Chapter 4

Damian

I have to give her some credit. Amelia's clever. She's done absolutely nothing in the last three weeks that I've asked of her, plans any meetings we might have weeks in advance, then postpones them, and hasn't given me a single hint of what she's thinking. She doesn"t respond to my calls or texts.

Josh is ecstatic that I've met my match. He thinks I need to marry her instantly.

"She would rather shoot herself in the foot and put herself in the way of a hungry lion."

"Exactly." He chuckles with glee and makes me do an extra set. Motivation, he calls it.

I scowl at him before getting distracted as the door to the gym opens. "Speaking of…" I murmur.

Josh's too distracted as Amelia and a thin woman with a petite oval face and dark, wavy hair walk in. They chat to each other, ignoring everyone else around them.

"Who are they?" Josh asks in wonder. "I've never seen them before."

"Well, the blonde is the current bane of my existence, and I've never seen the brunette before."

Josh looks at me sharply. "Wait, that's Amelia?"

"Mm…"

"Fuck, man, no wonder you're not getting anywhere. You've got no chance."

I scowl and saunter over to them. Josh hurriedly follows.

"Amelia." She jumps and turns to face me, the scowl already forming on her face. "I didn't realize you could leave your desk so early." I slowly drag my gaze down her body. "I mean, I guess Victor wanted his women to be in top shape. Could have given you a little extra cash for the hair and the hips and the sour look on your face all the time."

Josh stares at me in alarm, and the woman Amelia is standing with looks at me with absolute disgust. Amelia chuckles. "Victor could have given you… fuck, anything at all to work with. His genetics, after all." She gives me a sad smile. "I can see why you need to spend most of your money here."

I hate that I'm thrown. "What?"

"Oh! Didn't I tell you? As President, I have access to all the company accounts. Including those for personal use." She pretends to look confused. "Don't you also have access? I thought, seeing as you think we're on equal footing that you'd be able to see that, too… Oh, guess not."

I freeze. "You went through my accounts?"

She laughs easily. "Oh, no. I don't care. It's your hard-earned nepotism. I just wanted to let you know that I could." She smiles at the woman behind her. "This is my sister, Olivia. Livvy, this is Damian, my employee. He's sad about that."

Olivia gives me barely a smile as Josh steps forward. "I'm Josh. I'm Damian's best friend." He throws me a weak smile. "I'm nicer than he is, at least. Amelia, it's good to finally meet you. Damian's only had complaints, which means you're doing something right."

Amelia chuckles and shakes his hand. "I think you need to make some better friends."

Josh smiles and repeats the same process with Olivia, who, for some reason, has completely attracted his attention.

I open my mouth to say something probably devastating to Amelia that would immediately make her fall to her knees in forgiveness and hand her job over to me when the Kirk twins pass by. "Morning, Damian," Tessa says with a flirty wave.

"Morning, girls."

"There's room in the steam room," Tori says. "We'll see you there, won't we?" There's a glint, in her eye and I'll take any opportunity to make Amelia feel uncomfortable.

I bite my lower lip. "Definitely," I murmur. "Save a spot for me, will you?"

Tessa kisses my cheek, and they both disappear towards the steam room. I watch them until the door shuts behind them before turning back to Amelia. To my disappointment, she just looks bored. "You were saying?"

"I wasn't saying anything, actually. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to do a very light workout because I can't be bothered, and I'm only here because Livvy wanted me to join her, and then we're going to get a delicious brunch." She hums. "Actually, I had a question for you. Which restaurant is your toughest competitor?"

I smirk at her and raise my eyebrows. "Nice try, honey. How about you go to your disappointing brunch, but tonight, you meet me for dinner at my restaurant?"

"I wouldn't want to interrupt any steam room fun… or your latest fling with… Alicia Grant, isn't it? Who probably doesn't know the difference between a tree and a piece of broccoli."

"Maybe not, but knowing the difference between flora and vegetables has very little relevance to what I hoped the evening would entail with her." I lean closer and drop my voice. "I assume you are smarter, though, aren't you, Mrs. Garrett? You can keep this attitude up all through dinner, I will feed you very delicious food that you'll never get anywhere else, and we will discuss work."

Amelia adjusts her shoulders in her gorgeous strappy black sports bra. Her hair is once again up in a ponytail, exposing her slender neck and delicate earlobes. If she wants to play this game, I'm pulling out all the stops.

"Fine," she purrs, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder. "I'll meet you there. Seven. You'll have to tell my assistant the address as I wouldn't know the first thing about finding it."

I grin at her. "You're playing with fire, Mrs. Garrett."

"No, Mr. Blake, I'm playing to win." She gently leans forward, and her lips brush my cheek before hovering at my ear. "You don't know who you're playing with," she whispers, low and sultry. She looks me up and down. "Enjoy the steam room."

I get a shiver down my spine as she walks away towards the treadmills. Josh watches Olivia follow her, and he sighs. "I think I'm in love."

I snort and get back to my workout.

The second Gabby, my ma?tre d', arrives at the restaurant, I pull her aside. "I have a guest coming tonight. Treat her as if she's a goddamn queen, okay? I don't want her feet to touch the fucking floor."

"Some woman," Gabby says dryly. "Wife number four?"

"God, I hope not. But, unfortunately, she's in charge of a large part of my future restaurant plans. A benefactor of sorts." I give her a look as I turn back to the kitchen. "I mean it. Her name's Amelia. Amelia Garrett. If she starts to have even a hint of a complaint, you're fired."

"Yes, sir," Gabby mutters.

I have to admit, I'm more jittery than I thought I'd be. Damn Amelia and her unwavering stubborn indifference to me. I've gotten complacent since my last divorce, so the challenge is nice. I don't normally have to try.

By the time seven p.m. rolls around, I'm almost convinced that she's not going to show. Before I can relax, Gabby pokes her head into the kitchen.

"Your guest is here, Chef."

I straighten my shoulders and smirk. Game time.

The second I step out of the kitchen, I know I've lost. She was right; she's come to win. She's wearing a tight mauve dress that's low cut and daringly short, her hair is down for the first time, splaying out in golden waves around her shoulders, and her make-up is minimal but effective. She looks like a fucking goddess.

I shoot a glance at Gabby, who shrugs. "Some benefactor," she mutters.

I ignore her and get my head together as I walk towards Amelia.

"Sorry I'm late," she says in the same clipped tone she uses at work. "There was a situation at work."

"Anything I should know about?" I gesture her to sit at a private table away from the rest of the restaurant. It's a place I reserve for… quieter discussions. "As someone deeply invested in the company."

"Nothing important. I just had a meeting to plan how to remove a large stipulation in a will. Don't worry your pretty little head about it." She surveys the menu. "As we're both aware, it's my first time here, what do you suggest?"

"I'm picking for you." I gesture Gabby over with a nod, who places two glasses of wine down. Our best, I notice. Amelia regards me coolly but gives a small gesture of thanks to Gabby.

"What's your name?" Amelia asks softly to Gabby.

"Sorry, ma'am. My name's Gabriela. I'll be here to—"

Amelia cuts her off by looking at me. "What's her last name?"

"Castillo," I say. "Gabby is my ma?tre d'. She's worked for me eight years. Started as a dishwasher and is just about to graduate college with a degree in business management that I have personally covered the cost of." I glance at Gabby. "Right?"

"Yes, sir." She smiles at Amelia. "I don't mean to overstep, but Mr. Blake knows all the staff at his locations."

Amelia nods, her expression softening. "Very well. Thank you, Ms. Castillo. I'm sure we can let your boss take over for a night."

"Yes, ma'am."

I frown at Gabby as she leaves, but she doesn't notice it. Amelia takes a sip of her wine but doesn't show any indication that she enjoys it.

"You wanted to discuss work, you said?" she says, flicking her hair over her shoulders to reveal silky pale skin as it disappears into the strap of her dress. God, what I'd do to run my tongue over the groove of her collarbone.

I snap out of it and focus on her face. Her gaze is knowing, the hint of a smirk on her lips. "There's very little to discuss that hasn't already been said, Mr. Blake."

I lean forward and turn my game on. "Okay," I murmur, catching her gaze and keeping it. "Forget work. Let's talk about you."

She exhales a laugh. "I know you must find it confusing considering the company you usually keep, but I would rather not talk about myself at dinner."

"What about dates?"

Her eyebrows fly up her forehead. "Is that what this is? I'm not usually cajoled into them without my knowledge."

I laugh and sip my wine. "Look at you, Amelia. You're a fucking goddess. You think people aren't cajoling you into dates?"

"I am married."

"Were married."

"Up until almost three months ago, I was married. Semantics don't matter. In my head, I am. What does that have to do with anything?"

The first dishes arrive in front of us, a small collection of everything our menu has to offer. Shrimp cooked to perfection, spaghetti swirls, oysters, tiny vegetarian tartines, and more fill up the table.

Amelia's eyes widen a fraction of an inch, the first visible reaction I've had from her since I met her.

I wait until she picks up a fork and spears an asparagus shoot. She makes eye contact as she slides it in between her teeth.

Damn Jackson.

"Your next husband is a lucky man."

Something hardens behind her eyes. "You think because I'm a woman that I'm waiting for my next husband? That since one is dead, I have a time limit for my next one?"

I chuckle and grab my wine, leaning back casually in my chair. "No. It was a compliment."

"If you're going to compliment me, don't mention a man. I am not a man, and my life does not revolve around what the men around me are doing or how they perceive me. Your ex-wives are clever, and I feel sorry for any future ones, but they are probably too blinded by the number of zeros in your bank account to notice your personality."

"Honey, not number of zeros, number of inches."

Amelia rolls her eyes and takes a bite of food. "Yeah, of space between your ears," she mutters under her breath.

I chuckle and start eating. "You're right, though," I say after a mouthful of succulent steak. "I should have complimented you. I must have forgotten my manners when such a gorgeous woman is across from me."

"Save your chat for someone it'll work on, Damian." She picks up a piece of broccoli with her fork. "What is this?"

I grin and give up. "Fine. Let's talk work. You win. That land you visited the other day. I want it."

"No," she says flatly. "The plans are already in progress, and construction starts a week from Tuesday. That plot of land has been owned by Jackson for a little over a year now, and now it is mine. I will not budge."

"It is a company project."

"It is mine." She puts her fork down and stares at me, her eyes blazing. "We can find you somewhere else for whatever you want to put there."

"A restaurant. A few rooms on top. An experience. Utilize a garden, an orchard, and a few fields. Maybe some animals. A luxury eco-resort and restaurant that will help encourage patrons to learn where their food is coming from."

Amelia's mouth is agape, completely speechless for the first time.

I cock my head. "I've had my eye on that property for a long time. I've been waiting for Victor to die so I can have it."

She catches herself and resets. "We will find somewhere else for that. I like the concept."

"I've found somewhere. Right there. The view of the mountains, the lake. There was a red barn that is sadly gone, but it wouldn't take much to rebuild it, environmentally friendly, of course."

She gulps and takes a large sip of wine. "The plans are already—"

"Well, stop them. You have that power. You don't want to go to war over a piece of land, do you?"

"Yes," she says firmly. "I will." She tilts her chin. "Besides, the land is also in Douglas Bright's sights. If I don't move the process forward, he'll swoop in. I'm not going to risk it. That location is not up for sale—internally or not— and is not up for debate."

I hold my hands up in peace. "We'll shelve it for now. Wouldn't want to ruin dinner now, would I?"

She catches my gaze. "No, you wouldn't."