CHAPTER SEVEN
NATHAN
I’m looking through some job applications when I hear a knock on my opened office door. Joshua’s standing there, holding some flowers with a grin on his face.
“Why are you bringing those into my office?” I question on a frown.
“Actually sir,” he says, walking in and placing the bouquet on the desk in front of me. “They’re for you.”
My brows furrow, “From who?”
Josh shrugs, looking way too excited about this.
“No idea. It was delivered to the house a couple minutes ago. I only brought it up. I think there’s a card though,” he says gesturing at the small white card tucked into the side of the flowers.
I grab the card, opening it to find a note addressed to me.
Hey, Mr. Billionaire. You said to stay the hell away from you so this is me doing that. But I felt like I owed you an apology. I never should have mentioned your mother, I’m sorry. We’re even now. I’ll do my best to stay away and you do the same. Sincerely, your arch nemesis, Anika Cameron.
Arch nemesis? She’s cute.
“So who are the flowers from?” Josh asks eagerly.
“None of your business,” I reply, sliding the card in my pocket before asking him to take the flowers out of the office.
She might have apologized but in no way does it make what she said okay. The woman’s a spitfire. A blazing volcano. And I know now that I need to keep myself out of her path, at all costs.
A minute or two later there’s a little brunette girl racing into my office holding the flowers in her hand.
“Daddy, Joshy says someone sent you flowers?” Kara questions placing the roses back on my desk.
I inwardly groan, asking some higher power for patience. My eyes narrow onto Josh who reappears at the door into my office. He proceeds to avoid making eye contact so I look back to my daughter.
“Yes,” I answer simply.
“And?”
“And what?”
“Who sent you flowers? Do you have a girlfriend ?” she sings the word, her eyes are practically sparkling with excitement.
“No, I don’t have a girlfriend, princess. The person sent the flowers to me as an apology,” I tell her honestly.
“That’s really nice.”
“Sure,” I mutter.
“But it was a girl, right?”
My lips press together but I nod.
“I didn’t know girls sent flowers to boys. It’s nice. Should I do that when I grow up?”
I imagine her being sixteen or older sending roses to a teenage boy that’ll most certainly be offended by it. Teenage boys would be intimidated by a girl sending them flowers. Hopefully it leads to them hopefully staying away from her. The thought makes me smile.
“You know what, sweetheart? I think that’s a great idea. If you ever like a boy send him flowers.”
She nods, understanding in her dark green eyes.
“Okay, daddy. So does that mean the woman that sent you this likes you?”
I groan. She’s too smart for her own good at times.
“No, princess. She doesn’t like me.”
Quite the opposite actually.
“But-”
“Lana I was in the middle of work,” I interject. “Tell you what? How about you keep the flowers? Ask one of the staff to show you how to preserve it in a vase or something and then take it to your room. Would you like that?”
She nods, “Yes, thank you, daddy. I’ll let you get back to work.”
I watch as she leaves and then I’m left alone with Josh who’s standing quietly against the wall of the office.
“I told you to get rid of the flowers not show them to Lana.”
“She ambushed me, sir.”
“She’s eight,” I state dryly. “And I don’t need her thinking there’s a woman somewhere sending me dumb flowers.”
“I think the roses are cute, boss.”
I roll my eyes. Of course he does.
“It’s emasculating and she did it intentionally to piss me off,” I retort.
“Are you sure you don’t want to tell me who the mysterious woman is?” Josh asks. “She sounds fun.”
I look up, fixing him with a piercing glare, “Don’t cross the line.”
He nods, swallowing hard and lifting his hands in surrender.
“Sorry, boss. I’ll get out of your hair.”
I can practically feel the note from Anika in my pocket burning into my skin. The urge to reach inside and reread the words again fills me. The note is handwritten and the handwriting is atrocious. I’m pretty sure it’s hers. It seems like it would be. People’s handwriting’s are a gateway into their character.
Anikas’ tells me that she’s chaotic, erratic, and maybe a little impatient. Basically she’s a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. And while a part of me is still intrigued. A part of me is also glad I don’t have to worry about us having to interact. Even if we do see each other, I’ll make sure to ignore her, hopefully she does the same.
I feel like a matchstick and she’s the surface I need to be struck against. A surface that could end me.
***
“Can we wrap this up quickly? I need to get home to my daughter,” I say to Carson Cameron.
It’s 7pm and Kara will be expecting me for dinner. We always have dinner together no matter how busy I am. I come home, eat and listen to her tell me about her day before heading back to work. I grew up having a parent that did anything he could not to be present in my life. My daughter won’t have to go through that.
Honestly, I’ve spent most of my life ensuring I did the exact opposite of every single one of my father’s actions.
“You have a daughter?” Carson questions, the surprise in his tone causes me to raise an eyebrow. But he recovers quickly. “I just realized I don’t know much about you apart from the fact that you’re an asshole and a filthy rich billionaire.”
I shake my head with a smirk. One thing the Camerons are going do is speak their mind.
“You don’t need to know anything about me. All we need to do is work together.”
“See it doesn’t quite work like that, Wolfe. The way things are going, we’re going to have to be spending a lot of time together, both over the next few months and in the nearest future. So it would help if our relationship could be more than just reluctant co-workers or something.”
“I’m not reluctantly working with you,” I point out.
“Well I am and that’s because you’re an ice cold jerk.”
I scowl, my gaze narrowing but he doesn’t back down, meeting my glare with one of his own. I get the feeling Carson’s a guy used to being well liked. He probably prides himself on the ability to charm people. And he’s right. We can’t work well together if he’s not comfortable around me.
And honestly, I’m getting tired of being called an asshole.
“Fine,” I state, leaning back in my chair. “What do you want to know?”
He blinks, confused. “Seriously?”
“Yes. You can ask me questions in an effort to get to know me. If it’s too personal, I won’t reply.”
‘Alright, thanks,” he nods. “First question, what are you doing back in town? I got the impression you didn’t like Edenton when we met at the wedding.”
“You’re right. I don’t. But my daughter asked to see where I grew up.”
“You came to a town you despise simply because she asked?”
“Yes.”
He seems surprised and I’m not sure why. I’d do anything for my little girl.
“Where’s her mother? Are you married?” he asks.
“Now we’re getting into the realm of too personal,” I reply.
I have no interest in talking about Kara’s mother.
“Okay then. How about we talk about the reason you’re working on this project? Your daughter’s not the only reason you moved to town. Why did you decide to work on the center?”
“Why are you so intent on making sure the center is a success?” I ask switching the question over to him. “Have you got something to prove, Cameron? Is that why you’re working relentlessly hard on it?”
“Don’t psychoanalyze me,” he scowls. “I’m the one trying to psychoanalyze you.”
I smile, amused, “How about we both don’t psychoanalyze each other? You have your reasons and I have mine.”
“Fine. But we should go out for drinks sometime.”
“Why?”
“If I get you drunk, I might get that mouth loose,” he says on a shrug.
“Doubtful. You’d never be able to get enough alcohol in me to get me drunk,” I say confidently.
“You sound like Sterling. That guy drinks booze like a fish drinks water.”
“Technically, fish don’t drink water. They breathe it,” I point out.
His blue eyes narrow, “You don’t have many friends, do you, Wolfe?”
There’s a small chuckle at the door and we both look up to see Josh standing there.
“No he doesn’t, Mr. Cameron,” he says in reply to Carson.
“Joshua, my man. How’s it going?” Carson questions, standing up to give him a friendly handshake.
In the weeks since we’ve been at Edenton, Josh’s managed to befriend some of the locals. Something about him makes him extremely likeable to people for some reason.
“I’ve been okay, sir.”
“We’ve talked about this. Call me Carson,” he returns. “We’re friends.”
My gaze moves between them, my brows furrowed.
“When did the two of you get so friendly?”
“I ran into Josh when I was at the movies with a friend. He was on a date,” Carson says his eyebrows waggling.
“You go on dates?” I question surprised. “Where do you even find the time?”
“Trust me, sir. I wonder that too,” Josh replies lowly, a small smile on his face.
My eyes narrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing,” he says soberly.
Carson’s blue eyes study us both, like he’s trying to figure out our relationship. He gives up with a short laugh.
“Anyway, we should probably stop here for the night. I’ll see you both tomorrow. Oh and I heard you’ve started interviews for the people who will work at the center. How’s it going?”
“Fine. I’ll send you the applications for the people I’m considering. You can look through it.”
“Okay.”
Josh and I leave heading into the car. I opt for seating in front beside him. It’s not often I do that, but today has been a fairly uneventful day. I’m relaxed enough not to get too into my head.
“Kara sent me a text asking us to get her some ice cream, sir,” he informs me before starting the car.
I turn to look at him, “Why didn’t she text me?”
“I think she thought you’d say no. And that I’d buy it without telling you first.”
Sneaky.
“So why are you telling me?”
He and my daughter are close. She calls him Joshy and follows him around whenever he’s with her. Plus Josh always indulges her. I once walked in on them in
Kara’s playroom. Josh was wearing a princess hat and partaking in a tea party. It was ridiculous but adorable.
I think that why I tolerate him. My daughter adores him and that’s a plus in my book.
“My loyalties are to you first, my liege,” he says putting on a weird accent.
I quirk an eyebrow in question. Josh laughs awkwardly.
“You’re such a dork. Who’s the girl you went on a date with?”
“A woman I met at the grocery store. She said she thought I was cute and asked me out to watch movie.”
“She asked you out?”
He nods.
“You’re hopeless, Josh, Let’s go to the grocery store?”
“Sir?” he asks surprised. “I’m sure she’s not there at the moment.”
“Not to see your mystery girl, dumbass. To get Kara’s ice cream.”
“Oh. Right. Yes sir.”
He starts the car and we’re off. I hide my smile as he drives. If I’m being honest, I more than tolerate Josh.
He’s one of the few people in this world I actually genuinely like.