Page 2 of My Lord
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, also, Ms. Collingsworth.”
Gabriella’s lips twitched before she smiled. She cocked one eyebrow. “Gabriella, please. We’re all on first name terms here.” She purred out the words in a voice like melted chocolate being drizzled over me and I found my pulse rate had increased.
“Alex, I’m impressed with your handling of the Lloyds disaster. I understand that it has affected your family greatly, and I’m sorry for that.” Mackenzie said, cutting straight to the chase, which startled me; it threw me off track if I was to be honest.
I cleared my throat. “Ah, yes, greatly. Not the best time for my family.” I wasn’t sure how much to divulge.
“I lost a parent, as did Gabriella, although not in the same circumstances, but we can empathise with you, Alex.” His words were kind, yet the meaning behind them suggested he had really done his homework on me. Obviously, that’s where he and Gabriella had learned of my title.
Lloyds of London had been bankrupted due to spiralling asbestos insurance claims from the US and my father had taken his own life after losing the majority of the family’s fortune. It happened a couple of years back but the pain was still as excruciating as the day I had discovered my father hanging.
Gabriella placed her hand on mine, gave it a squeeze and then let go. My skin continued to tingle even when her contact was withdrawn.
Mackenzie leaned back into his seat and smiled. “So, you’re here to tempt me to invest in, what? Your business or a deal you have knowledge of?”
I smiled at his candour. “You know, I believe I have underestimated you. I don’t think, I, nor my company, can actually offer you anything you can’t do yourself. Perhaps it was foolish of me to assume otherwise,” I said, reclining in my seat to mirror his action.
Mackenzie looked to Gabriella. “Well, that’s a first. How about lunch?” He turned his attention back to me.
I shrugged. “Might as well. I booked the whole afternoon out of the office.” I laughed as I spoke.
Mackenzie rose and buttoned up his suit jacket. “Gabriella?” he asked.
“Thank you, but I have a rather important date with your accountants. I’ll have to take a rain check, maybe another time?” She looked at me when she asked, and I flustered again. She chuckled and patted my cheek before she nodded to Mackenzie and left the office.
“I think she likes you.” Mackenzie said, leading the way back to the lift.
“I might be mar—”
“You’re not. As much as I’m sure you’ve investigated me, I’ve done the same.”
I had been about to say that I might have been married. Instead, I laughed again. I liked Mackenzie Miller, a lot.
“I’m really not sure what to say,” I added, and I wasn’t. Mackenzie was so very forthright and yet again, I was dumbstruck.
As we travelled down, he described the businesses in the building. He also explained that, as tenancies came to an end, he was looking to bring all his companies under the one roof. I wanted to know more about Gabriella and what she did for his organisation.
Mackenzie didn’t have an obvious southern accent, although every now and again I’d hear a slight twang.
Curiosity got the better of me. “You’re from the same place as Gabriella, are you?” I asked, as we exited the lift to be met by a driver.
“We were born on ranches next door to each other. We’ve been friends since childhood. I moved away, hence the loss of accent,” he replied with a chuckle.
His driver opened the rear door of a sleek silver Mercedes and we climbed in. I welcomed the air conditioning and loosened my tie.
“Do you mind?” I enquired, opening the buttons of my jacket.
“Go ahead, no formalities with me,” he replied, and I slipped off my jacket. He eyed me for a moment. “You’re not going to be all British and talk about the weather, are you?”
I turned abruptly to face him. “Well it is rather hot, but no,” I replied.
Mackenzie chuckled. “Thank fuck for that.”
I liked Mackenzie even more at that point.
Lunch was in the private dining room of a very exclusive back of Knightsbridge restaurant and, although I’d lived in London all my adult life, I’d never heard of it before. It was a Michelin starred menu and I was in my element with the wine list alone. I could have scanned for hours had Mackenzie not just ordered water for himself. I followed suit, we chose our dishes and the waiter took the menus away.
Mackenzie rested back and studied me. “Tell me, Alex. What’s it like being a Lord?”
