Daddy by December (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series) Read online

  But that meant nothing to her. She was here to do a job and she would do it to the best of her ability and then be on her way.

  “I guess the project will take anywhere from three to six months,” he was saying, “but you’re the writer. You know best. I’m relying on you to work out an appropriate schedule.”

  “No problem,” she said, her tone brisk. “Before I start writing anything I’ll have to do a series of detailed interviews then I’ll compile my notes and get started.” She pointed to the desk calendar. “If you just hand that to me I can set up the interview dates right now.”

  He slid it over to her and this time she made sure their hands didn’t touch. That would be too much to handle. Right then, all she wanted to do was deal with the business at hand and then get the heck out of that office. In that space she was too close to Drake for comfort.

  He looked at the dates she’d highlighted. “So we start next week?”

  She nodded. “Monday afternoon, before the week gets on the way.”

  “What about this week?” he asked. “I want to get started as soon as possible.”

  She shook her head. “No can do. I need this week to arrange my business so that once I get started I can just focus. I need to arrange for a babysitter for those days when I need to be here.”

  “You…have children?” A stricken look crossed his face then in a flash it was gone.

  Meg frowned. So what if she had children? Would that be an issue? It certainly wouldn’t affect the quality of her work. “I have a five year old,” she said, her tone slightly defensive. “My daughter, Jessie.”

  “Oh,” he said. “That’s…nice.”

  His words were appropriate but Meg could see that her having a child had affected him in some way. His face had gone still and his voice quiet. Now he seemed to be deep in thought.

  “Is that a problem?”

  His eyes snapped back to her face. “Excuse me?”

  “Is it a problem that I have a child? You don’t seem too happy about it.”

  “No, not at all.” He had the grace to look ashamed. “I guess I’m just getting used to the idea of you having a family.”

  Meg almost laughed. It had been ten years since she’d last seen or spoken to this man. Did he expect her to believe that she’d actually crossed his mind even once over those ten years?

  On the other hand, he’d crossed her mind a lot. She couldn’t count the number of nights she’d cried herself to sleep, thinking about Drake and how he’d stolen her heart only to then turn around and stomp it into the dust. And now he had the audacity to pretend as if he’d spent any time thinking about her. As she thought about it she felt the anger build inside.

  She glared at him. “Well, I’m glad my daughter is not a concern for you. I assure you, my dealings with you will be quite professional so you have no need to worry about Jessie getting in the way of your project.”

  He frowned, seeming perturbed. “I wasn’t thinking that at all,” he said, his tone leaving her in no doubt that he was annoyed. “I have no question about your professionalism, Mrs. Gracey. I know you're the best.”

  There he went again, addressing her in that formal tone. And, to her chagrin, instead of feeling triumphant she only felt depressed. Get a grip, Meg. You’re far too emotional today.

  He stood up, his brow furrowed, his face cloudy with an emotion that looked like a cross between anger and pain. “I’m sure you’re not only a great writer but an excellent mother as well.” He shoved his fists deep into his pocket. “Your husband is a lucky man.”

  Meg’s breath caught in her throat. She bit her lip and looked away. “Was,” she whispered, the word almost choking her.

  Drake was turning away when he froze. She could see him from the corner of her eye. “Was?” His voice was hoarse, almost harsh. Slowly, he turned and looked down at her, his gray eyes like molten steel. “Are you divorced?”

  Meg drew in a deep breath and for a few seconds she said nothing. Then she exhaled and shook her head. “I almost wish that was it.” Her voice came out quiet and calm, so different from how she really felt. “My husband is dead.” She lifted her eyes then, and she could see that her words had shocked him into silence. Eyebrows raised, he looked almost unbelieving but then he let out his breath and his face turned somber as if he was genuinely sympathetic to her loss. “I’m very sorry to hear this. I had no idea.”

  She gave a dry, mirthless laugh. “I didn’t expect you to. After all, you know nothing about me. We haven’t seen each other in over ten years.”

  The instant the words left her mouth Meg regretted it. She sounded absolutely pathetic. Now what if the man thought she’d been pining for him? She tightened her lips and glared up at him. He’d better not think that because it wasn’t true.

  But when she looked up at him there was not a hint of gloating on his face. Instead, his expression was one of concern, even pity. It was clear that he’d been moved by her news.

  “Sorry,” she said, wishing she could take back the rash words that had tumbled out of her mouth. As far as she was concerned, she’d made a poor impression on her first meeting with Drake. The best thing she could do right then was leave. She would regroup and come back another day, fresh and strong.

  She got up and held out her hand to Drake. “Thank you for choosing me for your project,” she said. “I’ll do my best to give you a memoir worthy of your name.”

  He nodded and took her hand in his. “I look forward to it,” he said softly.

  They exchanged polite smiles, the smiles of strangers, and then he walked her to the door.

  ******

  “Go, horsey, go.”

  Drake groaned under the harsh treatment of his diminutive jockey. He was on all fours, his three-year-old nephew straddling his back with his chubby legs, and he was being whipped soundly with a long ruler.

  “Faster, horsey, faster.” The little boy bounced up and down on his uncle’s back but that only made the horsey slow from an already lumbering pace to almost a complete stop.

  “Unca,” the boy wailed, “I want horsey to move.” He grabbed the collar of his uncle’s shirt and jerked back and forth. The horse didn’t even budge. Frustrated, he opened his mouth wide and yelled, “Mommy, Unca’s not playin’ nice.”

  “Horsey,” came the female voice from the kitchen, “what are you out there doing to my boy?”

  Drake gave a soft chuckle. “Not a thing,” he said. “Horsey's just tired. He’s not as young as he used to be.”

  The truth was, today Drake was too distracted to focus all his attention on little Andrew. The boy had been riding him for the last twenty minutes and normally he would’ve been rearing up on hind legs, forcing Andy to cling on for dear life as he burst into peals of laughter, but today all he’d done was take him on a rather boring journey from the sofa to the fireplace to the front door and back again. Right now Andrew was none too pleased at his horsey that had suddenly grown super old and cranky. But Drake couldn’t help it. Meg Donovan – sorry, Gracey – had been on his mind since they shook hands and she walked out of his office.

  First, he’d been devastated to find out that she was married. Then he’d felt guilty that, married or not, he wanted her so bad he could almost taste her. And then she told him her husband was dead. And what had he felt then? Swine that he was, his first reaction had been relief. Even before he’d felt sympathy for her loss his heart had leaped inside his chest at the thought that he actually had a chance. How could he be so callous?

  But on the other hand, how could he help it? Like a miracle, the woman he’d fallen for ten years ago had walked into his office and back into his life. Just like that. And just like that, his senses had gone haywire all over again. Shoot, he’d been twenty-three then, and yet at his ripe old age of thirty-three he was still bowled over by the sheer beauty of her.

  Ten years ago she’d been a shy junior but now she was a sophisticated woman - independent, competent and talented. How many writers coul
d say they’d hit a best seller list? And, although under sad circumstances, she was available. At least he thought she was. His mood grew serious as he thought about it. He really hoped she was.

  “Andy, horsey needs to get some water, okay?” Drake looked over his shoulder at the now pouting Andrew. “Let’s take a break.”

  “Aaw.” Andrew didn’t hide his disappointment, pouting even more and folding his arms across his little chest. His face turned stubborn and Drake knew what that meant. He’d have a fight getting him off his back.

  “Now come on, Andrew. Slide off.” Drake sat back on his haunches but the boy wrapped his stout arms around his uncle’s neck and refused to let go. Drake ended up having to pry his arms loose to get him to slide down to the floor. That set off a round of wailing that could be heard a mile away. Andrew ran off to his mother, finally leaving Drake in peace.

  Now alone, his mind was free to wander back to that night he would never forget.

  He’d been a senior, just a day away from graduation, when he’d finally struck up the courage to ask Meg Donovan to the graduation dance. He’d been admiring her for weeks but somehow he’d felt hesitant. She seemed so innocent yet so…aloof. She was like an exotic flower in a garden of daisies. How could anyone dare pluck a flower like that? Still, he’d asked her out and, lucky son-of-a-gun that he was, she’d accepted. They’d danced into the wee hours of the morning and then, unwilling to let the night end, he’d walked her back to her dorm room. He was surprised and grateful when she’d invited him in but he’d tried his darnedest to be a gentleman, hiding the bulge in his pants and playing all casual and cool like there was nothing amiss.

  He did a pretty good job of it. For a while. The trouble started when he drifted off and woke up to find the angel in his arms. She was lying on top of him and, dazed as he was, there was no way he could resist. Well, that was what he told himself. He'd wanted her so badly, he just didn’t want to fight it.

  And so when she’d kissed him he’d kissed back and then he’d kept going, tasting her and caressing her, savoring her sweetness until he wanted nothing else but to possess her fully.

  And she’d been so willing, so eager. What sane man would have said no?

  They made sweet music that night and when he found out this would be her first time he’d been gentle, coaxing her and bringing her to her peak of ecstasy. She’d cried out and his heart swelled with love at the sound of his name on her lips. Strangely, though, after that she'd been very quiet but he'd put it down to the fact that this was all so new to her.

  Drake’s heart pounded as he recalled what happened next. He’d gone to meet his family for an early graduation breakfast celebration then before he knew it, it was time to head off to the graduation. He’d had to rush to make it for the procession. After the ceremony his college buddies whisked him off to yet another celebration and then another, only releasing him in the wee hours just before the sun came up. Exhausted, he crashed on the bed and did not budge again until the sun was high in the sky.

  Immediately, he thought of Meg and feeling lightheaded and eager, he showered and dressed and hurried to her dorm room. But when he got there she was gone.

  “Where is she?” he practically shouted at her sleepy-looking roommate.

  “Already left,” she said with a shrug.

  “Left? For where?” he demanded, a sinking feeling creeping up inside him.

  “Went home,” the roommate said with another shrug. “And if you’re the guy she went dancing with last night, she never wants to see you again.”

  “What?” Drake could not believe his ears.

  The roommate finally seemed to be waking up. She straightened and now she was glaring at him. “She said he took her dancing but then he showed his true colors and she didn't want to have anything to do with him again. Wouldn’t touch him with a long stick.” The girl had a smug expression on her face, almost as if she was enjoying being the bearer of bad news.

  Drake stared back at her, confused. Showed his true colors? What the hell did that mean? And she never wanted to see him again? Just like that, she had thrown him out of her life.

  Dazed, he turned away from the door. Was that all he’d been to her? One night of pleasure and that was it? But she’d been a virgin, for God’s sake. Virgins didn’t do one-night stands, did they?

  Confused, deflated and defeated he dragged his way back to his dorm room. She wouldn’t touch him with a long stick. That was what she’d said. Well, she wouldn’t need that stick. He got the point. He would stay out of her way and out of her life.

  And so he had. He’d moved on with his life, gone through relationship after relationship, but he’d never again found that magical moment he’d shared with Meg Donovan. In vain he’d kept looking, losing hope that he’d ever again find that special connection – until now.

  Meg Donovan was back in his life and this time he would not let her escape.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “Oh, no.” Meg put her finger to her mouth and began to nibble her nails. She was in big trouble.

  There she’d gone and made that big speech about being professional and her child not getting in the way and then today, on her way to her second interview with Drake, she’d received a call from the babysitter – she was down with the flu and couldn’t help her out.

  Meg almost groaned again but she glanced in the rear-view mirror and saw that Jessie was busy lecturing her dolly.

  “No more cookies for you,” she said as firmly as a tiny girl’s voice could go. “They’ll give you cavities.”

  Meg couldn’t help smiling but then her thoughts went back to her dilemma. What was she going to do with Jessie? She’d been on her way to the babysitter’s house when she got the call. What was she going to do now?

  All the people she could think of were already at work and her parents were too far away for her to just drop by.

  Meg sighed and put on her indicator then pulled over to the side of the road. There was only one thing to do – call and cancel her meeting.

  She dialled the direct number Drake had given her and he picked up the phone immediately. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I won’t be able to make our appointment today.”

  “What happened? Is everything all right?” To her relief he sounded more concerned than angry.

  “It’s okay. Nothing happened. It’s just…” She bit her lip. Should she tell him? It took her only a second to answer her own question. She had to be honest. “Jessie's babysitter cancelled on me just as I was on my way to drop her off. I can't find anyone else, not at such short notice. She’s in the car with me right now.”

  “Why don’t you take her with you? I can give her some paper and pencils. Maybe she can entertain herself for a while so we can work.”

  Meg frowned. Was Drake Duncan going out of his way to be nice to her? “Are you sure? I don’t want to turn your office into a mini daycare-”

  “Meg,” he said, cutting her off, “bring the child.”

  At that, Meg’s brow knitted tighter. She hadn’t expected this from him but it certainly solved her immediate problem. “Well, if you think it’s okay...”

  “It is,” he said without hesitation. “Now drive safely.”

  When he hung up Meg rested her head on the steering wheel and gave a sigh of relief. Thank goodness he was an understanding man. He may have been a jerk but at least he had this one redeeming quality. He was sympathetic to the plight – and the scarcity of options – of a single mom.

  Within fifteen minutes of their conversation Meg was holding Jessie’s hand as she rode the elevator up to the fortieth floor of the Duncan Investments building. Eyes big as baby moons, Jessie watched the numbers light up as they went higher and higher.

  “Are we going all the way to the rooftop, Mommy?” she asked as she clung just a little bit tighter to her hand. She sidled closer and pressed against her mother’s hip.

  Meg chuckled. “Almost. We’re going to the penthouse floor.” She tousled her daught
er’s hair. “Don’t worry. We’re almost there.”

  She nodded her curly blonde head but the way she clung to her dolly told Meg she still wasn’t comfortable. When the elevator door opened she popped out even before her mother could take a step.

  “I got out first. I beat you, Mommy.”

  “Yes, you did. You’re the winner.”

  Before Jessie could give her usual celebratory yell, Meg caught up with her and put a finger to her lips. “Now we’re going to be really quiet when we go into the office, aren’t we? Quiet as a mouse. Can we do that?”

  Jessie lifted her little shoulders then nodded. “Yes, Mommy,” she said in a staged whisper. “Quiet as a mouse.”

  The receptionist greeted them warmly and took them to Drake’s office. Jessie, eyes huge with wonder at the strange new sights, stopped in the middle of the doorway and refused to take another step.

  “Come on, Jessie.” Meg took her hand and tried to urge her forward but she would not budge.

  “So, is this the little princess who's come to entertain me?”

  Meg looked up and there was Drake, all smiles, looking for all the world like a doting dad smiling down at his beloved daughter. There was not an ounce of guile about him. His smile was genuine and she found herself smiling back, grateful that he was making the effort to put her child at ease.

  Jessie stepped closer to her mother as she stared shyly at Drake. “I’m not a princess,” she said. “I’m a little girl.”

  Drake paused and cocked his head to one side. “Are you sure you’re not a princess?”

  Jessie shook her head.

  “Well, you look like a princess to me,” Drake said, then he crouched down so the little girl could look him in the eyes. “And do you know what little princesses get?”

  Her eyes big and blue, Jessie shook her head again.

  “Lots of tickles.” Before she could move, Drake reached out to tickle her cheek then her arm and soon she was laughing out loud. When she stopped laughing she was all smiles. Gone were the shyness and the hesitation. She looked ready to play.