Corporate A$$ (4 page)

Fiona

I took a seat in the chair behind the desk that my father had sat at for almost twenty-five years. Flashbacks of my childhood began to surface when I would come with him to the office sometimes after school or on Saturday afternoons.

“Are you all settled?” Uncle Robbie walked in, pulling me back from the past.

“Yeah.” I smiled. “I think I am. I was just remembering all the times I would come here as a kid.”

“Doesn’t seem all that long ago. Listen, Fiona, did your father ever talk to you about what’s going on with the company?”

“No.” I frowned. “Why would he?”

“He didn’t mention some of the problems to you?”

“Problems? What kind of problems?” I cocked my head.

“The company is in a bit of trouble.”

“Okay. Care to explain to me what kind of trouble?”

He sighed. “Your father has made some pretty bad business deals over the past couple of years. With the drought problem, we were having issues with the vineyard that supplies us with the grapes. Their costs went up, the quality went down, and your father didn’t like it. So, he made a couple of deals with some colleagues in the Asian market and it went bad. So bad that it cost the company millions of dollars. We are in the midst of financial ruin, Fiona.”

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me this before I took over?” I spoke in anger.

“Because this is your father’s company. The same company he built from a small loan from the bank all those years ago. He was trying to find new ways to save it.”

“Does Rachel know anything about this?”

“No. Your father never told her a thing. He didn’t want her to worry.”

“Yet he appoints me president and doesn’t give a damn if I worry?”

“He and I talked about it and he wanted the company to go to you. His only child. He was fighting like hell to keep the doors open. Winslow Wines was his dream. You of all people should know that.”

“I do know that!” I pointed at him. “It’s all he ever talked about. The nights he never came home because of some crisis. The vacations that were cancelled because he just couldn’t leave the business for a few days. The times he wasn’t there for my school functions, my dance recitals, my prom, because he was here. The time he got into a fender bender and my family’s life changed forever.”

“Your parents’ marriage was over way before he met Rachel.”

“Get me the reports and the files.”

“Sure thing.” He got up from his chair. “You’re a smart woman, Fiona, and this company needs you. You also need to remember that your father didn’t plan on dying and leaving you with this mess.”

“Just get me the files, Uncle Robbie.” I sighed.

Day one of my new position and already it was a clusterfuck. I couldn’t believe this. Picking up my phone, I dialed Lydia.

“What’s up, Fi?”

“Drinks tonight. Badly needed drinks.”

“Tough first day?”

“You have no idea.”

“Drinks it is, then. Pegu club around seven?”

“I will see you there.”

****

Halfway through the reports, I threw down my pen and rubbed my temples. Uncle Robbie wasn’t kidding. The company was in deep shit trouble. Stuffing the rest of the files in my bag, I hopped into my red convertible BMW, drove to Pegu, and slid into the chair across from Lydia. She cocked her head and narrowed her eye.

“You look exhausted. Was it that bad?”

Signaling for the waitress, I ordered an Earl Grey martini.

“Bad isn’t a strong enough word. Winslow Wines is in deep financial trouble.”

“Wow. How deep?”

“Ocean deep.”

“Shit. And your father knew?” She sipped her drink.

“One Earl Grey martini.” The waitress set the glass down in front of me. “Would you like to order something?”

“Yes. We’ll have the scallops, coconut shrimp, and an order of the chicken wontons.”

“Coming right up.” She smiled.

“Wow.” Lydia laughed. “Really?”

“What? I’m stressed, and I eat when I’m stressed. I’m going to the restroom. I’ll be right back.”

After freshening up and making my way back to the table, I stopped. Dark gray designer suit, brown hair, perfect profile. Shit. It was him again and he was sitting in my chair.

“Excuse me, but that’s my seat.” I cocked my head as I stood there with my hands on my hips.

“Well, hello there, Lucy Collins.” He smiled as his dreamy brown eyes locked on mine.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m having drinks with my friend over there.” He pointed. “I happened to look over and I saw you and your lovely friend sitting down. I was on my way over to say hello when you got up to use the restroom. So, hello.”

“Hello.” I swallowed hard. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, would you kindly remove yourself from my seat? And it looks like your friend over there is waiting for you to return.”

He stood up but didn’t move out of the way so I could sit down.

“He’s fine. He understands that talking to a beautiful woman may take some time.”

I gulped.

“I have a question for you.”

“You can ask me anything.” He smirked.

“Are you stalking me? Because this is the third time we’ve run into each other.”

He chuckled. “No. I’m not stalking you. It’s pure coincidence that we keep running into each other. Strange. Wouldn’t you say?”

“Very. Now if you’ll excuse me, I would like to sit down.”

“I’ll move in a second after you give me your phone number so I can call you and ask you out to dinner, Lucy.” The corners of his mouth curved upwards.

“You mean so you can call me and then sleep with me.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t say anything about sex, but if that’s what you would like, I am more than willing to oblige. I never turn down sex with a beautiful woman.”

“I’m sure you don’t.”

I stood there, assessing him. Studying him. Thinking of my next play.

“I’m sorry,” I pouted. “I lied to you. My name isn’t Lucy Collins.”

“Why would you lie about your name?” He cocked his head.

“Because a woman can never be too careful in this city. But since this is the third time we’ve run into each other and I can see that you’re truly a gentleman, there’s no need to lie anymore.” I held out my hand. “My name is Elle Hemsworth.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Elle.” He smiled as he placed his hand in mine.

When our fingers touched, I pulled back because something overtook me. A shock, a bolt, a jolt; fuck if I knew. All I knew was that his hand in mine was too much for my body to take. He was breathtakingly gorgeous but a total player. A womanizer. A user.

“Phone number?” he asked.

I gulped0 as I looked over at Lydia, who was holding a pen in her hand. Taking it from her, I jotted a number down on a white napkin.

“Here. Call me.” I folded the napkin in half and handed it to him.

“Oh, I will definitely be calling you.” He winked as he began to walk away.

“Wait,” I spoke and he turned around. “Your name?”

The corners of his mouth curved into a sly smile. “You’ll get my name when I call you.”

As he walked away and took his seat with his friend, I sat down and finished off my Earl Grey martini like it was water.

“Hemsworth? Really?” Lydia smirked.

“I had Chris on the brain.”

“He’s fucking hot as hell. I don’t understand why you won’t go out with him.”

“Because he’s a corporate ass. That much I can tell. I just got out of a bad relationship and I’m not about to hop into another one with a guy like him.”

“You don’t even know him. And who said anything about a relationship? The guy wants to take you to dinner.”

“And dinner leads to sex and sex leads to more sex and before you know it, a relationship is formed, and then he’ll cheat on me, being the womanizer he is. No thanks.” I smiled.

Lydia sat there shaking her head at me. “You have some serious issues.”

“You’re right.” I pointed at her. “I do and I have a failing company to get back on its feet. That’s the only thing I’m focusing on. I don’t need some sexy corporate ass distracting me. Now let’s get the hell out of here before he calls and finds out that I gave him a fake number.”

Nathan

“And who was that beautiful creature?” Will smirked as I sat down across from him.

“A woman that I’ve run into three times now. A woman who gave me a fake name the last time I saw her.”

He laughed. “Classic. Did you get her real name this time?”

“I did and her phone number too.”

“You sure this time?” He chuckled while leaning back in his chair.

“Let’s find out.” I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed the number that was written on the napkin.

“Hello,” a rough voice answered.

“I’m calling for Elle Hemsworth.”

“Who?”

“Elle Hemsworth.”

“Sorry, but you must have the wrong number. I don’t know an Elle Hemsworth.”

“Thank you.” I glared at Will as I hung up. “That bitch.”

Will couldn’t stop laughing and it was pissing me off.

“Give up, Nathan. She clearly isn’t interested in you and she sure as hell knows what she’s doing.”

“Let’s go.” I got up from my seat and walked out of the bar.

When I got home, I walked into the living room and poured myself a scotch. Taking it out on the patio, I took a seat in the lounge chair facing the ocean. It was a calm, quiet evening except for the clusterfuck of things running through my head. She wore a navy blue tailored pantsuit and designer heels. Her blonde wavy hair hovered over her shoulders like a goddess’s. Her baby blue eyes were made up lightly with just the right amount of shadow and black eyeliner. Gorgeous. Cock raising. Stunning. She was smart. Smart as a whip. The car, the fake name, and a fake number. She wasn’t one to be toyed with and she was making that very clear to me. She was strong on the outside, but on the inside, she was broken. Frail. Fragile. Hurt. I couldn’t get her out of my mind. Not that night at the casino, not that night at the restaurant, and certainly not tonight at the bar. One taste of her and I would be satisfied. I loved challenges. I thrived on them. Now the problem was finding her again. I wasn’t worried. We had run into each three times already and another time was inevitable. Maybe her name, Elle Hemsworth, was real this time, but she didn’t trust me enough to give me her real number. Her ex cheated on her. She had trust issues. That douchebag ruined it for me.

The next morning, as I walked into my office, my assistant, Kylie, followed behind.

“Get me everything you can on a woman named Elle Hemsworth.”

“Sure thing, Nathan. Los Angeles, I presume?”

“Yes, and do it now.”

“I’m on it, sir.”

As I took a sip of my coffee and was reviewing the stock market, Will walked in.

“Did you have a chance to look over the information on Winslow Wines last night?” he asked.

“Yes, and they’re in serious trouble. Looks like a win for us.”

“I found out from one of my contacts that Christopher Winslow appointed his daughter, Fiona Winslow, as president of the company in his will. Apparently, she was to go work for the company after graduating college, but they had some sort of falling out and she ended up going to work for Steiner and Richards Marketing Firm, where she was a huge success but then quit because she was passed up for a promotion.”

“Interesting.” I narrowed my eye.

“She was then hired by Toth and Sons Marketing Inc. in New York but never made it there because Christopher passed away and left her the family business.”

“She should have gone to New York.” I smirked.

“I agree. Anyway, we have a meeting this afternoon with her.”

“How did you manage that?” I arched my brow.

“I spoke with the financial manager, Robbie Peyton, who is her uncle, and told him that we were interested in helping Winslow Wines get back on its feet. He was open to a meeting and said he’d let Fiona know.”

“Excellent. If there’s one thing I’m superior at, it’s sweeping a woman off her feet. Persuading her to let us into the company won’t be hard. Is she married?”

“No.”

“Is she hot?”

“I have no clue.”

“How old is she?”

“My contact said she’s twenty-eight.”

“Even better.” I smiled. “This, my friend, will be a piece of cake, and we’ll be in the wine business before you know it. She’s young and I’m sure she knows nothing about running a company. She’ll be vulnerable and eager for some help.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking. Our meeting is at two o’clock.”

“Good job, Will.”

“By the way, that woman from last night, Elle.”

“What about her?”

“Is that her real name?”

“I don’t know yet. I have Kylie checking her out now.”

“I can guarantee it isn’t and, once again, you’ve been played.” He smirked as he left my office.

Will and I had been friends since the day we met in our freshman year at Berkshire Academy. We both excelled and went on to Harvard, where we graduated with our MBAs and in the top ten percent of our class. He got a job on Wall Street and I followed in my father’s footsteps. After the CEO of the company Will worked for was indicted on insider trading charges, the company closed its doors and Will came to work for me at Carter Management Group Inc.

“Excuse me, Nathan,” Kylie spoke as she poked her head in the door.

“Come on in. What did you find?”

“I’m sorry. There isn’t an Elle Hemsworth in Los Angeles. The only person I could find with that name lives in Anchorage, Alaska.”

Slowly closing my eyes, I sighed. “Thank you.”

Another fake name to go with the fake phone number. This woman, whoever she was, was now on my nerves. Just wait until the next time I run into her.