Page 26 of My Heart Still Beats
“You took care ofallof that?”
“Braden gave me carte blanche,” I remind her. “All I had to do was call the coordinator at the resort. She set it all up for me.”
Tessa sighs. “Must be nice…”
“To have Braden Black’s wallet at your disposal? It is.”
“You have your own wallet at your disposal.”
She’s not wrong. I may not have the net worth of my brother, but I’m a close second.
She sighs again. “I’m sorry.”
“What for? I’m not. It’s great having money.”
“That’s not what I mean.” She takes a drink of her water. “I had a shitty day.”
Right. She got laid off. And I’m talking about parties and having an obscene amount of money.
Good going, Ben.
“You’re an accountant right?” I ask, even though I already know.
“Yeah. I know it sounds boring as hell, but I’ve always had a thing for numbers.”
“We can use good accountants at Black Inc. Do you want me to put out some feelers for you?”
She raises her eyebrows. “Feelers? Really?”
I chuckle.
“I’m sure you could find a place for me with one phone call,” she says, “but I don’t need a pity job.”
“It wouldn’t be a pity job. It would be ajob.”
That actually gets a smile out of her.
It’s a tentative smile, but it’s a smile nonetheless, and it makes her face brighten just a bit.
My God, how radiant she must be when she’s actually happy, when she’s smiling because she’s ecstatic.
And I make it my goal, right here and now, to find a way to put that kind of smile on Tessa Logan’s face.
“Seriously, I can probably get you a job.” I raise my hand to stop her from interjecting. “And no, it would not be a pity job. We crunch so many numbers at Black Inc. that we can never have too many accountants.”
She pauses a moment, appears to mull it over. “It’s kind of you to offer. I’ll think about it.”
“Good enough. That’s all I ask. You can let me know tonight at dinner.”
She chuckles again, shaking her head. “You’re something.”
“Better than being nothing.” I wink at her.
Her cheeks redden then, and she looks away.
So sheisattracted to me.
I like that. Like it a lot.
