Accidentally Falling for the Tycoon (Whirlwind Romance Series) (2 page)

“So how is the job hunting coming along?” Kelsia grilled her
friend.

“Rough as usual. But I’m so glad to be working right now
even if it’s only minimum wage. And Mr. Myers is so sweet. He pretty much lets
me get on with my job unlike working at the firm…”

“Yeah, tell me about it. I hate office politics. Trust me,
you’re not missing much by working by yourself in a flower shop, smiling at
customers and helping them pick out pretty flowers.”

A warm smile touched the corner of Jen’s lips as she lifted
her steaming cup of coffee to her lips to take another sip. The thought of Mr.
Gorgeous and Mysterious whirled through her mind again. That was soon replaced
by a cool dose of reality. She was still looking for a job in her field that
could pay her full rent. She was pretty much living off the last of her savings
while she searched online tirelessly for an opening in her field, marketing. It
was hard when you were laid off, or fired because the boss was a real jerk and
wanted to hire his step-daughter to replace you instead of keep you on and pay
you what you were worth. That was the last time she would work for a family
owned small business. Well, not counting the flower shop, of course.

She’d thought about going back to school to complete her master’s
degree and then opening up her own agency but where would she come up with the
money? A student loan was out of the question. She’d already racked up enough
debt to last her a lifetime and then some.

Jen felt her migraine creeping back. She was thinking too
much again.
Stop over-thinking, Jen. You can’t worry about what you can’t control.
It’s not worth it.

***

Blake Harrington walked through the sliding doors of the
Mercy Street Women’s Hospital carrying the flowers for Rose. He had only thirty
minutes to spend with her this afternoon since he had an important client
meeting coming up. Here he was delivering flowers to Rose when his thoughts
were on the pretty sales clerk at the flower shop.  He knocked on the door of
Room 106 on the fourth floor and saw Rose asleep on the bed.

He placed the floral arrangements on the counter beside all
the others he had brought for her when the nurse walked in.

“Those are beautiful flowers, Blake. You really outdid
yourself this time. Rose is lucky.”

“Oh, no. I’m the lucky one. She’s been a great family
friend. I’d do anything for her.”

The nurse smiled and hung another intravenous medication for
Rose before leaving the room.

Blake went over to the bed and kissed Rose on the forehead.
She had on a beautiful red scarf tied on her head and wore a matching dressing
gown.

Rose responded to his kiss and opened up her eyes. “Oh,
darling. You’re back again.”

“You know I can’t keep away from you, Rose. I’ll be here
every day until you’re sick of me.”

Rose gave a weak laugh. “The doctor says I could be out of
the hospital by the end of the week.”

“That’s great news, Rose.”

“I know.”

“Just let me know if you need anything at all. Anything.”

“Blake, you’ve done more than enough. I really appreciate
it, hon. But, really. I’m okay. You know me. I’m one tough cookie.”

“You’re a sweet cookie, Rose. You deserve the best in life.”

“So do you, sugar. Now what’s on your mind?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You seem a little distracted. Your words are here but your
mind’s somewhere else.

Blake, I’ve known you way too long.”

Blake didn’t want to mention Jen to Rose. It would be wrong.
What could he say? He didn’t realize that it was that obvious. Rose was always
a mind reader.

“It’s nothing. Just business. I’m afraid I’m going to have
to cut our time short today.”

“Ooh, sounds really important. Don’t tell me. You’re doing
another one of your hostile takeovers.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

“No, you’re too much of a gentleman with the women to admit
that. But I know you’re a

real tiger in the boardroom. You’re only thirty-two and you
own, what? Six businesses? You certainly do have a rep in the business world.”

“Don’t believe everything you read in those tabloids.”

“I believe every single word, sugar. That’s how I keep
myself entertained,” she said, grinning.

Blake tilted his head back and laughed.

“Blake, you’re not cheating on me are you?”

“What?”

“You know. With another woman?”

“Do I seem like the cheating type?”

“You’re right. What was I thinking,” she teased him as she
playfully punched his arm.

“I love getting all the attention from you, Blake. You’re a
good man. You know that?”

“You’re a good woman, Rose. Now, hurry up and get better so
you can get out of here fast.”

It was Rose’s turn to laugh.

“You know, Blake, I was just kidding about that cheating
stuff.”

“I know.”

“Now tell me, sugar. What’s really on your mind? Who is she?
I’ve seen you come in here before with business on your mind but you have a
special glow to your face. Like you’ve just met Miss Universe or something?”

Blake wasn’t a man who was easily intimidated but Rose could
easily be his mother. He sighed and shook his head.

“Do you really want to know?”

“I’m listening, sugar!”

***

The following week Jen was back in the flower shop arranging
one of the floral displays, stifling a yawn. She’d been up the night before on
the internet searching for a more permanent job that was full-time and offered
benefits. Something she could really live on. She wished she didn’t have any
debts or bills because she loved working around beautiful flowers—too bad the
pay was terrible, especially with her being a part time employee. So much was
on her mind that she hadn’t taken her usual morning stroll on the beach before
coming into work.

The door chime sounded again and Leanna, the other part time
clerk at the flower shop, came in.

“You’re in today?” Jen asked.

“Oh, no. I forgot my umbrella. It’s supposed to rain later
today.”

“Oh, right. Yours is the purple one, right?”

“Right. So glad it’s still here. So, how are you finding it
so far?”

“Working here? It’s awesome. You guys are really sweet.”

“Aw thanks. You, too.”

“You guys also have really intriguing customers.”

“Oh, you mean, Mr. Harrington.”

“Who?”

“Blake Harrington. He’s a businessman. He owns Harrington
Enterprise, The Clothing Store…you know, all the businesses in the area. He’s
here every day buying flowers for different women.”

“Oh?”

“I know. He must really have hot dates because the flowers
are really expensive and he delivers them personally.”

“Oh.” Jen tried to hide the deflation in her voice. “Well,
good for him.” Great! He was a real player. Well, of course, a guy as hot as
that would have a lot of women at his feet.

“Rose is his regular. He always buys for her. Then there’s
Janey. Elizabeth. Oh, you’ll get to know him. He’s a real sweetie, though.
Doesn’t smile much. All business and everything. But Mr. Myers says he brings
in most of the business here. So we don’t ask too many questions.”

Jen smiled half-heartedly. She felt her heart ache with
every one of the names Leanne listed. How could someone so sweet and decent
looking be such a player with women? Did they all know about each other?

After Leanne left Jen started fixing up the flower displays,
her mind on Blake “Player” Harrington. What was she thinking? Good thing she hadn’t
fallen for him.

***

The next couple of weeks, Jen would see Blake in the store, sure
enough, buying expensive flowers for Rose and other women. Each floral
arrangement came with the same words—To the most beautiful woman in the world.
Jen wondered how many women could be the most beautiful in the world at the
same time.

It was a different woman each day. She admitted to herself
that he was charming and very intriguing. They would have many chats about
life, politics, sports and entertainment. In fact, they had many stimulating
conversations. Sometimes he would spend more than an hour talking to her
especially when the shop wasn’t so busy. She enjoyed his mind-blowing
conversations but they never touched on the subject of the recipients of his
flowers. She figured he was a customer and she was just being friendly, nothing
more. But oh, he was mysterious and attractive. Very different from all the
other men she’d met. He never even attempted to make a move on her until…

***

The following week, when the door chime sounded her heart
stopped again. It was Blake. Every time she saw him, he had this effect on her
that she could not control. She wished her body did not react so positively to
Mr. Harrington the way it did. In her books, he was unavailable and that was
that!

This time she was really going to turn off her attraction to
him. If she could manage that.

“Hey, nice to see you again,” he said.

“Thank you. What can I do for you today, Blake?”

“Well, it’s a little personal, actually.”  

“It is?” Jen was more than puzzled.

“Yes, I was wondering if you’d like to accompany me to a
charity function this weekend?”

What? The nerve of him.

“I…why me?” He really went for what he wanted, didn’t he?
She really wanted to ask why he wouldn’t go with Rose or the other women he
called “the most beautiful woman in the world.” 

“Because, I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever
laid eyes on. Not just in the physical, but you have a heart of gold.”

Jen was speechless.

For a while a long silence lingered between them.

Jen moved from behind the counter and went over to the
flowers, not sure of how to respond.

“Thank you, Blake. That’s so kind of you…but…” her voice
became softer and trailed off. This was how it started with her ex, wasn’t it?
He was a player, too. He offered her sweet words but they were not just for her
ears alone, she would later learn.

“But what?” he asked, facing her back as she stared out the
window.

“I’m sorry, Blake. I just can’t…besides…” She was distracted
by the door chime as another customer came into the shop, which was too bad.
She was about to ask, wouldn’t Rose or his other girlfriends mind?

“Listen, I’ll talk to you later, okay?” His voice was so
deep and low it sent shivers down her spine and a tingling between her thighs.

Stop it, Jen! He’s off the market. Ignore him.

That
was easier said than done.

***

The next day when the door chime sounded at the flower shop
a woman walked in carrying her little poodle in her arms. She had a large red
hat over a headscarf tied to her head. She looked quite beautiful in a classic
way. She must have been around middle age or older. But she looked stunning.
She had on what appeared to be custom jewellery. Large earrings and a long
beaded necklace.

“Good morning. How can I help you, today?” Jen asked,
cheerfully.

“You must be Jen!” The woman narrowed her eyes with a smirk
on her face.

“Um. I’m sorry. Do I know you?”

“I’m Rose!”

Jen thought she was going to have a heart attack. The word
Rose almost knocked the wind out of her lungs. For a moment, her eyes widened
and she could not speak. Why was Rose looking for her? She guessed it had to do
with Blake.

“Don’t worry, sugar. I don’t bite.” She grinned. “Well,
actually, little Angel here is a different story.”

Jen froze.

“I’m kidding, honey. Lighten up.”

Jen let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “I’m
sorry, it’s just that…”

“Listen, I’m not going to be long and please, please whatever
you do…don’t tell Blake I

was here, got it?”

Jen nodded.

“Now as you know, my guy Blake sends me and other women
flowers every day.”

“Yes…I…I know.” Rose actually knows about the other women?

“Well, it ain’t what you think, sugar!”

“It’s not?”

“No.”

“Listen, I’m not sure I understand what you’re talking
about…”

“It’s simple. Blake came to me yesterday with a spirit of a
dead donkey. It was as if

someone knocked the wind out of his lungs or something. I
kept prying until he told me. You turned him down. He thinks he’s lost his
touch. He was going to ask you out again. But I told him unless you come clean
about your little secret flower delivery thing, she ain’t gonna wanna see you.
That’s what I told him.”

Jen listened attentively.

“You see, Blake could be my kid. Only he was my best
friend’s kid.”

Jen looked as if she was going to turn blue.

“Relax, kid! Ain’t nothing going on between Blake and I.
Ever!” She sat down on a stool, stroking her poodle as she continued her talk
with Jen. “You see, his mama died two years ago. We had this club. The
survivors club. Cancer survivors. Well, when we all lost our hair and what we
thought was our looks, Blake came back and made us all feel special. He
promised after his mama died that he would still visit the rest of the
survivors. He’s a good man, he is. My husband decided to leave me when I was
going through treatments. Bastard! Well, anyway, Blake tried to make up for it.
That’s why he calls me and all the women going through their treatments and
recovery ‘the most beautiful woman in the world’ to make us all feel special.
Boy that woman, Sarah! That’s his mama. She was a good woman with a good kid.
God rest her soul.”

Jen let out a deep breath. “Oh, my God! What did I do? All
this time…I thought…”

“Honey, you can’t judge till you know everything. Sometimes
things are what they appear and sometimes they’re not. Besides, it’s not
entirely your fault. Silly Blake is nothing but a typical man. He thinks women
are mind readers. He feels that his reputation in the business jungle would be ruined
if they ever find out he was a mama’s boy that delivers flowers every day to a
bunch of cancer survivors. He’s a man that doesn’t always talk about the good
he does. He wants the world to believe he’s a force not to be reckoned with.
Anyway, he’s been talking about you nonstop. Just so you know.”