Page 118 of A Whole New Play

That I want to still be his nanny while I figure out what’s next for me.

But I won’t.

This hurts like hell, but I won’t beg someone to be with me.

Not even someone as wonderful as Carter Jones.

“I assume this means we’re breaking up?” My voice doesn’t even sound like my own. It’s lifeless. Almost robotic.

Another flicker of pain breaks through Carter’s mask, but his voice is strong when he says, “Yeah… it does.”

With those three words, my life dims into a dull existence, and I’m not certain how long it will be before light will brighten my world again.

37

VALERIE

Two months later

“Our new investor is waiting in the conference room. Are you ready?”

I turn away from the window overlooking the bay and meet Will’s anxious gaze as he shifts from one foot to another in the doorway of my office.

I hold up the leather-bound portfolio I prepared for this meeting. “I’m all set.”

“Good,” he exhales. “Let’s go.” He spins on his heel. His oxfords sound against the hardwood floor as he walks down the hall. I press my lips together to contain my smile before I grab a pen and notepad from my desk, tucking them and the portfolio against my chest, and follow Will to the conference room.

“Good morning, Valerie,” Gina greets as I pass her desk. She’s the administrative assistant for Paxter’s financial division which used to only consist of me and Tony Queens, another accountant hired by Will who is from the San Francisco area.

Tony and I spent so many late nights at the office, shoring up the company’s finance department, and ensuring we met all federal and state financial regulations. The last thing a startup needs is to incur fines or risk being shut down for not following the rules.

But after one month of exhausting work, Tony and I were finally given the go-ahead to hire help. Gina was the first, followed shortly after by two more accountants. Paxter’s growth is unlike anything we anticipated. Which is exciting, but also daunting.

Good thing I was up for the challenge. I was eager to do anything to help me forget my broken heart. This job turned out to be just that. I barely think about how devastating it was when Carter broke up with me. At least, during the day. When I’m alone at night is a completely different story.

I walk into the conference room and my gaze is immediately drawn to two extremely good-looking men standing on the far side of the room. Their sharp jawlines and handsome features are accentuated by the natural sunlight shining in through the floor-to-ceiling windows as they chat with Will and Henry.

“Valerie. There you are,” Will greets me, looking cool and collected, a vast difference from how he looked just seconds ago outside of my office. Henry pushes his black-rimmed glasses back onto his nose and gives me a nod as a greeting.

“Gentleman,” Will continues, motioning me to walk over to join them. “Please let me introduce our CFO, Valerie Palmer.”

“Mr. Lawson, it’s nice to finally meet you.” I hold out my hand to the handsome man who is slightly shorter than the other. I recognize him from the spread Business Insider did on him and his company, Source Solutions, last month.

“Nice to meet you, too. And please, call me Derek.” The tech millionaire smiles kindly. I feel the press of his wedding ring against my fingers before he releases my hand and turns to the man next to him. “And this is my business partner, Adam Moreno.”

“Business partner?” The olive-skinned man tsks. “And here I thought we were brothers first, partners second.”

Derek rolls his eyes. “Brothers in law,” he clarifies with a twinkle in his eye.

Will, Henry, and I chuckle.

Adam Moreno takes turns shaking each of our hands.

When it’s my turn, I tell him, “We know who you are, Mr. Moreno.” The Spanish billionaire is a major investor in American tech companies. Once upon a time, he was also a well-known womanizer who frequently starred in tabloids. “It is an honor to meet you.”

Like his brother-in-law, he tells me, “Call me Adam, please.”

I nod.

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