Page 2 of The CEO's Sweetheart Deal
"Alice should have been here by now," he says, brow furrowed. "She's usually punctual to a fault."
"I'm sure she has a good reason," I say, not really concerned. I'll be meeting her soon enough.
As if on cue, the front doors swing open, and a woman rushes in, her brown hair slightly tousled from the wind outside. "I'm so sorry I'm late. There was an accident on?—"
The moment she looks up, her words stop abruptly. Our eyes meet, and the world around me seems to freeze.
No. It can't be.
But it is.
Standing before me, looking every bit as shocked as I feel, ismyAlice. Alice Mackie. My college best friend. The one whose memory I've spent twelve years trying to forget.
"Oscar?" she whispers, her voice barely audible.
I force myself to maintain composure, though my heart is thundering against my ribs. It’s been so long, and yet at the same time it feels like a day hasn’t passed. She’s older, of course. More beautiful. And those eyes…
They’re narrowed at me like a dog about to lunge.
"Alice," I manage to say, though it takes a great deal of effort to bring any sound to the surface. "It's been a long time."
Juan looks between us, confusion evident on his face. "You two know each other?"
"We went to college together," Alice says quickly, her professional mask sliding back into place, though I can see the storm behind her eyes.
"Small world," Cole remarks, oblivious to the tension crackling in the air.
Small world indeed. And suddenly, infinitely more complicated.
I extend my hand, determined to keep this professional. "Alice. Looking forward to working together."
“Wait. You…” She trails off. “You bought Rooted Pantry?”
“Of course.” How could she not know that?
Her face turns red. “Juan, I didn’t realize– I mean…” She clears her throat and looks around, noticing that everyone in the room is watching her.
“I’m here to do good,” I say softly. “I promise.”
Her eyes flash, and I swear I can hear her thoughts.Just like you did good last time?
It’s a punch to the gut, but I stay standing. I haven’t built my empire by being weak, and one hard gaze – even delivered by her – won’t bring me down.
She hesitates for another moment before taking my hand. Her touch sends electricity shooting up my arm — a reminder of everything I once felt, everything I lost.
"Likewise," she says, but her eyes tell a different story.
This acquisition just became about much more than business. And for the first time in years, I'm not sure I'm in control.
CHAPTER 2
ALICE
My heart pounds in my chest as Juan leads us toward the main conference room. Oscar Glynn. Here. In my company. No, not my company anymore — his company now.
Though I built this thing from the ground up along with two other founders, I’m the only one left now. When Juan said we’d been approached by a conglomerate wanting to buy, I balked at the idea. It sounded too much like selling out, and what about quality? How could we keep it in check with some hotshot rich dude who only cares about the bottom line running the show?
Slowly but surely, he talked me into it. Convinced me that the man who had approached him would be good for Rooted Pantry. And so, I caved.
