Her Billionaire Boss Page 5

  “What kind of things have you built?” I asked, intrigued. This was a new dimension to Jay and I craved to know more.

  “All kinds of things. Tables, chairs, shelving units. I just completed an entertainment center for my home.”

  “Wow. How do you know how to do all that?”

  “I taught myself using the internet. There’s a YouTube video for everything these days.”

  We had reached the UPS store and Jay held the door open for me as we entered. We had made it just ten minutes before closing, so we were quick to complete our business. He filled in the missing signature while I arranged for the papers to be express-shipped to the marketing firm. The single employee kept glancing at the clock and tapping his fingers on the countertop, clearly eager to clear out the store and close up shop. As we stepped back outside fifteen minutes later, we heard the door lock behind us.

  “Well, I guess that takes care of the contract problem,” I said, glancing back into the UPS store as the employee turned out the lights.

  “Yeah, we made it just under the wire. But I have another problem.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I never got to eat dinner,” he said, placing his hand on his stomach. “Let’s grab a couple of tacos.”

  I followed his line of sight and saw that there was a food truck selling tacos and burritos on the street corner. The smell of cooked meat was drifting our way. My stomach suddenly roared to life and my mouth filled with saliva. I found myself nodding in agreement before I even stopped to think about it.

  As we stepped up to the truck, a man with spiked platinum-blond hair greeted us warmly.

  “Hey, there! Beautiful evening, isn’t it? What can I get for the two of you?”

  “Ladies first,” Jay said, tipping his head in my direction.

  “I’ll take a fully loaded chicken taco with a soft shell.”

  “A classic. Comin’ right up. And how about you?” the man asked Jay.

  “You know what? I’ll take the same,” Jay replied, sending me a smile.

  “Well, look at you two, a match made in heaven,” the blond man said from within the truck.

  “No, that’s not—”

  “You’ve got the wrong—”

  Jay and I spoke over each other in our clumsy attempts to deny a connection between the two of us, shaking our heads. We both trailed off as the food truck guy laughed.

  “Okay, my bad. Just give me a minute and I’ll have that out for you.”

  Once we had our food, Jay led us to the concrete steps in front of a nearby boutique that was closed for the evening. He settled down onto the steps, uncaring of the expensive suit he was wearing, and I sat beside him: close, but not touching.

  The food was amazing, which was no surprise. I had found that food trucks were usually experts at their specialized fare. They had to be to compete with established restaurants.

  We ate in silence for a moment, just enjoying each other’s company. The sun had just set, and as we watched, the streetlights came on, adding a yellow glow to our surroundings. When I looked at Jay again, he was bathed in that light. As it hit him from above, the shadows of his face were absolute, so that I couldn’t read his eyes. But when he spoke, his voice was soft.

  “Tell me, did you have no plans for this evening? As glad as I am that you got me out of that date, I’m surprised that you went to the effort.”

  “Well, I ran into your dad on the way out of work and he encouraged me to seek you out, told me where you’d be. And no, I didn’t have any plans.”

  “No friends to hang out with? No boyfriend?”

  Was I imagining the intensity of his voice when he asked about a boyfriend?

  “No to both, unfortunately. I haven’t lived here very long, so I haven’t made any friends yet or met a man.” That second part wasn’t necessarily true, but I hadn’t met a man it would be appropriate to date.

  “You must be lonely with no one to spend time with outside of work.”

  I shrugged, but he was right. I was missing my family and friends, but it didn’t change the fact that I wanted to be here. I wanted to make something of myself in San Jose.

  Jay reached a hand out and touched my forearm where it rested on my thigh. “If you ever need anything, let me know. I’m here for you.”

  My heart swelled, and I felt tingles run up my arm from where he touched me. Reacting to the feeling, I found myself leaning forward. Jay moved with me, his face drawing nearer and nearer. I closed my eyes, feeling his breath fan over my face. Our lips were an inch away from connecting when a car horn blared down the block, breaking the moment and bringing me crashing back to reality.

  I inhaled sharply and pulled back, opening my eyes to see disappointment coating Jay’s face. Guilt filled me, but I couldn’t linger on it or my own crestfallen feeling. This could seriously hurt my career, and I couldn’t let that happen. I had worked too hard and still had so far to go.

  “I-I’m sorry. I’ve gotta go,” I stammered, climbing to my feet and scurrying away before he tried to talk me into staying. I knew I would give in to him if he asked. In fact, it took all my willpower to walk away without looking back.

  Chapter 10

  Jay

  It was a good thing that Chelsea stopped our kiss.

  That was what I kept telling myself. It would’ve complicated things way too much. We worked together, and I didn’t need the inevitable drama. Yet, here I was, sitting in my office, distracted by the knowledge that Chelsea was on the other side of the door, sitting at her own desk. It didn’t help that she was wearing a blue dress that hugged her curves and made it nearly impossible to keep my mind off her.

  “Knock, knock.”

  I looked up to see Dad standing in the doorway of my office, his hands in his pockets as he leaned his shoulder against the doorframe.

  “Come on in,” I said, closing the game of solitaire I’d been playing on the computer. I wasn’t exactly at my most productive at the moment.

  He walked into the office and closed the door behind himself. Instead of taking a seat in front of the desk, he walked to the other side of the room and settled himself onto the couch, crossing his legs. I stood and made my way over to that side of the room, leaving my suit jacket draped over the back of my chair.

  “Can I get you a drink?” I asked, gesturing to the sideboard where I had a decanter of bourbon and a few glasses.

  “Don’t mind if I do,” he replied, so I poured him a measure and handed it over before taking a seat in one of the cushioned chairs.

  “What’s on your mind, Dad?”

  “I think it’s time to consider an IPO,” he said, getting straight to the point. He took a sip of his bourbon while I processed his words.

  “You want to take the company public?”

  “I think so. You know we’ve considered it in the past, but now feels like the time to do it. Production, Inc. has done great, but there’s still room to grow in the industry. Going public will allow that to happen. We’re a strong business, and I think we have a strong enough management team to do it,” he raised his glass in my direction before taking another sip.

  “Wow. This is big, a game changer.”

  “Yep. So, what do you think?”

  I considered the pros and cons. An initial public offering usually came with plenty of publicity for the company, and we were sure to gain plenty of capital. But there were extensive requirements for going public, which would mean an investment of time and money. Also, transferring from a privately owned company to a public one meant a change in decision-making. Dad and I would have to answer to a board of directors.

  “I think we should do it,” I said, following my gut. There was a lot to be gained with this.

  “Excellent,” he said, draining the last bit of his drink before standing. He clapped his hands together briskly. “I’ll get started on the process. There’s so much to do, and it’ll take time.”

  “Do you need anything from me?”

 
“Just keep working on this new project. We need it to be a success to boost the company’s standing at the time of going public.”

  “You got it.”

  Dad climbed to his feet, using the armrest of the couch to steady himself. I stood as well and walked with him to the door.

  “You know, if this goes well, I might finally go ahead and retire,” he said as we walked out of the office.

  “I can’t imagine that. This place wouldn’t be the same without you.”

  “Change can be a good thing,” he replied, then clapped my shoulder before walking away, back toward his own office.

  I turned to see Chelsea watching me from her desk, her face impassive. The decision to go public made my attraction to her even more unwise. We couldn’t have a scandal within the company now. That kind of thing could be the deciding factor between success and failure when setting stock prices.

  “Everything okay?” she asked me.

  “Absolutely. We’re going public.”

  “Really? That’s huge.”

  “Yep, it’s great news. But it also means that this new platform has to be a success. So, I’ve been meaning to ask, will you help me with it?”

  “How?”

  “Step in and work with me on launching the project. I know you want to be an executive here and this’ll be a chance to show Dad you’ve got the chops for it. Besides, you’re brilliant, and I could use your input. That is, if you think you can handle it on top of your regular work.”

  “Of course,” she exclaimed excitedly.

  “Great. Do you want to come to lunch with me? We can go over the project there.”

  “Uh, sure.”

  I told myself that it was business only, but when we sat down together at the diner, the same one Martin and I had eaten at last week, it felt intimate. We were having a late lunch, so the place was empty except for the two of us, providing a level of privacy that was unnecessary.

  We talked about the project, outlining a plan of action. Chelsea suggested teaming up with some of the country’s top colleges to get an idea of what they would like to see in the application’s design, what would be the most beneficial. It would go hand-in-hand with the survey research our marketing firm was doing with students. I wasn’t at all surprised that she’d have such a good idea.

  As we ate and talked business, I felt comfortable, as if I was having a casual lunch with a friend. Well, for the most part. I ignored the attraction that I felt and swallowed my words when I was tempted to ask her on a real date.

  I was a professional, after all.

  Chapter 11

  Chelsea

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, staring at my ex-boyfriend with a dubious expression.

  It was surreal seeing Trevor here in San Jose. He was my high school sweetheart, but we had split six months ago when I realized that we had grown apart over the years. We were different people, and we wanted different things out of life. To be frank, I was astonished that he’d left our little hometown to come here. I was sure that he’d never even vacation outside of the town that he loved so much. He had no interest in anything that couldn’t be obtained there, until now.

  “I came for you, to convince you to come home.”

  “What? Are you crazy?”

  We were in the lobby of the hotel he was staying at, standing just inside the door of the establishment, where he had met me when I arrived. Trevor had called me this morning, surprising me with the news that he had arrived in the city and wanted to meet. So, here I was, squandering my lunch break. Yesterday’s lunch, spent with Jay, had been far more enjoyable.

  “Not at all. I’m finally sure about what I want. I miss you.”

  “Trevor, we have nothing in common.”

  “But opposites attract.”

  “Sometimes, but in this case, we aren’t compatible. You want a different life than I do. I wouldn’t be happy living out my days in Clifton,” I explained, referring to our hometown.

  “I think you would. You just need to get this wanderlust out of your system.”

  “Do you know how insulting that is?” I asked, incensed. His dismissive attitude toward my ambitions was the reason that I finally ended our relationship. “It’s so condescending.”

  “Jeez, Chels, I didn’t mean it like that,” he rubbed his hands together in a nervous gesture that was so familiar, we might as well have been seventeen again, with him asking me out on our first date. It had been cute, then, the outward sign of his anxiety. But things had changed. I didn’t see him the same way anymore.

  “You never mean it that way but it doesn’t change the fact that I need you to respect my decisions. All of them.”

  “I can’t give up on you just yet. I know we can work this out.”

  I just shook my head, irritated. Trevor wasn’t a bad guy, really, but he had a few things to learn about listening and respect.

  “I’ve got to go back to work,” I said, giving up on reasoning with him.

  “Already?” he reached out and grabbed my hand, running his thumb softly over the back of it. I felt nothing and couldn’t help comparing his touch to Jay’s, which had been electrifying.

  “I’m afraid so,” I replied, pulling away from him.

  “Okay, but don’t count me out just yet. I’m crazy for you, and I’m not going anywhere.”

  I couldn’t formulate a response that wouldn’t hurt him, so I simply left. I knew that he was trying to be romantic, but his words caused dread to fill me. I would always have a soft spot for Trevor; he was my first love, after all. But I didn’t want to be pursued by him.

  I had just arrived back at the office when my cell phone rang. Glancing at the screen, my dad’s smiling face was staring up at me, so I accepted the call as I sat in my car.

  “Hey, Dad.”

  “Hi, princess. How are you?”

  “Could be better. Trevor is here.”

  “In San Jose?” I could hear the surprise in his voice.

  “Yeah, he says he wants me back.”

  “The poor lovesick boy,” he responded with a chuckle that turned into a raspy cough.

  “I fail to find the humor in this.”

  “I’m sure he’s harmless, just maybe a little creepy to follow you all the way to San Jose. But, if you want, I can come put the fear of God in him.”

  “I’m sure I can handle it,” I said, smiling at my dad’s offer.

  “Well, let me know. I think he’s always been a little scared of me.”

  “Of course, he has. You made sure of that when he took me to prom.”

  “Hey, I know how teenage boys are. A little threat was in order, to make sure he didn’t get fresh with you,” he said. Another cough followed this statement, this one longer and more intense.

  “Okay, I could ignore that once, but now I’m worried. How long have you been sick?”

  “Oh, don’t worry about that. It’s just a cold.”

  “How long?” I repeated.

  “Almost two weeks,” he admitted.

  “You should have said something before. That’s it; I’m coming home this weekend.”

  “You don’t need to do that,” he replied, but there wasn’t much conviction in his voice. I had a feeling that he wanted to see me.

  “Someone needs to come to look after you for a few days. You just take it easy until I get there. I’ll see if I can get a flight out tomorrow night.”

  “Well, if you insist,” he said, but I could hear the smile in his voice.

  “I do. I’ll see you soon.”

  My phone call had caused my lunch break to run over. When I got back to the office, Jay widened his eyes comically, clutching his chest.

  “I thought something terrible must’ve happened to you. You’ve been gone for over an hour!”

  His overdramatic gasp had me rolling my eyes as a smile pulled at my lips.

  “Very funny,” I said, sitting at my desk.

  “Hey, I’m not judging. I think it’s great that you took a
n extended break. You’ve earned it. But what do you think about coming in Saturday for a few hours? There’s still a lot I wanted to have done this week but I don’t think we’ll get it all done tomorrow.”

  “Actually, I was planning to go visit my dad this weekend. I was just about to look up a flight for tomorrow night.”

  “Where does your dad live?”

  “Clifton, Oregon,” I said. I could see from his expression that he had no idea where that was. “It’s a small town in the northern part of the state where I was born and raised. Go, Clifton Wildcats,” I finished lamely, pumping my fist like a cheerleader.

  “Well, why don’t I just come with you?”

  Chapter 12

  Jay

  “You want to come to Clifton with me?” Chelsea asked, her eyes wide.

  Did I? I guessed so since I had just spontaneously made the offer.

  “Sure. Why not? That way you can visit your dad and we can get some work done. This is my first big project and I want to keep our momentum going.”

  Then, I figured I’d sweeten the deal, so I added, “And I have a private jet, so you don’t have to worry about booking with an airline.”

  “I don’t know… I’m going because my dad’s sick and I want to check up on him. Surely, you wouldn’t want to come for that.”

  “Don’t be silly,” I said. “It’ll work out fine. You can check up on your dad and I’ll get the scoop on what you were like as a nerdy teenager.”

  “How’d you know I was a nerd?”

  “I didn’t until just now,” I said with a wicked smile.

  “Very clever,” she said with a mocking glare.

  “Please tell me that you played the clarinet in the marching band or something like that. Bonus points if you had braces.”

  “I never had braces.”

  “But I’m onto something, right?”

  She didn’t answer, just sat down at her desk and turned to her computer screen.