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“What a small world.”
“Have you met Amanda?”
I shake my head. “No. Frankly, I didn’t even know her name until you just said it. I try to remain professional in the office. I rarely get into discussions of anyone’s private life, let alone Jade’s. She’s half my age and, frankly, I’m terrified of what goes on in that kid’s personal life.”
He lets out a laugh. “That’s probably a good policy.”
He looks around my office, likely noticing the minimal personal effects. I keep nothing personal in here. His wheels are clearly turning. “Mazzello. That’s an Italian name, but you’re not Italian. If I was a betting man, which I’m not, I’d place a wager that you’re Cuban.”
I nod. “I am.” He’s a smart man. He’s done his homework.
“I’ve done some business in the past with the Amoroso family down in Cuba. Do you know them?”
I give him a small smile. “I’m guessing that you already know the answer, or you wouldn’t have asked the question.”
His eyes light up. “I do.”
“My mother was an Amoroso. No one here knows that. I consider myself independently successful. I don’t like to fly on the coattails of my family. I’m not involved in the family business at all.”
“I respect that. Oddly enough, it was the fact that I couldn’t find anything about you online that caused me to dig a bit deeper.”
“I do my best for people not to have any understanding of the kind of money I have. As I’m sure you’re aware, people treat you differently when they know.”
He lets out a laugh. “Don’t I know it. I wish I could hide it too, but that ship has sailed. Unfortunately, it’s rare for me to meet anyone who doesn’t know my background, though it’s refreshing when it happens.”
He looks like he’s thinking of someone in particular. Before Beckett got married, his active personal life was splashed all over gossip magazines and websites. Since his wife’s passing, I’ve seen nothing. He’s maintained an extremely low profile.
“I imagine it is. For what it’s worth, Carter is the same way. You’d never guess he’s a billionaire. That’s not how he conducts himself. He and Reagan are both down-to-earth and relatable.”
“I’m gathering that.”
“I assume you know that Reagan and Skylar’s stepfather is Jackson Knight.” Jackson is also one of the wealthiest men in Philadelphia. I have no doubt he’s crossed paths with Beckett.
He nods. “Of course. Jackson and I go way back. We grew up in this business together. He’s as solid as they come, and I consider him a friend. He’s quite besotted with their mother. I’ve seen them out and about a few times.”
“Honestly, I wouldn’t know. I’ve only met her a small handful of times and all the encounters were brief.”
We chat for a while, both about business and even a little personal. We hit it off, discussing the possibility of grabbing drinks sometime. I hope he ends up working here. It would be nice to have him around. I could learn a lot from a guy like Beckett. With the company getting younger and younger, I wouldn’t mind someone a bit older as a co-worker. I’m one of the old guys now.
We shake hands again as he stands to leave to make his way down to Reagan’s office for his meeting with her and Carter.
Seconds after he closes the door, there’s a knock. I look around to see if Beckett left something behind. I don’t see anything.
I shout, “You can come back in.”
The door opens and, to my surprise, it’s not Beckett, it’s Beth, looking stunning in a red business dress with gold buttons running down the front from top to bottom. She’s such a stunning woman.
I can’t help but smile as I stand. “Princesa, what a nice surprise. I’ve been thinking about you.”
She gives me a seductive smile as our eyes meet. We move toward one another. I bend to kiss her cheek, but she grabs my face and turns it, running her tongue along my lips until I open my mouth for her.
This aggressive behavior from her is surprising in the best way possible. She’s not who I thought she was.
I pull her body close to mine and run my tongue through her open mouth. The kiss quickly turns deep, but I’m wary of where I am. I pull away, though I keep her face close to mine and smile. “Lovely to see you too.”
She runs her hands up my chest. “I thought I’d stop by for a quick hello. Maybe pick up where we left off the other night.”
I pull out of her embrace. “No.” I head back to my desk chair and sit. I need to put a barrier between us so I don’t tear off her clothes and bend her over my desk. “You must be hurting. You need to heal. It’s not happening.”
