The Marriage Of Inconvenience

He knew what her response to his next question was going to be before he even asked it. “Let me put some money in the company, then. Consider it an investment. Or even a loan if you’d prefer.”

As he’d guessed, she started to shake her head before all the words even left his mouth. “I can’t let you do that. I know you’re trying to grow as well and need those funds for your own firm.”

He was about to protest when she stopped him. “And anyway, that would only be a temporary fix. This deal would actually make TeaLC profitable for years to come. We’d become sole retailer in the United States for a revolutionary beverage.”

She was right. No amount of money he could extend would make up for the loss of that kind of opportunity. “Angel, I’ll come up with something.”

Her eyes softened, but she didn’t reply. Instead, she opened the door and leaned into the outside foyer. “Shanna, would you mind seeing R.J. out, please?”

Turning back to face him, she gave him a tight smile. “Thanks for coming, R.J. It was nice seeing you again. Sorry to have wasted your time.” She stepped aside to let him out of her office. And out of her life once more.

CHAPTER TWO (#u5e69be73-428c-5360-8764-e485ceb9d241)

SHANNA SEEMED TO be taking her time summoning the elevator. And R.J. wanted nothing more than to get out of the building fast. Away from the memories, away from his ex. Only she wasn’t really his ex. Not yet.

“Did you grab a cup of tea on your way up?” Shanna asked while they waited.

“Uh, no.” He tried to sound polite. “That looks like quite an operation you have on the first floor, though.”

Shanna nodded. “It’s one of our biggest cafеs.”

He didn’t respond. His mind was still reeling. The shock of seeing Angel again after all this time—he had to get out of here and find a punching bag or a weight bench. Anything to help him vent the frustration of not being able to touch her. Or help her. He had to think, to try to come up with a different solution. One that didn’t involve the disaster she was floating.

“You should stop in.” Shanna interrupted his thoughts. “The pastries are to die for. And the tea of the day is an Indian Spicy Chai that will curl your toes.” She lifted a pencil to her chin and looked him over. “Then again, you might want to order something decaffeinated.”

He had to laugh at her reference to his agitation. “Angel’s lucky to have an assistant with such a flair for advertising. I think I will stop down for a cup.”

“Great. Make sure to tip the server well. She’s in a bit of dire straits.”

“Yeah?” R.J. asked with mild curiosity as the elevator doors opened. He stepped aside as Shanna stepped in and then followed.

“Yes, a single mother with a toddler to support. We’re one of the highest payers. But toddlers can be expensive.”

“I’ll tip handsomely, then.”

“Good.”

Shanna continued. “Our store manager has a lot on her mind, too. A young child with severe asthma. The medical insurance she gets through her job at TeaLC is absolutely crucial. Then there’s Suzan. She’s a college student who has to save every penny.”

R.J. stilled as understanding dawned. He refused to be manipulated. “Why are you telling me all this?” he demanded, knowing it was wrong to take his agitation out on her.

Shanna whirled on him. “Because those are the kind of people who are going to be affected if this business doesn’t stay profitable.”

R.J. blinked at her suddenness. This was getting ridiculous. “Shanna, you know me well enough to realize I’d do anything I can to prevent that, but... But this isn’t a plan, it’s a fiasco. I’ll find a way to help. Just not this.”

Shanna actually snorted. “Shame. This deal would have been the perfect way to grow our company and secure our employees’ futures. She sank her whole trust fund into this place. There’s not a penny of it left. And she won’t even consider going to her father.”

R.J. clamped down on the anger that surged through his chest at the mention of the man who’d sired Angeline. Water under the bridge now, but it still stung. As for Shanna, he wasn’t sure what to say to her.

Shanna blew out a breath. “Unlike the rest of her wealthy family, Angeline cares about giving back to the community. It’s one of the major reasons she’s fighting so hard to keep this place going.”

He had no reason to, but he felt a sense of pride nevertheless. “How?”

“We work with the local women’s shelters, try to place those ladies when an opening comes up. Single mothers, ladies trying to figure out how to stand on their own two feet. Sometimes the money we can offer isn’t great, but it’s better than nothing. And it gives them a chance to be productive and useful. But it’s an expensive business strategy. We spend the time and money to train regardless of past experience. And turnover’s higher than standard for the industry. It’s the primary reason we’re not as profitable as we could be. But it’s worth it. Just to be able to give those women a chance to move on.”

A chance to move on. Would his own childhood have turned out differently if his own family had had such a chance? If his mother had found a way to get them away from his abusive, alcoholic mess of a father?

He shook off the memories, focusing on what Shanna had just said. He’d stopped reading about Angeline and TeaLC in the business journals because it had just become too painful. Seeing her beautiful smiling face in print. So confident, so content. Content to be without him.

“I didn’t know. How many TeaLC employees fall into this category?”

“About twenty to thirty percent. A few in every store in the States.”

“It does sound like a costly program.” Another unsettling thought occurred to him. “Have there been threats? Ex-husbands or past boyfriends?” A lot of women in shelters had to be running from abusive partners. Something he had firsthand knowledge of.

Shanna smiled. She looked pretty proud, too. “Sure there have. Angeline won’t let that stop her. There’s a security presence in every store, and each one is alarmed to the hilt. The public knows we won’t take any chances with our employees, so nobody’s tried anything.”

“She’s not one to back down, is she?”

“No, she’s not. And you have no idea how much it took for her to ask you this.”

R.J. bit out another oath. He looked up at the ceiling and exhaled slowly, wearily. So much for not being manipulated. He fished his phone out of his pocket.

“What are you doing?” Shanna asked as the elevator jolted to a stop.

He started dialing. “I have to call my secretary and tell her my schedule has changed for the next couple of days. Where’s the nearest jewelry store?”

Shanna’s dark brows lifted over her piercing blue eyes. “Why?”

“Married people wear rings.”

* * *

“That feels good doesn’t it, sweetie? I know it feels good.” Angeline stroked a loving hand over the warm, eager body nestling closer to her.

“You’ve missed me haven’t you?” Moist, soft eyes looked back at her with enthusiasm. Here was total acceptance, unconditional love. Right now it was exactly what she needed.

“I saw him again today, you know,” she continued.

A knowing grunt responded.

“He came back, Max. He came back and he’s going to do it.” She stopped and took a deep sigh. “I didn’t want him to know about the women. He wasn’t supposed to want to do it because of them. But he knows now, and he’s going to help.”

The brown eyes staring at her started to droop with sleepiness. “Anyway, he did that thing he always does, where he just sort of takes command and handles all the details with efficiency and haste. He studied all the sales projections and started doing some research on Mondolavia. The whole office was eating out of his hand.” She frowned. “Especially my female crew. They couldn’t do enough for him.

“Still, I didn’t realize how much I’d missed that. To be able to rely on someone else without worrying about appearing weak or out of control. I’ve always loved the take-charge quality about him. And, of course, he’s still as handsome as I remember.”

She stopped for a long sigh. “Oh, Max, I think I might be making a huge mistake here.