The Return of the Tycoon

Chapter 1

Nicholas stopped dead in his tracks, his Italian leather shoes abruptly hitting the linoleum floor. She was the last person he expected to meet here. He studied her profile, eyes traveling slowly down every inch of her petite frame. He could make out her feminine curves even through the shapeless hospital uniform. A pang of longing shot thr
ough him like a thunderbolt, his mind recalling
exactly what she looked like under her clothes. That was followed by a pang of regret. Did she
still
despise him?

The woman’s hand darted across the clipboard as she wrote. Even though Nicholas was too far to see, he suspected her handwriting hadn’t improved since he last saw it. A silken tendril of hair escaped her chestnut bun, and Nicholas stood back, a sudden vision of that hair floating over her naked shoulders rising before him. It took willpower to refrain from reaching out and removing the rubber band holding up the rest of it.

“Sir?” His assistant’s voice jolted him back to the present. Nicholas reluctantly turned toward the younger man. “This is it,” Tom said, pointing at a report in his hand. “What you wanted to see.”

A wry smile ran through Nick’s lips as his glance settled back on the woman in front of him. Tom referred to the children’s hospital, but Nicholas knew the statement was true in more ways than one. The woman disappeared inside a room, her cheerful voice bright as she addressed a patient. Craning his head, Nicholas watched her change the child’s IV. How many times had he thought of her through the years? Too many to count.

Meanwhile, Tom rattled on about the improvements made since Nicholas’ acquisition of Legacy Emanuel Hospital six months ago. Under normal circumstances, Nicholas would have examined every claim, assumption, and statistic. Now, he couldn’t care less, the woman’s sudden presence tuning out every other consideration.

Nick watched her tenderly pat the child’s shoulder before jotting a couple more notes. Spinning around, she headed for the hallway toward him. Nicholas blinked and tensely watched her approach. A moment later, he glanced into her green eyes for the first time in years.

Everything else in the bustling corridor came to a grinding halt as he came face to face with her. At first, her eyes looked straight through him, but a moment later, her pupils dilated, lips twitching first in recognition and then in shock. They parted, too, but no words came out. Finally, Nicholas broke the silence.

“Julie,” he uttered, noting that his voice shook more than at any time in recent memory. The same voice he confidently used when negotiating a high-stakes, million-dollar deal. He inhaled slowly, allowing his confidence to return. After all, he was Nicholas Maxwell, CEO of Re
naissance Capital, not Nick the schoolboy
.

Julie stood still—her lips still parted in shock. Nicholas tried to play it cool, but for the first time in years, his emotions got the best of him. He wanted to reach out and hold her, touch her across the lips, flick his hand along her hair just as he used to in those long forgotten days.

He stepped toward her, and she shivered, as if awakened from a trance. She shook her head, looked away, stepped back, and Nicholas knew—he was not welcome. Nicholas Maxwell, the magnate, was again reduced to Nick the schoolboy. Julie squared her shoulders and headed toward the exit, appearing much taller than her five feet four inches.

“Excuse me,” she hissed through gritted teeth, pushing past him. “I have work to do.” She tried to look indifferent, but Nicholas thought he detected a hint of emotion in her green eyes. She disappeared down the long hallway. His initial instincts were right; Julie Miller still despised him as much as ever.

“Tom,” Nick snapped, his eyes still locked on the woman heading down the hallway. “Get me everything we know about that nurse.”

“Sir?” Tom asked.

“You heard me,” Nicholas continued. “I want phone numbers, address, income, previous employment, and...,” he paused, catching sight of Tom’s raised eyebrow, “marital status.”

“Of course, sir.” Tom cleared his throat before jotting down a few notes. “I’ll make sure to get that to you by the end of your meeting with the architects tomorrow afternoon.” Nicholas shook his head. He hated to repeat directions twice.

“You will get the information
now
,” he hissed through clenched teeth. Nick watched as Tom’s face turned beet red before he scrambled off in compliance. Satisfied, Nicholas headed down the hallway in the direction Julie fled.

***

Julie’s hand trembled as she poured herself some coffee in the breakroom. What she really wanted was a glass of red wine, but her shift had to end before that became an option. Wincing at the stale taste, she glanced around for some sugar to make it more palatable. Finding a few spare envelopes of Sweet’N Low, she tore off the tops and emptied them in the cup. Sinking into the nearest folding chair, she took a deep breath.

How could Nick Maxwell just walk into her life again like that out of the blue? Julie gripped the flimsy cup between both palms and closed her eyes, trying to let go, but Nick’s face stood before her eyes still. He’d grown up, no longer seemed as lanky with his broader shoulders. He’d been a handsome boy, but he made an even more attractive man. She recalled with vivid clarity his strong jaw line and ice blue eyes. Setting down the cup, she gnawed on her thumbnail.

He still remembered her. Julie felt a shiver race down her spine at the recollection of his deep baritone voice in the corridor. She couldn’t stop herself from wondering whether he’d often thought about her. Did he miss her? The moment the idea crossed her mind, Julie mentally stamped it down. He
couldn’t
miss her, just as he couldn’t care about her. His past actions spoke loudly and clearly. Her face grew hot at the memory, and she slammed the cup down, splattering the tabletop with coffee. Ignoring the mess, she took another sip of the bitter drink, noting that it tasted the way she felt.

She’d heard about him over the years. How could she not? His name made the news—New York’s most eligible bachelor, as they called him. They’d never let her forget. She sighed, swirling the cup so the sugar rose from the bottom. Julie always knew Nick would be a success, even before he did. Not that it made any difference anymore.

So, the rumors were true; he’d bought Legacy Emanuel. She’d known of the planned renovation, but hadn’t expected to see the man himself there. A wry smile twisted its way to her lips. It made sense. Nick’s obsession with detail and propensity for micromanagement did not make this a surprise. She shook her head. Getting a new job might be the only option of making sure she never ran into him again.

Glancing at her wristwatch, Julie decided she needed to get back to work. Nick should be long gone by now. She drained the last of the coffee, tossed it in the trash, and swung the door open.

“That was a long coffee break.” Nick stood before her, his voice coming out in a lazy drawl. He leaned against the wall, his feet shoulder width apart, and arms crossed loosely over his broad chest. Had he been waiting there the whole time? She made it obvious he wasn’t welcome. Why was he spying on her?