Fortune's Prince Charming. Nancy Robards Thompson
it better to not lead on a guy? So, when the relationship had run its course, it was time to move on. It wouldn’t do anyone any favors, prolonging the inevitable.
“It may seem that way, but it’s not what it seems like. I have my reasons.”
Ronnie arched an eyebrow over a knowing smile.
It wasn’t as everyone thought. She had her reasons for moving on. Reasons she didn’t care to discuss with anyone—not even Ronnie—because it was a little too personal.
Why did everyone have to be so judgmental, anyway? Especially when they didn’t know the full story. Even if she did like to flirt, she was young and free and she had high standards.
She wasn’t sorry about that.
How would she ever meet her prince if she didn’t do a little kissing? She was down with meeting her fair share of frogs to find Prince Charming.
And speaking of kissing— “I have a plan. I’m going to ask Joaquin to help me put together a new website for the launch of the new FX350 Tablet.”
Ronnie frowned. “Doesn’t Phil in design handle things like that?”
“Maybe, but not this time. Plus, Phil is swamped with other projects. He will probably welcome the help. Since Joaquin is such a computer geek, he has to know how to do a simple website. He can help out a damsel in distress.”
She batted her eyes and fanned herself with her napkin. “What gentleman doesn’t like coming to a lady’s rescue?”
* * *
The project meeting lasted much longer than Joaquin expected, and he was behind schedule with his report. That meant he’d have to burn the midnight oil. But what was new? Late nights in the office had become a way of life since he’d come to Austin. In the three months since he’d moved from Miami, he’d traded dinners at South Beach restaurants for microwaved frozen meals eaten at his desk.
The sound of a knock on his open office door jolted him from memories of the Miami club scene back to his office at Robinson Tech.
Joaquin looked up at the sound of a knock on his open office door.
Zoe Robinson stood there like a vision in black and pink. Damn, she was a stunning woman.
“Are you busy?” she asked.
“I’m always busy.” He minimized his computer screen, more out of habit than for privacy. “But come on in.”
He could’ve set his watch by her visit. She seemed to find her way by his office most afternoons around this time. He really didn’t mind, even if her reasons for stopping by were usually thinly veiled. He’d been around the block enough to know when a woman was flirting with him.
He had to admit he was flattered by her attention, but that was as far as it would go. She was a nice kid. And she was exceptionally easy on the eyes. Hell, she was innocently sexy with that long, honey-brown hair that hung midway down her back. Don’t even get him started on those big gold-flecked chocolate eyes of hers that seemed to change colors with her moods and tempted him to stare a little too long.
Nope. She was strictly off-limits because, hypnotic eyes and short, flirty skirts aside, she was way too young for him. When he’d been hired on at Robinson Tech back in February, the entire office had celebrated her twenty-fifth birthday. That meant he was nine years her senior.
If the age gap wasn’t enough reason to steer clear, all he had to do was remind himself that she was the boss’s daughter. He knew better than to go there. Been there, done that back when he’d lived in Miami. He’d learned his lesson and he certainly didn’t intend to make the same mistake again. Especially given that his brother was married to Zoe’s sister Rachel. That could get very messy.
“What can I do for you, Zoe?” he asked as she entered his office. Today she looked even cuter than usual. Her skirt did a great job showing off her toned legs. Not that he noticed, because he kept his gaze glued to her eyes so that it didn’t slip into forbidden territory.
“It’s your lucky day, Joaquin,” she said as she planted herself in the chair across from his desk. Her eyes sparkled and her broad smile was contagious.
“Is that so?” he asked. “Enlighten me.”
She sat forward on the chair and leaned in conspiratorially.
“Out of all the people in the office, I’ve chosen you to help me with a project.”
Her smile showcased perfect white teeth. She cocked a brow as though she was about to present him an offer he couldn’t refuse.
The phrase “he who speaks first loses” came to mind. So, Joaquin arched a brow right back at her, leaned back in his chair and waited for her to give him the lowdown.
“So, you know the FX350, that new tablet that my father talked about at the staff meeting last week?”
Joaquin nodded.
“We are pushing up the launch date and I need someone to build a brand-new website for it.”
He waited for her to laugh or at least crack a smile to indicate she was joking, but she didn’t.
Okay. Well. This was interesting. He certainly wasn’t above helping out with the project, but his pay grade didn’t make that a very good use of his time for the company. Not to mention, Robinson Tech had a design department and he didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes.
He was trying to think of a way to say that without sounding pompous, but before he could find the words another big smile slowly spread over Zoe’s face.
“Gotcha,” she said. “I’m just kidding. I wish you could’ve seen your expression, though. It was priceless. I know that’s not your department. Though you’re more than welcome to be part of the web-site design project, if you’d like.”
“You’re quite the practical joker, aren’t you?” he said.
Zoe shrugged. “As I said, you’re welcome to join us. If you do, then it wasn’t a joke at all. However, I did come to ask for your advice on something.”
She was adorable and outgoing and sometimes she flitted from subject to subject so fast, he almost got whiplash. Like right now. But he really didn’t mind.
“About what?”
Out in the hall the faint hum and purr of the copy machine provided the soundtrack to two coworkers discussing a sports match—sounded as if it might’ve been soccer, but Joaquin wasn’t familiar enough with the local team to be sure.
“Do you mind if I close the door?” Zoe asked.
That probably wasn’t a good idea, but Zoe was already on her feet. The door clicked shut, blocking out the extraneous office noise, and they were alone.
They’d be fine for a few minutes.
He had a meeting with Zoe’s dad, Gerald, at three. No one was late to a meeting with the boss. He’d have to go soon, anyway. On his best days Gerald Robinson was gruff. Joaquin didn’t want to know what he’d be like if someone kept him waiting because he was flirting with his daughter.
So that meant he could give Zoe fifteen minutes max.
Ten actually. He’d need a few minutes to gather his thoughts and notes before he made his way to Gerald’s office.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked.
Zoe stared at her hands for a moment. Suddenly uncharacteristically somber.
“You’ve been here...what, three months now?”
“Something like that. I started in February.”
Last December he’d moved from Miami to Horseback Hollow, Texas, a quaint little town just outside Lubbock. All but one of his brothers and his sister had moved there to be close to their father, who had relocated to work at the Redman