Page 19 of BillionHeir

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Maxwell

“You and I both know this is not going to work.”

“I have tried to get them to come down on the price, but they are not budging.”

When we returned from the beach, I needed to spend some time focusing on work.

I thought that kissing her would be enough to stifle my growing attraction to her, but unfortunately, it has only made me want her more.

I have spent the morning in my office trying to forget about the way her body felt pressed up against mine.

“I know Melvin Benton pretty well. He used to come to the annual Fourth of July party my family held every year. He is playing hardball, but he needs this buyout. Neither one of his good-for-nothing kids are capable of taking over the reins, and it is no secret that the man is getting up there in age. He is just trying to take as much of his money as possible with him when he retires. He knows we are interested and thinks he can negotiate a better deal. What he doesn’t know is that I am not my father, and we are not going to give in to his demands. ”

I look at my father’s custom Rolex watch on my wrist to check the date and time. I have been out of the office so long I can barely remember what day of the week it is anymore. I see that it is Thursday, which plays right into my hand.

“Here is what you need to do,” I say to Ethan, confident that my plan will work.

“Get Melvin on the phone and tell him that I have changed my mind. For the price he is asking, I am no longer interested in buying. I am a fickle man, after all. We will give him the weekend to stew on it. By Monday, I expect that we are going to be looking at a much more reasonable offer.”

“Are you sure?” Ethan asks, sounding dubious. “When we met last week, he told me that he had several offers on the table.”

“He is bluffing,” I explain, surprised that Ethan was so easily fooled by the old man’s ruse.

“He hasn’t gotten another offer or we would know about it.

He loves nothing more than to stroke his own ego.

I have seen it firsthand throughout the years.

He is banking on the fact that I am out of the office and trying to milk more money out of you.

Trust me, Ethan. This is going to work.”

“Okay,” Ethan says, any signs of hesitation or doubt gone from his voice. “How was your physical therapy appointment this morning?”

Not only is Ethan running my company while I am away, he is also managing my schedule, which includes making the appointments for my doctor and the physical therapist who come out to the house.

“It went well. The doctor says I am progressing ahead of schedule. If I can keep this up, I should be out of the sling soon.” I stretch my neck as I think about my body. The sling that I have had to wear since the accident has really started to get on my nerves. I don’t like being so restricted.

“That is great news, Mr. Banks.”

“Ethan, if you don’t start calling me Max, I am going to demote you. You are running my company for God’s sake.”

“Old habits,” he explains before moving on. “Now that you are starting to feel better, have you thought about when you will be returning to the company?”

I sit back in my chair as I think about the question.

At this point, I am mentally well enough to resume working and soon I will be physically capable as well.

But Chloe’s question about where I want to be in five years keeps ringing in my ears.

I am reminded of all the things I want in my life but don’t have yet.

And none of those things are work related.

“I have thought about it, but I haven’t come to any conclusions yet.

You are doing such a good job that I might never come back.

” I say as a joke with a good-natured laugh, but Ethan has no idea just how serious I am.

I could stand to take a step back and put more time into the things that really matter in my life.

“I can’t believe you would even joke about not coming back. Banks International is your life,” Ethan says.

But the man he is talking about feels like a totally different person than the one I am now after going through my near-death experience.

There is nothing quite like waking up in a hospital, confused and in pain, to show you just how mortal you really are. You can have all the money in the world, but death still comes for us all. If you have no one to share your life with, all that wealth feels rather meaningless.

Speaking of enhancing my life, Chloe breezes into the room and sets down a tray of soup and sandwiches for lunch. She smiles politely, then turns to leave the room.

“I have to go, but I will get back to you about that soon,” I say to Ethan, cutting our business meeting short. I hang up the phone and call out to the tempting siren who is scurrying out of the room. “Want to eat with me? ”

“Really?” she asks, sounding shocked at the idea.

“Why not?” If she thinks I am going to let her pull away from me again, she has got another thing coming. I have finally convinced her to start opening up to me, and I am not about to back off now.

“I suppose you are right, aren’t you?”

I have always loved the way the British make even the most mundane statements into a question.

“I am always right,” I say, flashing a slick smile at her. “It is better you learn that now.”

Chloe rolls her eyes. “Right. Would you like to come downstairs, or should I bring my lunch up here to you?”

I nod toward the balcony that I rarely use. “What if we eat out there? It is a nice day, after all.”

Chloe looks out the glass door to the balcony and beyond to the late summer afternoon. “That sounds lovely. I will be back in just a moment. Do you need anything else?”

I look over to the tray she has brought and find that there is everything I could need and then some, so I shake my head. By the time she is back with a tray of her own, I am out on the balcony waiting for her.

“It really is a lovely day,” Chloe says after we have each taken a few bites of the delicious food she made for us.

“The weather has been unusually nice for this time of year.”

“Why Portland? Why not something closer to the city? ”

“My parents fell in love up here at a summer camp when they were kids. When Banks International made its first million, Dad bought this land and had the house built exactly to Mom’s specifications.

” I look out at the landscaped backyard that overlooks the sea.

“I did some remodeling after they passed, but most of what you see here is original.”

“That is so romantic, isn’t it? I love that story. Your parents sound sweet.”

“As a kid, I didn’t appreciate how good they were together. When all of my friends' parents were getting divorced, mine were embarrassing me with PDA.” I chuckle to myself. “I wouldn’t even let them hold hands in front of me for a while.”

“What a brat you must have been,” Chloe says with a smile.

“Yeah, I think I probably was, now that I look back on it. I was fortunate to have them to look up to. If I end up with even half of what they had, I will consider myself lucky.”

“Aw, come on. You haven’t done all that bad for yourself, have you?”

“They had the one thing that has eluded me all these years.”

“What is that?”

“True love.”

* * *

Later that afternoon, Chloe left the house to do a little sightseeing and shopping.

She was reluctant to go, but I insisted.

She has barely had a moment to herself since I convinced her to come here with me.

I am well aware that I am not the easiest person to deal with, and everyone deserves a break from work now and then.

My recent conversations with Ethan and Chloe have really made me think. I now know exactly what I want and who I want it from.

I want to change the relationship that Chloe and I have.

Drastically.

Now that I have some time to talk without her overhearing, I call Ethan back.

“I have got a meeting in twenty minutes with Benton. What can I do for you?” he asks after we exchange greetings.

“I need some help.”

I can hear some papers shuffling in the background. I am sure I caught him reviewing the file on the company we are trying to acquire. I can almost hear the gears turning in his head as he mentally shifts his focus.

“What do you need?”

“I want to set something up here. An expensive dinner, flowers, candles, the works. Can you manage that?”

Ethan is quiet for a few seconds before he answers. “Of course. That won’t be a problem at all. Who is the lucky lady?”

“Chloe.”

“Your nurse?” he asks, his tone careful.

“What other Chloe is there, Ethan? ”

“Right,” he says, taking a deep breath before regrouping. “So, you probably don’t want her help in setting all of this up then?”

“That would be correct. I will keep her busy. If you can make the magic happen without us, that would be perfect.”

“That won’t be a problem. Consider it done.”

I have no doubt that Ethan will prepare one hell of an evening for us. I would do it myself if I had two arms and the time. But this way, Chloe will have no idea what is coming.

“Thanks. Chloe is going to need something . . . nice to wear as well.”

“Understood. But Max?” Ethan says hesitantly.

“Yes?”

“Are you sure this is a good idea? Taking your nurse on a date, I mean. I am sorry if I am being too forward, but I have to ask.”

I can tell that it has taken Ethan a great deal of courage to ask me that question. It is true that I don’t have many people in my life who are willing to question my decisions. I don’t usually have to explain myself to anyone, but in this case, I will indulge the man.

“When you know, you know.” That is all the explanation I can give him because that is all I can really say about it myself. “I can’t put my finger on it just yet, but there is something different about this one, Ethan. ”

“Okay. I will set everything up.” I can hear him typing on his computer in the background, no doubt already working on it. “There is just one other thing, boss.”

I start to reprimand him, but I suppose I can handle ‘boss’.

“What is that?”

“Have you checked the weather?”

“No, why?”

“It looks like you two are in for one hell of a storm.”