Page 7 of Rival Desires

Shaking off the melancholy, I refocused on the present. Today was going to be a fantastic day. I had a mountain of work ahead at the new office, but I felt invigorated and hopeful. Building my own business from the ground up had been my dream for years, and now, it was finally happening.

“Good morning, Miss Palmer,” the security guard said as I entered the lobby.

“Morning Warren! How was your weekend?” I asked.

“Oh, you know, same old,” he said with a smile. “How about you? Did you get up to anything fun?”

“I may have had a few adventures,” I said coyly, not wanting to give too much away. Warren just laughed.

“Well, you enjoy your day now,” he said, holding the door open for me.

“Thanks, Warren, you too!”

I hummed softly as I rode up in the elevator. Despite being the opposite of a morning person, I felt energetic and ready to tackle the day ahead.

My assistant Mallory was already at her desk when I entered the office, a cup of coffee in one hand and my schedule in the other.

“Good morning, Rylee,” she said as she greeted me. “I have your appointments for today all set. The 10 a.m. appointment with Beau Canyon might be a tricky one, from what I hear.”

I nodded, the name familiar. Beau Canyon was an up-and-coming social media influencer who had amassed a substantial following and wealth at a young age. But he was known to be entitled and difficult to work with. Well, I loved a challenge. “You bet,” I replied to Mallory, grinning. “We’ll bring Beau around, one way or another. It might require some fancy footwork, but I’m up for the challenge.”

She gave me a knowing smile. “I have no doubt you’ll win him over.”

I glanced towards my office and noticed a figure sitting inside. “Who’s that?” I asked, tilting my head in that direction.

“Ah, Sergio LaRicca. He’s your first candidate for the associate position,” Mallory explained. “He arrived a bit early, so I showed him to your office to wait. Just a heads up, he’s quite the looker.”

I chuckled. “Thanks for the warning,” I said before heading into my office.

As I entered, the tall man with blue-black waves of hair and chiseled features rose to greet me. But it was his dazzling smile that nearly knocked me off my feet.

“Sergio LaRicca,” he introduced himself in a silky baritone. “You must be Rylee Palmer. I have to say, I wasn’t expecting someone so lovely.”

I arched an eyebrow at the flirtatious tone but shook his hand firmly. “Please, have a seat,” I said briskly, moving behind my desk. “Shall we get started?”

If Sergio was put off by my no-nonsense demeanor, he didn’t show it. “Of course. Let me first say it’s refreshing to meet a woman running her own firm. The finance world needs more female leadership.”

“You’re absolutely right,” I replied with a chuckle, “and I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with the old boys’ club. But I’m all about action, not just talk. You're already a step ahead if you can support a woman-led firm.”

Sergio flashed a grin. “I consider myself pretty forward-thinking. To me, it’s all about skill and talent, no matter if you’re a guy or a lady.”

For the next twenty minutes, I walked Sergio through the ins and outs of Palmer Money Management. I spilled the beans on our grand vision, the crew we catered to, and the bag of tricks we had up our sleeves. Sergio was all ears, lobbing thoughtful questions my way and looking downright dazzled by what we’d pulled off in such a short time.

“Money management’s my bread and butter,” Sergio piped up when I pressed him on what lured him into the gig. “Fresh out of Columbia, I dove headfirst into the New York scene. I racked up some solid years, but then…” He hesitated, his gaze drifting off into the distance.

“Don’t leave me hanging,” I nudged him, curiosity piqued.

He let out a sigh. “Let’s just say there was a bit of a misunderstanding with a client who accused me of playing fast and loose with their cash. It turned out they were the ones with sticky fingers, not me. But by the time the dust settled, the damage was done. The vibe in the office was icy, and I could feelthe cold shoulder from a mile away. So, I figured it was time to pack up and find greener pastures.”

I gave him a once-over, taking in his unwavering gaze. “I respect your honesty,” I said after a moment. “But let’s get one thing straight. If you’re going to jump on board with us, I expect nothing less than squeaky-clean ethics. We don’t do shady business here.”

Sergio bobbed his head in agreement. “You got it. My reputation is my brand in this game, and I’m dead serious about doing right by the client.”

I had a gut feeling that he was the real deal. The guy had a knack for making things happen and an aura of confidence that was hard to ignore. We needed someone like him on our team to reel in the biggest fish in Silicon Valley.

“Well, Sergio, I gotta say, you’ve got some serious potential here. You’ve got that swagger and know-how we’re after.”

He flashed me a grin. “I’m more than happy to join forces.”

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