I had less than five minutes to get next door before Maple would officially start nagging me. I grabbed the pecan caramel cheesecake I made from the fridge, along with the jar of homemade caramel sauce to top it with and headed for the front door. Our Friday night dinners were a ritual. Sometimes Talia showed up if she didn’t have a show, but no matter what it was always me and Maple.

And if I was late, the third spot was taken up by her lecture on being on time. I yanked the door open and froze. Blake stood there with a bottle of wine and a smile. “What are you doing here?”

“I was hoping we could chat.”

I bumped him out of the way so I could lock my door. “I have plans. It’s rude to stop by someone’s house unannounced.”

“Boyfriend?”

I looked at him over my shoulder. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“Nope, just curious.”

Right. I barked out a laugh. He was so serious all the time, it must be exhausting. “Lighten up, Blakey boy, no one’s dead yet.”

Maple’s door chose that moment to swing open and reveal my grandma in her favorite turquoise silk and magenta pashmina. Immediately her gaze focused on Blake and she smiled. “Well hello there, young man. Poppy, who is your handsome friend?”

“Not a friend,” I clarified and pushed him out of my way. “More like a pest.”

But Blake wasn’t one to be out done. He stepped forward and grabbed Maple’s hand. “You must be Maple. Poppy told me all about you on our hike last weekend. I’m Blake Sayers, CEO, adventurer and wine guy at your service.”

She laughed and put a hand to her chest. “You are charming, I’ll give you that.”

“I’ll never complain when a beautiful woman calls me charming,” he cooed.

“Oh, give me a break,” I groaned.

But Maple was well and truly charmed. “You have to join us for dinner, Blake! I won’t take no for an answer, especially since you brought wine.” She grabbed his arm and glanced at me. “He brought wine, Poppy!”

“Yeah, so will the pizza kid if you order it.” I followed them inside, reluctantly and grabbed Blake’s shirt. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but if you bring my grandma into this, we are going to have serious problems.” I don’t know what his plan is, but if he thinks he’s going to use her against me, he’d better think again.

He frowned, blond brows dipped low. “You think I’d do that?” He leaned in with an angry whisper and I did the same.

“I don’t know, Blake. I don’t know you. What I do know is that you want my business which means you have an ulterior motive for this sudden interest in my life and charming Maple. I don’t care, but if you lie to her or hurt her, it won’t be about my company.” My chest heaved at the way his blue eyes darkened. He was turned on. By getting yelled at!

“Honey, I don’t need a protector, but I love you for defending me,” Maple called out, as clear as can be.

“She’s got amazing hearing,” Blake whispered.

“And don’t you forget it, young man,” she called out again, startling Blake. “Now get on in here so we can start supper with drinks and appetizers.”

I pushed Blake forward. “Let’s go, before she starts getting other ideas.” Maple was on a never ending quest to see me coupled up, or at least getting some, in her words. A guy like Blake, handsome and charming, would tick all of her boxes for me.

“Now Blake,” she began with a smile. “I want you to eat up while you tell me whether or not you have a girlfriend.”

I retrieved glasses for wine and water, pouring the former first because I figured it would make this meal more palatable. “Grandma, calm down. Blake is too young for you.”

Maple froze and looked at him, studied him for a long moment. “You have a point. He might short circuit the pacemaker.”

“You don’t have a pacemaker,” I reminded her.

She brushed my words aside. “It’s just a saying, honey.” She turned back to Blake. “So, girlfriend? Wife? Mistress? Mister?”

He choked on his wine. “None of the above. I am single and singularly focused on my work.” He bit into one of the sausage stuffed mushrooms and moaned. “Delicious.”

“So you’re here to con your way into my granddaughter’s pants or her company?”

“Don’t answer her,” I told him. “Grandma, don’t make me put you in a home for old horny ladies.”

She shrugged and brought the paella to the table, while I helped with the salad and sangria. “If you do, the men will know exactly where to find me. Might not be so bad.”

Blake laughed and I was half a second from just leaving both of them on their own. “That is true.” He turned his gaze to Maple. “For the record I never have to con anyone into my bed or a contract. They always come willingly.” They shared a laugh and I knew that getting rid of Blake Sayers would be harder than I thought.

* * *

“Hey boss lady,” Talia said, rushing to me the moment I stepped from the elevator. “So I was lurking outside the break room early this morning between pounding coffee and making copies, and I heard two of the board members talking.” She hurried me into my office and shut the door, carefully setting my coffee on the desk.

“Careful, Talia, you’re becoming a great assistant.” I wouldn’t have been able to function without her during this transition.

“Great? I’m about to surpass that right now. They didn’t say who but I’m sure we could guess, but they said they ‘may as well sell their shares now while he’s offering more than the stock is worth. She may look like a hooligan but she’s turning things around’.”

I sighed and took my seat, sipping the coffee as I listened. I couldn’t figure it out. I was kicking ass and taking names, helping boost marketing to bring in more customers and I’ve found creative ways to reach out to new customers. There have been some blunders, but for the most part I’ve done a damn good job. “Why don’t they like me?” I wasn’t one given to too many bouts of insecurity, but I am human.

“Because you’re succeeding on your own terms. People who do things the so called right way love to hate on those who don’t, but succeed anyway.” She was the best friend I could have ever asked for, rubbing gentle circles in my back to keep me from going out of my mind.

“Do you think selling is the right thing to do?” It had only been a few months but selling didn’t feel right. “I don’t really know anything about running a company this size and what do I know about outdoor apparel?”

“You wear it, don’t you? Been hiking and kayaking and all kinds of outdoorsy shit your whole life, haven’t you?” I nodded, shocked at the passion in her words. “This is your company girl, keep it and learn what you don’t know. Grow it how you want it to be. The department heads love you.”

“Not Levi,” I told her petulantly.

“Yeah but that’s only because he wants to stick his dick inside your body. Everyone knows that.” She rolled her eyes with a smile. “Everyone else loves you, so do what you want and fuck those who disagree with you.”

“I’m not sure it’s all that easy, Tal. I’d love to stick around. I actually like it here and I think I can really lead this company. But maybe thinking that makes me delusional?” Wasn’t denial the first stage of being crazy?

“Don’t you know, Poppy? All great leaders have a touch of delusion.” She tapped the side of her head and laughed.

Maybe she was right, but I really didn’t know if keeping Out & About Apparel was what was best for the company. Just because I wanted to keep it, didn’t mean I should. Did it? Then again, it was my company. “At least the one thing I have is time.”

Talia sighed and pushed up off my desk. “I’ll come by tonight with eggrolls and gin and we can talk about something fun. Like the guy who sent those flowers this morning and that mystery box the day before.”

I rolled my eyes. “Or we could talk about literally, anything else.” Blake had sent a giant bouquet of lilies plus an orchid and a pair of hiking boots, comfortable and hideous. And part of Peak Adventures Apparel.

“We could,” she eyed me carefully. Too carefully. “But I’d rather get the truth out of you. Now I have to get back to work.” She gave a finger wave and dashed off, the perfect amount of energy for this place. I don’t think I would have navigated corporate culture as well without her.

But I couldn’t tell her that Blake Sayers was interested. Because he wasn’t, and if he was, it was a feigned interest because he thought he could charm me into giving up this company that had been in the Masters family for years. I didn’t know Arden, but I know he loved this company and I’d do what I could to make sure it stayed in good hands.