Reluctant Romance (2 page)

“But surely the cost of veterinary care, medicine, and operations must be a drain on the company financials.”
 

Risa could almost see the wheels in Connor’s brain turning, trying to calculate how much the clinic cost them with no thought to the good it did.

“Well, it’s not that expensive, we do have people who volunteer their time and we get a discount on the supplies,” she offered.

“I guess we’ll let the accounting sheets tell us whether this is a drain on the company or not.”
 
The cold, calculating tone of Connor’s voice turned Risa’s heart to stone.

A draing on the company?

Risa felt her cheeks burn with anger. She’d be damned if she’d stand idly by and watch all her hard work be ruined by corporate greed from a company that only cared about the bottom line.
 

Connor glanced at his watch. “I have some personal matters to tend to this afternoon, but tomorrow I’d like to get my accounting expert in here to start looking at the financials. Let’s say we meet around ten o’clock?”

Risa bit back the angry words she had been forming and nodded.
Much better to play along.

“OK, then.”
 
Connor stuck out his hand. “It was nice to see you after all these years. My car is parked outside in the lot there so I’ll just be on my way.”
 

Risa quickly shook his hand and muttered a good-bye. She bit her bottom lip as she watched him retreat to the parking lot. It was clear that Connor Dunn was a strict numbers man and the only way to get him to disapprove of the acquisition was to prove to him the company was a bad risk financially. Her messy office and straggly appearance wasn’t going to do the trick on its own.

The problem was that the company was actually doing quite well financially. Risa felt her heart pound in her chest as she realized what she was going to have to do in order to make the finances appear unattractive.
 

Luckily she had someone in accounting who owed her a big favor. She just hoped cashing in on that favor wouldn’t backfire and expose the little secret they’d been keeping.

Chapter Two

Connor looked out the windshield of his black SUV at the Healthy-Pet building. His mind wandered back to when he was thirteen years old. A smile flirted with his lips as he remembered the crush he’d had on Risa Kennedy.
 

Back then he’d been too shy to do much more than stare at her in adolescent lust. His tongue never seemed to work right around her. He had never acted on his feelings and was certain Risa had no idea; in fact he was even surprised she remembered him at all.
 

His heart clenched in dismay to find that she was even more beautiful now. But twenty years and a disastrous relationship later, he was no longer a naive boy and had no time, or desire, to get involved with anyone, much less the daughter of his father’s long-time friend and someone who might potentially be working for Dunn International should the acquisition go through as planned.

He narrowed his eyes as his thoughts turned to the acquisition. It was looking like his first instinct might be right. Healthy-Pet might not be a wise investment for the company. The clinic certainly wasn’t adding to the bottom line. Plus he had a funny feeling about Risa Kennedy that had nothing to do with his boyhood crush.
 

 
Her disorganized office and sloppy attire didn’t mesh with the research information he’d been given on her. From what his investigator, Jason Anders, had said, she was highly organized and professional, with a degree in veterinary medicine and an MBA.
 

Somehow the ketchup-stained blouse and run in her stockings didn’t fit. Although he couldn’t forget how that stocking run creeping its way up the back of her well-toned calf had caused his pulse to quicken, the inconsistencies were more reason to disregard any romantic thoughts he had about her.

Connor jammed the key into the ignition.
Just what was Risa Kennedy up to?
 

He made a mental note to have Anders dig a little deeper into her background. If she was doing some sort of cover-up to try to pawn a failing company off on his father then he needed to know in time to stop the acquisition.
 

Pulling out of the parking lot, he headed for his one-bedroom suite at the pet-friendly Residence Inn. Picasso, his harlequin Great Dane, had been cooped up in the suite since morning. Taking the dog for a long walk would give him some exercise and also help Connor clear his head.

His heart felt lighter just thinking about the 135-pound canine who had been his closest friend for the past several years since his relationship with Francesca had ended in disaster. He had hoped this trip would give him some much needed time with the dog. His schedule of late had required a lot of travel and he was feeling guilty about leaving Picasso so much.

Once this silly acquisition was behind him, he planned to have less of a day-to-day role in the company and not have to travel quite so much. He even entertained the thought of putting down roots in a nice town…someplace like Gardner’s Grove, maybe.

Connor looked out his side window as he drove by old-fashioned houses, neat lawns and tree-lined streets. He’d grown up here in Gardner’s Grove. It held a certain nostalgia for him. Maybe he’d even look up some of his boyhood friends while he was in town. The thought put a smile on his face.

But first, he had to do a thorough evaluation of Healthy-Pet to make sure his father didn’t fall prey to a bad investment. Connor furrowed his brow, wondering why his father was so hell bent on this acquisition.
 

There was no strategic reason for Dunn International to acquire a natural pet food company. Connor was afraid sentimental reasons had clouded his fathers better judgment. Tristan Dunn had become very close with Risa’s father, Dan, after both their wives had passed away within months of each other several years ago.
 

Tristan had said Dan wanted to sell out so he would have plenty of money to enjoy traveling and golfing without the worry of managing a company. Connor hoped that was all it was, but his instincts told him there might be something else going on, and if there was, Connor was determined to expose it before his father made a big mistake.
 

###

Risa walked back to her office with a heavy heart. It was obvious Connor didn’t see the value in the clinic and company culture.
 

Rounding the corner to her office, her mood lifted when she saw Meredith holding out a large diet soda. Her favorite. Meredith always knew just what she needed. She accepted the soda with a sig. She’d hate it if Dunn International took over and changed things, even little things like this.

“Thanks,” she said with a rueful smile.
 

Meredith followed her into the office, taking the guest chair. Risa lowered herself into her office chair and twisted the cap off the soda. The fizz made a welcoming sound as she lifted the bottle to her lips and took a big gulp. Bailey sat up and put her head on Risa’s lap. She reached down and stroked the silky fur on the dog’s head for her comfort as much as for Bailey’s.

“How did it go?” Meredith asked.

Risa felt her heart plummet in her chest. “Not too good.”

Meredith cocked her head to one side. “Oh?”

“I don’t think Mr. Dunn was very impressed with the clinic." Risa took another long drink from the soda bottle. Leaning back in the chair, she looked out the window. “I think if the acquisition goes through, he’ll probably shut it down.”

“But that’s your pet project!”

Risa nodded. The truth was, she didn’t care about running the company. The only reason she had agreed was because her father had begged her. The consolation was that she got to open the clinic, which was subsidized by company money.
 

Without it, she’d have no reason to stay. Well, no reason except for the people. She’d become very close to the employees at Healthy-Pet over the years. They were almost like family. She couldn’t let them down by allowing Dunn International to come in and change everything.

“Your father wants you to call him.” Meredith pulled her from her thoughts.

Risa made a face. He probably wanted an update on how her tour with Connor Dunn had gone. Her stomach sank at the thought of having to tell him she didn’t think Dunn International would do right by the company.

“Okay, thanks." Risa picked up the phone. Meredith discreetly got up from the chair and left the office, closing the door behind her.

Another glance at the gorgeous sunny day outside her window told Risa her father would probably be on the golf course, so she dialed his cell phone. Looking down at her lap she saw Bailey’s warm brown eyes staring up at her as if to let her know everything was going to be okay.

“Risa!
 
Did you meet with Connor Dunn yet?" She ignored the mischievous hint in her father’s voice.

“Yes, Dad, he’s already left.”

“How did it go?”

“Okay…I guess.”

“You don’t sound so sure. What’s the matter?”

“Well, it’s just that I don’t think Dunn International is a good fit for Healthy-Pet.”

The silence from the other end of the phone sent a pang of guilt through Risa’s heart. Her father really wanted the acquisition to go through. After all, it
was
his company. He had built it with years of sweat and sacrifice. Who was she to try to throw a wrench in the works?

“Why do you say that?” he asked.

“I got the impression they don’t have the same commitment to pet health and community that we do. Connor seemed like he was more about the bottom line and nothing else.”

“Now Risa, I don’t think that’s the case. Tristan Dunn has assured me they value all those things and the company will come out of this better than it is now. You’ve always had an aversion to big corporations - are you sure that’s not clouding your judgment?”

She let out the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. She had hoped she could get her father to rethink selling if he saw how it would change the company, but his tone told her his mind was set.

“I don’t think so, Dad. But we’ll see how it goes. Today was just a preliminary tour; there’s still more to go over.”

“Now that’s my girl!
 
Think positive!"
 

Risa could hear golfing sounds in the background and knew she was about to be dismissed.

“Okay, Daddy.”

“Oh, I almost forgot. Tristan is in town, so I’ve arranged for the four of us to have dinner at the country club tonight…to celebrate the acquisition.”

“The four of us?” Risa could feel her stomach roil at the thought of being forced to have dinner with the Dunns.

“You, me, Tristan, and Connor. Surely you can tear yourself away from the clinic for one night. You hardly ever socialize.”
 

Risa caught the sarcastic tone in her father’s voice. He was always getting on her for spending too much time working and not enough out socializing and “trying to find a nice man”.
 

“Sure, Dad. What time?”

“Seven o’clock. Gotta run, sweetie. I’m holding up the course.”
 

Risa heard the line go dead. Hanging up her own phone, she rubbed her temple, trying to stem the headache that was building behind her eyes.

Reaching for her rolodex, she thumbed through until she found the extension for Caitlyn Barnes. Her stomach did a flip-flop as she lifted out the card and held it in her hand. She hoped she was doing the right thing.

Picking up the phone, she dialed Caitlyn’s extension.
 

“Hello?”
 

“Hi, Caitlyn…it’s Risa. I have a problem and I need your help.”

Chapter Three

Risa didn’t care that her five-year-old Toyota Corolla looked out of place among the brand-new Beamers, Lexus’s, and
 
Mercedes in the valet parking area at the country club. She could easily afford one of those cars, but status symbols didn’t impress her. The Toyota was a practical choice, and she was nothing if not practical.

Unfolding herself from the car, she handed the valet the keys and made her way toward the double glass doors of the country club, wobbling just slightly on high heels she wasn’t used to wearing.
 

She caught her reflection in the glass doors and felt a flutter of approval, then admonished herself.
What did she care how she looked?
 

Still, she had to admit her slim figure looked great in the not-too-tight-but-tight-in-the-right-places royal-blue dress and the two-inch matching royal-blue heels with rhinestone accents helped add to her statuesque appearance.
 

The summer humidity threatened to wilt her composure and frizz her hair.
 
She tucked a stray curl back into her French braid and opened the door.

The cool air of the country club foyer blasted through the thin silk of her dress, causing her to give a little shiver. She rubbed her bare arms with her hands. On the right, the dining room looked moderately crowded. She could hear the clink of silver utensils on fine china. The smell of roasted meat made her mouth water.

Well, at least I’ll get a good meal
. Risa wasn’t much of a cook. She subsisted on a diet of pizza and peanut butter sandwiches. The food at the club was top-notch, but it would be a small consolation for what she had to endure.
 

She scanned the room and caught her father waving to her from a corner table where he and Tristan Dunn were already seated with half-empty drinks on the table in front of them.

Risa nodded as she walked past the maitre d’. Pasting a fake smile on her face, she navigated the room to the corner table.

“Risa, dear, you look wonderful." Her father stood up to pull out her chair.
 

“Thanks, Daddy." Risa stretched on her toes to give him a peck on the cheek. Even though her heels added two inches to her five-foot-six frame, she was still a head shorter than her father.