Surprised by Love: A Contemporary Romance (The Armstrongs Book 4) (12 page)

Toni’s mind had gone haywire in the moment Douglas had mentioned the videoconference with his father.
Will he think I’m good enough? What if he doesn’t like me? Or what if he doesn’t like that I’m in a relationship with his son?

Because of the time difference, they had to wait until later that evening to place the call to Chicago. An awful long time to worry.

Toni tried to keep her mind occupied with other things, but she knew it wasn’t working when Douglas finally called an end to the work day and swept her back to the apartment, where he found several interesting ways to keep her from worrying as the afternoon ended and evening began.

Around eight p.m., Douglas announced it was time to call his father.

“Really? But isn’t it like seven a.m. in Chicago right now?”

“Yeah, but my dad’s an early riser. He’s probably been up and at it since five o’clock this morning.”

Douglas made the call from his laptop, and smiled when his dad’s image came across the screen. “Morning, dad.”

“Douglas! This is a surprise. How is Malaysia? It’s night there?”

“Around eight p.m. and things are great.”

“So, your brothers told me to expect a call from you. I believe you have someone you would like to introduce me to?”

Douglas shook his head and then pulled Toni over so that she sat beside him on the couch. “Sir, this is Antonia Barkin. Toni, my father, Kenneth Armstrong.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” Toni saw where Douglas got his good looks. From his father. They had the same grin, just on faces that were thirty plus years apart.

She looked at Kenneth and estimated him to be the same height as his sons. And handsome. His hair was totally grey, which gave him a look of authority. If she liked older men – and wasn’t already head over heels in love with Douglas – she could very well see herself falling for a man like him.

“The pleasure is all mine, young lady. Patrick and Ryan both spoke very highly of you.”

They had already talked to their father about her? News travelled fast in that family. Both of his brothers were still in Kuala Lumpur and she had no idea when they could have spoken to their father.

“So, I hear you might be willing to come work for us?”

“That’s why we were calling, Dad. Toni resigned her position with Asia Bank this morning and has agreed to become the new CFO of Stronger Constructions, if that meets with your approval.”

“I hear you’re very good at your job,” Kenneth said, directing his comment to Toni.

“That’s what people tell me, sir,” she told him, trying to be humble.

Douglas laughed and then told his father, “She’s amazing and playing shy right now. I’ve never worked with someone with such innovative ideas or a love for their work.”

His father grinned. “We are a very tight knit family, and I heard the same types of things from Douglas’ brothers. It seems you already won them over.”

Kenneth looked at his son and could see the love shining in his eyes for the beautiful woman sitting next to him. Everything he’d learned about Antonia Barkin told him she would make an excellent addition to the company. And it looked like she might just make an excellent addition to the family as well.

“We’d love to have you come work for us,” he told her.

Toni grinned back at him with relief and then gasped when Douglas pulled her from in front of the computer screen and kissed her soundly. “Congratulations,” he whispered to her.

“Thanks.” She loved that man and for the first time in a long while, she felt like her life was headed in the right direction.

***

Douglas sat back down in front of the screen, nodding to Toni when she asked him if he wanted something to drink. While she went to fetch glasses and a bottle of wine from the kitchen, he had a few moments to speak with his dad alone.

“Isn’t she great?” He couldn’t keep the pride and love out of his voice.

“Son, I’m glad you found the right woman to love. She‘s perfect for you.” His father coughed and said, “Your mother told me I needed to explain you this: I never doubted that you are able to lead this company, but I worried about your dedication to the company.”

“What?” Douglas asked him. “Dad, I never once gave you the impression I wasn’t completely, one hundred percent a company man.”

“See, that was the problem. Son, you have subordinated your complete life to your work. You haven’t even taken time to date these last two years.”

“I didn’t think you’d noticed.”

“Oh, I noticed alright and it had me seriously worried. A young man like you should have fun, go out, and get to know girls. Just work and no fun is not a good way to live. As is just fun no work. You need a balance in your life. Ask your mother, she taught that to me many years ago when I met her. Apparently I haven’t done such a good job in teaching you the same.”

Douglas lowered his eyes with embarrassment. All that time he’d been working so hard, wanting to prove himself to his father, and he had only made things worse. “Dad, I—”

“Wait. I’m not yet finished. I guess I should have told you what a great job you were doing. It was my fault. I should have voiced my worries about you working too much. But, you know, I’m not that good with words. That’s your mother’s job.”

“Yeah, she’s much better at that than any of us boys,” Douglas agreed. His father had always been very tight-lipped about emotions. Old school. He saw that it had cost him a lot, to open up now and he added, “Thank you, Dad. I appreciate this. A lot.”

His father took the opportunity provided and changed the topic. “So, the project is running smoothly?”

“It is. I don’t think we’re going to have any problems on this end.”

“Good, then start wrapping things up and get your ass back to Chicago.”

“Excuse me.”

“You’ve had your mother and I worried that you’d end up staying in Kuala Lumpur with Toni and we’d never see you again.”

Douglas kept quiet and didn’t tell his father that he’d been willing to do just that.
Whatever it takes was the promise he’d made to her and he intended to keep it.
“Well, now Mom can stop worrying.”

Toni came back in with two glasses of wine and handed him one.

“I still need you home sooner rather than later. I’m happy that things are working out for you, but your mother went ahead and has booked a cruise in the Caribbean in two months’ time. She’s forcing my hand on the retirement, or at least she’s trying.” His father grinned. “Not that I will give her that satisfaction, but I’m going to use this trip as an occasion to semi-retire.”

“Congratulations. Two months, huh? That’s not much time left to prepare, Dad.”

“Don’t I know it. But, it will make your mother happy, so I will be happy about it as well. Now, I need you to get back here so I can start handing things over to you a little at a time. I’m going to enjoy having some free time.”

“You’re not going to completely retire, are you?” Douglas asked, concern in his voice that his dad was rushing things.

“Not just yet. When the time is right. For now, you’ll take over the daily operations, and I will stay on the board of directors to help keep those old fools in line. I’ve been doing it for all these years, I’d hate to stop now.”

Douglas and he shared a laugh and then they ended the call. As he closed the lid to his laptop, he turned to Toni and stated, “Well, it looks like maybe your request is one I’m going to be able to meet after all.”

She smiled and then crawled onto his lap. “The request about having intimate access to the owner at all times?”

“That’s the one, beautiful.”

Ryan and Kendra left Wang Li’s mansion with a huge smile on his face. He hugged Kendra and whirled her around.

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Wasn’t that just out of the world?”

Kendra looked at the love of her life with a smile on her face. “You were great, darling. Wang Li ordered a lot of jewelry for his lovely wife. Maybe the biggest commissioned project you’ve ever done.”

Ryan beamed at her. “Yes. That’s cool. But the statues. Four statues! Finally, I’m able to break through with my statues.”

Kendra laughed. Ryan was by far the most sought after jeweler around and his wonderful pieces gave him an outlet for his artistic talent, but the work had become more commercial and less about his dream. The precious metal statues he’d started creating several months back were dear to his heart because they allowed him to fully express his artistic side.

So far, he’d only sold a few of his statues; people were more interested in the necklaces or bracelets he created than they were in decorative art.

He glanced at her one more time and smiled like a loon. Four statues, representing the four corners of the earth. Each of them was to measure seven feet in height, and they would be made of gold.

Wang Li wanted them to be displayed in the entrance hall of the new Wang Li Tower that Douglas was building. It was a tall order, but Ryan was ecstatic. This was a massive amount of work, and the biggest single order he’d ever done.

This project would propel him into the next level of acceptance by his peers and the world. His statues would gain lots of publicity, which would in turn, gain him more work. And the cycle would continue.

As he and Kendra got into a taxi, he placed a call to Douglas.

“What’s up, brother? I thought you were meeting with Wang Li today?”

“We are. We did. We’re just leaving there now.”

“Did it go okay?”

“Okay? Awesome! Fantastic!” Ryan’s words tumbled fast from his lips. “It’s all my dreams come true. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for inviting me to come over here.”

“No problem. So I’m off the hook?”

“Not so easy. You’re still paying.”

“So what? I get no reward for getting you hooked up with Mr. Wang?”

Ryan sighed theatrically into the phone and then offered, “Fine, if you insist. I won’t remind you and everyone else for the next ten years that I had to come over here to save your ass.”

“Gee, thanks. Love you too.”

“Back at you, Bro.”

Toni sat in the restaurant where they were celebrating farewell, and took a moment to let this crazy, hectic week pass in review through her mind.

Ryan and Kendra would leave to the States tomorrow, where Ryan would be going straight to work on the jewelry pieces for Yin Yue. Wang Li Enterprises would organize a big celebration for the first milestone of the Wang Li Tower in two weeks’ time and the pieces needed to be finished by then.

Patrick would return to Kathmandu a few days later, figuring he needed another month in the Nepalese mountains to finish up his current project.
I’m gonna miss everyone. I already feel like I’m part of their family.

She and Douglas would stay until the milestone celebration and then return to Chicago as well. Only Tricia would stay in Kuala Lumpur.

The evening was filled with fun and laughter. Kendra and Toni had become good friends in the past week, and Kendra had even promised to help Toni get settled once she moved back to the States.

Toni and Tricia shared some gossip, when Kendra approached them. “I was wondering if maybe you two could help me with some shopping advice. I know I only have tomorrow morning, but I want to surprise Ryan with something special for his birthday.”

“What did you have in mind?” Toni asked.

Kendra lowered her voice and whispered, “I need some lingerie. Something really extravagant and sexy.”

Tricia threw Toni a triumphant look and said, “Allure. That is the place to go if you want to go all in with your man. You won’t regret it. And neither will he. Unfortunately, I don’t have time tomorrow. I’m tied up all day.”

“I can go with you,” Toni suggested, gaining her a stare from Tricia.

Ryan chose that moment to ask what they were talking about and Kendra couldn’t do anything but flush. Toni came to her new friend’s rescue and told him, “About men, of course.”

The next day Toni and Kendra set off on their little mission. Ryan hadn’t asked where the girls were going, and Kendra hadn’t offered. Toni had to tell Douglas a reason why she’d be late to the office, but he’d been content to hear that she needed to help Kendra with some last minute gifts.

Tricia had called ahead to the boutique and the owner – a friend of Tricia’s – was already waiting for them when they arrived. The owner was a woman in her forties, who believed that lingerie should enhance the natural beauty of a woman’s body and cause a definite reaction in the man who had the privilege to see her.

She eyed them both and asked a few questions about the occasions and the ‘heat level’ they wanted. Then she brought them piece after piece and had them try it on in the spacious dressing rooms, that looked more like a cozy parlor than one of the usual store dressing rooms, equipped with plush furniture, huge mirrors, soft lights and even complimentary glasses of champagne.

Toni had only gone to Allure to help Kendra, but once there, she couldn’t resist the impact this sophisticated lingerie had on her. And would have on Douglas. Soon they giggled and flushed like teenagers, trying on the lacy pieces.

Toni had expected the lingerie to be scratchy and irritating, but just the opposite was true. Allure really did have the best choices when it came to seduce your man. She looked at herself in the mirror wearing one particularly provocative piece in midnight blue, made of the softest silk, and gorgeous see-through lace. Oh god, she felt so sexy and feminine.

She already envisioned Douglas’ eyes widening in desire when he got a glimpse of her new underthings. A heated shiver ran down her entire body all the way into her toes.
Going all in sure is better than cutting him out of my heart. Thanks, Tricia.

Kendra found a few outfits as well and confided in Toni, “I’m not sure I can wait until Ryan’s birthday to surprise him with my new acquisitions.” Her eyes got all dreamy when she continued, “He’ll be so turned on and I reap all the benefits.”

They left the boutique three hours later, shopping bags over each arm, and secretive smiles on their faces as they each envisioned their man’s reaction to today’s purchases. Ryan and Douglas weren’t going to know what hit them.