Billionaire's Contract Engagement(5)

She smiled faintly. "I am thirty."

He shot her an impatient look.

"Look, Noah, would you quit baseball just because your brothers make enough money to support you? They do, you know."

A derisive, strangling sound rose from his throat. He licked his lips as if to rid himself of a really bad taste.

"It's different."

"I know, I know. You're a man, and I'm a woman." Her lips curled in  disgust. "Noah, I love you dearly. You're the best brother a girl could  ask for. But you're a chauvinist to your toes."

He huffed but didn't dispute her accusation. Then his expression grew  thoughtful again. "I assume you've done your research on this man and  his company."

Celia nodded before he'd even finished. On the surface, Noah looked and  acted laissez-faire. He had all the appearances of a golden-boy jock  whose only concern might be fast cars and faster women. But beneath that  illusion lay a man who had a deep social conscience.         

     



 

His refusal of endorsement deals had gained him a reputation of  eccentricity from some. Others regarded him incredulously as a fool to  pass on the opportunity to make millions by doing nothing more than lend  his name to countless companies willing to part with their dollars for  his endorsement. But the simple fact was that Noah did meticulous  research on all the corporations that approached him, and so far none  had passed muster with him.

"E-mail it all to me. I'll take a look. If it checks out, I'm willing to listen to his offer."

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Noah. You're the best."

"I don't suppose you'll be so grateful that you'll volunteer to clean my apartment?"

She snorted and picked up her slice of pizza again. "Put it this way.  I'd rather quit my job and let you and Adam support me than clean your  place."

He winced. "Well, damn. No need to be so mean about it."

"Poor baby. Oh, hey, I need one more favor."

His eyes narrowed, and he glared at her. "You just turn down my request  for you to play cleaning lady and you insult me in the process and then  have the cheek to want another favor?"

"How about I find you a replacement cleaning service? Then both of us are happy."

He got a hopeful puppy dog look that would probably make mush of most  women. Thankfully she was his sister and completely immune to any  adorableness on his part.

"Okay, you find me someone to clear a path in my apartment and whatever this other favor of yours is I'll do it."

"Wow-and you don't even know what it is."

"Should tell you how desperate I am," he muttered.

She laughed and punched him in the arm. "All I need are two very cushy  seats behind home plate for the season opener. I'll be taking Evan.  Hopefully."

"Anyone ever tell you how expensive you are?"

"Hey, wait a second. A minute ago, you were trying to convince me to quit my job so you could support me."

His expression went from teasing to serious with one blink. "I just  worry about you, Cece. That's all. What happened in New York would have  never occurred if-"

She stiffened and held her hand, halting him in mid-sentence. "I don't want to talk about New York."

Regret flashed in his eyes. "Sorry. Consider it dropped."

She waited for her pulse to settle and then she forced a smile. "So  you'll take a look at the research I've compiled? You'll like Reese.  He's a veritable Boy Scout. His employees love him. He has a cracking  health-insurance plan. He's had no layoffs since his business started  and he's not shipping jobs or production overseas. Let's see. What else?  He's a regular contributor to a half dozen pet charities-"

Noah held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, he's a saint. I get it. How do other men ever measure up?"

"Cut the sarcasm."

He checked his watch and let out a sigh. "Sorry to break this up so  early, especially since I haven't finished the pizza. Somebody talked  too much. Very distracting. E-mail me the stuff. I'll take a look. And  the tickets will be waiting for you at the box office."

"You always were my favorite sibling," she said affectionately.

He dropped a kiss on top of her head then stood and stretched lazily.

"I'll give you a call when I'm through reading everything."





Three


Evan walked into the suite of offices he leased for the times he was in  San Francisco. It wasn't home, and though union   Square was a  sumptuous neighborhood that catered to upscale businesses, he preferred  the funky modern feel of Seattle.

He nodded a good morning to his receptionist but halted when she came out of her seat, a concerned expression on her face.

"You shouldn't go in there," Tanya said in a hushed whisper.

He raised an eyebrow when he realized she was gesturing toward his office.

"Why the devil not?" he demanded.

She put one hand up to shield her mouth and then she tapped her finger against her palm-in the direction of his office.

"Because she's in there."

Evan turned to stare down the hall toward his office, but the door was  closed. Damn, but he didn't have time for this. He looked back at Tanya  and tried to stifle his growing impatience. The girl was highly  efficient if a little eccentric. But he liked unconventional, and while  she'd probably fit in better with his Seattle staff with her colored  hair, multiple piercings and vintage 1930s clothing, he found she  brought a sort of vibrancy to an otherwise stuffy office here.         

     



 

"Okay, Tanya. First of all, who the hell is 'she' and where is Vickie?"

It wasn't like Vickie not to meet him as he got off the elevator. His  longtime assistant traveled with him everywhere. She had an apartment  here and in Seattle. She had an uncanny knack for knowing precisely when  he'd show up, and as a result she was always there, ready to pelt him  with the day's obligations.

Tanya's face fell. "Oh, sir, did you not get your message? I left you  two. Vickie's granddaughter was rushed to the hospital early this  morning. They suspect appendicitis. She's in surgery now."

Evan frowned. "No, I didn't get any such message. Keep me updated. I  want to know the minute she's out of surgery. Send flowers and make sure  Vickie has everything she might need. On second thought, send over food  for the family. Hospital food is terrible. And arrange for a  hospitality suite. If there is a hotel close to the hospital, have a  block of rooms set aside for any of the family members."

Tanya blinked then hurriedly picked up a notepad and began scribbling.

Evan waited a moment then sighed. "Tanya?"

She looked up, blinking, as if surprised to still see him standing there.

"Who is the 'she' waiting in my office?"

Tanya's nose curled in distaste. "It's Miss Hammond, sir. I couldn't  stop her. She was quite imperious. Told me she'd wait for you."

It was all Evan could do not to look heavenward and ask "why me?" He  glanced down the hall and briefly considered leaving. He had no patience  for Bettina today, and after his mother had extracted his promise to  attend this weekend's debacle, he couldn't imagine anything Bettina  could have to say to him.

"Keep me posted on Vickie's granddaughter," he said as he turned to go down to his office.

He opened the door and swept in, his gaze immediately finding Bettina.  She was sitting on one of the sofas lining the window that overlooked  the outdoor cafés lining the sidewalk below.

"Bettina," he said as he tossed his briefcase onto his desk. "What brings you here?"

Bettina rose, her hands going down to smooth her dress. The motion  directed attention to her legs-her self-admitted favorite personal  attribute. The dress stopped almost at mid-thigh, which meant quite a  lot of those legs were on display.

Evan wouldn't lie. He'd enjoyed those legs. It was just too bad they were attached to the rest of her.

Her expression creased into one of fake pain. She crossed the room, holding her hands dramatically in front of her to grasp his.

"I wanted to thank you for agreeing to come to the wedding. It means the  world to Mitchell and your mom and dad. I know how painful it must be. I  can't imagine how difficult it was for you to agree to go after I broke  your heart."

Evan just stared at her. Part of him wanted to ask her what planet she  existed on, but he already knew the answer to that. It was planet  Bettina, where everything revolved around her. Did she honestly believe  he was still pining for her?

"Cut the theatrics, Bettina. Why are you really here? You don't care if I  show up or not, so why pretend otherwise? In fact, I'd be willing to  admit you hoped I wouldn't."

She blinked, and for a moment he saw bitterness in her eyes.

"Lucy said you were bringing a  …  date. It was clever of you, really. But  you don't fool me, Evan. Everyone knows you haven't been serious about  anyone since me. Who is she? Someone you've met socially? Do you know  anything about her? Does she know she's going as an accessory? God knows  that's all I ever was to you."