MARRYING MR. RIGHT (The Brides of Hilton Head Island Book 3) (8 page)

              Muscles flickered in Antonio’s jaw. “How could you do this to me, Father? How?” Breathing harshly, Antonio balled his fists, then stormed out of the room.

              Colton barked, “Don’t you walk out of here. I’m not done!”

              Tears dripped from Katherine’s eyes. “Antonio feels betrayed. I don’t blame him. He’s the oldest, Colton. The oldest. If anyone is going to run the company and handle all that money, it should be your oldest son.”

              Zeke’s muscles tensed beneath his collared dress shirt.
God, please heal my father,
he thought, sitting quietly. Trying to absorb everything going on around him. 

              Bane shook his head negatively. “Mom, who runs the company should be the least of any of our worries. Our main concern should be Daddy’s health.” Keeping a stern face, Bane looked at his father. “I’m sorry to hear about your health. Please let me know how I can be of any help, Dad.”

              Upon hearing his father had cancer, sadness filled Zeke’s heart. Determined to remain positive, he shifted in his seat and gazed at Colton’s sullen eyes. “Same here. When’s your next appointment? I want to go with you.”

              Colton nodded at the attorney, Gar. “Paperwork, please.” Gar reached inside his briefcase, extracted some papers, and extended them to Colton. “The only thing I need for you two to do is see to it that Balfour Enterprises keeps thriving. Zeke, you will run this company while I’m away. If he accepts, Antonio will be second-in-charge. This is the contract.” Clenching the contract in his hands, Colton’s eyes roamed up and down the extensive lettering. He then laid the contract on the table, retrieved an ink pen from his shirt pocket, and scribed his name on the dotted line. A smile developed on Colton’s face as he slid the contract towards Zeke. “You’ve worked hard, Zeke. You deserve to run Balfour Enterprises. Sign the contract and make it official, my son.”

              Zeke lifted the contract in his hands. “Are you sure?”

              Colton nodded. “I wouldn’t be doing this if I weren’t sure.”

              A sense of achievement sparked inside Zeke as he wrote his signature on the dotted line. “Thanks for believing in me,” he said, sliding the signed contract back towards Colton.

              Colton signed his name beneath Zeke’s, and now the contract was signed and sealed. He then handed it to Gar. “Here, Gar. It’s official. Zeke is the new CEO of Balfour Enterprises.”

              Gar took the contract, overlooked it, and shook Zeke’s hand. “Congratulations, Zeke.”

              Katherine grabbed a tissue from her purse, dabbed the corners of her eyes. “I can’t help wondering if this is a mistake. Antonio is your firstborn, Colton. Your firstborn. Antonio should be the CEO, not Zeke,” Katherine whined.

              Seemingly irritated, the line of Colton’s mouth tightened a fraction more. “Just because Antonio is my firstborn, doesn’t mean he’s equipped with the right skills to run a billion dollar organization. From my perspective, Antonio has demonstrated that he’s an irresponsible, pompous ass.” Putting a hand to her chest, Katherine gasped. “He’s never worked hard for a thing in his life. Everything Antonio has has been given to him, not earned. You can thank yourself for his behavior. You’ve spoiled him rotten, Katherine. Zeke and Bane, on the other hand, they work hard. Put in way more hours than Antonio. They speak with the customers. Keep the finances in order. The renovations. From the maids and butlers all the way to the executives, Zeke gets shit done. Conversation over.”

              Katherine’s face contorted, then turned bright red. She hopped from her seat, snatched her purse from the chair next to her, and ran out of the office.

              Colton cleared his throat. His lips turned up into a smile as he extended his hand toward Zeke. “Congratulations on your new position at Balfour Enterprises, my son.”

              Zeke gripped his father’s hand and gave him a firm shake. “Thanks, Dad. I’m going to make you proud.”

              Colton released Zeke’s palm. “You already have. The first thing I need for you to do, though, is go to Paris.”

              Surprised, Zeke shifted in his chair. “Paris? We don’t have any business in Paris. So why there?”

              Colton clasped his hands. “We don’t have any business there yet. One of your grandfather’s greatest wishes was to someday build a hotel in Paris. Before I die, I want you to make your grandfather’s greatest wish come true. Have a hotel built in Paris. And do it quick. I want to see it done before I leave this Earth, Zeke.”

             
Is this cancer worse than he’s telling us?
Zeke wondered, the pit of his stomach churning with apprehension. Zeke wanted to ask his father if the cancer had spread, but decided the time to inquire about it was all wrong. “You’re going to live a long time; however, your wish is my command. I’ll go to Paris and look for sites to build on next week.”

              Colton shook his head. “Why put off to next week what you can do tomorrow?”

              Knowing this was important to his father, Zeke agreed. “I’ll make some contacts with some realtors in Paris tonight. If anything sounds promising, I’ll leave for Paris first thing in the morning.”

              Colton and Zeke stood at the same time. Colton threw his arms about his son’s shoulders and gave him a big bear pat on his back. Clutching his shoulders, his father released him. His eyes showed pride. “I love you, Zeke. Your mother, Bridget, would be so proud of you. Now go make your calls.”

              “Thanks again, Dad. Goodnight.” Smiling, Zeke turned on his heels and stalked out of the conference room. Already imagining how he wanted the hotel in Paris to be built, he smiled harder. The hotel was going to be one of the tallest and grandest in the whole entire world.

              Feeling good about his father’s decision to make him CEO of Balfour enterprises, Zeke pushed the elevator button. The golden doors slid open, and Zeke stepped inside. With his back to the wall, the door glided closed.
Look out, Paris. Here I come.

Chapter Eight

Paris, France

Three days later

             
P
eople packed the inside of the Parisian eatery,
Ladurée Bakery & Coffee shop
. The bakery looked more like an elite jewelry store than a bakery.
Chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Stainless steel chairs accompanied the circular glass tables. Diamonds outlined the glass displays containing the beautiful assorted pastries and desserts. 

             
Sitting at the circular glass table by the window
across from Pierre, Taylor brought her hot cup of coffee to her lips and sipped. Gazing at the delicious pastries inside the glass display, Taylor’s stomach growled. Seasonal winter pastries lined the shelves, displayed like fine works of art. Deciding she’d better pass on the red velvet cupcake that kept calling her name, she gazed back at Pierre.
             

             
Holding a pamplemousse macron to his lips, Pierre tore his gaze from the crowded sidewalk filled with people, looked at Taylor, and bit into his Parisian pastry. “Mmmp. This is so delicious,” Pierre spoke around his food. “Want a bite?”

              Licking her lips, Taylor nodded. Pierre handed her his tasty dessert, and she took a big bite. Always feeling like she had to watch her figure because of her career, she devoured the tasty treat. “Oh my God. This is sooo good, Pierre.”

              “I know. Now give it back, honey.” Pierre held out his hand, and Taylor handed the pastry back to him. Although Pierre was Taylor’s talent agent, he was also her good friend. “So. Are you ready to dye your hair red, honey?” He chuckled.

              “For three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, I sure am.” Holding the hot mug to her lips, the delightful aroma of the gourmet coffee wafted up her nose. Curling her lips around the rim of the mug, she sipped the warm vanilla, sweet orange coffee.
Mmm, Ladurée’s gourmet coffee is the best in town
.

              “Good. This morning, I got two calls requesting your services. One was for a toothpaste commercial, and the other was for a hotel billboard. Apparently, some new hotel is being built here, and they’re looking for some models. Honey, I tell you…you’re hot stuff.”

              Taylor blushed. “Thanks, Pierre. For everything. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I love you.”

              Pierre fanned his face. “Ah. Stop it, honey. You’re going to make Pierre cry. And Pierre hates crying. What can I say? I love you, too, honey. Now let’s discuss this toothpaste commercial, because that’s coming up real soon.”

              When Pierre had mentioned ‘hotel’, Taylor couldn’t help thinking of Zeke’s father, Mr. Colton Balfour’s hotel in Hilton Head Island. Although she’d been very young when she’d lived in Hilton Head Island, she’d known that Zeke’s father owned a hotel and was a very wealthy gentleman; however, it wasn’t until she’d gotten older that she realized Zeke’s father was a billionaire. “When are they looking to do the billboard for the hotel?”

              Pierre shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t have much information on that yet. According to the advertisement agency, they haven’t even started building it, so it’s still early in the game.”

              “Oh. Well, about this toothpaste commercial. Who’s it for?”

              “Colgate, baby!”

              Taylor laughed when she heard the excitement in Pierre’s voice.

INSIDE Rue des Ecoles breakfast eatery, the waitress lowered Zeke’s breakfast plate in front of him. “Is there anything else I can get you at this time?” the pretty dark-haired young lady asked.

              Zeke shook his head. “No, thanks.” Smiling, the waitress turned and walked away. Sitting across from the architect named Francois, Zeke eyed his plentiful breakfast. Eggs, bacon, sausage franks, and French toast covered his dish. “This looks good.”

              Francois lifted the ceramic cup of hot green tea sprinkled with black pepper to his mouth. “It is good. Wait until you taste the French toast. It just melts in your mouth.”

              Zeke blessed his food, then forked the French toast into his mouth. A buttery, sweet maple flavor burst onto his tongue. “This is delicious.”

              “I come here all the time, just for the French toast. Tried to make it myself, but burned the heck out of it.”  Francois sipped his tea, then lowered the cup to his napkin. “Back to what I was saying earlier…as you requested, I sketched the ceiling for the hotel to reflect an ornamental mural. The cartouche is going to look great painted in acrylics, with twenty-three gold karat leaves.”

              “I can’t wait to see the final designs.”

              Leaning back in his chair, Francois crossed his legs at the knee. “If you don’t mind me saying, normally the CEO isn’t as involved with the minor details, such as the arts, as you. They normally just hire someone to do it for them.”

              Zeke agreed. “Normally, I wouldn’t partake in the minute details such as this either; however, this hotel is very important to my father. It’s a representation of my grandfather and his dream for his legacy. That being said, I’m going to be involved in every single part of the building’s structure.”

              Francois curled a finger over his mustache. “Wow. So this building was your grandfather’s dream, huh?”

              “Yes.” Zeke scooped cheesy scrambled eggs onto his fork, then held them to his mouth. “I want the hotel building’s interior to reflect the women ancestors in the Balfour family.”
Although
my mother didn’t carry the Balfour name, my father loved her as such. So the penthouse suites will reflect her sweet personality.
“And I want the exterior to reflect the Balfour men…strong, determined, passionate, creative, complicated.”

              “I think I can handle that,” Francois stated.

              Enjoying his breakfast, Zeke peered out the window next to where he sat. Zeke found the structures of the surrounding buildings in Rue de Rivoli-Le Marais captivating, like the Hotel de Ville building across the street. Located in the fourth arrondissement, the building held large receptions, housed local city administrators, and the Mayor              of Paris. Yes, all of that was interesting, but so were the many details in the structure.
What a beautiful building.

              Arched windows, thick white columns, tall, spacious, refined with light, Hotel de Ville had taken years to build, and he saw why. Wanting the new Balfour Hotel in Paris to have detailed structure like the one across the street, Zeke came up with some great ideas. “Francois.”

              “Yes.” Francois uncrossed his legs and leaned into the table.

              Zeke’s eyes went back to the Hotel de Ville across the street. “See how the roofs over there have different elevations?”

            
 
Francois nodded. “Let me guess, you’d like something like that for the Balfour? I can definitely come up with something like that. I think that’s a great idea. If we paint the roof a nice gold and…”

              As Zeke sat listening to Francois, a tall, beautiful woman wearing a long white coat gracefully walked past the window along the sidewalk. Zeke’s breath caught. His heart lurched as his eyes followed the woman.
Jesus Christ.
From the side, the woman had a striking resemblance to Taylor. A much older Taylor, but still Taylor.             

              “Excuse me!” Zeke leapt from the table, stormed out of the breakfast eatery, and began following the beautiful woman. Slinking in and out of tourists walking along the jammed sidewalk, Zeke kept his eyes trained to the woman’s backside.

              Wearing a pair of red high heels, the woman eased her hands into the pockets of her white winter coat. The rich, brown curly hair parading down her back blew with the wind.

              Trying to catch up with the elegant woman, Zeke’s heart beat like drums inside his tight chest.
Oh God. Is that Taylor? No. My eyes must’ve been playing tricks on me.
Wind whipped at Zeke’s cheeks. Anxious to catch up with the woman, his heartbeat escalated. Walking faster and faster, in and out of people, he watched the woman make a sharp left at the corner and disappear.
Damn.
 

              Desperate to catch up with the woman, Zeke jogged the long length of the sidewalk. When he reached the end, he made a sharp left turn.
Thank God she didn’t disappear
. The beautiful, elegant woman’s long hair covered the side of her face as she stood at Jaubalet, a custom made jewelry store, peeping at a piece of jewelry through the window. Head almost touching the glass window, she brought her hands up to the sides of her head, covering her face more.

              Heart pounding, Zeke took slow, purposeful strides towards the woman. Passing chic shops, he swallowed. From the side, the woman looked every bit like Taylor. His high school love. His one and only true love. The love of his life. But because he hadn’t seen Taylor in so long, in years, since he was a young boy, he couldn’t be sure if it was her or not.
No way in hell it’s her.

              Heart about to pop out of his chest, Zeke now towered over the woman. With her hands positioned sideways to the sides of her head, she didn’t bother looking up at him; she kept looking at the sparkling diamond ring.

              “It’s a beautiful piece of jewelry, isn’t it?” Slowly, the woman turned her head and gazed up at him. Shock coursed through Zeke’s veins. His knees buckled. The pecan brown complexion on her face looked like satin. Curly, rich brown hair hung over her shoulders. Sensual caramel eyes glowed. If this woman wasn’t Taylor, then she damn sure was Taylor’s twin. Zeke slapped hard hands to his chest. “Oh. My. God…Taylor.”