Page 32 of Runaway Bride for the Boss

“You good?”

I open my eyes at the familiar voice. “Ezra!” He’s leaning against the gate, leading to the apartment. “Oh, my God, you scared me.”

“So, I gather. Sorry.” He gives me a quick smile. As my heartbeat slows, I finally take him in. His dark hair is slicked back like Alex’s usually is, and he’s in a suit like he was just at the office.

A cigarette is dangling from the corner of his lips and an expensive looking –obnoxious– gold lighter in his hand. He raises a brow in question when I’m silent for too long.

“You smoke?”

“You cry?” he returns. I give him my back as I quickly dry my face.

“I didn’t know you smoked,” I say, turning to face him when I’m relatively composed.

“I’m trying to quit, but it won’t quit me.” He gives me a boyish smile, and I chuckle. “What’s wrong? Why were you crying?”

I sigh, “Nothing much. Just sucks sometimes.”

“What sucks?”

“Life. Emotions. Parents. The question should be, what doesn’t suck?”

Ezra chuckles and agrees, “You have a point.” He takes the cigarette from his lips and tosses it into the bin next to the gate. “Wanna eat it off? I’d say drink it off, but I don’t want to corrupt you.”

“Do you drink that often?”

“I’m trying to cut back.” He shrugs, and I study him for a moment. The more I find out about Ezra, the more complex he turns out to be. He’s more than just the charming exterior he exudes.

“Liquid Elixir doesn’t serve food.” I finally say.

“That’s okay. I know a place.”

CHAPTER 19

ALEXANDER

Ezra blows off the meeting with Charlotte Square. Since we were able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement during our first meeting, she decided to go ahead with the plans for the expansion of Beaufort construction into Burlington.

Squares are a big deal in the Burlington construction and real estate scene. Charlotte’s late father’s company – hers now I suppose – is to Burlington like Beaufort Construction is to Brattleboro. That is, it’s the only thriving construction company in the whole city, and it’s slowly taking over the real estate market. She oversees the business aspect, while her twin sister oversees the more hands-on aspect.

Before Dad retired he’d been working tirelessly to break into the Burlington market, but Charles Square, Charlotte’s dad, had the city locked down. Dad even went so far as trying to secure an engagement between Charlotte and Ezra, but for some reason the two couldn’t be in the same room without fighting.

He wanted me to step up, but I refused. If I’m ever going to get married, it will be on my terms. Ezra and I were both supposed to have this meeting with her, but the asshole texted me an hour ago not to expect him. I let it go because he wasinstrumental in getting the information out of Mason a few days ago, but he should have at least given a reason for not showing up. I know it’s probably because he’s trying to avoid the woman I’m meeting with.

“I think we’ve got everything ironed out as much as we can.” Charlotte offers me a tight smile from across the desk.

When her father died last year, Charlotte and her twin were still in their final year of business school and were understandably overwhelmed. That’s where I swooped in. I sent someone competent to take over for her, temporarily, of course, while virtually overseeing things to make sure the company flourished. I handed the reins back to Charlotte early this year, but the construction demands in the city are too much for one company, and Charlotte had declared she and her sister didn’t want to spend their entire life in the office, like their father did.

I immediately reached out to her when I got word from my contact in her company.

I nod and say, “We do indeed. Thanks for being so cooperative, Ms. Square. Since you have no objections, why don’t you sign on the dotted lines?” I pass my pen to her and she signs the contract with a flourish.

The contract essentially states that Square Construction and Beaufort Construction will co-exist in Burlington without trying to sabotage each other. The party that breaks the contract will have to leave the city. It’s the only conclusion my legal team could come up with to get past the old men on her board. I don’t need the whole city, at any rate. A piece of the pie is more than enough, for now. Our families aren’t rivals; we have our boundaries, and we’ve always honored them, which is why I helped out in their time of need. But don’t think I won’t act if that changes. Cross me and you’re done. Period.

Now that that’s out of the way, my shoulders relax.

“Enough with the Ms. Square nonsense. We’ve just essentially signed a truce and with our history, I think it’s time to let go of all formalities. So, please call me Charlie.”

“Then I insist you call me Alex.”

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