Love Contract (The Match Broker) Read Free Page B

apologize for the huge mistake he made did
not sit well with him, but the idea of losing such a talented designer to
someone else appealed to him even less.
    Adrian ran a hand over his face. He truly hated this part.
Picking up Milán’s résumé from his desk, he scanned over it. He grabbed his
handset and dialed the mobile number she had listed in her contact information.
The line rang twice and then connected. Her sweet, now slightly irritated voice
brushed across his ear.
    “Hello, Miss Dixon. This is Adrian Anderson calling.”
    Click.
    “Damn,” he muttered.
    After a moment, he grabbed the phone and dialed another number.
This time it was picked up on the fourth ring.
    “Hi, Dad, is Mom around?”
    Heathcliffe Anderson’s strong baritone voice came over the
line. “Not yet, son. It’s Monday. She’s at her yoga class, but should be in any
moment. You want me to have her call you?”
    Adrian grabbed his briefcase and jacket. “Not necessary, Dad.
I’m on my way over. Mom and I have something to discuss in person—and it’s long
overdue.”
    * * *
    While Milán drove home, she attempted to cool off. When
she was distraught about something, two things gave her tranquility: driving her
car with the music blaring and cleaning the heck out of something. She wasn’t
home yet, so driving would have to do.
    What a jerk! She replayed her
encounter again in her head. Her fingers flew up to her lips. How dare he kiss me! Just thinking about the encounter
made her heart race, but she was confused. Norma Jean had spoken so glowingly of
him. She couldn’t help getting caught up in the excitement, too. Jeanie believed
that the two of them would make a great team. His mother couldn’t have been more
wrong.
    After she had left Adrian’s office, the reality of her
situation was driven home. She needed a job, and she needed one soon. She
refused to dip into her savings account more than necessary. Her parents had
gifted their children with a small monetary umbrella to use for a rainy day.
Granted, this was more like a torrential downpour, but there was no way she was
touching that money unless it was a dire emergency. She would simply double her
efforts to find employment. Now thanks to that narcissistic playboy her morning
was wasted.
    Just thinking about their run-in got her blood boiling all over
again. Her cell phone rang. She checked the number and saw it was her mother.
There was no way she could talk to her right now. She was too upset and her
mother would pick up on it. Neither Milán nor her sisters could keep anything
hidden from Pia Dixon. Besides, Milán wasn’t ready to recount her horrid morning
with Adrian Anderson and his massive ego. Not without bursting into tears of
anger and frustration. He ruined everything!

Chapter 3
    “F or the last time, I didn’t have an ulterior motive,” Norma Jean said with exasperation. “I suggested Milán contact you because she’s looking for a job, and you’re looking for an interior designer.” She regarded her son from over her glasses. “Seemed a perfect fit to me.”
    “Yeah, like her being crazy beautiful had no bearing in sending her my way?”
    Adrian’s mother sat back in her chair. She stopped her scrapbooking and observed her son carefully. A knowing smile crept onto her face. “You think she’s beautiful.”
    Adrian looked indignant. “And you didn’t? Come on, Mom, you’re killing me. You knew darn well I’d think she was gorgeous, but I recall having told you somewhere between one and a million times to stay out of my love life. Why won’t you do this?” He slammed down into the nearest chair. Adrian released a loud, harsh sigh, and then gazed up at the ceiling before shaking his head.
    Norma Jean resumed placing small patterned shapes across her page. “Honey, you really should calm yourself. Maybe you should take up yoga? It would teach you how to release that pent-up stress you’re carrying around.”
    “Calm myself? How can I? I