Page 12 of If You Give a CEO a Chance

I can work with that.

“Okay. What else?”

She leans back in her chair, a smirk playing at the corner of her lips. “An additional ten percent added to my salary than what was originally offered when I interviewed a few months ago. Call it a premium for navigating a demanding work environment.”

Not only is she trying to get a rise out of me, but she’s also trying to swindle me in the process. I can’t decide if I’mimpressed or annoyed. Fallon has a knack for forcing emotions to the surface I’d rather ignore. A battle rages inside me between putting her in her place or indulging the part of me that thrives on her challenging me.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, exhaling sharply. “Fine,” I mutter. “Is that all?”

“I’d like to bring some of my things to make it feel more like home.”

I bite back a groan. The idea of her moving into my space with all her things, sounds dreadful. But my mother’s bright smile as she watches our interaction stops me from protesting. If I mess this up, she’ll never let me hear the end of it. As long as Fallon keeps her things in her room and out of sight, I can live with that.

“If I agree, that’s it. No more conditions. Understood?” I tell Fallon.

She nods. “Deal.”

I extend my hand before my mom can interject. “But this is a trial run only. If things aren’t going well within a couple of months, we’re calling it off,” I say.

Fallon gives a casual shrug. “I can work with that.”

“This is so exciting, don’t you think, Harrison?” my mom chimes in, clasping her hands together, watching me expectantly.

I grit my teeth. “Sure.”

My days revolve around contracts, negotiations, and meetings. I’m skilled at making deals and getting the best outcome for myself and the company. Yet, when it comes to Fallon, I fold like a house of cards, especially when my mother is here leading the charge.

“We’ll have Cabrina send you the contract to review and instructions for moving in,” my mom says, patting Fallon on the arm.

“Great,” she says, standing up to leave.

As she exits my office with a deliberate sway to her step, I’m left asking myself how she charmed my mom into taking her side. And to make matters worse, she looks fucking edible in her fitted pencil skirt that hugs her body like a glove.

I’m not happy with the turn of events, but there’s no chance I’m backing down now. My pride won’t allow me, and it’s clear Fallon won’t be the one to give in either. If she wants to play games, she’s messing with the wrong man. I might have lost this battle, but I never lose the war.

“She’s lovely,” my mom remarks from her spot on the couch, a grin on her face as if she just won the lottery.

Unfortunately for me, my mom is right.

I glance over to find her staring at me with her lips curved into a knowing smile.

My palms grow clammy, and I adjust my cufflinks, clearing my throat. “You’ve got to stop interfering in my personal matters.” I maneuver around her, going to my desk. “It’s frustrating that you disregarded my decision not to work with Fallon.”

I should have suspected she was up to something when she said she was stopping by my office. She comes to town once a month to visit my little sister, Presley, but I’m usually tied up in meetings, so she doesn’t stop by here often.

Presley is a marketing associate at Sinclair Group, a large investment firm in New York City. She used to be the CEO’s assistant, but after three years of sidestepping their mutual attraction, a disastrous work trip to Aspen Grove ended up with them pretending to date when they visited our family in Aspen Grove. They’re now a couple and are hopelessly in love.

Cabrina’s email earlier about my open schedule this afternoon should have tipped me off that something was up. My schedule is never open. I should have assumed my mother would have my calendar rearranged to serve her agenda. She doesn’tlike that I don’t have plans to settle down and plays matchmaker at every opportunity, no matter how inconvenient it is for me.

During my brief stint as a pro hockey player, I had several fleeting encounters with puck bunnies wanting nothing more than a night of fun, with no strings attached. When I transitioned to working at Stafford Holdings, I had a revolving door of casual flings, mainly used as arm candy at events. It was exhausting juggling work commitments and hollow connections that offered little satisfaction.

When my dad retired, I took over as CEO at Stafford Holdings, a role I’d been preparing for my whole life, but it didn’t make it any easier to accept my fate. I stopped making an effort to find dates for events or inviting women to spend the night with me. Running a multi-billion-dollar company leaves little room for a social life, let alone romance, and I’ve had no interest in pursuing one.

Admittedly, the only time I felt a connection strong enough to consider pursuing was with Fallon. Her quick wit and sharp tongue were a jolt to my system, and with a weekend free of obligations and a hotel suite at my disposal, I took the risk, unaware that a few days later, my world would be flipped upside down, and I’d never hear from Fallon again.

Until now.

My mom comes around my desk and stands next to where I’m drafting an email. “I’m your mother. Of course I’m going to worry about your well-being, and want to make sure you’re taking care of yourself. Especially with your recent diagnosis. You have to be careful what you eat, and with the long hours you’re putting in at the office, it’s not realistic for you to manage that on your own. I’m confident Fallon is the right person for the job, so excuse me for pushing back when you’re being stubborn.”

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