AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter One
Christopher
Thump. Thump. Thump.
I almost step on a tennis ball while crossing the lobby of my office building. Picking up the neon green orb, I look around until I locate the owner: a small girl, maybe four or five years old. She's sitting on the couch in the waiting area with a serious problem on her hands: her toys have spilled out of her backpack, and she's desperately trying to shove them back in.
Bennett Enterprises is large enough that we added an on-site daycare a while back, but this is the first time I've stepped on a toy. Instead of heading up to my office, I stride in her direction, returning the ball.
"You lost this."
The girl snaps her head up, her blue eyes wide and thankful as if I just saved the day.
"Thank you." She grabs it from me with both hands, squeezing it to her chest like it's her most prized possession before shoving it in the backpack. She's in a frenzy, hopping down from the couch to collect the toys from the floor, pushing her dark brown hair away from her face.
"What's your name?" I ask her.
"Chloe."
"I'm Christopher."
"Wow! Both our names begin with C."
Sitting on my haunches until I'm almost level with her, I lean in, whispering conspiratorially, "That's because we're cool."
An ear-to-ear grin lights up her small face, and she seems to momentarily forget about her troubles. Then she directs her focus on the reception desk. Ah, she must be here with a visitor. That explains why she's in the waiting area. Visitors must check in at the reception desk first, so they're directed to the correct floor. Currently, there's some commotion going on at the desk, so it looks like little Chloe still has some waiting to do.
"This is yours?" I ask, picking up a small Rubik’s Cube that slipped just under the couch. Chloe nods, holding the backpack open so I can drop it inside. Color me impressed. I'm the Chief Operations Officer of Bennett Enterprises and a shareholder. Throw any issue my way, and I can fix it. A Rubik’s Cube? I'm stumped.
"Chloe,” a female voice says behind me, “we can—"
Several mishaps occur at the same time. At the sound of the woman's voice, I abruptly rise to my feet, turn around, and boom. Straight-on collision. Stepping back, I realize the woman is carrying a cup… and spilled all its contents on my shirt. On the plus side, the beverage was lukewarm, not hot. But my shirt looks as if I crawled across a muddy street.
"I'm so sorry. It was hot chocolate. It'll wash out," she says, demanding my attention.
Damn.
She's tall, with brown waves falling over her shoulder, green eyes piercing me. Her full lips could tempt even a saint into sinning, and I'm no saint. Meeting a beautiful woman is hands-down the best way to start a day, even if it comes with hot chocolate on my shirt.
"I'll pay for your dry cleaning." Her shoulders turn rigid as she assesses the damage to my shirt.
"Don't worry about it," I reply, because by the looks of it, she has enough to worry about already. When Chloe tugs at her hand, I put two and two together. Chloe is here with her, which means she must be her daughter. Instantly I check her hand for a ring because I'm not that kind of sinner. There’s no ring.
"His name starts with C," Chloe tells her. "Like mine."
"Oh! You're Christopher Bennett, aren't you?" If possible, her shoulders tense even more. That’s not the usual reaction I cause in women.
"Yes."
"I'm Victoria Hensley. We have a meeting in ten minutes."
This day just got a hell of a lot better. She's the interior decorator my sisters Pippa and Alice recommended to decorate my new apartment. They insisted she's very talented, and after I witnessed the great job she did at Alice’s restaurant and Pippa’s house, I was sold.
"Pippa told me there's an on-site daycare, and I can leave my sister there during our meeting," Victoria continues.
Ah, now I remember. Pippa told me Victoria is looking after her younger siblings after they lost their parents in a boating accident last year. I can tell Victoria wants to shake my hand, but Chloe stubbornly holds on to her right hand.
"Sure," I counter. "Go settle Chloe in. I'll be waiting upstairs in my office."
"Do you think the other kids will like my toys?" Chloe asks Victoria.
Victoria smiles down at her sister, and I'll be damned if it's not the sweetest smile I've ever seen. "Of course they will."
Apparently, Victoria's smile only affects me, because Chloe puffs her cheeks, not convinced.
"You've got so many toys," I say, patting her backpack, "I'm sure they'll find something they like. It’s really nice of you to want to share toys. When I was your age, anyone touching my stuff was an enemy. You're cool."
Her puffy cheeks give way to a grin again. Mission accomplished.
Victoria frees her hand from Chloe's grip, and as I shake it, she inspects the damage to my shirt. I bet she's calculating the odds of gaining me as her client after this mishap.
I'll have to turn on the charm to full power in my office, just to put her mind at ease, of course.
***
Victoria
Way to make a first impression, Victoria! After dropping off Chloe, I chastise myself all the way to Christopher’s office, looking forward to proving myself to him. His sisters might have recommended me, but that doesn't mean he'll go with me if I don't convince him.
The moment I step inside his office, some of the tension bleeds from my shoulders, as Christopher offers me a friendly smile. I inspect his eyes to check whether the smile is perfunctory, but the warmth in them tells me he is genuine. Christopher Bennett is a damn fine sight to behold. Handsome face with a perfectly groomed three-day beard, broad shoulders, solid six feet of muscles—he's the type of man who can dominate a room with his presence without even trying.
When I stop in front of his desk, I can't help ogling his shirt. What a mess I made of it. He catches me inspecting the stains, and his smile deepens. He points to the chair in front of his desk. "Take a seat."
I do just that, crossing my legs and brainstorming for the best way to start with a clean slate.
"Everything worked out with Chloe?" Christopher asks.
"Yeah."
"How many siblings do you have? Pippa must have told me, but I forgot."
Usually, I don't go into details about my personal life with clients, but Christopher's interest seems genuine.
"Three. Chloe, Lucas, who is nine, and Sienna. She's seventeen."
Christopher nods thoughtfully. "That sounds like a full house."
