Rules Were Made to Be Broken

Jewel Chandler’s list of boyfriend requirements is extensive—and Sterling Bishop doesn’t meet any of them. Sure, the wealthy businessman is gorgeous, but he also has an ex-wife and a young daughter. Sterling knows he’s the only man for Jewel, and the sexy heiress’s efforts to keep him away only fuels his determination. When steamy days melt into desire-fueled nights, Jewel wonders if he’s truly the one for her.

NICKI NIGHT is an edgy hopeless romantic who enjoys creating stories of love and new possibilities. Nicki has a penchant for adventure and is currently working on penning her next romantic escapade. Nicki resides in the city that dreams are made of, but occasionally travels to her treasured seaside hideaway to write in seclusion. She enjoys hearing from readers and can be contacted on Facebook, through her website at nickinight.com or via email at NickiNightwrites@gmail.com.

Also By Nicki Night

Her Chance at Love

His Love Lesson

Riding into Love

It Started in Paradise

Desire in a Kiss

It Must Be Love

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

It Must Be Love

Nicki Night

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08477-2

IT MUST BE LOVE

© 2018 Renee Daniel Flagler

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

“Let’s go watch the sun set.” Sterling’s voice was almost a whisper. Leading her by the hand, they grabbed glasses of wine and walked to the deck at the front of the boat. In silence they held hands and watched the sun make a show of its descent. Pink and orange hues, turned red and nearly purple before the sun fully tucked itself away.

Sterling led Jewel inside the cabin. They sat at the candlelit table there and enjoyed dessert. Music continued to float through the speakers in a variety of genres. They were back at love songs.

Sterling stood and held his hand out to Jewel. She took it, rose to her feet and stepped into his arms. They swayed to the soothing tempo. Jewel laid her head against his chest. His chest felt as if it were made for her to rest there. When she looked back up at him, Sterling leaned forward and captured her lips with his. When they connected, Jewel wasn’t sure if the sway she felt was caused by the boat, or the dizzying affect of Sterling’s kiss. He tightened his arms around her. She held him back. He kissed her breath away.

Hello Darlings,

Jump right in and journey with Jewel Chandler and Sterling Bishop through this rule-defying tale of love. You’ll meet Jewel, the wittiest sister of the Chandler bunch, and Sterling, a handsome, divorced, doting father and self-made man. It’s my pleasure to share their story of finding love in a place Jewel least expected. Sterling will steal your heart, and you’ll find yourself rooting for them both. Jewel finally realizes that love can conquer all, including lengthy lists of highbrow standards. But when she comes face-to-face with what she had feared from the start, will they be able to work through it and find their way back to each other? Enjoy finding out!

Ciao,

Nicki

This book is dedicated to my first hero—my dad, Benny Daniel, who first showed me what love looked like.

Acknowledgments

Sometimes, I literally feel like I’m God’s favorite. So much has transpired in the past few years, it almost seems unfair to be so blessed. I will continue to allow him to receive the glory for all that I’ve accomplished. Without him, I wouldn’t be here—writing and living my dream. I couldn’t be more grateful.

Harlequin Kimani, Glenda Howard and Keyla Hernandez, thanks for all you do and all of your patience! To Sara Camilli, thanks for always having my literary back.

To my family, thank you for always supporting my #DreamJourney and for being my rowdiest cheerleaders. We are The Freaking Flaglers! Love you Les, Lil Les, Milan and Laila. You’re my breath. To the Daniels Clan, you’re my strength.

To my sisters and brothers in the craft, I adore and respect you. Let’s keep each other lifted and keep the books coming, Zuri Day, Tiffany L. Warren, ReShonda Tate Billingsley, Victoria Christopher Murray, Elle Wright, Sheryl Lister, Sherelle Green, AD and so many more.

A special thanks to Beverly Jenkins and Brenda Jackson for your guidance, for always being there for me and for allowing me to drag you into stuff! LOL. I appreciate you! Priscilla Johnson, Rowena Winfrey, Michelle Chavis, Shavonna Futrell, Shannon Harper, Cheryl McClinton, Stephanie Moss, Deirdre Young and Yolanda Rigby, I can’t thank you ladies enough for all of your support. Thank you for being on my team! Shawana Kenner and Shannel Parker, thank you for helping me name my last two heroes!

To all my readers, thank you for being here! MUAH!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Dear Reader

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Extract

About the Publisher

Chapter 1

“The words Jewel and committed in a sentence together...” Dominique let her statement fall and sniffed out a chuckle.

“I know. It doesn’t even sound right. Ha!” Harper waved incredulously as if the concept was too ridiculous to consider.

“I’m completely capable of being in a committed relationship.” Jewel defended herself, twisting her ankle in the mirror to check out the stiletto she tried on. “I just have standards.”

“Standards,” her friends said together and burst out laughing.

“As penetrable as a petrified forest!” Dominique’s loud whisper elicited laughter from both ladies as she plopped on a pink faux fur bench with a shoebox in her hands.

Jewel placed her hand on her hip. “I am not that bad.” A beat passed. “Am I?”

Dominique and Harper exchanged sideways glances and looked back at Jewel.

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting certain things in the man you date.” She dismissed their unspoken scrutiny with a flip of her hand. “Why waste time getting to know someone if you know you’re not compatible? I say have your fun and move on.” Jewel shrugged, slipped out of the stilettos and placed them back in the box.

Leaning against the shoe rack, Dominique crossed her arms. “You don’t give people a chance. Look at Maddox. He was charming and had a great body.”

“Please!” Jewel twisted her lips. “I’ll admit he was incredible in bed, but I don’t do ex-wives. It’s too much trouble.” Jewel slipped her foot into a pair of sandals and tilted her head in her reflection.

“What about Sabien?” Harper closed her eyes and shook her head. “That man was gorgeous. I would never tire of that sexy accent of his.”

“Boring!” Jewel sang. “And he had kids.”

“That can be challenging,” Dominique admitted.

“I don’t think that’s so bad—especially if he gets along with the child’s mother.”

“I prefer a man who doesn’t have those kinds of attachments,” Jewel said matter-of-factly.

“Oh! I know.” Dominique stepped forward. “What was that guy’s name?” She squinted. “Evan. That’s it. He had an edge.”

“Yeah, Jewel.” Harper tilted her head. “What happened to him? He was really sexy.”

“Oh. I remember.” Dominique nodded. “He wasn’t an Ivy League man.”

“You’re a tough one, Jewel,” Harper said.

“Hey! You ladies make it sound horrible. I know you can’t always help who you fall in love with so I just try to make sure I don’t get too serious with anyone that I wouldn’t be equally yoked with. We have to have common goals, and share similar values. I want us to enjoy certain firsts together—like our first marriage, first child, etc. I had an Ivy League education and I prefer a man who shared in that experience. What’s so wrong with that?”

“When you put it that way—nothing I guess,” Dominique noted.

“See. I’m not a witch. I just have standards.”

“Just don’t let those standards get in the way of getting a great guy. You’ve let a few gems slip through your fingers already, miss.” Harper pointed her finger at Jewel.

“And there will always be more. Humph.” Jewel put down the shoebox that she’d just picked up. “I’m too hungry to shop for shoes. Let’s do this after brunch.”

Without hesitation, Dominique stepped up and Harper pulled off the shoes she’d been trying on and returned them to the box.

“Good because I’m starving!” Dominique said.

The trio left the shoe store located on the main road in the Hamptons and entered the eatery that sparked their outing. Sundry’s served a robust brunch with a mix of southern and French cuisine. The ladies were seated moments after entering.

Harper brought the conversation right back around after they placed orders. “Explain why Dayton didn’t work again. He was an Ivy Leaguer with no kids or ex-wives.”

“That man could never be taken seriously. He’s more allergic to commitment than I could ever be accused of. We had our fun, but it would take a lot more to tame Dayton Rivers. Dating him was fun when it was forbidden. Now that our families actually get along, we both agree it’s just not the same. Now it’s like we’re the best of friends.”

“I don’t know what’s going to work for you, Jewel.” Dominique took a piece of the warm bread the waiter placed in front of them and tore it in half.

“Right now, a mimosa and a—” Jewel stopped speaking. Dominique and Harper followed her gaze. The three of them watched as four handsome men passed their table following closely behind the restaurant’s hostess. With seductive smiles, the men watched them just as closely.

“Whew!” Harper turned back toward the table. “With all that eye candy we just took in, I may not need dessert.”

The three of them laughed.

“I’m still eating mine!” Jewel declared. They laughed harder.

Their meals arrived. The girls chatted around mouthfuls of cage-free omelets with crab and roasted asparagus, lemon brioche French toast and frittatas loaded with seasonal veggies.

“Can you believe it’s already been ten years since we graduated?” Jewel sighed and sipped the mimosa the waiter placed in front of her.

“I know.” Harper nodded her head. “It doesn’t feel like that much time has passed.”

“Dominique!” Jewel sat taller. “What’s the name of that guy who had that crush on you the entire time we were in school?”

“Oh!” Harper put her hand on her forehead. “I remember him. He had a unique name.”

Dominique squinted. “I can’t recall his name, but I saw him a few years ago and he was gorgeous. He married some model and moved to Europe.”

“Yes!” Jewel snapped her finger. “Basil!” she almost shouted. “I went through my mental Rolodex of spices. I knew it couldn’t be oregano.”

Dominique’s cheeks puffed. Quickly she covered her mouth to keep the champagne and orange juice from exploding all over the table. She gulped and released her laugh. The incident elicited more laughter from Jewel and Harper. Guests at surrounding tables looked over smiling as if they wished they could be part of the fun.

Wiping a tear from her eye, Harper shook her head. “We never know what’s coming out of that mouth of yours.”

Jewel’s smile spanned wider. It took several moments for the girls to recover from another round of laughter.

“Whew!” Jewel sat back catching her breath. “I remember you refused to date Basil because he was so quiet. He was good-looking back then.”

“I know, but I was afraid he’d be boring.”

Jewel raised her flute as if to toast. “Yeah. That wouldn’t have been fun.”

“Not. At. All,” Harper added.

The women became quiet for a moment as they ate and enjoyed the atmosphere. Jewel contemplated her life since high school as she absently lifted the fork to her mouth. The reunion was just a few days away. Had she accomplished all that she wanted by this time in her life? Her younger self anticipated being married by now. The mature Jewel couldn’t see it since the opportunity hadn’t presented itself in an appropriate enough package. Of course she’d come across a few opportunities, but now many of the gentlemen that did meet her standards were already committed or having too much fun to bother committing. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for all of that anyway. She was having her share of fun as well.

“Jewel.”

“Huh?” She looked up into two quizzical faces.

“You didn’t hear Harper calling you?”

“What’s on your mind?” Dominique put her fork down and folded her arms. “Spill it.”

“I just wonder if we’re going to be the only single ladies at this reunion?” Jewel sighed. How would that look?

Chapter 2

“When is Kylee coming?” Charles Bishop sat back in his tall chair at the head of the table. The Sunday brunch spread before him was like a feast fit for a king’s court.

“In just a few weeks, Dad. School ends earlier there.” Sterling sank his teeth into one of his mother’s homemade biscuits and couldn’t help but moan. He looked forward to his family’s monthly brunch—a tradition his mother, Patricia Bishop, or Patti as most called her, started once life began to steer her adult children in varying directions. It was her way to keep them all connected.

Patti clapped her hands together. “I can’t wait to see my baby girl. I think I’ll take her with me to California in July. What do you think about that, Sterling? It will only be a week.” Patti continued without giving Sterling a chance to respond. “Sandra’s grandkids will be there too. We could take the girls to Disneyland. Yes.” His mom confirmed her plan right then. “Kylee will love it. When does she have to go back to Chicago?”

“Kylee would definitely love that,” Sterling’s sister Taylor interjected. “I may have to go and chaperone.”

“No need for you to chaperone. Sandra and I can handle Kylee and the girls.”

“Not for Kylee—for you and Aunt Sandra! I know how you two get when you’re together.” She reached across the table and sliced the butter with a small knife and spread it across the top of her biscuit. Patti laughed and gave her daughter a dismissive wave.

“You just want to go to Disney.” Sterling winked at his sister.

“You saw right through that, huh?” Taylor held her hand over her mouth and laughed. “You’re never too old for Disney.”

“Speaking of which. I may need to borrow Kylee a few Saturdays.” Stephan’s comment elicited questionable expressions from the rest of the family including Sterling. “I have a couple of events where she would prove to be...” Stephan stretched his eyes, seeming to search for the right word. “Helpful.”

Taylor rolled her eyes and then directed her attention to Sterling with the tip of her fork. “Sterl, you know he intends to use your daughter to catch women, right?” She turned back to Stephan with a shake of her head. “Kids are not like carrots to a rabbit. You can’t lure women with a six-year-old.”

“Yes I can!” Stephan’s laugh belted from his mouth. He slapped the table. Sterling chuckled and shook his head. He knew Stephan was right. He always received more attention from women when his daughter was with him.

Patti narrowed her eyes over the top of her glasses at Charles. “That,” she pointed at Stephan but kept her eye on Charles, “comes from your side of the family.” She swirled her finger in the air. “All that silly thinking.” By now everyone at the table was laughing.

Sterling loved the camaraderie his family shared as well as the way they doted on Kylee. “I just want her to have a great summer.”

“She can help me have a great summer also.” Stephan raised his brow. His lips eased into a Cheshire grin.

“Really, Stephan!” Taylor huffed and shook her head.

Stephan burst out laughing again. “You all know how much I love my Kylee. Attracting women when we’re together is just a perk. They love kids and dogs—especially the small ones.”

“They’re looking at how you interact with children and dogs. Adoration is attractive,” Taylor added.

“So that’s it.” Stephan threw his hands in the air, feigning understanding. “It’s not because they think I’m ridiculously handsome?” He laughed at his own joke. In unison, Sterling, his sister and parents just stared at Stephan for a moment before laughing themselves.

“And that part—” Charles pointed at Patti this time “—comes from your side of the family!”

“Stephan, how about getting married and having some kids of your own. I could use more grandchildren while I’m still able to hang with them.”

Stephan stretched his eyes and placed a forkful of frittata in his mouth.

Patti sat back. “So how long, do y’all plan on staying single? I want more grandkids. I need other little girls to leave my clothes and jewelry to.”

“She’s talking to you two.” Sterling pointed between his brother and sister. “I’ve done all of that already.”

Taylor and Stephan looked at each other and at the same time, without a word they stood and began clearing the table. Charles’s belly laugh could have shaken the foundation.

“You too, Sterling.” Patti added with a narrowed gaze. “That marriage of yours didn’t last very long and Kylee could use a few siblings.”

Also without a word, Sterling got up and joined Taylor and Stephan in their silent table-clearing protest.

Now Patti laughed, loud and strong. She enjoyed teasing her kids. “Uh-huh! You all just want to deprive me. How about I help? I’ll find a nice lady for you two and a nice man for you, Taylor. I have plenty of friends at work whose children are still single.”

“NO!” All three shouted—hands in the air as if they could stop the comment. Their laughter joined together filling the space with an air of mirth.

Good-humored conversation continued as the family worked together to clean the kitchen and put away leftover food. Charles asked about Sterling and Stephan’s technology business, which continued to grow exponentially and keep them extremely busy.

Charles then headed to the den, sat on the couch and put one foot up on the leather ottoman in the center of the room. “Y’all got time for a movie?” Charles pointed the remote at the television, clicking it to life.

“What about that movie with Denzel that was in the theaters a few months ago. I never got to see that one.” Patti flopped on the couch next to her husband. Charles put his free arm around her shoulders and she nestled inside his embrace.

“Let me see if I can find it.” Charles flipped through several channels on the TV.

Sterling, Stephan and Taylor finished up in the kitchen and joined their parents. During the search for the movie, the conversation somehow turned back to their single status.

“Sterling, do you think you’ll ever get married again?” Taylor tilted her head contemplatively as she folded her feet under herself on the loveseat.

“Yeah. It’s possible.” Sterling shrugged. “My relationship with Raven wasn’t horrible. We just weren’t right for each other.”

Sterling was seated on the other side of Patti. She touched his hand. “You tried to do the right thing, honey, and I applaud you for that.”

“She was carrying your child, son. Your actions were noble,” Charles added.

Sterling drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yeah. I didn’t expect it to fold so quickly, but we knew it wouldn’t work.”

“I’ve always said it was best for Kylee to experience what it’s like to have two happy parents living separately than two miserable ones living together.” Patti nodded, punctuating her statement.

“And we all benefit from the best part of it all,” Taylor interjected. “We got Kylee.” She tilted her head and flashed a toothy grin.

Sterling’s smile generated deep from his core. His family’s support and admiration for his daughter pleased him. Taylor was right. They had Kylee—the best little girl a dad could have. She was the reason he hardly dated. If he were to bring a woman into his life, she’d have to not only accept the fact that he had a daughter, but she’d have to adore his sweet Kylee.

Sterling realized his desires might be a lot to ask of most women and if he had to stay single until Kylee grew up, then so be it. He just hoped he really wouldn’t have to wait that long.

Chapter 3

“The big guy just called an emergency meeting. He wants all of the management team in the conference room in five.”

Jewel’s head snapped up from her computer screen at the sound of her brother, Chris’s, voice. “Did Dad say what it’s about?”

Chris shrugged. “No. We just got our numbers back on track. I’m hoping it’s not another chain of supermarkets closing on us.”

“Please don’t let that be the issue.” Jewel clasped her hands together like she was praying. “That would surely impact my lofty operations goals. I’ve been working hard to try to impress the big guy.” Jewel continued their common tease when referencing their father at work.

“I know. Being his kid offers no slack. That man can be a tyrant.” They laughed at Chris’s exaggeration.

Bobby Dale was no tyrant. He required excellence from his children and employees and could never be accused of giving any type of special treatment. Jewel and her siblings worked just as hard as anyone else. Adored by much of his staff, Bobby Dale created a culture where people wanted to give their best. He’d never forgotten an anniversary or birthday and had been known to jump in the trenches alongside his staff to help get a job done.

“Let’s see what this is all about.” Jewel grabbed a pad and pen, rose from her chair and met Chris in the doorway.

Together the two walked the corridors, ascended to the second floor and entered the executive boardroom. Midlevel and executive managers from all departments spilled into the room, taking seats around the large cherrywood table in the center of the room. Scattered small talk ensued by groups creating a low rumble until Bobby Dale’s burly frame glided into the room. A hush rolled across the space, honoring his presence. His perfect posture held a well-fitting tailored suit causing him to resemble a mature model. Salt-and-pepper hair framed a strong chin as his confident stride carried him to the head of the table.

Staff made their way to the burgundy tufted leather chairs positioned against the walls and awaited Bobby Dale’s announcements.

“Good morning, everyone.” Bobby Dale took the seat at the head of the massive table. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.”

“As if we had a choice,” Jewel whispered to Chris and chuckled.

Chris snickered and cleared his throat.

“In recent months we’ve survived a flurry of changes in our industry, yet managed to get through them without much fallout. In light of all these disruptions, we’ve had to put a few things on hold, such as the revamp of our technology infrastructure and the expansion of our kitchen. Now the market seems to have stabilized and we’ve secured new business.” Bobby Dale looked over at Chris and nodded with an approving grin. “I’m happy to report that we will be able to get back to our growth plans. But before we do that, I have a few other changes to announce.”

The hush over the room deepened. Each staff member’s expression matched the other.

“What’s this about?” Jewel leaned close to Chris’s ear.

Chris raised his shoulders and shook his head. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”

“Dorothy. Will you come over here, please?” Bobby Dale called the company’s chief operations officer over. Hushed voices scampered around the room as Dorothy Levy gracefully waltzed to his side. She stood next to his chair. Tall, lean and erect. Her polished appearance and chiseled features belied her warm, approachable manner. “Our dear Dorothy is leaving us.”

A few gasps escaped from some of the staff.

“What? No!” Jewel tilted her head and sighed. Dorothy had been her mentor and had taught her everything she knew about being an effective operations professional.

A matronly grin spread across Dorothy’s lips. Much of the staff felt the same as Jewel.

Bobby Dale lifted his hand in Dorothy’s direction. She cleared her throat. “I know this comes as a shock for several of you. Believe me, it was a hard decision to make. Chandler Food Corp has been a part of my life for nearly twenty years, but the time has come for me to settle down a little. My recent health challenges have forced me into somewhat of an early retirement. However—” Her eyes washed over the room. She wore a sly grin. “You won’t get rid of me so easily. I’ll be around for the next month to help with the transition. Unfortunately, with the extent of my back injury, it’s what I need right now. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with all of you.”

“You too, Dorothy,” someone shouted.

A proud smile eased across her face.

“We’ll miss you,” someone else said.

Several employees approached Dorothy for hugs. Tears had begun to glisten in her eyes. Jewel wiped her own tears away. Dorothy had been like an aunt to her.

Bobby Dale let them all have their moment before clearing his throat and continuing with a few more announcements. When all was done, Jewel headed back to her office, shutting the door behind her. Dorothy’s sudden but necessary departure and her own ambitions left her in a flux. She’d witnessed Dorothy struggle since her horrible fall the previous winter and had visited with her parents on the days Dorothy was bedridden. Apparently, the back and forth to the office along with the demands of the job had become too much for Dorothy to manage under the oppression of chronic pain. As much as she didn’t want to see her go, Jewel knew that her leaving would create an opportunity for her own advancement. Surely, her father wouldn’t just give her the chief operations officer title, but perhaps he’d move her into the vice president slot, which had been unfilled for months.

Jewel knew she’d invite a new level of scrutiny from Bobby Dale when she expressed her desire for the promotion. She had to convince him she was worthy of the position. And she was ready.

Jewel hit the mouse on her laptop, waking up the computer. She tapped the Word icon, opened a blank page and began chronicling her most recent accomplishments. She was going to have to make her case. Starting with the recent work overseeing the operations aspects of the new accounts they’d secured, Jewel noted all the projects she managed. Since their father had each of them spend time in various departments to assess their strengths, Jewel also made note of other areas she excelled in and how those positions helped her develop transferable skills. She sat back proudly, took a deep breath and smiled at the fact that she’d truly accomplished a lot. Dorothy had also been instrumental in her becoming such an effective manager of operations.

Jewel looked up after hearing a light tap on her door. Chris stuck his head in. “Are you going out for lunch?”

Jewel looked at the glass clock on her desk and realized how much time had passed. “Yeah. What about you?”

“Just running to get a sandwich and coming back. Wanna ride?”

“Sure.” Jewel retrieved her purse from her bottom desk drawer and followed Chris through the office.

During the short ride to the deli, she contemplated telling Chris her plans for pursuing the promotion. Jewel looked out the window, but didn’t seem to notice the scenery as they headed back.

“What’s on your mind?” Chris maneuvered the car perfectly between the parking lines and put it in park before tuning to Jewel.

“What makes you ask?”

“I asked if you wanted to come so I could have company. You hardly spoke a word since we left the office. You’re never this quiet.”

Chris still hadn’t made a move to exit the car. Jewel put her hand on the door handle and thought about keeping the idea scattering across her mind to herself. She took a deep breath, blew the air out and frowned.

“Upset about Dorothy leaving?”

“More than that.”

“You want that VP position?”

Jewel turned to Chris. “Yes. I really want that VP position. I wanted it when Dorothy was first promoted to chief operations officer leaving it open, but dad didn’t believe I was ready for it.”

“Have you spoken to Dad yet?”

“I kind of feel like it’s too soon. They just made the announcement this morning.”

“So what? Let him know now. This way, Dorothy can teach you everything she knows before she leaves.”

“You’ve got a point. I’ll speak with him today.”

“Good luck!”

“Thanks, lil brother.” She pursed her lips. “He can’t turn me down this time. I have the right qualifications, more experience and I work my behind off. I deserve that job.”

Chapter 4

“You’re heading to the reunion tonight, right?” Stephan stood in the door to Sterling’s office with his arms folded.

“I have my ticket but I’m still working on a few RFPs I wanted to finish this week.”

“You’re thinking about skipping it?” Stephan entered, sat down and rested his elbow on Sterling’s glass desk.

Sterling shrugged. “Maybe.”

Stephan looked at his watch. “We can get those in on Monday. You haven’t seen some of those people in ten years.”

“I’m sure it’s going to be nice, but...”

“Think of them as a room full of potential customers.”

Sterling raised his brow. That made the effort worth it. Otherwise, he wasn’t pressed to mingle with his former classmates from Oxford Preparatory School. Many of them were way too pretentious. He chose to drive a luxury vehicle because he liked the car, not because he needed to flaunt his wealth.

“Maybe.” He finally responded to his brother, still not sounding convinced.

“Dude! Think Business. Those are wealthy people and great potential clients. If you don’t go, I will.”

“Your reunion isn’t until next year.”

“And we could have several more clients by then, if you go to yours this year. Besides, why waste the ticket? Is Noah going?”

“Of course.” Sterling chuckled when Stephan mentioned his best friend since high school. “You know he’s not going to miss a party.”

“Then you have to go. Remember how the girls were all over you two in high school. Captain and co-captain of the basketball team.” Stephan sat back, folded his arms and smiled. “Those were the days.”

“Yeah, until some of them found out I was a scholarship student. I wasn’t so attractive when they realized Dad wasn’t paying forty thousand dollars in tuition a year. That was so ridiculous to me.”

“It was, but that didn’t stop you from being popular. The ladies loved Sterling Bishop! You need to go. Take plenty of business cards and treat it like a networking event.”

“I guess it would be nice to see a few old friends.” Sterling looked down at the proposal he’d been working on.”

Stephan slipped the document from under him and flipped it back to the first page. “We’ll get on these first thing Monday morning. Both of us could use the break after the hectic week we’ve had.”

Sterling rubbed his eyes. “You’re right. The words were starting to blur anyway. My eyes must be tired of reading.”

Stephan stood. “Have fun. I’ve got a date to get ready for. Let me know how it goes.”

Sterling looked at his brother sideways. Without asking, he knew Stephan’s date wasn’t with anyone he’d already met. Not even the one he was with last weekend. He would have called her by name.

“What? A single man can’t enjoy himself?” Stephan held his hands out and snickered before leaving Sterling’s office. Stephan’s question confirmed Sterling’s assumption.

Sterling replied with a chuckle. “Have fun, brother,” he said to his back. Stephan waved without turning around.

Sterling had enjoyed several years of frivolous dating before Raven got pregnant with Kylee during their last year of college. That fun stopped when he asked for her hand in marriage. Despite the fact that the union didn’t last, he was cautious about dating and didn’t want to send the wrong message to Kylee by having her witness a plethora of women flowing in and out of his life. Sterling kept his dating low-key. He would only bring someone to meet Kylee if things were really serious. Kylee was the main lady in his life for now.

Sterling shut down his laptop, reached in his desk drawer and retrieved a handful of cards. Tonight would be about business. SB Tech Solutions had risen to the highest ranks of technology firms because of Stephan and Sterling’s combined intelligence, fervor and savvy. The brothers wielded their smarts and charm around like magic wands. Their work and products spoke volumes and they weren’t slowing down anytime soon.

Sterling met Stephan in the hallway on his way out and the two turned off the lights throughout the office before heading to the parking lot. Even now with more than thirty employees, they were still the last to leave the office on any given night.

“Let me know how it goes,” Stephan said as he climbed into his SUV.”

“Will do!” Sterling eased into his convertible and started the car.

Unlike Stephan, he didn’t pull off right away. He started the engine, let it purr and turned on the radio while his top rolled back.

The ride home soothed him. The spring air offered just enough of a cool breeze. Sterling flipped radio stations like most men flipped television channels, taking in a variety of sounds before pulling into his driveway.

Sterling grabbed the mail from the box just before entering the four-bedroom home he’d purchased for his growing family a few years back. The day he closed was the day he and Raven had broken up. Kylee had been three years old then. Raven hadn’t slept there a single night until after their divorce was finalized and the anger they harbored for one another melted away. Somehow they made their way back to being friends.

Sterling checked each room on the first floor. A habit he’d developed living alone. He smiled when he opened the door to Kylee’s room. It was a snapshot of the way she’d left it when she visited for spring break. A doll lay facedown on the royal blue carpet. Stuffed animals seemed to want an escape from the hot pink toy trunk. Colorful pillows in varied sizes lined the head of the bed. Her favorite pink comforter hung slightly over the edge and a pair of fluffy slippers rested by the footboard beside a book about a princess. Sterling hadn’t adjusted a thing. In a few more weeks school would end and she’d be back, filling his home with energy that only a child could stir.

It didn’t take him long to shower and step into a navy blue suit and white shirt. Sterling skipped the tie, opting for a comfortable vibe. He checked his reflection and brushed at the tuft of hair resting on his chin.

Before heading out for the evening, he called Raven so he could speak with Kylee.

“Hi Dad-eeeee!”

“What’s up, sunshine?”

“I have a school trip tomorrow. We’re going to the museum with the dinosaurs. That’s my favorite. Francesca said they scare her. I told her to just hold my hand. Mommy said she could spend the night this weekend. We’re going to have so much fun.”

“I’m sure you will.”

“Can we go to the dinosaur museum there when I come for the summer?”

“Of course. Now tell me about your day.”

Kylee went on excitedly chronicling her day from the moment Raven dropped her off at school until the second before he called her for their evening chat. By the time Kylee was done, Sterling knew what she’d eaten for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. He found out about the stupid boy who pushed Francesca down in the schoolyard and got in trouble and the other silly boy who had a crush on both Kylee and her best friend. Her sweet voice melted his heart.

No one knew, but he’d saved her voicemails so he could listen to that voice whenever he desired. He hated that she now lived so far from him. He never wanted his family split between homes and cherished his summers and school breaks with Kylee. Sterling wished there was a way she could stay with him even though there were zero chances of him and Raven ever getting back together. A little girl needed her mother. He could never deny the fact that Raven was a great mom.

Kylee finished speaking and huffed. Had she been talking so fast that she’d forgotten to breathe? Sterling laughed and shook his head.

“Sounds like you had a great day, princess!”

“It was okay.”

Sterling chuckled. After all of that, her day was just “okay.”

They ended the call in their customary way, sharing how much they loved each other and closing with a long, loud tossed kiss. “Mmmmmmmmmm-mah!”

Sterling looked at his watch and grabbed the keys to the convertible. The cocktail hour ended at nine, which gave him enough time to catch at least half of it. Sterling entered the garage from the kitchen, jumped in the car and revved the engine. He watched the garage door rise, taking note of how the moon had changed places with the sun. Sterling made his way to the country club under the flow of a silver evening light.

After pulling into the circular drive, Sterling stopped and handed his keys to the valet. Inside, hostesses directed him to the appropriate area for his event. Signs for The Oxford Preparatory High School’s Tenth Reunion guided him the rest of the way. Sterling scanned the names at the check-in table to see if Noah had arrived. He hadn’t. His badge was still there. Other badges bore names that Sterling could remember the faces to. He recognized one name for certain—his high school crush. That name stood out as if the letters were illuminated. Funny, he hadn’t thought about her until that very moment. Sterling wondered what she looked like these days. Surely she was still pretty—probably even more beautiful now.

“Good evening and welcome to The Oxford Preparatory High School Reunion.” The woman greeted him in a high-pitched voice that Sterling recognized right away.

A visual of her in frilly dresses came right to him.

“Sterling? Sterling Bishop is that you?” She shrieked.

“Emily, right?”

“Yes!” Excited, she shot up, rounded the table separating the two of them and hugged his neck.

Sterling was taken aback by her reaction. He didn’t remember them interacting much back in school.

Emily released her embrace and held him at arm’s length. “You are some kind of handsome, Mr. Bishop. Are you married? Have children? Do you still live on Long Island?”

The questions came too fast for him to answer. He smiled. “Not anymore. Yes. And Yes.”

Emily tittered, rubbing her hands up and down his arm. “Aren’t you an eyeful? Shame on your ex-wife. I would have never let you get away from me.” Her smile eased into a seductive snicker. “Here.” She finally released him and went back to her side of the table. “Let me get you situated.” She handed Sterling his name badge and a program booklet. “This is your directory. It’s complete with names, professions and business contact information from everyone in our graduating class.” She tilted her shoulder forward. “My email and telephone number is on page forty-four. Feel free to use it.” She winked.

“Thank you. I appreciate that,” Sterling said, pinning his badge to his suit jacket. “See you around?”

“You sure will.” Emily tucked her bottom lip into her mouth and shimmied. “Enjoy the party,” she purred.

Sterling gave her a quick, polite nod and entered the double doors leading to the cocktail reception on the terrace.

“Sterling? Is that you?”

Sterling turned and was face-to-face with his high school sweetheart. Her green eyes sparkled and her skin glowed.

“Kirsten!” A genuine smile crossed his lips. The two hugged.

Immediately after the hug, she stepped back. Sterling noticed her swollen belly and raised a brow with a smile.

Kirsten gently placed her hand on her belly. “Yes. My husband and I are expecting...again!” Playfully she rolled her eyes. “Honey. Come.” She waved a broad-shouldered gentleman over. “This is Sterling Bishop.”

He pointed at Sterling before shaking his hand. “I remember you. Captain of the basketball team, right? John Wales.” He pointed to himself. “From Waldorf Academy. You guys gave us a real run for our money in the playoffs our senior year.”

Recognition came to Sterling right away. “John! Yes. We worked our asses off for that win. You guys weren’t letting up.”

“Ha! Still playing?”

“Every now and then. Good to see you and congratulations on your newest addition.” Sterling gestured toward Kirsten.

The men chatted for a few moments, touching on their professions and current ventures.

Sterling got a drink from the bar and continued to mingle until he heard a familiar voice shout over the crowd. He laughed, rolled his eyes upward and looked in the direction of the obnoxious voice of his best friend, Noah.

“What’s up, dude?” Noah had his arm around a woman whose neckline plunged down to her navel. He didn’t bother to introduce the woman.

Sterling smiled and shook her hand anyway. “What’s up, man?”

“Let’s get this party started.” Noah raised his drink in the air. “Oxford!” he yelled.

“Oh yeah!” Sterling and a few guys cupped their hands around their mouths and responded the way they had back in high school during games.

Noah’s shout raised the level of excitement on the terrace and the chatter grew louder. Familiar faces shifted throughout the space, offering greetings and conjuring up memories of their school days. Midlaugh, Sterling’s eyes landed on a stunning woman with straight, jet-black hair framing the sides of her beautiful face. The navy cocktail dress hugged her curves as if it were made right on her body.

Sterling narrowed his eyes—examining her from a distance. She held the same grace and flair from her teens. Only now it was enhanced with a womanly essence. He found himself wondering if she had married. Sterling brought his snifter to his lips and sipped. He still hadn’t taken his eyes off her. In fact, he enjoyed watching her gracefully maneuver through the crowd. She moved like she had music in her flesh—flowing instead of walking, swaying with the cool breeze of the night air. Other men followed her with their eyes, too. He wasn’t concerned about them.

Chimes rang, followed by a soothing voice ushering them into the main dining area so that the festivities could begin. The voice seemed like it was made just for these announcements.

Sterling watched as she swayed into the main room. The smile planted on his face was held on its own volition. She did it. She made him smile. Sterling looked at his card, checked his table number and looked for it. He put his drink down when he found his seat and then scanned the space again to find her. She was preparing to sit a few tables over. Drawn, he went to her.

“Good evening, ladies. Remember me? How are you doing? You all look lovely tonight.”

“Hey, Sterling!” Dominique said.

“Good evening,” Jewel said with a confident smile.

“It has been so long. How are you?” Harper chimed in.

“I’m very well.” He answered the ladies but made direct eye contact with Jewel. He glanced at her left hand. No ring. Suddenly he was glad he decided to show up.

Chapter 5

Jewel wanted to look away but couldn’t seem to tear her gaze from Sterling’s striking hazel eyes. Good Lord that man was all kinds of handsome! Great bone structure, beautiful teeth, tall, athletic build, and now even more good-looking than he was back in school. Of course she remembered him. Sterling had matured into his manliness extremely well.

Jewel picked up the glass of ice water at her table setting and sipped. It was the only way to break the intense gaze and keep her cool. She could still feel his eyes on her. When she looked up, he wore a gentle smile, revealing those pearly whites framed by luscious lips. His erect posture exuded confidence. Jewel found that and his stylish, well-made suit sexy.

“What are you doing these days?” Harper asked him.

Jewel wished they would cut the small talk so he could walk away and allow her to breathe. Neither of them caught her drift when she fell silent. Dominique and Harper continued to engage Sterling, yet his eyes were glued to her. Jewel grew hot under the collar even though she had on a strapless dress.

She remained silent as the rest of them swapped stories about life since high school. Though she didn’t partake verbally, she absorbed every word that fell from Sterling’s full lips. He listened as much as he talked and Jewel liked that. Even when he spoke of his success, it didn’t sound like bragging. He wasn’t trying to impress them. Sterling was being himself—cool, confident.

Jewel shook her head. Why was she summing him up? She wasn’t interested in this man. She continued to listen but couldn’t help her muscles from tightening when Sterling pulled out pictures of his precious six-year-old daughter and spoke about his ex now living in Chicago with her. It was obvious that he was smitten by the pretty little lady with the adorable mess of curls on top of her head. Everything he’d just said made what she was feeling come crashing to an abrupt halt when he uttered the words my daughter and ex-wife. Jewel looked at the picture, offered a cordial smile and sat back, unfastening herself from Sterling’s intangible draw.

She cleared her throat, which captured their attention. “Excuse me.” She put the glass back down on the table.

“What about you, Jewel? What have you been up to?” Sterling’s grin made her pulse quicken and she wanted to excuse herself again.

What was happening here? “Working the family business,” she said as if it was no big deal that she was heir to a billion-dollar food empire.

“I see.” His response felt compressed. There was so much more behind those two words. Jewel could feel it.

“Hey, ladies!” Noah stepped up, bringing a fresh wind of excitement. His voice boomed, reaching their ears clearly over the hum of the crowd.

“Noah Hamilton!” At first, Harper parked her hands on her hips and then opened her arms for a hug.

“Long time no see, but you’re all still gorgeous.” He passed out hugs and kisses to each one of them.

“How’s it going, Noah?” Dominique asked after their embrace.

“I can’t complain. My dad always said that no one even listens anyway!

“Jewel!” Noah raised his brow. “Life’s been good to you.”

“Yes. Thank you, Noah. You look great!”

“You ladies wouldn’t mind if I stole Sterling for a moment would you?”

“Not at all,” Jewel offered up quickly.

Harper widened her eyes at Jewel. Dominique closed hers for a brief moment and sighed before chuckling. Sterling grinned.

“See you around, ladies.” Sterling lifted his glass before walking off with Noah.

The second he left, Dominique and Harper looked sharply at Jewel who flopped back in her chair.

“Did you see how he looked at you?” Dominique’s hand flew to her chest.

“What. Was. That. About?” Harper sat and fanned herself.

“I don’t know,” Jewel said.

“He wouldn’t take his eyes off you, Jewel. I must say.” Dominique picked up a glass of water. “Sterling Bishop has certainly grown into one fine specimen. I could see you two together,” Dominique added. “He’s gorgeous. You’re beautiful. If the two of you walked down the street together, you’d give people whiplash from trying to look too hard. Ha!” Tickled by her own comment, Dominique actually slapped her knee.

“Sterling Bishop and I could never be an item. Did you forget he just proudly showed us pictures of his little girl and said the word ex-wife?” Jewel shuddered dramatically, generating another round of laughter.

“You are so theatrical,” Dominique waved her hand dismissively.

“No one said you had to marry him.” Harper shrugged.

“Nope. And I don’t believe he’s an Ivy League man, either. We’re not compatible at all!” Jewel lifted her chin punctuating her summation as if the discussion was over.

Dominique twisted her lips at Jewel. “Even you don’t believe that!”

Harper cackled.

“At the very least, I’d say he’s great for a few dates. It doesn’t have to be anything serious if you know what I mean?” Dominique winked.

“You’re so bad!” Harper rolled her eyes in jest.

Jewel hadn’t noticed the music playing until it was lowered and Emily took to the podium to welcome everyone and announced what was to come for the remainder of the evening.

“I bet he’s the type of man that gets all into your system before you even realize you’re smitten.” Dominique went right back to their conversation the moment Emily walked away from the microphone.

Jewel sniffed. “I am not that gullible.”

“Then go out with him. I dare you. He’s obviously interested. You have nothing to lose,” Dominique challenged.

Jewel bit her bottom lip and glanced across the floor to where Sterling was bent over laughing next to Noah. “I imagine he’d be incredible in bed.” The three of them giggled like they were back in high school.

After a scrumptious dinner of lobster and chateaubriand, the organizers began the program starting with an icebreaker activity. A half hour later, it was time to party.

The band played a popular song from their high school years and almost everyone hit the dance floor. Jewel, Dominique and Harper danced together in their own circle. The three weren’t strangers to a party scene.

A tap on her shoulder startled Jewel. She turned around and was swallowed up by Sterling’s piercing hazel eyes.

“Can I join you?”

Jewel’s pulse quickened. She wanted to say no. She couldn’t control this effect he had on her. Despite that, she said yes. Sterling eased his fingers between hers and they swayed to the music together. Jewel felt as if she were back in school. Sterling had never been the object of her affection then, but she felt something brewing now.

Jewel physically shook her head to shake off whatever that feeling was. She stepped back, adding space between Sterling and her, then moved in time with the lively beat. Sterling matched her step for step and before long they were engrossed in a playful battle, stirring up memories of old popular dances. Next, a song came on from their senior year. A certain dance was known to accompany the rhythm. Jewel and Sterling joined the rest of those on the floor moving along with the crowd in unison. They danced, laughed and danced more. Other songs began and ended and the two were still dancing some time later. Dominique and Harper had found partners, too, and were no longer beside Jewel and Sterling. Sweat was beginning to trickle down the center of Jewel’s back. Her body had warmed from all the movement.

“Whew! I need a break.” Jewel panted, threw her head back and laughed. She hadn’t danced that hard in years. She felt free. “That was fun.”

“Let’s get a drink.” Taking her by the hand, Sterling led her off the dance floor and headed to the bar. He asked for two waters and handed one to Jewel. “Want to get some air?”

“Sure.” Jewel took the ice-cold water Sterling had just handed to her. She moaned after a long sip. “I needed this.”

Sterling took her hand again and led them to the terrace. Jewel was hyperaware of his touch as they snaked through the crowd, but didn’t pull away. She liked the way his strong, masculine hand felt wrapped around hers.

Once they hit the terrace, the cool air against her warm sweat-moistened skin caused a slight shiver. They maneuvered past people gathered in groups of two or three until they reached the far end of the terrace, which was lit mostly by the silver light of the moon. Jewel placed her hand on the marble parapet and slowly swept her gaze over the sprawling greenery of the country club and what she could see of the rolling hills on the golf course. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the fresh air, exhaling as slowly as she inhaled.

Sterling stood beside her. “Perfect night, huh?”

“Yes. It’s beautiful. If my mother were here she would scrutinize every crevice of this place.” Jewel turned to face Sterling and chuckled. “She’s so competitive.”

“So you’ve gotten it honestly.”

“What?” Her brows creased. “Me? No.”

Sterling wagged his finger. “I remember you on the girls’ lacrosse team. Unbeatable. Let’s not forget the swim team,” Sterling added. “Didn’t you make all-county and weren’t you named the scholar-athlete of the year?”

Jewel blushed. She’d forgotten all of that. “Well. Yes, there’s that.”

The two laughed and then eased into a sultry silence. Jewel and Sterling studied each other for a moment. The moonlight sparkled in his eyes. Jewel looked away first, turning her attention back to the lush gardens.

“Are you still as active?” Sterling asked after a while. His voice was slightly lower than the moments before.

“In the gym. Other than that, just some occasional horseback riding.”

Sterling nodded. A few more moments of silence passed. “I had such a crush on you in school.”

“Really?” Jewel was genuinely surprised.

“Yep. I was going to ask you to the prom, but Storm Wellington beat me to it.”

“Ha! Storm.” Jewel shook her head and smiled. “I haven’t seen him in years.”

“What ever happened to you two?”

“We dated that summer, went off to college, reconnected a few more summers and then everything just fizzled. He’s in Germany now. He went there for grad school and never came back. We spoke a couple of times. He’s doing well from what I understand.

“And you went to the prom with...” Jewel snapped her fingers and narrowed her eyes. “Angel?”

“Raven.”

“Yes. Raven. I don’t see her here tonight. What ever happened to her?”

“I married her.”

“Oh.” Jewel stood still, unsure of why that bit of information affected her. He’d mentioned his ex-wife inside, but hadn’t said her name. The picture of the little girl with the mess of curls came to mind and she remembered Raven’s face.

“She was pregnant.”

“What?” Jewel was still trapped in her own thoughts.

“The summer before our senior year of college. We got pregnant. So I married her after graduation. I wanted to do the right thing.”

Jewel simply raised her brows and tilted her head sideways, taking note of the fact that he’d said “we.” He was a gentleman.

“It didn’t last a year, but we have our beautiful Kylee. A few years ago Raven got a job offer in Chicago that offered her the opportunity to return to school and pursue her master’s. Our daughter spends summers and school breaks with me until she’s done with school.”

“Oh. That’s nice.” For once Jewel didn’t have much to say. She was ready to head back inside to the party, but not because she didn’t enjoy being alone with him. It just didn’t make sense to entertain his company any longer when she was sure it wouldn’t go anywhere. “Where did you go to school?” she had to ask.

His response was all the confirmation she needed. Sterling’s undergrad degree nor his MBA were earned at an Ivy League school. Jewel was far from judgmental. She still thought fondly of Sterling. He just couldn’t be the one for her. She was certain that there would be areas in life where they wouldn’t be able to relate. The one thing she listened to her mother about was being mindful of dating people you are compatible with. Jewel’s parents were a shining example of how successful a relationship could be when two were equally yoked.

“We should head back inside. The girls are probably looking for me.”

“Yeah. Noah’s probably looking for me, too.” Instead of moving, Sterling retrieved his wallet and pulled out a card. “I’d love to see you again. Perhaps over dinner.”

Jewel hesitated just a moment, smiled and took the card from him. “Sure.” She tucked it in her evening bag without looking it over.

Sterling had taken her hand again. She let him. Pulling away now would make things awkward. Their road ended there anyway. When she got home, she’d toss the card and forget about how piercing his eyes were and how his touch made her skin tingle because there was no way she could ever be with Sterling Bishop.

Chapter 6

Sterling drove to work with Jewel occupying his mind just like he had for the past few mornings. He was glad he listened to Stephan and decided to go the reunion. Seeing Jewel made it worthwhile. Sterling had also had a few inquiries about his technology service offerings since the reunion. Two meetings had already been set up as a result. His only regret was not taking Jewel’s card. He’d left his with her, but she hadn’t called. Sterling knew how women felt about being the first to call, but assumed Jewel was different. From what he remembered, she was a go-getter and Sterling couldn’t imagine her losing that zeal. He wasn’t concerned. Somehow, he’d find a way to get in front of Jewel. He had to.

Sterling couldn’t pinpoint it specifically, but there was something about seeing Jewel that piqued his interest in several ways and he was determined to satisfy his curiosities about her. One night out for dinner would do it. He’d be able to determine if his interest in her was from a lingering childhood crush, or something genuinely fresh and new.

“Mr. Bishop!” The panic in his secretary Ann’s voice snatched him from his thoughts of Jewel. She stood, alarming him with the speed in which she moved. “We have a situation.”

“Good morning, Ann. Please continue,” Sterling urged as he moved past her into his office.

“My apologies, sir. Good morning. I tried to call you and Mr. Stephan, but neither of you answered. There’s a problem at our east end server farm.”

Sterling pulled his phone from his belt and found that he had missed several calls, as well as text and email notifications. He wondered why he hadn’t heard them. “How long ago did this happen?” His jaw clenched when he realized he still had his phone on silent from the board meeting the previous night. It was obvious that he had forgotten to turn the sound back on.

“Only about ten minutes ago. For some reason one of the backup servers seems to be shorting out. It kicks on but won’t stay on.”

Sterling rubbed the back of his neck. “Thank you, Ann. Let me get Stephan on the phone.”

The first ring hadn’t completed before his brother picked up the phone. “I know. I just finished speaking to Phil at the server farm. There was some kind of major outage in the area that was caused by a fire. They’re working on getting the backups running smoothly. It keeps kicking off.”

Sterling washed his hands down his face. “Steph—”

“I know.” Stephan’s huff was audible. “I just pulled up. I’ll be inside in a sec.”

Within the next few minutes every employee on deck had hands in the mix trying to get the situation rectified. Stephan kept in touch with their staff managing the server farm. Sterling was in touch with the utility company regarding the fire that caused electrical transformers to blow and affect their equipment, which housed scores of data from the customers they served. They guaranteed that services would be back up within hours.

At the server farm, maintenance staff worked hard to keep the backup servers running to avoid any major catastrophes.

Stephan walked to Sterling’s office and paced. “This is all over the news.”

“I know.” Sterling pointed at his computer where he was watching the latest report and turned up the volume. Not one, but two major transformers had blown, causing electrical fires to light up electric lines in the area. Homes, businesses and schools in the surrounding area were all out of service. The utility company and local public service authorities were investigating to determine the cause of the problem. Stephan stopped pacing long enough to hear a few moments of the report. Sterling looked at his watch.

An hour had passed and every second counted. Their backup server was still shorting out. The team struggled to keep it up and running. Customers had the lines clogged, reporting issues with their IT systems. The entire office was in crisis management mode. Outside of Sterling’s door a frenzy of people moved to and fro with an urgent pace.

“We should cancel our meetings with prospective clients today.” Stephan returned to Sterling’s office with his suggestion.

“No! We need to go. We’ll work through this. I trust that Phil has the farm covered and he’ll keep us posted. We can deal with any concerns that may come up from our prospective clients. Besides, it’s important for them to know that we are able to manage a crisis and still get business done.” Sterling believed in always moving forward.

“If you say so.” Stephan released a heavy sigh.

Just then, Sterling’s phone rang. He hesitated before answering since he didn’t know the number, but picked up anyway. “Sterling Bishop speaking.”

“Ah. Mr. Bishop. Bobby Dale Chandler of Chandler Food Corp here. How are you?”

“Fine, Mr. Chandler, and yourself?” Sterling stretched his eyes at Stephan. “How can I assist you?”

“A good friend of mine, Don Kota, referred me to you. You know Don, right? Kota Enterprises.”

Sterling put a smile in his voice. “I certainly do. Mr. Kota is a great friend and client.”

“That I know. I was speaking to him about help I was looking for and he said I should call you.”

“I’m happy to be of service. Would you mind if I add my partner to the call?”

“Of course not.”

Stephan eased into the chair on the opposite side of Sterling’s chair. He put Bobby Dale on speaker and after introductions, they listened to him speak about the services he sought. Chandler Food Corp was looking to overhaul their entire IT system and hire his company for ongoing IT maintenance of their network.

“We can certainly do that. The first thing we’d need to do is come by to take a look at what you have in place, get a few more details and we can draw up a proposal for you,” Stephan said, sounding much more cheerful than he had minutes before.

“Sounds like a plan. When can we meet?”

“If you don’t mind holding for one moment, we can check our schedules.” The brothers took a few seconds to pull up their calendars and agree on a date that worked for everyone.

“Wonderful! I’ll see you then. Looking forward to working with you gentlemen.”

Once the call ended, Sterling and Stephan slapped a high five.

“See! Despite setbacks we have to continue moving forward.”

“I’ll call Phil to see if there’s any progress at the farm.” Stephan stood and headed for the door.

“I’ll see what’s happening with the utility company and check in to see about our customers who are being affected.”

Despite being in the middle of their current crisis, Sterling felt better. They had a promising prospect to meet with today and now a major new prospect that also happened to be the company of the woman who recently infiltrated his curiosities. Sterling made a note to call Don, who was also his mentor, and thank him for the referral. It looked like fate was helping him get a little closer to Jewel after all.

With his brother at his side, Sterling jumped headlong back into the situation, striving to lead the company out of the problem they were facing. They ended their day with a visit to their sever farm to make sure their systems would continue working through the night. Damage to the electrical lines and transformers were still being repaired at nightfall, even though their company originally estimated it to be a few hours. News cameras captured every angle while reporters updated the public on all developments. As frustrating as the situation was for the brothers, Sterling excelled under pressure, feeding off the energy it generated. By the time he made it to bed some time in the wee hours of the morning, he felt exhausted, but also accomplished and excited about the upcoming meeting with Chandler Food Corp.

Chapter 7

Jewel took a deep breath before knocking on her father’s office door.

“Come in.” His voice bellowed from the other side.

Jewel tried not to let her nervousness show. Before coming to her father, she’d spoken to Dorothy, who’d prepped her to ask for the promotion. She also promised to coach Jewel and help her succeed in the position.

“Dad. I’d like to speak with you. Is this a good time?”

Bobby Dale peered over the rim of his glasses and sat back. The salt-and-pepper hairs along his temples and in his mustache gave him a distinguished look. “Anytime is a good time for you, my dear.”

“This is about business, Mr. Chandler.” Jewel stood straight. Bobby Dale wiggled his brows, seemingly amused by her serious demeanor. Jewel grinned letting on that she was teasing and sat.

Bobby Dale’s laugh was jovial. That eased the tension for Jewel.

“On a serious note, Dad. I’d really like to talk about the impact of Dorothy leaving and the possibility of me getting promoted to her position.”

Bobby Dale slid his glasses from his face, sat back and peered at Jewel. “Go on.” He encouraged her.

“Well.” Jewel sat up straighter in the chair. “I know that you’ll agree that Dorothy was a dedicated and accomplished leader. Under Dorothy’s and your tutelage, I’ve had the benefit of learning what I need to know to be an effective leader in operations. I recently requested feedback from her regarding what it would take to be successful in her position and determine potential areas for growth. With that, I believe I’m well positioned to take on the position of VP of operations and would love to discuss what it would take to gain that opportunity.” Jewel was relieved. She had gotten out her rehearsed speech without fumbling. She knew she had to exude confidence when speaking with her father as well as prove that she was capable and qualified.

Bobby Dale remained quiet. His expression was unreadable, which made Jewel nervous. She tried not to squirm. Jewel swallowed to keep from clearing her throat, not allowing her anxiety to show. She felt compelled to fill the silence that expanded between them. She’d played her hand. It was time for her father to play his hand and she wouldn’t ruin it with anxious chatter and shoot holes in her confident exterior.

Finally, Bobby Dale pressed his lips together and nodded. “You believe you are qualified?” It was more of a statement than a question. “Tell me why.”

Jewel went through the list of recent accomplishments she’d written down and practiced. Next she communicated the skills she’d developed through her experience and the impact that being coached by Dorothy had on her ability to meet and exceed the expectation of the position, resulting in positive outcomes for the company as a whole.

Bobby Dale went quiet again.

“Here’s what we’ll do. I will give you this new project to manage. If you prove yourself and excel in this role, within the next sixty days, we will discuss the possibility of a promotion. There’s still work and growing that you’ll need to do before you earn the role of VP. What do you think about that?”

“I think that’s a start. Thanks, Dad... I mean, Mr. Chandler.” Jewel’s chest tightened. She bit back her disappointment but wouldn’t let this get her down.

He chuckled. Jewel stood from her chair. She was getting that VP position. After proving herself this time, there would be no way he could deny her. Whatever this project was, she was sure she could meet and exceed her father’s expectations. She couldn’t wait to tell Chris about this meeting. He’d practiced with her both in person and on the phone.

“Wait!” Bobby Dale held up his hand. “We’re meeting with a company tomorrow about the project I just mentioned. We need to overhaul our IT system. Clear your calendar. This company also provides consultants to manage IT and routine maintenance, which is more cost effective for us than hiring a permanent IT professional.”

“Okay.” Jewel nodded waiting for more information.

“They were referred to me by Don. He mentioned that they are known to be the best in the area. Dorothy will join us for the initial meeting but won’t be around to manage the majority of the process. That will now be on you.”

“No problem. I’ll take care of it. Thank you for giving me this chance.”

“You’re welcome. I expect to be impressed by your professionalism.”

“You got it. Thanks again.” Jewel felt like pumping her fist. On the way out of her father’s office, she paused and turned back. “By the way. What’s the name of the company so I can do my research?”

“SB Tech Solutions.”

Jewel made a mental note to look them up. She wasn’t sure why, but something about the name sounded familiar. “You won’t be disappointed,” she told her father.

Thrusting her chest forward, she bounced back to her office. That promotion was in her hands. She sent a few emails to clear her calendar for the next day and rearranged items on her to-do list. Jewel opened a tab on her browser and was typing in the company name her father had just given her when her phone rang. She picked it up and filled her brother in on the details of the meeting with her father. When Jewel got back to her emails, she had to shift her focus to handling a contract she’d been waiting on from a new supermarket chain.

When Jewel looked at the time again, she realized it was after five. She was scheduled for a six-thirty boot camp class. With rush hour traffic, she’d have just enough time to get there, change into her workout gear and get ready for class. Her office was only twenty-five minutes away from her gym, but at this time of the day, travel times easily stretched into forty to fifty minutes.

Jewel shut down her computer, grabbed her purse and headed to the car. She double-checked that her gym bag was in the back seat before pulling out. The boot camp was hard but she made it through. She’d come out looking as if she’d traveled through rain. When class was finally over Jewel was starving. On the way home she stopped to grab something to eat. In the house, she showered, ate and pulled out her laptop to review her personal email. Moments later, she woke up and found her fingers still on the keyboard. She had fallen asleep and wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Deciding to check the company out in the morning before the meeting, Jewel went to bed.

Jewel woke the next morning energized and ready for her new project. The moment she got to work, she pulled up the company name and headed to the ABOUT US section of their website. She admired the clean, sleek look and feel of the website. It was indicative of a savvy tech company. She perused the information that told of all the services the company provided. Before she could explore other sections her phone rang. Their meeting was set to take place in the executive boardroom and their guests had already arrived. Jewel realized she’d never asked what time the meeting was. First thing in the morning worked fine for her.

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