Tempting Prince Charming

Chapter 2

2

Thad pushed through the misted glass doors and entered the main lobby of their company. He was instantly greeted by his assistant. “Mr. Worthington, you’re early!”

Thad gave his usual reply. “I’m always early.”

The offices of Worthington Enterprises were sleek and modern, with a touch of antique gilding, a faded memory of the roaring twenties. Its design was tempered by the modern age and was a style Thad very much loved.

He’d gone through a period in college where he’d been obsessed with The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Perhaps it was a bit of hubris, to be obsessed with a mysterious billionaire literary figure, but Gatsby had been his idol.

It wasn’t because of what people usually thought when they read the book. Gatsby was a tragic figure, not a hero, and what drew Thad to him was knowing the man had lived his whole life with one vision: winning the heart of a woman he could never truly have. He’d built up a glittering, powerful empire, only to have it crumble just as he foolishly believed he held the woman of his dreams in his arms forever.

There was something to the irony of getting what a person truly wanted, only to lose everything else. In a way, he identified with it. He shoved thoughts of Gatsby aside and focused on his assistant.

“What did you find out about that brownstone?” he asked. Brandon stuck by his side, matching his pace as they walked toward his office.

“I’ve got the owner’s name, phone number, and the current market value with the specs on the house.” He handed Thad the information, neatly printed on expensive card stock with the company letterhead. Thad brushed his thumb over the name Annette Becker.

“My father in yet?”

“He is. Your mother will be by for lunch with the both of you later.”

“Thanks, Brandon. I sent you some reports early this morning. Review and we’ll discuss them in an hour. I want to hear your thoughts.”

“You got it,” the young man replied eagerly. He was the son of a friend of Thad’s father. Despite how nepotism usually worked out in the workplace—that is to say, badly—Thad had been pleasantly surprised by Brandon’s intelligence and work ethic. Most Ivy League kids were smart but putting in the necessary effort left most of them clueless. Thad supposed most people would think the same of him, but they would be wrong. He’d gone to Princeton on an academic scholarship and later approached his father, who’d been an investment banker at the time, to open Worthington Enterprises with him four years ago. With Thad’s aggressive confidence and his father’s reserved analytical approach to balance each other out, they made a great team.

Thad didn’t go see his father just yet. First, he went to his own office and pulled his cell out. He dialed the number for Annette Becker and watched the Chicago skyline as he listened to the phone ring.

“Hello?” a woman answered.

“Ms. Becker?”

“Mrs. Becker,” she corrected, and he realized he was speaking to someone a little older, perhaps his parents’ age. “Who is this?”

“Mrs. Becker, my name is Thad Worthington. I understand you own a brownstone on North Astor Street? The one with the coffee shop on the first floor?”

“It’s actually in a trust over which I’m the sole trustee with discretion to sell. Has my tenant done something? If that—” the woman cut herself off. “I’m sorry, what did you say was the reason you called?”

“I am interested in making an offer on it, if you wouldn’t mind showing me the rest of the property at a time that’s convenient for you?”

“I might,” Mrs. Becker said slowly. “My asking price is three and half million.”

He checked the details that Brandon had written down. “Zillow has it listed for $2,895,000.” The report said it had three bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs with a business property on the first floor for a total of 5100 square feet. Half of that was likely downstairs and had been modified with the construction of the coffee shop, but he could easily put money in to have it restored to a normal residence when he moved in.

“Yes, well, the home has sentimental value. It belonged to my late husband.”

“My sincerest condolences.” He said at once, even though the woman didn’t sound at all that upset. “If you aren’t interested in selling, I completely understand.” He gave the customary pause, letting her think it over.

“I can make time to show it to you on Sunday. I will make sure the renters are out when you arrive.”

“Wonderful.” Thad gave Mrs. Becker his cell number. “Just text me a time for Sunday.”

“I will,” she assured him in a much sweeter voice than she’d initially used. She was definitely willing to sell and the thought made him smile. Today was Friday, so he would only have to wait a few days to check out the brownstone’s upper floors.

With his personal project out of the way for now, it was time to visit his father. Whereas most men in his father’s position would have a corner office, or at least have a large window, Timothy Worthington did not. Thad’s father preferred an office in the center of the floor, where he could be close to his employees and feel approachable. It represented the sort of man Timothy was: a good, kind man who’d been glad to leave the exhausting hours of investment banking behind. Thad’s mother had also been thrilled by the career change.

Thad knocked on his father’s half open door.

“Come in.”

Thad pushed his way inside and grinned at the sight of his father examining a model of a new hotel structure. It was one Thad didn’t recognize.

“New project?”

His father gave a delighted smile. “Yes, it’s the model for a series of two-story beach houses along the Gold Coast, though I’m tempted to rebuild some of the old mansions that were torn down. What do you think would be better?”

“You know what my vote would be.” Thad would rather have a glorious mansion turned into a modern hotel than have dozens of small beach homes litter the coast.

“Restored mansions it is.” His father set the beach house model aside and leaned back in his chair. “Our afternoon meeting got pushed back to tomorrow. You’re free if you have anything you need to do around the city.”

That was good news. Thad wanted to see the brownstone again in daylight. He’d learned early on that a person had to see a space in both the light and the dark before they could truly judge its worth.

“I’m thinking of buying a place on North Astor Street…” He wasn’t sure why he needed to tell his father, other than to see if he approved. That was rare; he usually didn’t seek approval from his parents. Thad was close to both of them, but he’d always been confident enough to do what he wished on his own. But something about this property felt different. It was a personal investment as opposed to a business interest.

“One of those lovely houses?” His father stroked his chin. “Are you thinking of moving out of the penthouse?”

“Sort of. I still want to keep that space for entertaining.”

Timothy chuckled, understanding what Thad meant, albeit in a vague way. “Well, you never needed my opinion before, but I’d say go after it. Those places were built to last.”

“Thanks.”

When Thad returned to his office, he sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers. The walls were covered with black and white photos of various real estate projects. He liked the sharp contrast the photos provided. His gaze drifted past the frames and far into the distance as his thoughts left work behind.

All he could think about was that house, and how he’d felt last night as he sang with his whole heart and soul under its roof.

“He’s back!” Zelda announced with an excited whisper.

Veronica was busy cleaning out one of the smoothie blenders in the sink. It had broken…again. The damn thing had been a piece of crap from the moment it had arrived. “Who?”

“Chris Hemsworth!”

“Zelda!” She spun around to tell Zelda to hush but froze as she saw that he was standing at the counter. Zelda was in a daze, as though the man’s ridiculously good looks were somehow more hypnotic in daylight.

Veronica gently nudged Zelda away from the cash machine to talk to the attractive stranger.

“What can I get you?”

“Black coffee, light cream.”

“Sure thing.” Veronica accepted his credit card and couldn’t help but notice the name. Thad Worthington. He had one of those heavy black credit cards she knew had no monetary limit. The thought made her dizzy and his name sounded super rich, like the hot jerk a girl would crush on at an elite boarding school in some cheesy coming-of-age rom-com.

Veronica glanced up and found him smiling at her in a way that brought back the same fluttering in her stomach from the other night.

“I don’t suppose I can have my card back?” he asked, still smiling.

“Oh, God. I’m so sorry.” She handed it back quickly. “I don’t usually get so—” she trailed off before she admitted she’d been gawking at him.

“It’s okay. I get that a lot, ever since the article.”

“What article?”

“The one in… Never mind.” Thad’s eyes, a soft hazel green that burned like ginger fire, focused on her intently. “You really don’t recognize me?”

“I…should I?” Veronica felt like she was the butt of a joke the universe was telling and she was missing the punchline. “Wait, are you in a band?”

“No, it’s… It’s not important,” Thad recovered quickly. “Thank you.” He glanced down at her chest and she flushed at such undisguised appraisal. Then she realized he was just looking for a name tag. She’d forgotten hers in the back of the shop.

“Veronica… I’m Veronica.” She could have smacked herself. This guy didn’t care what her name was.

“I’m Thad. Nice to meet you.” He extended his hand and Veronica took it. His grip was strong but not threatening. He gave it a gentle shake.

“It’s nice to meet you, too,” she said, feeling incredibly shy beneath the gentle but no less intense gaze of this gorgeous man.

When he released her hand, the world around her came crashing back. Zelda running the espresso machine, the buzz and chatter of customers. For a moment, this man had erased the background completely. Only Parker had ever done that to her before.

Thad gave her one last look before he chose a table facing the street and sat down.

“Wow…” Zelda said the word, managing to give it three syllables. “Put your eyes back in your head, boss.”

Veronica tried, but damned if she wasn’t distracted for the next half hour glancing at the man who sat quietly reading the newspaper. Veronica had let Zelda deliver the coffee to him and despite her sweet flirtations, Zelda returned to the counter with a defeated frown.

“He has to have some superhot girlfriend, right? Probably dates models or something,” Zelda muttered as she scrubbed almost too vigorously at the imaginary stains on the countertop.

“A guy like that?” Veronica chuckled. “He definitely has a girlfriend, maybe even a dozen. He looks like a player.”

Veronica forced her focus away from Thad, and it was a short while later when she glanced back, that her heart sank. Another attractive man had joined Thad at the table, carrying a baby carrier. The man reached down, pulled the baby out and handed the child to Thad, who accepted with a sheepish grin and bounced the baby on his knee, making the child squeal.

“Oh damn, he’s gay. I knew he was too freaking gorgeous to be straight,” Zelda said. She sighed. “They make a beautiful couple, though, don’t they?”

“Yeah, you’re right. They look good together.” Veronica turned her back and buried any of the silly daydreams she’d started to form about Thad in the sweet nebulous clouds of her mind.

Thad handed back his best friend’s one-year-old daughter, Hayley, despite the fact that she wanted to play more. “So, how’s things?”

Jared Redmond was a top-flight real estate attorney who’d recently married a woman who worked at the Chicago Art Institute as a junior director. They both kept long hours, but somehow had managed to do the whole “raise a kid thing,” something which still impressed Thad.

Jared sighed and leaned back in his chair, a picture of ease. “Things are great. Felicity sends her love, by the way.”

“Fatherhood looks good on you.” Thad couldn’t resist teasing Jared about that. Hayley had been an unexpected but welcome surprise to the couple.

“Yeah, it does.” Jared’s eyes softened as he shot a peek into the baby carrier at his feet. “So, why are we here? We usually do drinks at Hackney’s,” Jared asked.

“I wanted your opinion.” Thad nodded subtly at the brownstone around them.

Jared didn’t pick up on his hint. “On?”

“This place.” Thad pointed a finger upstairs. “It’s got a residence upstairs.”

“Yeah? Have you seen it yet?”

“No. I will this weekend, though.” He grinned. “I love the feel of this place.”

Jared seemed to notice the change in Thad as he spoke of the brownstone. “So you’re thinking of living here? What about the penthouse?”

“I’ll keep it open for fun, but it would be nice to have a place that’s out of the way.”

His friend smiled. “You want a real home.”

He hadn’t thought of it like that but that was indeed what this was going to be. A real home. He could leave his wild party days and endless women for the penthouse.

“Let me get this straight. You, Thad, the man who only gives a girl one date, is thinking of settling down?”

“No,” Thad laughed. “I just want to keep that part of my life separate. When I own this place, I want it to be my private sanctuary.”

“You mean No Girls Allowed.”

“Not quite so Calvin and Hobbes, but yeah.”

Jared shook his head. “You and your damn models. You know none of those women are real, right? Real women are sweet and sexy by being themselves, not acting like a man’s boyhood fantasy. You should try dating a real woman if you want a real home.”

Thad played with his empty coffee cup. “You stole the real woman I wanted. You also knocked her up and married her.”

Jared’s laughter died. “Don’t forget I got there first. I staked my claim on Felicity before you ever met her.”

Thad watched his best friend turn all caveman over his wife. Felicity had been the first woman to tempt Thad into changing his ways, but it had been clear from the moment they met that she was never going to be his, and he’d done the honorable thing and helped get her and Jared back together.

Thad wasn’t even sure if he would ever fall in love the way Jared had. He’d thought he’d been in love once, but he’d been wrong. Ever since then, he’d kept his emotional distance.

“You know what? You need a real date for a change. Not with the usual girls you date. You need someone who isn’t pretending to be someone else.” Jared looked around the coffee shop. “You need to date someone… like her.” He gave a subtle jerk of his head toward the Chi-Bean’s counter.

Thad followed his gaze to the woman currently smacking a possibly broken smoothie machine with a furious yet adorable snarl on her face. She had the most stunning black hair pulled into a ponytail that he remembered from the first night he was here. He’d introduced himself to her earlier when he’d realized she hadn’t recognized him from the GQ magazine interview. It had been refreshing for a woman not to know who he was. She’d still given him that adorable “deer-in-the-headlights” look like other women did though.

“You know that she’s not a challenge, right?” Thad said. Seducing a girl like that would be all too easy.

“Oh, but that’s not the challenge. The challenge is you can’t sleep with her until fifteen dates in.”

The gauntlet thrown, Thad stared at his best friend. “You think I can’t make it fifteen dates without s*x?”

“I know you can’t.” Jared’s smug smile made Thad lean in to growl in response.

“Want to bet on it?”

“What’s the point? You’d only lose.” Jared shot back.

“Fine, if I win…” Thad grinned eagerly. “You have to name your next little tyke after me.”

“And if I win, you name your next new hotel ‘Jared’s Place.’”

Thad snorted. He could make it fifteen dates just hanging out with a woman.

“Deal.” He thrust his hand out and Jared shook it.

Thad glanced over at the young woman in question. She’d abandoned the smoothie machine and was now on the phone, still angry. She looked kind of cute when she was pissed. His eyes moved over her body, noting how the baby blue apron hugged her curves.

“Batter up,” Jared chuckled and sat back to watch Thad go to work.

Thad headed for the counter, catching snippets of the woman’s conversation.

“The warranty’s still good. Yes, that’s why I’m calling. I need a replacement. It’s been giving me trouble since the day I bought it. It’s a lemon, okay?” She paused, then closed her eyes and sighed. “Yes, that’s my address. Please expedite the shipping if you can. Thank you.” She hung up and turned to face him only to gasp and go red.

“Oh gosh! I’m so sorry. Can I get you something?”

“Veronica, right?” He was fairly certain that was what she told him half an hour ago.

“Yeah…” Veronica’s eyes were that lovely storm blue and held a hint of gray. She was very pretty, and he was going to enjoy proving Jared wrong. He had self-control. He could make it fifteen dates with this girl. She couldn’t be more than twenty-three or twenty-four. He’d be careful not to break her heart. She looked so damn innocent, not like some of the women he’d dated. Those girls he’d been with always tried to look older than they were, sophisticated and sexy…but Jared was right about them. It was all a performance, completely unreal. It hadn’t bothered him, though, until today.

God, he’d become jaded, hadn’t he? Maybe it would be nice to be with a real woman for a while, someone whose beauty was natural, who wore clothes not designed to seduce, and whose unguarded smiles were its own reward.

“Sir?” Veronica broke through his thoughts.

He smiled at her but didn't lay it on too thick. Go slow, he reminded himself. “This is going to sound crazy, but can I have your number?”

“For the Chi-Bean? Sure it’s—” she started to pick up one of the coffee house business cards on a little stand. Thad reached out and gently caught her wrist.

“No, your number.” He never let his eyes leave hers. He was beginning to become obsessed with that shade of blue. What would those eyes look like when she was gazing at him in full arousal, her body writhing beneath him as he covered her with kisses? Thad slammed the door shut on that mental image before he got too carried away.

“My number?” Veronica stared at him. Her gaze darted toward the table with Jared and then back to him.

“Yeah, I’d take you out for coffee, but you seem to have that covered here. How about drinks instead?” Thad gave a charming chuckle that made her flush an even deeper red.

Veronica continued to stare at him. Suddenly the other employee, the cute college kid who’d tried to flirt with him earlier materialized next to Veronica.

“Here’s her number.” She nodded toward Jared as she handed Thad a slip of paper with a number on it. “We both thought you were taken.”

“Thanks. I’m definitely not taken. That’s a friend of mine.” He glanced at Jared who was watching him intently, a smile twitching at the corners of his lips.

“I’m Zelda,” the girl said and nudged Veronica out of her state of shock.

“Look sir, I’m sorry. I really don’t think—”

“Don’t,” Thad smiled. “Think that is. This is just a drink, a chance to get to know each other when you’re not on the clock. It’ll be fun. How about tonight?”

“I…” Veronica’s expressions were so easy to read. She was trying to find a way out of this. That was interesting…

“We close at ten tonight, but she can meet you here at eight,” Zelda said.

At this, Veronica shot her a glare. “I’m sorry, but I can’t. I need to be home at nine, remember?”

Zelda shrugged. “Talk to Katie. She can cover for you for one extra hour, right?” Zelda’s face had hardened to stone, but there was nothing mean about the expression. More like she was determined to win the argument.

“It’s one hour,” Zelda continued.

“I won’t keep you past that. Scout’s honor.” Thad winked at her.

“Okay,” she agreed slowly. “But I really have to be back by nine.”

“Excellent.” He typed her details into his phone and sent her a text with his name.

“I’ll be here at eight to pick you up, Veronica.” He turned and went back to his table, excited but also curious about the woman’s hesitation. Was his game off?

Back at his table, Jared was grinning even more smugly than before.

“Real women aren’t so easy, are they? Even starstruck, she still had to be pushed into it. You might make it fifteen dates after all. I think I made this too easy for you.”

Thad clenched his jaw. He definitely hadn’t expected so much resistance from the girl and while a challenge was fun, he didn’t want Jared to think he had a chance of winning.

“I can’t wait for you to tell Felicity her next kid is going to be named Thaddeus or Thadosia.”

“Thadosia?” His friend laughed, startling a few of the customers drinking their foaming lattes.

“Shut up before you scare your kid.” Thad grumbled as they got up and left the Chi-Bean.

“You are so off your game. I have to call Angelo. He has to hear this.” Jared pulled out a cell phone to call Angelo, Thad’s other best friend.

Today was going to be a long day. But tonight… Tonight he was taking Veronica, a cute coffee barista out for drinks. A nice, normal girl on a nice, normal date. How hard could it be?