His Shy Cinderella. Kate Hardy

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СКАЧАТЬ 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 СКАЧАТЬ