Page 20 of Naughty Heart

“It is spectacular, isn’t it?” she said with a laugh.

For the next twenty minutes or so, Cheryl and I stayed on the phone to catch up with one another. She told me more about her weekend away with Scott, while I promised to figure out if there was an employee discount for the world’s best chocolate.

Eventually, we disconnected, because Cheryl still hadn’t shared the news of her engagement with Pam. She promised she wouldn’t tell Pam about my news, so I could call her tomorrow and tell her myself.

And after I got off the call, I realized I couldn’t stop smiling. I was alone in my apartment after having just iced my feet and feeling incredibly exhausted, and it was easily the happiest I’d felt in a very long time.

Happy and grateful.

I didn’t know what I’d done to deserve the opportunity that came my way today, but I knew I intended to be the world’s best personal assistant.

I couldn’t explain it, but for some reason, this opportunity of a lifetime felt like it was going to change my life for the better.

And at a time like this, mere weeks away from Christmas, it was clear that whatever I’d done to wind up on the naughty list all the years before, I must have done something good for the big guy in the red suit to move my name to the nice list.

* * *

MALCOLM

People didn’t become successful by sitting around and sulking.

From the moment my parents walked out of my place last week and gave me the news that my takeover at the company was in jeopardy until the moment Evelyn landed in my lap at the coffee shop in downtown Landing, I’d been sulking.

I felt far too much bitterness about not only my parents’ sudden concern for my lifestyle and how it would affect the business, but also their willingness to consider leaving it to my sister.

And just two days ago, I’d been sitting in that coffee shop, prepared to do anything necessary to change their minds.

I’d been lost in thought, feeling frustrated that I’d wound up in that position, and trying to come up with a plan. Truth be told, it felt hopeless.

Because I didn’t think it’d be possible to convince them in a matter of weeks just how important it was for me to continue my family’s legacy, to do the only thing I’d ever envisioned doing with myself for the rest of my life.

Just as that thought had filtered into my mind, Evelyn wound up in my lap. And since I’d been so caught up in what I was feeling, I was a complete dick to her.

In any other situation, if I’d seen Evelyn out somewhere, there wasn’t a question in my mind that I’d have approached her and seen if she was interested in having a night of fun. Unfortunately, with my mindset being the way it was, that didn’t happen.

But once she ran out of that shop and I noticed her resume sitting there on the table, an idea popped into my head.

She was looking for a job, and I needed to convince my parents I could change.

It was a win-win situation.

Of course, my original intention had been to simply have Evelyn show up here today and tell her the truth. The offer was going to be for her to pretend to be my girlfriend, and I’d compensate her. But since I didn’t want to get into a sticky situation that might have had her questioning her morals, I realized I needed to come up with a new plan.

On the plus side, I had a feeling it was going to work out better for me.

Hiring her would allow me to dedicate more of my time to my actual work. And over the next three weeks, I’d just need to do something at work that made an impact on the workforce.

Evelyn seemed eager, asking questions all day long about our operations and how we managed everything. If it was possible that having her here would get me to where I was going, I’d answer any question she had.

I just had to be certain I didn’t succumb to primal urges. Evelyn was beautiful, and that was going to be a challenge, especially if I was temporarily swearing off women until I could secure my future.

I was a businessman. Successful businessmen got what they wanted, because they were ruthless and unwavering in their efforts.

So, Evelyn was a means to an end, not a woman I’d eventually want to see in my bed.

She served a purpose for me, but this was a two-way street. I would get what I needed, and she would, too. Since she needed the job, I didn’t have to feel bad about not being completely up front with her about my plan.

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