Page 75 of The Fix Up

Instead, he reached for her hand. He pulled her close, slipping an arm around her waist as he nodded to the Kleinberger team one by one. “Holly, I’d like to introduce you to the Kleinberger executives. Gentlemen, this is Holly Colvin president of First Impressions PR and Branding.”

“Hello,” Holly said, conscious of Lyle simmering beside her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Ben ignored his father and focused on the introductions. “You’ve already met my father, of course,” he said. “I’d like you to meet Carl, Jim, Harold, Gary, James, Floyd, Devon, and Jim.”

“I’ve heard wonderful things about you,” Holly said, shaking each man’s hand in turn.

“I’ll introduce you to Joe Kleinberger later,” Ben said. “He’s the company founder. Great guy. He had some business to take care of in my office, but he’ll be back later.”

A funny little knowing smile crossed Ben’s face, but no one else seemed to notice. Holly nodded, conscious of Ben’s arm around her waist. “I look forward to meeting him,” she said.

“That’s probably not necessary.” Lyle Langley flashed another tooth-gritted smile and cupped a hand under Holly’s elbow. “Say, sweetheart, could you run over there to the hors d’ouevres table and grab us a few?—”

“Absolutely not!” Ben grabbed Lyle’s hand and pried it off her elbow as he leveled his father with a look that could boil tar. “Holly’s not here to do your bidding, Dad. She’s not here to wait on you or serve as my arm candy or do anything other than be my companion and enjoy her evening.”

Lyle frowned at Holly, then turned back to Ben and lowered his voice. “Son, I don’t think you understand how these kinds of events usually go.”

“Actually, I understand perfectly well. And I intend to change that. I intend to change a lot of things around here, as a matter of fact.”

A few members of the Kleinberger team exchanged nervous glances. One man—Holly thought he was the CEO?—gave Ben a supportive nod. “We were actually very pleased with the alterations you proposed in the contract. The charitable component, the parts about giving back to the communities where you do business—all of that is very forward-thinking and totally in line with our corporate values.”

“I’m glad,” Ben said. “I studied your company’s mission statement and met with Joe Kleinberger to make sure I had a good sense about the heart and soul of your business. The human element. What makes Kleinberger tick beyond the dollars and cents.”

“This is absurd,” Lyle muttered. “You can’t just go changing contracts willy-nilly.”

Ben turned back to his father. “Actually, Dad, I can—I’m in charge now.” He pulled Holly tighter against him, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “And I’ll be making a lot more changes around here. We’re starting with how we treat, speak of, and address women. We’re starting with the woman I love.”

* * *

Though Benstill had very little furniture in his penthouse suite, he had something much more important: the makings for ice cream floats.

The thought of sipping one was pure nirvana as Holly toed off her high heels and leaned against the granite bar while Ben got to work making their post-event treats.

“Is it wrong that I really enjoyed the look on your dad’s face when you told him under no circumstances was he allowed to pat, squeeze, grab, or comment on any part of my body?” Holly asked.

“Or any woman’s body,” Ben pointed out as he scraped ice cream into the mixing cup. “Of course, yours is the body that interests me the most.”

“I’m glad,” she said, pushing her hair out of her face. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you by showing up tonight.”

“Are you kidding me? Seeing you there was the best part of my whole evening.” He grinned. “Well, that and watching you and Joe Kleinberger go head-to-head at Space Invaders.”

She laughed. “I enjoyed it, too.”

“Good.”

Holly bit her lip as she felt her smile start to wobble a little. She looked down at her hands, trying to regain her composure. When she looked up at him again, he was watching her with a curious expression. “Ben, I’m scared.”

“Of my dad? Don’t be, he’s a prick, but I’ve got him handled.”

“No, of these feelings. Of the fact that I’m so over-the-moon crazy about you and what that might mean for my future. For my career.”

He smiled and stirred something into a tall glass. “Would it help if I promised you I’ll never, ever, under any circumstances ask you to compromise your career for me?”

“Maybe?”

“And that I expect the same from you.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

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