wanted and not need to ask about Alec. Helen knew that Edna and her mother had formed a fast friendship and were having lunch together next week but Helen wouldn’t need to ask how Alec was, if he was still angry with her or with what had happened while he was out of town. Or if he was okay or if he was getting enough sleep and not working too hard….
But what could she get him? The man had so much money, he could buy just about anything he wanted. She took another sip of wine and contemplated what might be an adequate gift for what he’d done for her.
The flavor burst once more, giving her a sense of contentment and pleasure but her mind was still a blank on a gift. Perhaps one of her pictures? Maybe in a nice frame? She could even give him the sunset picture. That was the whole reason for the gift, wasn’t it?
And a bottle of wine!
Helen sat up, suddenly feeling as if the world were back to spinning properly on the axis she’d set in motion. Yes! A bottle of wine and the sunset picture would be perfect!
She savored the rest of her glass of wine slowly, thinking of all the possibilities when it came to wine and then her mind touched on the perfect bottle.
An hour later, Helen stared at the bottle, hoping inspiration would come to her. She’d gone to her discount supplier, the one down the street that had a store which looked more like a hole in the wall than an actual retail market but he sold some of the best wines, even if they were pricy. The bottle was her favorite red wine, a full bodied pinot grigio that she suspected Alec would appreciate. It had taken all one hundred dollars she’d received for the picture but the sale wasn’t really about the money. It was about recognition and a breakthrough. She didn’t usually spend a hundred dollars on one bottle of wine but what could she do when buying a bottle of wine for a zillionaire? She had to spend a little more simply because he wouldn’t care for something less than the best, she knew.
She bit her lip, considering the nights they’d gone out to dinner. She’d recognized the labels of the other wines and they’d all been excellent but there was no way she could afford those. This one, her favorite, was all she could afford but now that she’d bought it, what should she write on the note? The words had to create the perfect balance between graciousness so he understood how important this event was, and finality so he knew that she couldn’t see him anymore.
“Alec,” she wrote on the light green stationary she had on hand for notes, “Thank you so much for allowing me to invade your office. Just so you know it wasn’t in vain, I’m proud to let you know that one of the pictures will be published in one of the best travel magazines. Thank you for the opportunity. In gratitude, please accept this bottle of wine in appreciation.”
She re-read the note then nodded with satisfaction. Putting it into a darker green envelope along with a smaller copy of the sunset picture, she sealed it and tied it to the bottle of wine with a special ribbon.
She worked hard the next day and her camera bag was especially heavy since it was carrying the bottle of wine. Helen calculated she could make it to her first photo shoot, drop off the bottle during her lunch and then still make it to her afternoon appointment. It was such a simple plan, what could possibly go wrong?
Chapter 6
Alec stormed out of the airport, irritated at the whole world. He wasn’t really angry at the world but at one, cute, irritating, sexy female with eyes that wouldn’t leave his head. He wanted her. And not just her body, he’d realized grimly as he was driven from the airport back to his headquarters two days after his anticipated return. It irritated him that he wanted to talk to her even before he wanted to check in with his office.
When had he ever wanted to talk to a woman? Women served one purpose and one purpose only. They
But what could she get him? The man had so much money, he could buy just about anything he wanted. She took another sip of wine and contemplated what might be an adequate gift for what he’d done for her.
The flavor burst once more, giving her a sense of contentment and pleasure but her mind was still a blank on a gift. Perhaps one of her pictures? Maybe in a nice frame? She could even give him the sunset picture. That was the whole reason for the gift, wasn’t it?
And a bottle of wine!
Helen sat up, suddenly feeling as if the world were back to spinning properly on the axis she’d set in motion. Yes! A bottle of wine and the sunset picture would be perfect!
She savored the rest of her glass of wine slowly, thinking of all the possibilities when it came to wine and then her mind touched on the perfect bottle.
An hour later, Helen stared at the bottle, hoping inspiration would come to her. She’d gone to her discount supplier, the one down the street that had a store which looked more like a hole in the wall than an actual retail market but he sold some of the best wines, even if they were pricy. The bottle was her favorite red wine, a full bodied pinot grigio that she suspected Alec would appreciate. It had taken all one hundred dollars she’d received for the picture but the sale wasn’t really about the money. It was about recognition and a breakthrough. She didn’t usually spend a hundred dollars on one bottle of wine but what could she do when buying a bottle of wine for a zillionaire? She had to spend a little more simply because he wouldn’t care for something less than the best, she knew.
She bit her lip, considering the nights they’d gone out to dinner. She’d recognized the labels of the other wines and they’d all been excellent but there was no way she could afford those. This one, her favorite, was all she could afford but now that she’d bought it, what should she write on the note? The words had to create the perfect balance between graciousness so he understood how important this event was, and finality so he knew that she couldn’t see him anymore.
“Alec,” she wrote on the light green stationary she had on hand for notes, “Thank you so much for allowing me to invade your office. Just so you know it wasn’t in vain, I’m proud to let you know that one of the pictures will be published in one of the best travel magazines. Thank you for the opportunity. In gratitude, please accept this bottle of wine in appreciation.”
She re-read the note then nodded with satisfaction. Putting it into a darker green envelope along with a smaller copy of the sunset picture, she sealed it and tied it to the bottle of wine with a special ribbon.
She worked hard the next day and her camera bag was especially heavy since it was carrying the bottle of wine. Helen calculated she could make it to her first photo shoot, drop off the bottle during her lunch and then still make it to her afternoon appointment. It was such a simple plan, what could possibly go wrong?
Chapter 6
Alec stormed out of the airport, irritated at the whole world. He wasn’t really angry at the world but at one, cute, irritating, sexy female with eyes that wouldn’t leave his head. He wanted her. And not just her body, he’d realized grimly as he was driven from the airport back to his headquarters two days after his anticipated return. It irritated him that he wanted to talk to her even before he wanted to check in with his office.
When had he ever wanted to talk to a woman? Women served one purpose and one purpose only. They
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