Page 21 of The Bride's Billionaire

“Meant to be.” He indicated the bar. “I say we spend some time showing these people what we learned from the locals.”

She laughed but didn’t answer.

They were seated next to a window, a partial view of the bay spread out in front of them. He lifted his menu, ready to order everything on it. Before the maître d could leave, he ordered two appetizers and their drinks. “If you could just let our server know?”

The maître d nodded, and Kayla’s amused expression made him laugh. “I told you I was hungry.”

“Hey, I’m not complaining. I get the feeling that everything with you is fast-paced, efficient, and quality.”

Suspicious, he eyed her. “This is sounding very much like a lead-in to a business conversation.”

She laid her hands out on the table in front of her and took a deep breath. Then she straightened, and he saw a new woman emerge, someone who presented in boardrooms, the leader of a company, a strength she carried underneath her beautiful and fun personality.

“Tyler. We are in competition for the best bid Brazil has to offer bottlers right now.”

He nodded, his blood racing as his business sense kicked in, even though he was sitting across from such an enticing woman. “We are.”Say as little as possible, listen, strategize.

Their appetizers arrived. Caixhinhos, like the ones you could find on the street, but better, safer.

She leaned back in her chair, and her face took on a new vulnerability. “I have to sign this deal.”

He nodded. “I respect that. So do I.”

“Of course.” She rotated her neck. “This is all so awkward. We’re new, us. I loved spending time with you. It’s too early to even be having this kind of conversation. But I don’t feel like I can do what it takes to win this bid if I’m worried about being nice to you.”

He shook his head. “No, see that’s where you can change your way of thinking. I’ll give you this very good bit of advice, even though you’re the enemy.” He leaned forward. “It’s not personal. We go in. We fight for what we want. We leave.”

“But I don’t know if I can be with you when I beat you out of a bid you want.”

“Ifyou beat me.” He couldn’t help it. She was so sure of herself, but a little reality check might help prepare her for when they eventually gave it to him.

“I don’t have the option to lose this.”

That was a bit of information she shouldn’t have shared. She was afraid to lose the bid. He leaned forward. “We shouldn’t talk about this. I am determined to win this bid. I’ll do whatever it takes to make a sensible business decision. I advise you to do the same. They’ll choose the one they most want to work with. And then we’ll be done.”

She nodded. “But I can’t keep being us and fighting you for a bid. It feels disingenuous.”

“Kayla. I met you before this whole situation began. Our hotel rooms are across the hall from one another. We connect like no one I’ve ever dated. I’d like to give us a shot.”

She sighed. “I don’t have the option to pursue a romantic relationship with you right now.” She went to stand up.

“What? Stay. You have to eat. Might as well eat with me?” He smiled, hoping she would give him some more time. He wanted her in his life. He didn’t want her in his life enough to give up Antar, but he still hoped he could somehow get both.

She put her purse on the back of her chair, her smile small. “I can’t really resist, and you know it.” She put two Caixinhos on her plate. “And these are so good!”

He exhaled slowly, hiding his relief. She had come to mean something to him, and their potential together thrilled him. Still, he had no idea how he was going to move forward, but he had a chance, one he was going to do everything he could to keep.

Chapter 8

Kayla watched Tyler eat his meal and shook her head. Somehow, she would have to separate her business dealings from her feelings. But she didn’t know if she could. She took pride in a people-centered business. She took pride in knowing she could go to sleep in peace every night when thinking about the way she’d treated people. Maybe she could have gone further as a business owner if she’d been more ruthless, but she figured one of the many blessings of running her own business was the ability to make those decisions. It would be different if she were in management for someone else’s company and asked to do any number of things for them that she didn’t personally agree with. But as it was, she made the decisions and could run the business how she liked. Especially with her brother unable to assist.

The familiar heartache when she thought of him jarred her insides. His wife was having a bad month, and he was sticking closer to home. Kayla could never find the words to describe the heartache associated with depression. It was tough, plain and simple.

“So, Tyler Sperring, now that we aren’t doing first names only, tell me about yourself.”

“I’m an Iowa farm boy.”

She almost spit out her drink. “What?”

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