Page 11 of Enchanted Hero
He inclined his head. “Don’t worry. I take care of what’s mine.”
Her heart skittered, stopped and restarted at a rapid tattoo. He referred to the business, of course, but the way he said it…
Stop.She had to focus on the company, not an imaginary connection. She’d already resigned herself to leaving. Could she accept not being able to fully make decisions for a company she’d raised since infancy?
No.Especially not with Alexander Stone. Something about him overwhelmed her, an intensity she couldn’t resist. She didn’t trust him, or herself with him. Perhaps she could start something new, build another dream like New Age Treasures.
No matter what, the decision would be hers.
He watched her with unbroken focus, eliciting the same awareness as earlier, like invisible fingers caressing her neck. She had to get away from his disconcerting presence. “I’m afraid that won’t work.”
He visibly stiffened.
“I can’t stay, not even as a consultant.” Something soured her stomach, beyond the company. But it wasn’t possible – how could she dread leaving a man she’d just met?
“That’s a shame,” he responded without any hint of dissatisfaction. And somehow that made her even more displeased. “I’ll just have to do my best to guide the company. It’s lucky I researched magical objects. I just discovered some wonderful rings that predict the future.”
He’d found what?“New Age Treasures doesn’t sell dollar-store rings.”
“Actually, ninety-nine cent rings.” He grinned. “I have one of them right here, as well as the catalog it came from: Mystical relics for $.99 or less.”
“Or less?!”
“That’s right.” He winked. “But don’t worry. We’ll price them to make a nice profit. Here, take a look.” He walked to the desk and lifted some papers to reveal a large neon yellow catalog. It was strange – the pile hadn’t seemed high enough to hide the catalog.
She took the thick tome. “Magical Items on a Budget: The best magical items you can buy for under a dollar.” She clutched the book so hard the pages crinkled. “Special clearance items for a nickel.”
Breathe. Do not start yelling. Do not tear the papers and throw them at him.
Alexander’s eyes sparkled. “They offer wonderful products.”
She exhaled lowly, flipped the pages to stop herself from throwing them. “Bubble gum that reveals your past lives.” She turned another page. “Lie Detecting Ketchup.” Another page. “Ancient rubber chickens!?” She closed the book at the next product, an alienshoehorn. “You can’t buy these items. They’re clearly fake.”
He was entirely unconcerned as he took back the catalog. “If you’re not here, what does it matter what I buy?”
She counted to ten rubber chickens. Barely managed not to growl. “Our relics are authentic, one-of-a-kind pieces, some even hundreds of years old. Our everyday items are tested for quality and efficacy.” She pointed at the offending magazine. “You want to sell ketchup that detects lies.”
He shrugged. “Tastes good, too.”
This couldn’t be happening.
“Perhaps we could get products that match.” He flipped through the pages. “The ketchup would go great with flying French fries. They’re on page twenty – want to take a look?”
Something else was going to be flying pretty soon. She backed away from the evil book. “This will ruin the company.”
“Without your expertise, I’ll lead as I see fit.” He leaned down. “Unless you wanted to stay, of course.”
Why, that little–
He intertwined his fingers. “I don’t really have a lot of experience with such things. After all, what do I know about magic and mystical events?”
For the briefest of seconds, his eyes lit, not metaphorically, butliterally. She glanced toward the windows. It must have been the sun. “You do research, look for authentic pieces. It’s what our customers expect and deserve.” She pointed to the briefcase emblazoned with his corporation name. “You employ thousands of people. You could assign someone to run it.”
“New Age Treasures intrigues me. I am going to run it myself. With help, of course.” He grasped the catalog.
He was impossible, and so was her choice. How could she leave the company for him to destroy? “If I stay, will you still sell ancient rubber chickens and alien shoehorns?”
The denial was immediate. “There would be no need. I assume you would run it as before, with the added capital, of course.”
