Page 7

My stomach rumbled yet again, reminding me to get moving.

I quickly showered, then went back to the kitchen to heat the leftover pasta. Once the microwave beeped, I tiredly made my way into the living room with a steaming bowl of garlic pesto farfalle. I sat down on the couch and sank into the deep cushions, relishing the feeling of my weary bones settling as every muscle in my body began to relax for the first time that day.

Angelo’s right. I have been working too much lately.

I leaned over to pick up my book from the coffee table and opened it to where I had it marked.

An hour later, I found myself staring at the words in front of me. I had only read five pages and had barely comprehended any of them. I couldn’t concentrate at all on the text. Every time I started a new sentence, my focus would drift to a pair of piercing sapphire eyes. Eyes so powerful, just the thought of them had my stomach doing flips.

Who is the man with the blue eyes? Is he the investor?

If he was, hopefully, today’s mishap didn’t mess anything up for Wally’s. I’d hate to be the reason for a potential investor to pull out. The memory of his promise to see me again echoed through my mind.

Why did he say that?

So many questions bounced around in my head. Frustrated over my lack of concentration, I set the book aside and brought my empty dinner bowl to the kitchen sink.

Maybe if I have a few answers about exactly who this mysterious man is, I’ll be able to stop thinking about him.

I retrieved my laptop from my bedroom and went back to the couch. Once the computer was fired up, I started to type “Blue Eyes” into the search engine, but then I caught myself.

Seriously? What’s wrong with me?

I erased the letters and typed “Stone NYC” instead. I scrolled through the list of articles. Information on gemstones, imported stones, and commercial stones populated my screen. I frowned at the findings. It was obviously not what I had been looking for.

I narrowed the search and tried “Stone NYC Investor Wallys.” That turned up better results. Right away, I saw an article related to Wally’s, and I clicked on it.

“Despite the many problems, there may still be hope on the horizon for Wally’s Grocery Store. The New York City real estate tycoon, Alexander Stone, is looking to step in and possibly save the struggling grocer.”

Alexander Stone? I’ve never heard of him.

I was pretty sure it was the same Mr. Stone I was introduced to. I clicked on the internet images to see if there were any pictures of him.

I sucked in a breath, my stomach instantly clenching into a knot. There he was, gazing at me through the screen. Even on a computer screen, those smoldering blue eyes could sear right through me, causing desire to burn hot in my belly.

Easy, girl. It’s just a picture.

Reining in my wild thoughts, I changed the search to “Alexander Stone NYC.” The number of articles that came up was staggering. I clicked on the first one.

“This afternoon, New York City’s beloved opera house announced they would begin their long-awaited renovation, a project made possible by a $4 million-dollar donation from The Stoneworks Foundation. The opera had been experiencing extraordinary difficulties over the recent years and is extremely thankful to Alexander Stone for his support.”

The article went on to talk about the financial difficulties the opera had been struggling with, but I didn’t finish reading it. I clicked the back button to see what else I could find.

“The groundbreaking ceremony for a new women’s shelter in Queens took place on Monday, with Alexander Stone present to cut the ribbon. Mr. Stone, the founder of The Stoneworks Foundation, has donated $1.2 million to build a shelter for battered women. The shelter should be completed early next year.”

Interesting. So, what’s wrong with him?

He was good-looking, rich, and involved in charitable causes. I found it hard to believe any guy was that picture perfect. I clicked on the next article.

“Stone Enterprise strikes a $280 million-dollar deal with the near-bankrupt Rushmore Industries to purchase one of the tallest residential buildings in New York. Stone Enterprise plans to remodel the neglected 1,000 feet high Rushmore building. It will eventually hold 92 luxury apartments and two penthouses. Wall Street says the purchase was a steal and predicts it will pay for itself in less than two years, as the penthouses alone will contract for at least $84 million each once they are completed. CEO Alexander Stone did not comment when asked if he was going to rename the building.”

Two hundred eighty million! Wow—this guy isn’t just rich—he’s that rich!

I may have been fortunate enough to grow up comfortably, but even Frank didn’t bring in that kind of dough. Not even close. I clicked on the next article. This one was a gossip column from the local entertainment magazine, dated two months earlier.

“Alexander Stone, one of New York’s most eligible bachelors, arrived at the Chamber of Commerce Ball with yet another red-headed bombshell on his arm. Who knew there were so many stunning redheads in New York City?”

Hmmm…yes. Who knew?