The Organized Bride (Billionaire Marriage Brokers Book 2) (7 page)

“How would that look: the new girl, the boss’s wife, no less, taking off her second day on the job?” She shook her head. “I already bailed on Tera tonight for cleanup. Don’t worry, I’ll be there with bells on.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “Maybe not with bells.”

“Do you have everything you need? Do you want these other cold remedies?”

“No thank you, I have stuff inside.” She paused with her hand on the door. Facing the window, she said, “Thank you for coming tonight.”

“Someone had to take care of you.”

Her head slowly turned his direction. The look she gave him was part confusion and part defensiveness. “Why?”

Gabe squeezed the steering wheel. “You won’t, and you’re no good to anyone if you’re half-dead.”

MaKayla pressed her palm to her forehead and closed her eyes. “Don’t worry, Mr. Russell, you haven’t wasted your money or your time. I assure you, my health will not affect my performance level.”

Shocked, Gabe dropped his hands from the wheel. What was he supposed to say to that? He wasn’t worried about her work ethic, he was worried about
her
. And she threw it right back in his face. “Well, good night, then.”

“Goodnight,” said MaKayla.

Despite the heavy awkwardness in the car, MaKayla moved with grace as she climbed out. Gabe would have opened her door for her, but she probably would have slammed it on his fingers. His frustration mounted as MaKayla made her way slowly up the path to the front door. He felt such a desire to take care of her, to tuck her in bed and make sure she took her medicine, and at the same time wanted to drive off in a haze of rubber.

In the end, he did both, sort of. He waited until MaKayla was safely inside and then peeled away from the curb with a satisfying squeal.

The success of the charities he participated in, and in some cases ran, was important enough to him to marry a woman he didn’t know. They were the motivation for almost everything he did and the reason he’d started investing in the first place. It wouldn’t be long before he could work fulltime in philanthropy. When that happened, he’d see the Boys’ and Girls’ Center for Healing open branches all over the country. There were so many children and adults suffering from the effects of physical and mental abuse that needed help—his help. Until he could afford to step away from the company, he needed someone to keep that section of his life healthy.

He’d thought Natasha would do a decent job, thought they were on the same page because she’d encouraged him to move forward with his plans to start the company. It wasn’t until later that he realized she saw him as a paycheck and her commitment to helping others was practically nonexistent. She wasn’t a bad person; she just wasn’t the right fit for him.

MaKayla was a different matter altogether. He needed her to do well and he was going to make sure she had what she needed to succeed, because in the end, her success was his success. Even though she was his wife, there was a line there that he needed to maintain, which was why he needed to cool his temper. He was right: MaKayla wouldn’t take care of herself. She’d taken the lowest dosage of medication. That wasn’t going to do anything to help her.

Yanking the wheel, he stopped on the side of the road to do a quick search for herbal cold remedies on his phone. Maybe she was one of those people that didn’t believe in taking pills. After finding the information he needed, he headed for the health food store a few blocks away that, according to their webpage, was open late. He needed to make sure his investment was in good shape tomorrow.

Chapter 10

MaKayla woke up to her phone beeping and a headache that could split rocks. She rummaged around on her night stand until she found the phone and checked the text from Brooke.

Run 2day?

Head cold

R U going to work?

Both jobs

Good luck and let me know if you need anything

Sitting up just far enough that she wouldn’t spill her glass of water as she drank, MaKayla took stock of her situation. Her body felt heavy, a little on the achy side, and her head was as stuffed as the teddy bear on her shelf. The one consolation was that she didn’t have a cough or a sore throat. She could deal with a runny nose, and once the painkillers kicked in, the pounding in her brain would be reduced to a manageable level. What she’d told Gabe was true: her health, or lack thereof, would not affect her performance level—she simply wouldn’t allow it.

She downed half a glass of water, then sank back into her pillows until the alarm went off. Groaning, she forced herself into the shower, where she let the hot water clear her sinuses and soothe her tired muscles. Stepping into the steam-filled bathroom and wrapping a towel around her shivering body, MaKayla wanted to climb back into bed.

A self-depreciating laugh escaped her lips. There was no way she was skipping out on Gabe. Not after her little snit in the car last night. She’d been tired and ornery and sick, and Gabe had pushed her buttons.

She paused. That wasn’t truly fair. Gabe might understand. He’d offered to give her the day off, in a kind of backhanded way. His attention the night before puzzled her. Honestly, the last person she’d expected to see at the hotel was Gabe. Her life at the hotel was supposed to be separate from her life with Gabe. They weren’t supposed to mix, and suddenly they were in a blender. No one from her old life, except for Brooke, knew she’d gotten married, and she wanted to keep it that way. Gabe’s appearance threw everything out of whack, and she still couldn’t figure out
why
he’d shown up.

She quickly toweled off. Maybe he was a micromanager. The way he’d jumped all over where the funds were coming from for the prizes and then showed up out of the blue to check on her would suggest that he didn’t know how to let things go. She threw the towel on her bed. That was just great. Gabe didn’t see her as an equal, like she’d thought; he saw her as a project.

By the time she finished getting dressed and doing her hair, she was fifteen minutes late to the hotel. She’d vowed to be a model employee right up to the end, but her cold made moving feel like sledging through muddy lake water.

She ducked her head as she passed the hotel manager’s office. He hadn’t been too happy with her since she turned in her two weeks’, but that was his problem. All she could hope for now was to avoid a dirty look; it wasn’t like he could fire her for being late. She smiled to herself. That was the beauty of having a job lined up before you quit.

Thankfully, Tera had their nine o’clock appointment up to speed, and was walking them through the place settings for their wedding when MaKayla entered her office. Sinking into her chair with her business smile in place, MaKayla was grateful for Tera’s abilities. She really had caught on quickly. MaKayla made a mental note to tell her how impressed she was after the meeting. The couple was happy with how things were progressing, and it looked like it would be a fairly easy reception to coordinate.

For the rest of the morning, MaKayla and Tera reviewed procedures and phoned or emailed past clients to inform them that MaKayla was handing over the reins. MaKayla ignored her body as it begged her to go get some rest, and instead focused on crossing items off her to-do list.

In the car on the way over to her new job, MaKayla let her head drop back against the seat and tried to gather strength. She was grateful for Gabe’s foresight in arranging for a car, even if his motives were controlling. She doubted she’d be able to keep her eyes open behind the wheel. How was she ever going to get through an afternoon of meetings?

Slowly climbing out of the car, she patted the driver’s arm and told him thank you. Her favorite shoes felt heavy as she crossed the small plaza. On one level, she was excited about the afternoon’s agenda, but on a completely physical level, she dreaded getting through it.

Not surprisingly, Gabe met her in the lobby. His lowered brow left no doubt that he’d watched her slow steps from the car to the building. She chided herself for not being more aware. Hoping to win back a few points, she smiled and said, “The driver is a lifesaver. Thanks again.”

“It’s no trouble,” replied Gabe. He didn’t return her smile, though. Instead, he squinted as he took in her red-rimmed eyes and puffy face.

His scrutiny had MaKayla tucking her hair behind her ear nervously. She wasn’t used to people noticing her or paying close attention. Most of the time, she was a contact, someone who could get things done, a part of the overall event; hardly anyone really looked at her, and Gabe’s intent gaze made her feel exposed and somewhat shy. Her reaction was strange because she considered herself an unconquerable extrovert. Her outgoing nature was part of what made her so good at her job.

She didn’t have the energy to argue over whether she was healthy enough to stay, so she sidestepped the whole conversation and said, “I’m excited to meet with David to plan the shareholder’s luncheon today. I have some ideas that should make it tasteful and yet memorable.”

Gabe nodded. “David’s planning to meet you in your office. I’ll take you up.” He motioned for her to go first.

MaKayla was grateful he didn’t try to coddle her. She needed to make a good impression on her coworkers, to earn their trust, and she wasn’t going to do that by hiding behind Gabe. It was important that they see her as capable without the boss’s presence. That was one reason she was glad this meeting with David did not include Gabe. The other reason she couldn’t quite put her finger on. It was like a sudden set of nerves hit her at strange times when Gabe was around, causing her to forget her training and do embarrassing things, like stumble into his arms. Besides, without him hovering over her shoulder, she’d feel more at ease.

Gabe pressed the elevator button. “How was the hotel?”

“Just fine.” MaKayla adjusted her purse. Should she ask him about his drive home last night, or would that be snarky? She’d heard his tires when he pulled away. Either he was normally a maniac driver, or he’d been upset. He hadn’t said anything about their time together last night, and she wasn’t about to be the first to bring it up.

Gabe looked around the small elevator as though he were looking for a topic of conversation. MaKayla fought a smile. It was nice to see him flustered, made him seem human. It also made her wonder if she’d pegged him wrong. He wasn’t drilling her on stats, facts, or budgets; wasn’t checking to make sure she had every detail down; and wasn’t pestering her like she’d expected.

When the doors opened and Gabe reached for her elbow, MaKayla was the one flustered. She looked down at his hand and then up to meet his gaze, where time froze. For just a moment, Gabe wasn’t her boss. He was just a man. A man with concern on his face. Was that concern for her? MaKayla placed her hand over Gabe’s, feeling his warm skin against hers. His startling blue eyes searched her face, glancing off her lips and causing MaKayla’s heart to sprint.

Sharon coughed as she crossed the open space.

MaKayla snatched her hand back. This was Gabe—her boss. He was not a man, not available, and not interested!

Gabe cleared his throat before pointing to different hallways. “That hallway leads to human resources. That one goes to research and development. That one is accounting. And this one is where we go.”

He kept his hand on her arm, and MaKayla found it much easier to move with his support. It wouldn’t do to spend too much time contemplating what had just happened between them. They would be in close contact for the next year, and moments like that were bound to come up every now and again. It was just one of those things. Wasn’t it?

At the end of the hall were two offices. Gabe gestured to the left. “This is my office.” He indicated the one on the right. “This is yours.” He checked his phone. “Why don’t you look around for a minute, and I’ll be right back.”

Turning in a circle, MaKayla took in the expensive mahogany desk, the wood paneling, the bank of windows, and the leather couch and two chairs situated around an oblong coffee table made from the same wood as the desk. There was a built-in set of shelves behind the desk, and the carpet was a cream-colored Berber. For a man who freaked out about buying a few measly prizes for a race, he sure did like to spend money on interior decorating.

She couldn’t smell anything because of her cold, but she imagined the room smelled like furniture polish because the wood glowed. There were a few lamps here and there for softer lighting if she desired it, and plants made just the right touch of green that balanced the room and added a lighter texture to the heavy combination of leather and wood.

Walking around the desk, she sat gingerly in the chair and opened the laptop.

“Welcome MaKayla Russell” was printed across the home screen. She smiled. It was like walking into her fairy tale office. She couldn’t believe Gabe had ever signed off on this extravagance.

“Do you like it?” asked Gabe, as he came in with a Styrofoam cup in one hand and an assortment of tea bags in the other.

MaKayla chuckled. “Do you own stock in a tea company, too?” She hadn’t meant it to come out condescending. After his rant about the rate of returns on pharmaceutical stocks, she couldn’t help herself.

Gabe set the cup down. “I have an ancestor who was part of the Boston Tea Party. I think it would be bad luck for me to try my hand in the tea market, and I can honestly say I haven’t spent a dime in that direction. However, for someone fighting a cold, an herbal tea can be just what they need.” Opening the box, Gabe continued, “I did a quick search and found that ginger or mint are usually best for head colds. But if you have a sore throat along with it, then we should probably add some honey.” He pulled a miniature honey bear from his back pocket with his left hand.

MaKayla cleared her throat. Gabe was doing it again, micromanaging her health. However, the herbal tea was a good idea. Her mom used to make it when she and Brooke were kids. Even if it bugged her that Gabe hovered, his solution was spot-on. “No sore throat, so I’ll skip the honey, but thanks. You think of everything.” MaKayla selected the bag labeled “mint” while Gabe took the lid off the cup, releasing a puff of steam.

“I stopped on the way home last night. I felt bad leaving you alone when you obviously didn’t feel well.”

MaKayla played with the tea bag, lifting it and letting it drop back down in the water. She kept her eyes on the cup in case he looked too closely at her again. “Thank you, I honestly didn’t expect—” MaKayla stopped before she said
I didn’t expect you to be nice
. That would have been insulting. Where was that part of her brain that told her the appropriate things to say? It was like it took a vacation when she got sick.
Get back here
, she told it,
I need you if I’m going to get through the rest of this week
. She scrambled, “I mean, thanks.”

“You’re welcome. I set up a meeting with my accountant for three. He’ll walk you through the money. We need to talk about the Thanksgiving run and the Boys’ and Girls’ Center.”

“I’m not interrupting am I?” asked David as he tapped lightly on the open door.

“I was just keeping her company until you got here.”

MaKayla took that as a sign that their time was up. They’d have to talk about the Center later.

Gabe put the lid back on her cup and turned to David. “Make sure she drinks that, will you? She tends to forget to eat or drink when she’s in a meeting.”

MaKayla snapped her mouth shut just as quickly as her jaw had dropped
. How did he know that?
She was constantly pushing food aside, so she could focus just like Brooke did when she studied.

“Will do.”

MaKayla took out her iPad and set it on the desk, while David settled into the seat across from her. In her foggy state last night, she’d forgotten to charge it, and the battery was low. Rather than run it completely dry—she’d heard that could damage the battery—she opened the top drawer, looking for a pen and paper, and found a charger that would hook the iPad to her laptop. “Nice,” she said as she plugged it in.

She glanced through her open door to where she could see Gabe in his office talking on his cell and shook her head. “Does he think of
everything
?”

David smiled like one of those teen rappers who is overconfident in their looks and abilities. It was a natural extension of his play boy attitude that she’d caught onto yesterday. “I don’t know about
everything;
that would be your department.” His tone implied that he wasn’t talking about things that happen in the office.

She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. There was no way she was going to go down that road or encourage gossip about what was or was not happening in her marriage within the company.

He laughed at her reaction. “Come on, I’m only joking. You guys are newlyweds, after all.”