Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Jameson steps aside to let Krista enter first. She doesn’t make a sound.
I’m right on her heel, but my arrival is punctuated by an uncontrollable gasp leaving me.
It has nothing to do with the skyline of Manhattan that’s visible through the bank of windows behind the large table.
It has everything to do with the man at the head of that table who is pushing to stand.
With a shocked expression on his face that has to mirror my own, Joe Campbell greets me with a curt nod.
“Well, hello there,” he says in that deeply delicious voice of his. “I’m Holden Sheppard. It’s nice to meet you.”
I stare at him, completely confused about what the hell is happening.
“What did you say your name was?” I blurt out.
He rounds the table to approach me. I instinctively take a step back. I want to run out of here, but I don’t think my feet can make it. That single step took all of the might I have at the moment.
Joe walks toward me with steady steps. He looks so different dressed in a tailored three-piece suit and an expensive tie. His hair is slightly longer than it was in East Hampton. The glasses framing his face are the same as the ones he was wearing the last time I saw him.
I know it’s him. It has to be him, yet he called himself Holden.
As soon as he’s close enough to reach me, he extends a hand. “Allow me to formally introduce myself. I’m Holden Sheppard. I’m the CEO of Carden Confectionaries.”
“Son of a bitch,” I mutter silently.
I know no one hears me because Krista drowned out my words with her own. “I’m Krista Bellard.”
Her hand lands in his for a hearty shake.
Joe’s gaze drops to it. He offers her a weak smile, all while keeping his blue-eyed gaze locked on my face.
As soon as he’s able to tug his hand free, he pushes it toward me. “You must be Greer.”
“She is.” Krista nudges my arm, signaling she wants me to shake Joe’s hand. “Greer Irwin.”
“Greer Irwin,” he repeats, still holding out his hand.
I finally reach to touch it, but the shake is so brief that it garners me another nudge from Krista. “Greer,” she admonishes in a low tone. “You promised you’d be polite.”
I promised no such thing because I am always polite. Well, normally I am, but I’m standing less than a foot away from a man who fucked me into bliss just six weeks ago.
Now, he’s attempting to buy my company.
“Let’s sit,” Jameson suggests, motioning to the large conference table. “That’s Sasha Cardinal. She’s part of our legal team, and the handsome guy to our right is Marc. He’s one of Carden’s hidden treasures.”
The room erupts in laughter, but Joe doesn’t crack a smile.
I don’t either. I can’t since a million thoughts are running through my mind.
Did he know who I was in East Hampton? Was he already planning on buying out my company back then?
Krista tugs on my hand, so I follow her toward the table. As I do, I brush right past Joe.
I sit down in the first available chair. It just so happens to be at the head of the table as far away from Sasha and Marc as I can get. I grabbed this chair for two simple reasons. It’s closest to the door, and I assume it’s going to be farthest from where Joe will be sitting… or Holden. Whatever the hell his name is.
My assumption is proven correct as he walks to the other end of the table and faces me directly. His gaze finds mine, and he perks a brow as if he’s asking me a silent question.
Crossing my arms, I shake my head before I look to where Krista has taken the seat next to Jameson since Marc moved over one.
“You can join us down here, Greer!” Krista calls through her cupped hands, as if I’m a million miles away, and she needs her voice to carry over the distance.
“I’m fine right where I am,” I say in defiance, glancing at her.
I shift my gaze back to the man who blew my world apart just six weeks ago. He lowers himself into his chair, keeping his eyes locked on me the entire time. “I’m eager to make a deal. Tell me what it’s going to take to make that happen, Greer.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Holden
I’ve tried repeatedly to drag Greer into this conversation about the potential sale of her business, but her partner is doing all of the talking…and I do mean all of the talking.
It became apparent in the very early moments of this meeting that Greer has zero interest in selling Sweet Indulgence to me, or more precisely, to my company.
When I mentioned our vision for both the company and the storefront they now inhabit, Greer shook her head. She was essentially cutting each of our ideas down with a single shake of her head. Every time it happened, I moved on to the next idea that Jameson and our marketing team had jotted down for me.