Close To Her Asian Billionaire

*****

“Thanks for seeing me during your lunch break, Danielle.”

“No problem.” Danielle sat opposite, a takeout cup of coffee in her hand. “Mr Liu told me to accommodate you and you’ve been very nice to everyone here.”

“I’m glad you think so.” Carla grinned. “Do you always do what Mr Liu says?”

“Ninety percent of the time.” Danielle took the lid off her cup and took a sip. “When I do call him up on something, and that doesn’t happen often, he does comply and back off. Then we make a compromise. He’s very good at that.”

Carla had her iPad on the table between them, the recording app open. She was tired after interviewing people all morning but sitting with Danielle felt like a breath of fresh air. Young, Hispanic with long black hair, Danielle was a lovely looking woman. Her bouncy, lively attitude was infectious and Carla found herself getting upbeat along with her.

“He doesn’t back down because of your father, does he?” Carla didn’t want to ask the question but it had to be asked. Danielle was Jesse Taga’s daughter, after all.

Danielle snorted.

“No way. Daddy stays out of my business, especially when it comes to my job. I’ve just inherited his outspoken behavior, only I know when to rear it back.”

Carla knew that all too well. Her father had been in the military and while he hadn’t completely left it behind when it came to discipline and running the house he always knew when to draw the line. He was a strict but loving man. Carla had been devastated when he had died of cancer three years before.

She forced thoughts of her father away and focused on the interview, sipping at her third cola of the morning.

“How long have you worked for Mr Liu?”

“Eighteen months now. I came here straight out of college.”

“It must’ve been amazing that you got this job straightaway.”

“I did think at the start that Daddy had a hand in it – it was very well paid and for someone with more experience than me – but Mr Liu said he has never spoken to Daddy and I believe him. I got it on my own merits.” Danielle looked down at her coffee cup. “I nearly had a disaster when a few months later I found out I was pregnant by my ex.”

“Ah. Not good.”

Carla knew the job world. Maternity pay was barely there for women and it made it harder to get back into work unless you were very lucky. She was glad she didn’t have any kids.

“You’d think that but Mr Liu was brilliant when I told him. He made sure I was able to get to all my pre-natal checks and I went to my scans. He also made sure my maternity pay was secure and that I would have a job to come back to. I worked right up until I went into labor and he even drove me to the hospital while he made sure my family was there when we arrived.”

Carla stared. She knew Jason was attentive and caring when it came to women in distress but this was something most men wouldn’t do, especially to women who was having someone else’s baby. And he was her boss.

“Sounds like more than an attentive boss.” She commented and felt the jealous stab in her stomach. She rubbed her tummy to try and make it go away.

“Oh, nothing’s happened between us. He’s a sweet guy but not my type. And I’ve got a baby to look after.” Danielle made a face. “Not exactly something to put you in the mood.”

Carla laughed.

“I can imagine.” She had her iPad but Carla was used to making notes by hand. She doodled on her pad. “Is he a slave driver?”

“He works you hard but you get better results if you work hard.” Danielle shrugged. “That’s fair enough, isn’t it?”

“More than.” Carla agreed. She grinned at the younger woman. “You know, you’ve got a very strong work ethic for someone so young. You remind me of a college student who works in my office. She’s so efficient you forget how young she is.”

Danielle grinned.

“Thanks.” Then she looked over Carla’s shoulder and waved. “Hello, Mr Stevens.”

Stevens. That would be Richard Stevens, Jason’s best friend. Carla turned and saw a huge muscular man wearing a light gray suit coming towards them. Dear God, the guy was handsome. But Carla felt nothing. She just saw a good-looking man and nothing happened. No butterflies. No heart pounding.

Nothing.

She was in trouble.

“What’s going on here, Dani?” Stevens joined them, ruffling Danielle’s hair. “Gossiping again?”

“Very funny.” Danielle jerked her head away and smoothed her hair down as she made the introductions. “This is Richard Stevens, our financial boss and co-CEO. This is Carla Romaine.”

Stevens turned to look at Carla, his eyebrows raised.

“Ah, the journalist. You’re the one who has Jason all in a quiver.”

“I wouldn’t call it a quiver.” Carla grunted.

More like the other way round.

“I would.” Stevens winked. “I can see why now.” He glanced at Danielle, his smile still in place. “Would you mind if I have a word with Carla alone, Danielle?”

“We’re in the middle of an interview, Mr Stevens.”

Carla looked closer at Stevens and saw the expression in his eyes. He was concerned about something. Stopping the recording app on her iPad, she stowed it away in her bag with her notepad. She gave Danielle a smile.

“That’s okay. I’ll come and find you later. And I’ll bring some donuts to say thank you for being patient.”

Danielle chuckled.

“Make that brownies and you’ve got a deal.” Danielle stood. “I’d better get some lunch. I’m due back shortly.”

Stevens waited until Danielle had walked away before turning back to Carla, his smile now gone.

“Let’s take a walk outside.”

Carla nodded and stood.

*****

It was warm outside but Carla shrugged into her jacket, zipping it up to her neck before pretending to check her phone. While Stevens wasn’t looking she found the recording app on her cell and turned it on. This may be a confidential conversation but Carla wasn’t taking any chances.