Buch lesen: «His Shy Cinderella»

CHAPTER ONE

ANGEL FLICKED THROUGH the pile of mail on her desk.

Bills, bills, circulars and—just for a change—bills. Bills she really hoped she could pay without temporarily borrowing from the account she’d earmarked for paying the company’s half-yearly tax liability.

And there was still no sign of the large envelope with an American postmark she’d been waiting for, containing the contract for supplying the new McKenzie Frost to feature in the next instalment of Spyline, a high-profile action movie series. Triffid Studios hadn’t emailed to her it instead, either, because Angel had already checked her inbox and the spam box. Twice.

Maybe she’d send a polite enquiring email to their legal department tomorrow. There was a fine line between being enthusiastic about the project and coming across as desperate and needy.

Even though right now Angel felt desperate and needy. She couldn’t let McKenzie’s go under. Not on her watch. How could she live with herself if she lost the company her grandfather had started seventy years ago? The contract with Triffid would make all the difference. Seeing the McKenzie Frost in the film would remind people of just how wonderful McKenzie’s cars were: hand-made, stylish, classic, and with full attention to every detail. And they were bang up to date: she intended to produce the Frost in an electric edition, too. Then their waiting list would be full again, with everyone wanting their own specially customised Frost, and she wouldn’t have to lay anyone off at the factory.

Though she couldn’t even talk about the deal yet. Not until she’d actually signed the contract—which she couldn’t do until her lawyer had checked it over, and her lawyer couldn’t do that until the contract actually arrived...

But there was no point in brooding over something she couldn’t change. She’d just have to get on with things as best as she could, and hope that she didn’t have to come up with plan B. And she didn’t want to burden her parents with her worries. She knew they were enjoying their retirement, and the last thing she wanted was to drag them back from the extended vacation they’d been planning for years.

She’d grin and bear it, and if necessary she’d tell a white lie or two.

She went through the post, dealing with each piece as she opened it, and paused at the last envelope: cream vellum, with a handwritten address. Most people nowadays used computer-printed address labels, or if they did have to write something they’d simply grab the nearest ballpoint pen. This bold, flamboyant script looked as if it had been written with a proper fountain pen. Disappointingly, the letter itself was typewritten, but the signature at the bottom was in the same flamboyant handwriting as the envelope.

And her jaw dropped as she read the letter.

It was an offer to buy the company.

Selling up would be one way to solve McKenzie’s financial problems. But selling McKenzie’s to Brandon Stone? He seriously thought she would even consider it?

She knew the family history well enough. Her grandfather had set up in business with his best friend just after the Second World War, building quality cars that everyone could afford. Except then they’d both fallen in love with the same woman. Esther had chosen Jimmy McKenzie; in response, Barnaby Stone had dissolved their business partnership and left with all the equipment to go and start up another business, this time based on making factory-built cars. Jimmy McKenzie had started over, too, making his hand-built cars customisable—just as McKenzie’s still built their cars today.

On the eve of the wedding, Barnaby Stone had come back and asked Esther to run away with him. She’d said no.

Since then, the two families had never spoken again.

Until now.

If you could call a letter speaking.

Angel could see it from Brandon’s point of view. Buying McKenzie’s would salve his sense of family honour because then, although the grandfather had lost the girl, the grandson had won the business. It would also be the end of everything McKenzie’s did, because Stone’s would definitely get rid of their hand-made and customised process. She knew that Stone’s racing cars were all factory built, using robots and the newest technology; it was the total opposite of the hand-craftsmanship and personal experience at McKenzie’s.

She’d heard on the grapevine that Stone’s wanted to branch out into making roadsters, which would put them in direct competition with McKenzie’s: and what better way to get rid of your competitor than to buy them out? No doubt he’d keep the name—McKenzie’s was known for high quality, so the brand was definitely worth something. She’d overheard her parents discussing it during the last recession, when Larry Stone had offered to buy McKenzie’s. According to her father, Barnaby Stone had been a ruthless businessman, and his sons and grandsons came from the same mould. She knew Max McKenzie was a good judge of character, so it was obvious that Brandon would asset-strip the business and make all her staff redundant.

No way.

She wouldn’t sell her family business to Brandon Stone, not even if she was utterly desperate and he was the last person on earth.

And what did he really know about business, anyway? Driving race cars, yes: he’d won a few championships in his career, and had narrowly missed becoming the world champion a couple of times. But being good at driving a racing car wasn’t the same as being good at running a business that made racing cars. As far as she knew, dating supermodels and quaffing magnums of champagne weren’t requirements for running a successful business either. She was pretty sure that he was just the figurehead and someone else did the actual running of Stone’s.

Regardless, she wasn’t selling. Not to him.

She flicked into her email program. In his letter, Brandon Stone had said he looked forward to hearing from her at her earliest convenience. So she’d give him his answer right now.

Dear Mr Stone

No way is the McKenzie’s logo going on the front of your factory-made identikit cars. I wouldn’t sell my family business to you if you were the last person on earth. My grandfather would be turning in his grave even at the thought of it.

Then she took a deep breath and deleted the paragraph. Much as she’d like to send the email as it was, it sounded like a challenge. She wasn’t looking for a fight; she was simply looking to shut down his attempts at buying her out.

What was it that all the experts said about saying no? Keep it short. No apologies, no explanations—just no.

Dear Mr Stone

Thank you for your letter. My company is not for sale.

Yours sincerely

Angel McKenzie

She couldn’t make it much clearer than that.

* * *

When his computer pinged, Brandon flicked into his email program. Angel McKenzie was giving him an answer already? Good.

Then he read the email.

It was short, polite and definite.

And she was living in cloud cuckoo land.

She might not want to sell the business, but McKenzie’s was definitely going under. He’d seen their published accounts for the last four years, and the balance sheet looked grimmer every year. The recession had bitten hard in their corner of the market. The way things were going, she couldn’t afford not to sell the company.

Maybe he’d taken the wrong approach, writing to her. Maybe he should try shock tactics instead and be the first Stone to speak to a McKenzie for almost seven decades.

And, if he could talk her into selling the company to him, then finally he’d prove he was worthy of heading up Stone’s. To his father, to his uncle, and to everyone else who thought that Brandon Stone was just an empty-headed playboy who was only bothered about driving fast cars. To those who were just waiting for the golden boy to fail.

He glanced at the photograph of his older brother on his desk. And maybe, if he could pull off the deal, it would be the one thing to help assuage the guilt he’d spent three years failing to get rid of. The knowledge that it should’ve been him in that car, the day of the race, not Sam. That if he hadn’t gone skiing the week before the race and recklessly taken a diamond run, falling and breaking a rib in the process, he would’ve been fit to drive. Meaning that Sam wouldn’t have been his backup driver, so he wouldn’t have been in the crash; and Sam’s baby daughter would’ve grown up knowing her father as more than just a photograph.

Brandon wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to forgive himself for that.

But doing well by Stone’s was one way to atone for what he’d done. He’d worked hard and learned fast, and the company was going from strength to strength. But it still wasn’t enough to assuage the guilt.

‘I’m sorry, Sammy,’ he said quietly. ‘I’m sorry I was such an immature, selfish brat. And I really wish you were still here.’ For so many reasons. Sure, Brandon would still have been working in the family business by this point in his career—but Sam would’ve been at the helm of the company, where he belonged. Nobody would’ve doubted Sam’s managerial abilities. And their uncle Eric wouldn’t have been scrutinising Sam’s every move, waiting for an opportunity to criticise.

He shook himself. Eric was just disappointed because he thought that he should be heading up the business. Brandon needed to find him a different role, one that would make him happy and feel that he had a say in things. If Brandon could bring McKenzie’s into the fold, then maybe Eric could take charge there.

Getting Angel McKenzie to sell to him was definitely his priority now. Whatever the personal cost.

He rang her office to set up a meeting.

‘I’m afraid Ms McKenzie’s diary is full for the next month,’ the voice on the other end of the line informed him, with the clear implication that it would be ‘full’ for the month after, too, and the month after that.

Like hell it was.

Clearly Angel had anticipated his next move, and had briefed her PA to refuse to book any meetings with him.

‘Maybe you could email her instead,’ the PA suggested sweetly.

Any email would no doubt find its way straight into her trash box. ‘I’ll do that. Thank you,’ Brandon said. Though he had no intention of sending an email. He’d try something else entirely. When he’d replaced the receiver, he went to talk to his own PA. ‘Gina, I need everything you can find about Angel McKenzie, please,’ he said. ‘Her CV, what she likes doing, who she dates.’

‘If you’re interested in her, sweetie, shouldn’t you be looking up that sort of thing for yourself?’ Gina asked.

Oh, the joys of inheriting a PA who’d known you since you were a baby and was best friends with your mum, Brandon thought. ‘I’m not interested in dating her,’ he said. ‘This is work. Angel McKenzie.’ He emphasised the surname, in case she’d just blocked it out.

Gina winced. ‘Ah. Those McKenzies.’

‘I already know the business data,’ he said. ‘Now I need to know the personal stuff.’

‘This sounds as if it’s going to end in tears,’ Gina warned.

‘It’s not. It’s about knowing who you’re doing business with and being prepared. And I’d prefer you not to mention any of this to Mum, Dad or Eric, please. OK?’

‘Yes, Mr Bond. I’ll keep it top secret,’ Gina drawled.

Brandon groaned. ‘Bond’s PAs used to sigh with longing, flutter their eyelashes and do exactly what he asked.’

‘Bond didn’t have a PA. He flirted with everyone else’s PAs. And you can’t flirt with someone who changed your nappy,’ Gina retorted.

Brandon knew when he was beaten. ‘I’ll make the coffee. Skinny latte with half a spoonful of sweetener, right?’

She grinned. ‘That’s my boy.’

‘You’re supposed to respect your boss,’ he grumbled, only half teasing.

‘I do respect you, sweetie. But I also think you’re about to do something stupid. And your mum—’

‘Would never forgive you for letting me go right ahead,’ Brandon finished. He’d heard that line from her quite a few times over the years. The worst thing was that she was usually right.

He made the coffee, then buried himself in paperwork.

Gina came in an hour later. ‘One dossier, as requested,’ she said, and put the buff-coloured folder on his desk.

She’d also printed a label for the folder, with the words Top Sekrit! typed in red ink and in a font that resembled a toddler’s scrawled handwriting.

‘You’ve made your point,’ he said. She thought he was behaving like a three-year-old.

‘Good. I hope you’re listening.’

Given that Gina was one of the few people in the company who’d actually batted his corner when he’d first taken over from his father, he couldn’t be angry with her. He knew she had his best interests at heart.

‘There aren’t going to be any tears at the end of this,’ he said gently. ‘I promise.’

‘Good. Because I worry about you almost as much as your mum does.’

‘I know. And I appreciate it.’ He reached over to squeeze her hand, hoping he wasn’t about to get the lecture regarding it being time he stopped playing the field and settled down. Because that didn’t figure in his plans, either. How could he ever settle down and have a family, knowing he’d taken that opportunity away from his brother? He didn’t deserve that kind of future. Which meant his focus was strictly on the business. ‘Thanks, Gina.’

‘I’ve emailed it to you as well,’ she said. ‘Don’t do anything stupid.’

‘I won’t.’

The top of the file contained a photograph. Angel McKenzie looked like every other generic businesswoman, dressed in a well-cut dark suit teamed with a plain white shirt buttoned up to the neck, and her dark hair cut in a neat bob.

But her eyes were arresting.

Violet blue.

Brandon shook himself. An irrelevant detail. He wasn’t intending to date her.

Her CV was impressive. A first-class degree in engineering from a top university, followed by an MA in automotive design from another top institution. And she hadn’t gone in straight at the top of her family business, unlike himself: it looked as if she’d done a stint in every single department before becoming her father’s second-in-command, and then Max McKenzie had stepped aside two years ago to let her take charge. Again, impressive: it meant she knew her business inside out.

But there was nothing in the dossier about her personal life. He had the distinct impression that she put the business first and spent all her time on it. Given the state of those balance sheets, he would’ve done the same.

But there was one small thing that he could use. Angel McKenzie went to the gym every morning before work. Even more helpfully, the gym she used belonged to the leisure club of a hotel near to her factory. All he had to do was book a room at the hotel, and he could use the leisure club and then accidentally-on-purpose bump into her.

Once they were face to face, she’d have to talk to him.

And it would all be done and dusted within a week.

* * *

At seven the next morning, Brandon walked into the leisure club’s reception area and paused at the window. The badge on the woman’s neat black polo shirt identified her as Lorraine, Senior Trainer.

‘Good morning,’ he said with a smile. ‘I wonder if you can help me.’

She smiled back. ‘Of course, sir. Are you a guest at the hotel?’

‘I am.’ He showed her his room key.

‘And you’d like to use the facilities?’

‘Sort of,’ he said. ‘I’m meeting Angel McKenzie here.’

‘It’s Thursday, so she’ll be in the pool,’ Lorraine told him. ‘Would you like a towel?’

‘Yes, please.’ And he was glad he’d thought to bring swimming trunks as well as a T-shirt and sweatpants.

She handed him a thick cream-coloured towel. ‘I just need you to sign in here, please.’ She gestured to the book on the windowsill with its neatly ruled columns: name, room number, time in, time out. ‘The changing rooms are through there on the left,’ she said, indicating the door. ‘The lockers take a pound coin, which will be returned to you when you open the locker. As a guest, you also have use of the sauna, steam room and spa pool. Just let us know if you need anything.’ She gave him another smile.

‘Thanks.’ He signed in, went to change into his swimming gear, and followed the instructions on the wall to shower before using the pool.

The pool room itself was a little warm for his liking. Nobody was sitting in the spa pool, but there were three people using the small swimming pool: a middle-aged man and woman who were clearly there together, and a woman who was swimming length after length in a neat front crawl.

Angel McKenzie.

Brandon slid into the water in the lane next to hers and swam half a dozen lengths, enjoying the feel of slicing through the water.

Then he changed his course just enough that he accidentally bumped into her, knocking her very slightly off balance so she was forced to stand up in the pool.

He, too, halted and stood up. ‘I’m so sorry.’

She looked at him. The first thing he noticed was how vivid her eyes were; the photograph had barely done her justice.

The second thing he noticed was that she was wearing earplugs, so she wouldn’t have heard his apology.

‘Sorry,’ he said again, exaggerating the movement of his mouth.

She shrugged. ‘It’s OK.’

Clearly she planned to go straight back to swimming. Which wasn’t what he wanted. ‘No, it’s not. Can I buy you a coffee?’

She took out one of the earplugs. ‘I’m afraid I missed what you said.’

‘Can I buy you a coffee to apologise?’

‘There’s no need.’ She was starting to smile, but Brandon saw the exact moment that she recognised him, when her smile disappeared and those amazing violet eyes narrowed. ‘Did you bump into me on purpose?’

He might as well be honest with her. ‘Yes.’

‘Why? And what are you doing here anyway?’

‘I wanted to talk to you.’

‘There’s nothing to say.’

He rather thought there was. ‘Hear me out?’

‘We really have nothing to talk about, Mr Stone,’ she repeated.

‘I think we do, and your PA won’t book a meeting with me.’

‘So you stalked me?’

Put like that, it sounded bad. He spread his hands. ‘Short of pitching up on your doorstep and refusing to budge, how else was I going to get you to speak to me other than by interrupting your morning workout?’

‘My company isn’t for sale. That isn’t going to change.’

‘That’s not what I want to talk about.’

She frowned. ‘Then why do you want to talk to me?’

‘Have breakfast with me, and I’ll tell you.’

She shook her head. ‘I don’t have time.’

‘Lunch, then. Or dinner. Or breakfast tomorrow morning.’ Brandon didn’t usually have to work this hard with women, and it unsettled him slightly.

She folded her arms. ‘You’re persistent.’

‘Persistence is a business asset,’ he said. ‘Have breakfast with me, Ms McKenzie. You have to eat before work, surely?’

‘I...’

‘Let’s just have breakfast and a chat.’ He summoned up his most charming smile. ‘No strings.’

She said nothing while she thought about it; Brandon, sure that she was going to refuse, was planning his next argument to convince her when she said, ‘All right. Breakfast and a chat. No strings.’

That was the first hurdle over. Good. He could work with this. ‘Thank you. See you in the restaurant in—what, half an hour?’

‘Fifteen minutes,’ she corrected, and hauled herself out of the pool.

Brandon did the same, then showered and changed into his business suit and was sitting at a table in the hotel restaurant exactly fourteen minutes later.

One minute after that, Angel walked in, wearing a business suit, and he was glad that he’d second-guessed her and worn formal clothing rather than jeans. Though he also noticed that her hair was still wet and pulled back in a ponytail, her shoes were flat and she wasn’t wearing any make-up. The women in his life would never have shown up for anything without perfect hair, high heels and full make-up; then again, they would also have made him wait for two hours while they finished getting ready. Angel McKenzie clearly valued time over her personal appearance, and he found that refreshing.

The other thing he noticed was that she was wearing a hearing aid in her left ear.

That hadn’t been in his dossier. He was surprised that Gina had missed it, but it felt too awkward and intrusive to ask Angel about it.

Then she knocked him the tiniest bit off kilter by being the one to bring it up.

‘Do you mind if we swap places? It’s a bit noisy in here and it’s easier for me to lip-read you if your face is in the light.’

‘No problem,’ he said, standing up immediately. ‘And I’ll ask if we can move tables to a quieter one.’

She gestured to the floor. ‘It’s wooden floor, so it’s going to be noisy wherever we sit. Carpet dampens speech as well as footsteps.’

And there was a group of businessmen nearby; they were laughing heartily enough to drown out a conversation on the other side of the room. ‘Or we could change the venue to my room, which really will be quieter,’ Brandon said, ‘but I don’t want you to think I’m hitting on you.’ Though in other circumstances, he thought, I probably would, because she has the most amazing eyes.

He was shocked to realise how much he was attracted to Angel McKenzie. She was meant to be his business rival, from a family that was his own family’s sworn enemy. He wasn’t supposed to be attracted to her. Particularly as she was about six inches shorter and way less glamorous than the women he usually dated. She really wasn’t his type.

‘The restaurant’s fine,’ she said, and changed places with him. ‘So what did you want to talk about? If it’s your offer to buy McKenzie’s, then it’s going to be rather a short and pointless conversation, because the company isn’t for sale.’

Before he could answer, the waitress came over. ‘May I take your order?’

‘Thank you.’ Angel smiled at the waitress and ordered coffee, granola, fruit and yoghurt.

Brandon hadn’t been expecting that smile, either.

It lit up her face, turning her from average to pretty; in all the photographs he’d seen, Angel had been serious and unsmiling.

And how weird was it that he wanted to be the one to make her smile like that?

Worse than that, focusing on her mouth had made him wonder what it would be like to kiss her. How crazy was that? He was supposed to be talking to her about business, not fantasising about her. She wasn’t even his type.

He shook himself and glanced quickly through the menu.

‘Sir?’ the waitress asked.

‘Coffee, please, and eggs Florentine on wholemeal toast—but without the hollandaise sauce, please.’

‘Of course, sir.’

‘I would’ve had you pegged as a full English man,’ Angel said when the waitress had gone.

‘Load up on fatty food and junk, and you’re going to feel like a dog’s breakfast by the end of a race,’ he said with a grimace. ‘Food’s fuel. If you want to work effectively, you eat effectively. Lean protein, complex carbs, plenty of fruit and veg, and no added sugar.’

She inclined her head. ‘Fair point.’

He needed to get this back on the rails. ‘So. As I was saying, this discussion isn’t about buying the company.’

She waited to let him explain more.

So that was her tactic in business. Say little and let the other party talk themselves into a hole. OK. He’d draw her out. ‘I wanted to talk about research and development.’

She frowned. ‘What about it?’

‘I’m looking for someone to head up my R and D department.’ He paused. ‘I was considering headhunting you.’

She blinked. ‘Yesterday you wanted to buy my company.’

He still did.

‘And today you’re offering me a job?’

‘Yes.’

She looked wary. ‘Why?’

‘I heard you’re a good designer. A first-class degree in engineering, followed by an MA in automotive design.’

‘So you have been stalking me.’

‘Doing research prior to headhunting you,’ he corrected. ‘You’re a difficult woman to pin down, Ms McKenzie.’ And he noticed that she still hadn’t suggested that he used her first name. She was clearly keeping as many barriers between them as possible.

‘Thank you for the job offer, Mr Stone,’ she said. ‘I’m flattered. But I rather like my current job.’ She waited a beat to ram the point home. ‘Running the company my grandfather started.’

‘Together with my grandfather,’ he pointed out.

‘Who then dissolved the partnership and took all the equipment with him. McKenzie’s has absolutely nothing to do with Barnaby Stone.’

‘Not right now.’ He held her gaze. ‘But it could do.’

‘I’m not selling to you, Mr Stone,’ she said wearily. ‘And I’m not working for you, either. So can you please just give up and stop wasting your time and mine?’

He applauded her loyalty to her family, but this was business and it was time for a reality check. ‘I’ve seen your accounts for the last four years.’

She shrugged, seeming unbothered. ‘They’re on public record. As are yours.’

‘And every year you’re struggling more. You need an investor,’ Brandon said.

* * *

Angel had been here before. The last man who’d wanted to invest in McKenzie’s had assumed that it would give him rights over her as well. She’d put him very straight about that, and in response he’d withdrawn the offer.

No way would she let herself get in that situation again. She wasn’t for sale, and neither was her business. ‘I don’t think so.’

‘Hand-built cars are a luxury item. Yours are under-priced.’

‘The idea was, and still is, to make hand-built customisable cars that anyone can afford,’ she said. ‘We have a waiting list.’

‘Not a very long one.’

That was true; and it was worrying that he knew that. Did that mean she had a mole in the company—someone who might even scupper the deal with Triffid by talking about the McKenzie Frost too soon? No. Of course not. That was sheer paranoia. She’d known most of the staff since she was a small child, and had interviewed the newer members of staff herself. People didn’t tend to leave McKenzie’s unless they retired. And she trusted everyone on her team. ‘Have you been spying on me?’

The waitress, who’d just arrived with their food and coffee, clearly overheard Angel’s comment, because she looked a bit nervous and disappeared quickly.

‘I think we just made our waitress feel a bit awkward,’ Brandon said.

‘You mean you did,’ she said. ‘Because you’re the one who’s been spying.’

‘Making a very common-sense deduction, actually,’ he countered. ‘If you had a long waiting list, your balance sheet would look a lot healthier than it does.’

She knew that was true. ‘So if we don’t have a great balance sheet, why do you want to buy...?’ She broke off. ‘Hold on. You said you want a designer to head up your research and development team. Which means the rumours are true—Stone’s really is looking at moving into the production of road cars.’

He said nothing and his expression was completely inscrutable, but she knew she was right.

So his plan was obvious: to buy McKenzie’s, knocking out his closest competitor, and then use her to make his family’s name in a different area.