” he said, shooting me a wide smile that showed off his perfectly straight teeth.

  “Hi, I’m Chelsea,” I introduced myself.

  A waiter came by with a tray of champagne flutes and I snagged one.

  “Parker,” the man replied.

  Parker was older than me, probably in his mid-thirties, but he was attractive. He was nowhere near Jay’s level of good-looking, but…

  I shook my head to dispel those thoughts. I needed to get Jay off my mind. I was playing with fire. The dealer dealt me in the next round, and I promptly lost, going way over the twenty-one mark and landing at twenty-four.

  “Crap,” I muttered under my breath. The dealer dealt another hand, and I placed another bet.

  “No, you want to double your original bet,” Parker said from beside me.

  “Double it? Why?”

  “It’s a common strategy. When you lose, double your last bet; that way, you walk away at least one dollar in profit.”

  “One whole dollar, huh?” I asked with a grin while I added more chips to my bet.

  “Hey, it’s better than a loss, right?”

  “Well, I can’t argue with that.”

  This time I played it safer and stopped at fourteen. I was glad I did because the dealer got a queen, which put him at twenty-three. I turned to Parker with a smile.

  “We won!” I exclaimed, excitement coursing through me as I collected my chips.

  “Yep, you did it,” he said. “Now you’re in the black. How does it feel?”

  “Fantastic!”

  “I can tell,” he said, shifting his body so that he was leaning toward me. “Although, I think you’re pretty fantastic.”

  I froze in place as shock spread through my body. He was being so forward, and we had met mere minutes ago. Then, before I could even formulate a response, I heard the stool on the other side of me scrape against the floor as someone sat down. Turning my head, I couldn’t believe the sight that met my eyes. It was Jay!

  Chapter 6

  Jay

  I must have lost my mind, I decided. I had skipped out on my party, at my house, to come to this charity event. Chelsea had gotten under my skin. After my refusal yesterday, there had been tension between us for the rest of the day.

  There was an air of disappointment around her that made me feel small. So, earlier this evening, I put on a tuxedo and left almost a hundred people behind at my house. Martin, who confirmed that I had gone nuts, was under strict orders to keep the party under control as much as possible. I would be happy if they just didn’t burn the place down.

  I walked into the event space, passing a gaggle of reporters that clearly recognized me and started snapping my picture. The fundraiser was being held in a cleverly repurposed warehouse, and I was impressed by the setup. It was an upscale event, attracting people with deep pockets. I saw waitstaff working the crowd with trays of champagne, using the alcohol to encourage guests to spend their money more liberally. I also saw trays of hors d’oeuvres. In my observation of the room, my eyes landed on a woman sitting with her back to me. There was something familiar about her, even from behind.

  I was drawn to her; maybe it was the long brown hair that flowed down her exposed back or the delicate curve of her hip, but either way, my feet seemed to lead me to her side without conscious thought. Then, she turned her head to speak to the man next to her and it all made sense.

  I had no idea that Chelsea would be here, but electricity ran down my spine as I drew near. Then, she angled her body toward the man beside her, and I could see that her face was lit up with happiness. My blood turned cold as the man leaned closer to her. A resentful green-eyed monster roared to life in the center of my chest, and I hurried forward to take a seat on the other side of her.

  “Jay?” she asked, pivoting to face me. A small, petty part of me felt smug at the sight of her so easily turning away from the other man. His face morphed into a sullen frown, and my pride made me feel about ten feet tall.

  “Surprised to see me?” I asked.

  “Of course I am. I thought you had big plans tonight?”

  “I did, but some woman nagged me into coming here instead,” I replied playfully. She giggled, and I felt a shock run down my spine at the sound.

  “You poor thing.”

  “I’m surprised to see you here, too.”

  “Well,” she shrugged, “it’s a good cause and I have big business aspirations. I figured I could contribute to the hospital and hobnob with San Jose’s finest.”

  “Have you met anyone of interest?”

  “Just Parker, here,” she said, turning to gesture to the man at her other side, but he was gone, having slipped away once he no longer had her attention. Good riddance, I didn’t like the way he was looking at her. “Oh, I guess he’s gone.”

  “You don’t need him, anyway. You’ve got me,” I said, standing and holding my elbow out to her. She threaded her arm through mine, and I led us toward the open bar. I ordered a whiskey neat while Chelsea got a glass of champagne.

  “You know, I don’t really drink very often.” She took a small sip. “But the first time I ever had alcohol was at my cousin’s wedding when I was fourteen. I stole a sip from my mom’s glass when she wasn’t looking. I thought it was nasty and couldn’t even imagine why adults would drink such a thing.”

  We started making our way around the room aimlessly. I grabbed a couple of stuffed mushrooms from a passing tray and handed one to Chelsea.

  “I suppose you’ve since changed your mind?”

  “I’ve found that I don’t mind sweet champagne on occasion, but I’m no heavy drinker by any means. What about you? Do you remember your first taste of alcohol?”

  “I had my first beer with my dad on my sixteenth birthday. I didn’t like the taste either, but it was a rite of passage kind of thing, so I choked it down. I liked the experience with my dad though. We spent the day car shopping, and when we got home with my brand-new convertible, he’d ordered us a large pizza with black olives, my favorite.” Chelsea wrinkled her nose at this and I chuckled before continuing. “When we were sitting down to eat, he just sat two beers down at the table and told me it was a special occasion.”

  “So, it was
a bonding experience.”

  “Definitely.”

  We walked by a roulette table, and I stopped, with Chelsea following close behind. There weren’t many people gathered around, and the game itself was simple enough.

  “Have you played?” I asked.

  “No.”

  “You just guess where the ball will land,” I explained as the wheel spun and the little white ball bounced around in the opposite direction. “Put your chips on a number, and if the ball lands there, you win.”

  “A game of chance, huh?” Chelsea asked, looking up at me through her eyelashes.

  “They all are, really. But at least if the house wins here, it’s for a good cause.”

  We sidled up to the table and placed our bets. We played a couple of rounds, losing them all, but I hardly cared. It was just a couple hundred dollars, after all. I insisted that Chelsea take half of my coins to play once I saw her tiny collection. She tried to refuse, not wanting to lose my money, but I simply pointed out that it was all for charity.

  “Jay, my boy, it that you?” said a voice from my right. I turned to see a familiar old man with gray hair and deep wrinkles.

  “Henry, it’s nice to see you,” I said, shaking his hand. “Chelsea, this is Henry. An old friend of my father’s.”

  “Watch who you’re calling old,” he said with a chuckle, shaking her hand.

  “Henry is the co-founder of Mobi Play,” I told Chelsea.

  “You produce mobile games, right?” she asked Henry. He smiled.

  “That’s right, young lady. We’re a leader in the industry.”

  “So I’ve read. But you guys should probably evaluate your casual games. Puzzle games are growing in popularity, and you haven’t quite conquered that area yet,” Chelsea said.

  “You know, my research team just told me the exact same thing. Are you part of the tech industry then?”

  “I work for Production, Inc.”

  “Ah, so you’re co-workers. I thought this was a date,” Henry said, winking at me. I rolled my eyes at the old man.