Page 11 of Meeting the Billionaire Boss

I sip my brandy and hold it in my mouth then enjoy the gentle burn as I swallow. ‘But for someone who needs a good deal, it might work. For a woman who needs something I have. Like money that would change her life.’

‘Would you be happy having a marriage that was only in name?’ Jack runs his hand over his beard. ‘Without any of the other benefits of being married?’

‘You’re talking about sex, right?’ I down the last of my drink and pour another then offer the bottle to Lucas who fills his glass then Jack’s.

‘Of course.’ Jack nods. ‘Sex is important. But also… it would be a marriage without any intimacy at all.’

‘That would suit me better this time around.’ My tone is sharpened by a bolt of pain that pierces my chest out of the blue. ‘I can get sex anywhere. I’m not interested in love or emotional intimacy. I just need a wife so I can inherit the majority of the business for me and for my son and to secure my position as CEO.’

At that moment, I glance towards the house and there, framed by the open French doors of the library is Ava. Her hair is down, falling in chestnut waves over her shoulders and she’s wearing the plain black shift dress and strappy sandals she changed into for dinner. Her shapely legs are bare from the knee down and earlier I noticed a tiny birthmark on her right ankle that reminded me of a lightning bolt. She’s young, and although I didn’t think so when I first saw the photographs of her, she’s pretty too, in a natural way. From her looks to the way she carries herself, she is the polar opposite of Lucille.

When her eyes meet mine, her lips part slightly then she smiles and raises a hand. I incline my head then turn away, not appreciating the way my heartbeat has quickened or the way something seems to be happening lower down. It’s been a long time since I had sex and for someone who once needed it regularly, it’s been strange. But grief and pain can do that to a man, like an unwelcome form of libido suppressant.

As well as a wife who lies.

Inwardly, I shake the thought away.

‘What about the nanny?’ Lucas asks and I see that he’s looking towards the house. ‘She seems pleasant enough and might appreciate a contract involving cash.’

‘She’s young though,’ Jack says. ‘She probably wants a loving husband and a family.’

I shrug as something occurs to me. ‘I’m not averse to having more children. If we both knew exactly what the deal was then she could have all that. And I’d be a good provider.’

‘You changed very quickly then from not wanting emotional intimacy to being prepared to have sex and children.’ Lucas laughs. ‘It seems our Cav has got a thing for little Miss Ava.’

‘Piss off!’ I roll my eyes, but I can’t help wondering what Ava would think about the idea if I asked her. ‘Anyway… she needs to settle in here before I make any… indecent proposals.’

My friends laugh then we refill our glasses and gaze out at the horizon, watching as peach turns to lavender then endless black as another day comes to a close. When I turn to the house, I see that Ava is no longer in the library and my heart sinks a little.

Is it possible that my future bride could already be living under my roof? Is it wrong that I’m hoping so?

Chapter12

Ava

The first day of the September school term arrives and I’m up early to get little Joe ready. Cynthia is leaving today but she wanted to be here this morning to see him off. Dressed in his grey shorts, white shirt and stripey tie, he’s so cute that my heart aches. Since my arrival, we’ve spent more time together and we’re getting on well. He’s a sweet boy and has accepted me into his life. The transition could have been difficult but having Cynthia here while he adjusted has been helpful. I can only hope that he’ll be all right after she’s gone but I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that he’s happy.

Cynthia told me that Joe did attend the school’s nursery and that he’s been to a few transition days at the reception class, so we’re both hoping that he’ll soon get used to his new routine.

At eight o’clock we gather in the hallway. Cynthia and I fuss around Joe, checking he has everything he needs for today then Edward takes some photographs on his phone. I ask if he’d like some of him with Joe and he nods then hands me his phone. I take lots, wanting to capture this precious moment for them but I can’t escape the feeling that they’re missing out on something. Or someone. Joe’s mum should be here too, eyes glistening, a proud smile on her face as she watches her baby prepare for his first day. I wonder briefly if having a nanny around for her baby was strange but then probably not as many upper middle class people have hired help.

When I go to hand the phone back to Edward, our fingers touch and the spark I felt before when we first shook hands shoots up my arm again. Is this man walking around in shoes that create static or is it something else? If the brush of his skin against mine does that to me, what would happen if we got closer? Shaking the thought away, I return my focus to Joe.

‘Have a good day, Joe.’ I offer him a big smile.

‘Thank you, Ava.’ He smiles back and relief fills me that he’s relaxed and happy about what lies ahead.

Cynthia wipes at her eyes with a tissue she procured from her cardigan sleeve. ‘I guess I should get ready to leave too.’

‘You’re going to have a wonderful time.’ Edward smiles at her.

‘I think so. Laurence is very excited and I am looking forward to it although I will miss my boys.’ Her eyes slide to Edward and he shakes his head.

‘Go and enjoy yourself, woman. You deserve to have a fantastic holiday. Also, I’ve upgraded all your flights to first class so you can travel in style.’

‘What?’ Cynthia gasps. ‘You didn’t!’

‘Of course I did.’ Edward’s smile is broad but I see something else in his eyes. Is he going to miss Cynthia too? From what I’ve learned about them, they are close and very fond of each other. She’s been a mother figure to him and to his son. I don’t know much about his own mother, but I have a feeling that she’s not around very often, which seems a shame as Joe could benefit from having his grandmother nearby. I’m certain that if my mum was a grandmother, she’d be there for her grandchildren despite her physical limitations. She’s a wonderful mother and would be a wonderful grandmother. I hope that one day she gets the chance to be a grandparent. Mind you, it will probably be with Daniel’s children as I have no desire to be in a relationship at all, and it’s kind of necessary to have some contact with the opposite sex in order to procreate. Unless you use a sperm donor, of course, but if I ever did decide to try to have a child, I think I’d prefer to do it the old-fashioned way.

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