Page 3 of Bargain With The Boss (Crescent Cove: The Moguls #2)

Xavier

I tossed my stress ball up above my head, aiming for the bullseye I’d pinned to the ceiling. If I hit the center red circle three times maybe I wouldn’t send the threatening email that had my fingers burning.

It wouldn’t help anything.

My father was an asshole when he had a plan in mind. West Coast expansion was on the docket, and he wanted me to lead the project. I either fell in line or paid the consequences.

I just had to figure out if the consequences were worth it right now. I had so many irons in the fire at the moment between FHK Property Group, my company with my two best friends, and my duties atHastings Investments.

Duties that were slowly killing me.

A bit dramatic, but 100 percent correct. I hated working for my father. Mostly, because he wanted me in a little box he could control. I’d had enough of that over the last ten years. I’d been the good firstborn son and fallen in line, and what had that gotten me?

Losing my sister Luna because I’d been too afraid to stand up to him like she had.

Afraid of losing my cushy life and carefully cultivated friend group of the “right” people.

Instead, I’d sacrificed my relationship with my sister just so I didn’t make waves. Because in one way, I was very much like my parents. I didn’t understand just how special my little sister was or how to be the accepting person she needed.

Luna Hastings had been born to be different and should never have been made to feel that wasn’t okay. I was still making up for that every single day.

The last few years finally woke me the fuck up. Hooking my future to Jude Keller and Gavin Forrester more than three years ago had been the smartest thing I’d ever done. Even if I had to keep things on the down-low at the moment.

At this point, I needed to keep working at the investment firm to make the capital to keep FHK afloat. We were hemorrhaging money thanks to our lakefront property, so I needed to keep working my ass off at both places.

Hastings Investments, my father and the board, were still very old school. For each new client I brought on with a creative portfolio, I needed to balance it out with two who preferred a safe and steady investment.

Personally, I preferred the high risk and high reward portfolios.

It was how I treated my own interests to use them for FHK.

We’d grown exponentially since we’d started our company.

Crescent Cove’s grapevine didn’t allow for complete secrecy, but Geoffrey Hastings was more focused on the legacy of his company than my happiness.

As long as I fell in line, he didn’t pay attention to what I was doing.

Mostly.

The three of us preferred working in the shadows anyway. Especially since my father had business dealings with Arthur Maitland, our direct competition.

The thwack of my ball hitting the ceiling finally brought my assistant in from the outer office.

“Xavier!”

I caught the ball, my posture non-existent as I reclined in my chair. I swiveled to look at Devon Gallagher. “Yes?”

“That’s quite enough.”

I grinned at his posh voice, bouncing the ball one more time.

Devon was a transplant from London and his skills with keeping me on task were a gift from my mother when I joined the firm twenty seconds after I graduated from Georgetown.

He wasn’t a tall man, but he wore a three piece suit without fail, and I was pretty sure his iPad was fused to one hand and a teacup in the other.

“You know your mother’s office is directly above you.”

“That’s why you soundproofed my office last fall.” I straightened up. “Am I missing a meeting?”

“No. You do have three tomorrow along with a conference call at seven in the evening with Japan.”

“Well, that means I can get out of here early.” I pushed out of my seat.

“Sir, it’s barely two o’clock.”

“And I’ll be here until nine tomorrow evening.” When Devon opened his mouth, I held up a hand. “I have the stock markets on my phone, as well as my laptop. I don’t need to be here if I don’t have any client meetings.”

I could hear Devon’s molars grinding from here.

I wasn’t lying. One of the startups I’d invested in had designed one of the best apps on the market for keeping track of my clients. It was going to be a leader in the market within a year. And would be a major boon to my personal portfolio, regardless of my father’s feelings on angel investing.

Which is why I felt so stifled here.

I tossed my ball at Devon. His hand shot up and caught it, then his fingers flexed around it.

He probably needed it more than me.

“Where will you be?”

“Taking the lovely Marta to a late lunch.”

That, however, was a lie. I’d broken things off with Marta three months ago when she moved back to Manhattan, but she was a handy excuse.

And I was restless as hell. At least Marta had emptied my brain once a week with her bendy, creative body.

I was pretty sure we’d both lost interest once the spring thaw had come to Crescent Cove.

She’d been a delightful distraction against the interminable winter. Getting snowed in with an ex-gymnast had definitely been what the doctor ordered. Now that May was giving us longer days I could actually focus on Lakeview Terrace with my free time.

Which was a good thing. A third of FHK was currently distracted with a new baby girl who’d come roaring into the world in April.

I grabbed my laptop bag, unhooking my laptop from the hub on my desk before slipping it inside along with a hard copy folder of printouts from my father. His expansion ideas would require a lot of juggling with my own projects.

I double checked my phone, finding a message from Jude.

Jude:

Can you meet at LT today?

Definitely. I was just leaving purgatory.

Jude:

Good. I’ll see you there in thirty.

Sounds good.

“Okay, hit my mobile if there are any fires you can’t handle.” I winked at Devon. “As if there’s a chance of that.”

“Buttering me up won’t work, sir.”

I rolled my eyes. “Heaven forbid. You know I can’t live without you, Devon.”

“I’m well aware.”

I laughed. “I just bet you are.” I shrugged out of my suit jacket, handing it to him as I hooked the leather case over my shoulder.

“I’ll be in by ten tomorrow.”

He smoothed the jacket over his arm to prevent wrinkles. “Very good.”

I was unbuttoning my dress shirt as I passed through the main office to the elevators. Russ Boyd, one of our junior accountants, ran to catch up with me in the elevator.

I held the door.

He snickered at my undershirt. “Thanks for the hold, Cap.”

I gave him a snappy salute and untucked my Captain America T-shirt from my dress pants. “How’s the Jones cluster going?”

Russ sighed. “Hellish account. Between me and Danny we should have it in some semblance of order by tomorrow.”

“Good. Shoot me the details if you want me to look it over.”

Relief made his shoulders sag. “That would be great, Xavier.”

We talked about a few of the particulars on the way down.

I gave him a salute as I headed for the parking lot while he turned into the mini cafe we’d built in the lobby of the building.

I put the top down on my Porsche Boxter in deference to the sunny day.

Hastings Investments was on the fringes of Crescent Cove, well away from the lake.

I let the longer drive blow out the last of my annoyances with my father.

Once the scent of the lake hit my nose, I shrugged off the dutiful son persona and swapped to the less than traditional mogul I was becoming.

Lakeview Terrace would be a major boon to the town.

Crescent Cove was growing every year—and not just because of the babies.

More and more companies were coming in, expanding the types of people who wanted to find a quiet space to live and work. Even our police force had doubled in reaction to our quick growth. Crime wasn’t a real problem, but with more people came more conflict.

I pulled into the parking lot. Dumpsters lined the perimeter of the parking lot.

The last few winters had left us with little choice but to rip everything down to the studs.

We probably should have bulldozed it, but there was history there and we’d save money using the original footprint of the stores.

Besides, hammering at the red tape for this project had been a full-time job of its own.

Jude’s sparkly new SUV was parked in the lot.

Instead of Jude, a statuesque redhead stood in front of the former gallery.

She was furiously scribbling in a notebook, concentration showing in every muscle of her body.

I wasn’t sure that woman knew the definition of relax in any way.

From her long hair ruthlessly smoothed with just a hint of curl at the ends, to her slim skirt and heels, she was class from head to toe.

Sydney Keller.

Jude’s sister.

I’d only met her a few times, and each encounter had been less than impressive—at least from her end.

I was plenty intrigued by the ice queen.

Her flawless skin with a hint of peach undertones to match her auburn hair lured a man closer to see if she’d flush when she was angry or turned on.

But it was her golden eyes that had a chokehold on me.

They should radiate warmth and yet they were more like Crescent Lake in January.

So still, so quiet.

But there was still something in me that knew she had a turbulent ecosystem underneath just like our lake.

Jude slammed the door of his SUV, a smile still bending his lips upward as he stared down at his phone. “Give Neese a kiss for me.”

“Can you pick up diapers on your way home?” His wife Maddie’s voice floated from his speaker.

“Of course.”

“Okay, thanks. I love you.”

“Love you too, baby.” He looked up to find me staring at him with a grin on my face. “Shut up.”

“I said nothing.”

Twin flags of red blazed across his cheeks. “Thanks for coming over. I know it’s the middle of your work day.”

“Tomorrow’s jammed, so it worked out.” I walked with him toward Sydney. “What’s up?”

“I have good news. We finally got the permits to get the demo going. The crews will start showing up tomorrow.”

“Hallelujah. It’s only been three damn years.” Finally some movement.

“I know. They couldn’t deny the fact that the delays would only hurt the town. Even the mighty Arthur can’t hold progress up while waiting on his outlandish plans.”

“Ones that I’m determined won’t ever come to fruition.”

Gavin Forrester’s voice behind us made both of us turn.

I grinned. “I didn’t hear you pull up, Gav.”

He nodded toward the dumpsters then down to his battered gloves. “Who do you think has been pulling shingles off this monstrosity.”

“Fair.” I slapped him in the arm. “I have some clothes in the car if you want help.”

“Wouldn’t say no.”

Sydney turned just as the breeze lifted one of her long curls to blow across her cheek.

She pushed it away with an annoyed flash in her golden eyes.

Damn, I knew there was something under there.

But it was gone again as her gaze bounced from Gavin to her brother, then landed on me.

Her lips flattened in annoyance.“Gentleman.”

“Hey Syd.” I grinned at her, amused that her annoyance flared hot just before she tamped it down in her usual icy style.

“Sydney or Miss Keller.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, my grin widening into a smile. “What brings you to our stunning worksite?”

She zeroed in on her brother, her slim auburn brow raised.

“I didn’t have a chance to tell them yet,” Jude muttered.

“Tell us what?” I turned my attention to my business partner.

“Since we have officially gotten the go ahead to start on the renovations, Sydney will be helping us.”