Knox Marsden could hear them talking. Words were definitely coming out of their mouths but he couldn't seem to concentrate on what they were telling him. He heard something about some film company wanting to shoot a scene at his hotel.
Jason Nevell, Knox's assistant and best friend, ran a hand through his mop of dark red hair.
"Knox, do you need me to repeat myself?" Jason asked, his green eyes piercing into Knox, knowing his words had fallen onto deaf ears.
Carl, the general manager of the hotel, looked taken aback. "Why would you ask that? Of course, he's been listening to you."
Knox grimaced. Carl reminded Knox of a reptile with his shiny bald head and darting tongue that constantly licked his lips. He cleared his throat and pushed back his annoyance, reminding himself that Carl excelled at his job.
"Carl, you may go ahead with your day. Jason has everything covered."
"B-but I thought you wanted to discuss the new linens we ordered." Carl pouted before his tongue darted out to wet his lips.
"I'm sure Jason would love to hear all about it." Knox placed a hand on his assistant's shoulder and felt Jason stiffen in anger. He watched his friend's eyes narrow, knowing the redhead would try and make him regret it later. "And don't leave any details out. Jason loves to talk about linens."
The elevators opened with a ding and Knox hastened his steps to leave the two men behind as he made his way to his office. He nodded to Gloria, his head secretary. "I don't want to be disturbed."
Once in his office, he sat in his leather chair and closed his eyes.
"I am moving forward right now. Nothing can control me. I can do this."
Today marked the two year anniversary of his failed wedding. He pulled a framed photo from his desk drawer and stared at the beautiful brunette with her head tilted back in laughter.
Jessica Spencer held the title of being his ex-fiancée. She balanced her wealth with a wild streak Knox found attractive.
He refused to miss the woman who broke his heart. He didn't miss the way she always stole a sip from whatever drink he had on hand when she thought he wasn't looking. He almost forgot about her vanilla perfume. He definitely didn't remember the way she always groaned when he suggested they watch a Nicholas Sparks movie.
"They suck!" she'd say. " They never live happily ever after and I don't want to read a book by him much less watch a movie made from a book of his."
No, he didn't miss her. At least that's what he told himself. After all, she left him standing at the altar like a fool. She turned their perfect love story into a Nicholas Sparks book.
He carefully placed the photo back in the drawer near the bottle of whiskey that served as a constant test for him to stay in control.
He rolled his shoulders back and refused to think of the humiliation he suffered that day. The pitying looks his family and friends gave him were bad enough. Her family made excuses at first.
"She's still so young," Jessica's mother had said. "Give her time and she'll come to her senses."
But Jessica never came to her senses. He hadn't heard from her in two years. Two long years. The only person from her family who didn't make an excuse for her missing status was her sister Chrissy. Chrissy had blamed Knox for Jessica's decision to become a runaway bride.
"What did you do?" she had asked, fire and brimstone burning in her hazel eyes. "You must've done something for her not to go through with this wedding. Jessica wouldn't just disappear like this. You act like you're innocent but I'll find out the truth!"
Even now, Chrissy still sent him accusing messages asking about her sister's whereabouts. Knox figured Jessica had finally decided to run away from her pampered lifestyle. Even if she begged him to take her back, he wouldn't. Her disappearance acted like a domino effect, culminating into the final act of his hotel burning to the ground. He would never forgive her. It was one thing to humiliate him but to indirectly hurt Luxmar-- he considered that unforgivable.
A quick rapping on his door pulled him out of his dark reverie. Patrick, his younger brother, came strolling in. He wore a gray suit to match his eyes. He had an athlete's body which always made Knox wonder when his brother found the time to exercise as much as he did.
"Knox, we've got a problem." Patrick leaned over Knox's desk, his palms making print marks on the shiny wood.
"Oh?"
"Well, technically it's my problem but soon it'll be your problem too. By the way, I heard you're agreeing to let them shoot a film here. I didn't think you'd do it but I'm glad you are. It could mean great exposure for Luxmar. Any movie made from a Sparks book is a huge moneymaker."
"What?"
Patrick grinned. "Jason said you weren't paying attention. That's not like my robot-brother."
Knox glowered. "Must you always act like a dumbass? I've told you before to stop calling me a robot."
"Fine, but must you always act like a metal-made man with no heart? You know...like one of those things that rhymes with bobot." Patrick snickered. "Did you see what I did there? I rhymed robot with bobot?"
"Patrick," Knox said, his voice a warning his patience was running thin. "You said you had a problem."
Knox waited for Patrick to continue. Despite earning an MBA from Yale, his brother could be a total flake that cared more about women than business.
"Fine, I'll spit it out." Patrick took a deep breath and blurted, "Mom is setting us up on blind dates! I told her this isn't the Stone Age but she won't hear it. She's setting us up with women she's chosen and started rambling about wanting grandchildren. I told her to adopt some but she said it didn't work that way." Patrick sighed. "That should be a thing. Adopting grandchildren."
Knox shook his head in amusement. "Only you would promote it."
"Anyway, she said you're busier than I am so she wanted to set me up first. I think we should go out and have a good time tonight since it just may be the last time I can party as a single man. We could go to a bar—" the words froze in mid-air before Patrick recovered. "Well, not a bar but one of those clubs where women in lingerie feed you."
"Are you talking about your condo?" Knox joked. He knew what his brother was trying to do and he felt a pang of embarrassment. It had been two years. He didn't want or need to be coddled. "I'll pass."
"C'mon, Knox. When was the last time you had a woman? And I'm not talking about that platonic fling you had with that model. I still can't believe you didn't tap that when she was more than willing to—"
"Enough." Knox raised a hand in the air. "It's none of your business."
Relentless, Patrick continued, "Don't tell me you're still waiting for her."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Knox muttered. But he knew. How could he not know?
"It's been two years," Patrick said. "Because of her, you were humiliated! She's a bitch who doesn't deserve a damn thing much less your concern or consideration. Remember what you went through? You became a—"
"I said enough!" Knox slammed his hands on his desk, pushing himself up. "I don't need my baby brother telling me how to live my life. I'm doing fine on my own."
"Fine? Is that what you call it? Being left at the altar is not the end of the world. Hell, who hasn't been left at an altar before?"
"You, for one," Knox reminded him.
Patrick shuddered. "I'm too young to be tied down. I don't count since I've never been engaged."
"Do you have a point to make?"
Patrick scowled. "You think I don't know how you pretend to be okay? Acting like an ass to everyone because you're still broken up about being left at the altar? So what? It happens. You were humiliated but the world moved on and so should you, Knox."
"Patrick—"
"Forget it," Patrick spoke in clipped tones. "I'll leave you to being an angry shell of a man. Keep waiting for your ex like some sissy-assed bitch."
He slammed the door behind him and Knox sat back down, a shadow of a grin on his face. "Did he just call me a sissy-assed bitch?"
Nessa stared at the portrait of the man she had pantsed years ago. Gloria, his head secretary, informed her he was Knox Marsden, the owner of the Luxmar chain of hotels.
More importantly, Nessa would be working for him.
"This is only for two weeks until we can hire an intern but since your résumé said you can make coffee, I'll let you handle the task. Mr. Marsden is very particular about his morning coffee," Gloria explained.
"Aren't we all?" Nessa joked. Gloria stared at her with a blank expression.
Nessa cleared her throat as if it would also clear the awkward silence between them.
"Would I have to deliver it to him?" Nessa asked.
Gloria gave a slight smile. "Of course not. As I said, Mr. Marsden is very particular. I'll deliver the coffee. I shouldn't say this, but us secretaries like to call him the Tin Man."
"Like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz?"
Gloria nodded. "Two years ago he was set to be married to this rich beauty queen but she left him at the altar. Jessica Spencer, his fiancée at the time, probably wised up before saying her vows. He had a reputation for being a little aloof, but after that, he became icier than Antarctica. He doesn't smile. He doesn't laugh. He just cares about business. He's totally heartless like a man made of tin."
Nessa frowned. "That's so sad. He's probably heartbroken."
Gloria chuckled. "You won't feel so sorry for him after he's yelled at you. He can be condescending, vain, irritable, a total jerk—"
"Tell me how you really feel," Nessa mumbled.
Gloria had the sense to stop talking. "Sorry, that man just...well you'll find out on your own."
Nessa knew exactly what Gloria meant. She had never been yelled at so fiercely after pulling his sweatpants down. Gloria made it sound like he was a jerk all the time- pants or no pants.
A memory of Knox calling her a "pants pervert" ran through her mind. Could she keep her identity hidden. Maybe he wouldn’t even remember her.
Nessa made his morning coffee when she recalled the two men discussing a possible opportunity of using Luxmar as a location to shoot an upcoming film. Her head started to pound.
"Are you okay?" Gloria asked, taking in Nessa's look of anguish.
Nessa forced a smile, attempting to ignore the familiar pain. "I'm fine."
Despite her better judgment, she grabbed a pen and jotted a quick note down on a napkin before hiding it under the saucer.
Gloria came a few moments later to pick up the coffee and deliver it to Mr. Marsden. Meanwhile, Nessa gave a silent prayer that she wouldn't be fired this time around.
Gloria placed the small tray of coffee before Knox before stepping away from his desk.
"In the future, when I say I don't wish to be disturbed, that includes my brother," Knox said, lifting the mug of coffee.
"Yes, sir. I apologize," Gloria responded.
Knox noticed the napkin under the saucer. Curiosity forced him to pick up the note and read it. His brows formed a deep V of frustration as he held the napkin up. "Did you write this?"
"N-no, sir."
"Then who did?"
Gloria frowned. "We have a new-hire but she's temporary until we get an intern. She has a lot of office experience and works as a barista so I thought—"
"You thought? That was your first mistake," Knox muttered. "Bring her in here. Now."
A few moments later, Knox watched as the temporary worker entered his office.
"Are you the temp?" his voice echoed across his office.
She had her head turned away from him but she nodded.
"I expect even someone like you should know to look at someone when being spoken to."
Knox took in the petite brunette whose big chestnut eyes were now staring at a spot above his head. Her hands were tangled together in front of her and she wore a simple dark dress and faded black shoes that looked older than his mother.
"You wrote this note." Knox stated, once again holding up the napkin. "Why?"
The woman shrugged. "I had to."
"You had to? Why? Because you know her?" A hot wave of anger coursed through him. He couldn't even say her name.
"Know who?"
"Don't play dumb! You wrote this note for her, didn't you?"
"Uh...maybe?"
"There's no maybe about it. I don't know what game you two are playing, but you can tell Jessica it's too late."
"Jessica?" The woman's eyes widened.
Knox read her message, "Don't let them shoot the movie here. Nicholas Sparks sucks. He never writes a happily ever after ending."
He made a sound of disgust before tossing the napkin into the waste bin.
"I don't know how you two knew that it was a Nicholas Sparks film that wanted to shoot here, but either way; the end result is the same."
"End result? What does that mean, exactly?"
She looked nervous and Knox leaned forward, taking pleasure in the moment.
"It means you're fired."