Page 14 of The Bride's Billionaire

“Here we go. I am strong. I am charming…” She walked into the building, mumbling her morning mantra. A curly haired woman with bright-pink nails welcomed her.

“Yes, I’m here to see Rogerio Soares.” Kayla carried herself tall, confident.

“Oh, I’m sorry. His secretarial positions have all been filled.”

Kayla turned pink and then swallowed. She was used to this. “No, I’m here with Finley Bottlers. I have an appointment.”

The woman sat forward. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She checked her papers. “Are you Kayla Finley?”

Relieved, Kayla exhaled slowly. “Yes, that’s me.”

“Okay, they’re already up there waiting for you.”

Her heart ratcheted inside her throat. “Wh-what?”

“The other bottler, he got here early. They said to send you up as soon as you arrived.”

Kayla hurried toward the elevator. “Oh no, oh dear, okay, which floor?”

The woman pointed in the opposite direction. “Other elevators. Top floor. Go right.”

“Thank you.” Kayla switched directions, immediately uneasy. “Oh dear, oh no.” So they were hearing bids from two bottlers at once? Or one after the other? She knew there had to be other competitors, but she found it highly irregular that they would be asked to come do a presentation at the same time, or during the same window. The elevator rose slowly, inching its way to the top.

When it opened, laughter echoed down the hall. The receptionist on this floor was obviously listening in and laughing with them. When she saw Kayla, she raised her eyebrows. “Are you here from Finley Bottlers?”

Kayla nodded. “Yes, I’m Miss Finley.”

“They’re right down this hall. Follow the laughter.”

Kayla cleared her throat. “Thank you.”

Making her way down the hallway, she took a moment to appreciate the floor-to-ceiling windows, the light space, the white floors and grey walls. This place was stunning. The laughter grew louder as she kept walking, and she started to make out sentences.

A male voice was talking. “And then it was classic. Such a perfect night. They chanted. ‘Agora. Agora.’”

She knew that voice.Tyler.Her heart shuttered to a stop and her ears strained to hear more. Was he talking about last night?

“And so I did it!”

“You didn’t!” The men in the room burst out laughing again.

“I’m telling you, this was incredible. I got down on one knee and asked her on the spot.”

“Were you drunk?”

“No, never touch the stuff.”

“And what did she say?”

“She said yes, of course.” Arrogance seeped from his words. Arrogance she hadn’t noticed last night. She picked up her pace. What was he even doing here?

At last she turned the corner and the conference room came into view, its walls clear glass. Three men relaxed around a table, red from laughter. Tyler’s blond curls sat on his head exactly as if they’d been sculpted. His face looked tanned, relaxed, happy.

She waited for him to notice her as the others had. When his gaze followed theirs, he stopped, mid-sentence. For an instant, it looked as if his eyes lit with relief, but then he finished what he’d been saying.

She nodded. “Gentlemen.”

All three of the men stood as Kayla entered the conference room. The broadest of them stepped forward and held out his hand. “Rogerio Soares. You must be Miss Finley.”

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