Page 12 of Tied Up in Riches

I’m wearing my favorite suit. It’s charcoal with a white shirt and a solid black tie. I know I put the papers I need into my briefcase. Oh. Fuck. Brooke.

Shifting back into park, I leave the car running and return inside. At the end of the hallway, both girls stand in the kitchen giggling.

“Sorry about that. I’m not used to having anyone with me. Are you ready?” I scan her outfit to make sure she’s ready to go. Her Nikes and sandals–the only shoes I’ve seen her wear–are nowhere in sight. Instead, she’s wearing brown wedges that draw attention to the tight black jeans that show off her lean legs. Her loose-fitting white shirt and navy blazer cover more of her body than I’ve seen since she arrived, but goddamn, she looks good. Around her neck hangs a thin rope chain necklace with five different shell charms hanging just above her chest. It looks handmade, presumably from Thailand. Her blonde hair looks like it’s been curled compared to her natural waves.

“Marcus?” She says my name like she’s just said it and I didn’t hear her. “Do I look okay? I wasn’t sure what to wear, but I can change if you want me to.”

I clear my throat. “What? No. You look perfect.”

Maci chuckles under her breath, and it draws my attention toward her smirk. How fucking long was I staring? I shake my head, reaching for the cup in Maci’s hand. She meets me halfway, handing over the coffee I also forgot.

“Thanks, babe.” I wink.

“What would you do without my future wife?” Dean appears along with his voice.

“I’d forget all the important things.” I look at Brooke in time for my breath to hitch as she takes a step toward me.

“Can’t be late on my first day, boss. Let’s go!”

I chuckle. “If I get this deal, do you guys want to go to dinner tonight?” A treat would be nice. I don’t think I’ve been out with my friends since the last deal I closed a few months ago.

Maci grins. “Yes! You’ll get it. I’ll make a reservation. Izakaya?”

My favorite. I turn to Brooke who is halfway to the door. “Do you like Japanese?”

“I like everything. Thank you.” I had a feeling she wasn’t a picky eater.

“Izakaya it is then. Thanks, Maci. Invite Troy and Lexy too?”

“I will. Now go kick ass,” Maci says, and Dean adds, “You got this, man,” as we fist bump, and I head out the door. Making reservations at Izakaya has become a good luck routine, and I’m hoping it stays that way.

Setting my briefcase in the backseat, Brooke slides onto the now empty space. Her hand brushes mine when we both set our coffees in the cupholder to buckle our seatbelts. She’s unaffected, clicking her belt in place, and reaches for her coffee again.

But me? Goddamn. I must be desperate to fuck someone. Or have a girlfriend. Or I don’t know. But the image of those soft hands tied to my bedposts, giving me total control, sounds like the perfect vacation.

“You good?” Her distant voice pulls me back.

“Hmm? Yeah. I’m good.” I clear my throat with the lie and flick on the seat warmers. “You ready?”

“Yes.” She leans back against the seat, both of her hands wrapped around her coffee. I pull my stare from her to the driveway behind us as I back out. “This coffee is pretty good. It’s not Thai tea, but it will do.”

Shifting into drive, the gravel crunches under my tires as we pull onto the street. “Yeah, my friend Michael roasts it. Best coffee in town.”

“That’s really cool.”

I quickly glance at her. The way she’s holding her coffee to her lips should be a sin. “I ordered more Thai tea ingredients. They should be here tomorrow.”

Checking her reaction, I manage to catch the way her eyes light up before they swarm with guilt like she’s ashamed for being happy about something she shouldn’t. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“It’s not a big deal. I forgot how much I enjoy it.”

“Well, thank you. So, umm. Can you turn down the heat on my seat, please? There’s way too many buttons in this thing.”

I chuckle, clicking off her warmer.

“Thanks. So, where are we going exactly?”

“An investor meeting.” I haven’t decided how much information I want to reveal yet–debating between only what’s absolutely necessary and settling on even less than that. If this deal goes through, it’ll be the third company I’ve invested in since taking over the bar with Troy. I’m an angel investor for eight other companies, but collecting investments isn’t part of my plan anymore. While I do support the mission statements of the companies I’m currently investing in, they aren’t ones I’m interested in working with hands-on. I’ve decided I’d rather be the seed that helps the smaller start-ups prosper. I want to focus on finding ones I believe in, with owners who deserve my help, and together we can make a difference.

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