Chapter Two
I woke feeling surprisingly rested, a small victory considering I’d excused myself from office duties under the pretense of attending tonight’s charity ball. A quick call to Amanda confirmed my video conference meetings were running smoothly – a far more convenient arrangement, frankly.
The London investors, however, remained stubbornly difficult. A trip next week was unavoidable. Dealing with them myself felt…necessary. They’d always deferred to my father, and I suspected a direct approach, leveraging a perceived strength in negotiation, would yield better results. I was confident I could deliver.
A gentle knock on my door interrupted my thoughts. “Ms. Kath, the stylist is here.” Franco. I hadn’t scheduled anyone, hadn’t spoken to him since he’d established his salon in France. A wave of nostalgia washed over me.
“Bonjour, madame Kathleen,” Franco greeted with a mischievous grin, “and before you give me that ‘what-are-you-doing-here’ look, Christina gave me a call.” Predictable.
“Franco, you silly man! Stop being so professional. How’s everything? I heard your business is thriving!” I hugged him tightly, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
“First, man isn’t quite the right term for me,” he chuckled, “Second, you were the private donor who helped me launch it. For that, I’m going to make you the most stunning woman in the room tonight!” He steered me towards my vanity, expertly layering makeup and styling my hair.
I hadn’t bothered with stylists recently, preferring to manage my own looks, but Franco was exceptional. He understood my preferences, consistently delivering a natural, polished result.
“How’s Daniel? You two lovebirds really need to finalize those wedding plans!” I teased. They'd been together for years.
“Oh, you haven’t heard? September, next year.” Franco exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. A genuine smile spread across my face. My college friends were finally tying the knot.
“That’s fantastic! I expect to be on that VIP guest list.” We laughed. “Of course. And I expect you to find a man of your own tonight!” He playfully nudged my back.
“It’s a business event, Franco. I’m only going because of my father’s commitments. Otherwise, I’d rather spend the evening catching up with you.” The joy in Franco’s expression faltered, replaced by a familiar concern.
Here it came. The inevitable lecture about opening my heart.
“My dear Kathleen, my job is done. You look absolutely radiant. You’ll be the star of the night.” He turned me towards the mirror. He was right. I looked…better. The stress had faded, replaced by a quiet confidence.
With less than two hours remaining before the ball, I quickly bid Franco farewell, promising to visit his salon before his wedding.
Slipping into my evening gown – a deep navy blue – I paired it with delicate silver jewelry and my favorite Christian Louboutins. One last glance in the mirror, a mist of perfume, and I was ready. I preferred a subtle scent, letting my natural fragrance linger.
“Ms. Kath, you look beautiful,” Julie, my housekeeper, breathed, her eyes wide with admiration.
“Thank you, Julie. You can take the night off. I’m staying at Christina’s. I’ll see you tomorrow night?” Julie deserved a break. She needed to visit her daughter, who she missed terribly.
“Thank you so much, Ms. Kath. Austin is waiting outside. Enjoy the night.” A warm smile before I stepped into the car.
Fifteen minutes later, I arrived at the event. The atmosphere was formal, elegant. I recognized several faces from my father’s business circles. A waitress offered me a glass of champagne, which I accepted.
“Kathleen! There you are. I’ve been looking for you.” Christina swept towards me, radiating charm. She looked stunning in a black one-shoulder gown.
“You saw me yesterday, Christina. You look amazing tonight.” I returned her hug.
“Come, let’s join our table before the event officially begins.” I followed her, joining a group of businessmen and women, offering smiles as I passed.
This was going to be a long night.
The emcee’s opening remarks kicked off the event, acknowledging the founders of the charity. Christina excused herself to join a man who offered her a drink.
I scanned the auction prizes – designer dresses, mostly. Not my cup of tea. A vacation package caught my eye.
“Next, we have a one-week vacation in Montreux, Switzerland, donated by Alexander Peterson. Bidding starts at $50,000.”
The bidding escalated rapidly, reaching $175,000. Switzerland. My parents honeymooned there. I’d never been.
“$250,000,” I blurted out, surprising even myself. Two hundred fifty thousand dollars directed towards a worthy cause, rather than lining a greedy negotiator’s pockets.
“Going once… Going twice… Sold! To the beautiful lady in navy blue.” Applause erupted.
I retreated to the bar, needing a drink. Auction bidding was exhausting, or maybe it was the pressure of this first business event.
“One margarita, please.” The bartender quickly delivered the drink.
From my seat, I watched Christina dance with a handsome gentleman. Lucky for her. I received a text from her: ‘Hey Kath, I’m spending the night with Cole. I’ll make it up to you.’ Cole? Seriously? They looked so fractured just weeks ago. I texted back: ‘Sure, enjoy the night. See you soon!’ Officially alone for the night.
As I considered returning to the reception, a hand grasped my arm. A man’s hand. Strong, firm. I turned, intending to rebuff him, but his grip tightened. His eyes met mine. The perfect shade of blue, piercing, as if searching for something within my soul. His scent was intoxicating, enough to momentarily paralyze me.
“Why are you holding me?” I finally asked, my voice a little breathless. He didn’t blink, didn’t flinch. He simply loosened his grip. “I apologize. I mistook you for someone else.” His voice was low, a velvet rumble.
“Apology accepted. I hope you find her.” I turned to leave, but he lingered, his gaze burning into my back.
His Point of View
“Apology accepted. I hope you find her.” Her voice was like liquid honey. The scent of vanilla clung to her skin. Every head in the room turned to follow her gaze. She was breathtaking. And completely oblivious.
Approaching her had been a mistake. I couldn’t tear my eyes away. Emerald green eyes that held a quiet strength. If she looked deeper, she would see the monster lurking within. Luckily, she didn’t.
“We had a deal, bro. Looks like you can’t pick up girls anymore. What happened?” Jason’s voice cut through my thoughts. Dammit. She’d done something to me. For the first time, I didn’t want to analyze her for the sake of pleasure.
“Shut up. She’s too innocent.” That was probably true. She was young, a CEO at twenty-three. A dangerous combination.
“The highest bidder of tonight doesn’t seem interested in you.” Jason teased. I hadn’t even tried. The moment our eyes met, I froze. I was captivated by her beauty. She’d paid a quarter million dollars out of pure kindness.
“Fine, my turn.” I stopped Jason from approaching her. Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming need to protect her from him. What the hell was happening?
“Here’s a hundred bucks. I lost.” I pushed a bill into his hand. He laughed, accepting it without question.
Why did I care? I was heartless. I didn’t care about anyone. The emotion she’d ignited was…new. No woman had ever stunned me into silence. Most were simply vessels for my pleasure. Relationships, commitments, love? I was incapable of them.
I took a seat at the table opposite hers. Just one glance. Then I turned my attention back to her. She was talking to the people at her table, her voice intelligent, her smile genuine. Fascinating.
My chief operations officer approached, interrupting my observations. I hoped he didn’t want to discuss business. He’d been pestering me all day about partnerships and negotiations.
“Let’s enjoy the night, Gerald. Business can wait until Monday.”
“I know, man. I just wanted to make you listen.” He pointed to Kathleen’s table. “She’s the CEO of the company we’ve been negotiating with. It’s a significant deal.”