Sisters by Choice (Blackberry Island #4)(63)

That was followed by articles in everything from the New York Times to the Wall Street Journal. One headline in particular Business software genius gives away millions made her heart sink. What? No. He wasn’t a software guy. He couldn’t be. He lived on Blackberry Island and taught Tai Chi on the beach. Yes, his house was really nice, but the man wore sweatpants.

She clicked on a couple of the articles, her sense of chagrin deepening with every word.

Software developer Dugan Phillips announced he would be selling the company shortly after his business partner, Eric Lui, died unexpectedly of a heart attack. Phillips issued a press statement saying that half the proceeds would go to Lui’s family. For his part, Phillips said he would give away most of his fortune and “figure out the rest of it as I go.”

The article was dated four years ago.

Sophie tried to make sense of what she was reading. She’d heard of the business software Dugan and Eric had created. It wasn’t as big as Windows or anything, but it was still a game changer. And he’d given away millions?

She clicked on a link to his consulting business and winced as the main page loaded. There was Dugan’s picture. He wore a suit and tie, but it was still him. His company offered a variety of consulting services. Dugan himself didn’t take on any clients, although he did seminars a few times a year—at several thousand dollars a person. Assuming even two hundred people attended, that was over a million dollars for three days of work.

Although she didn’t want to remember the things she’d said to him, the words echoed in her head, getting louder and louder. Oh, God. She’d been an idiot. She’d made assumptions and had never bothered to question them. Dugan was a successful, experienced businessman who’d been offering her advice and she’d blown him off. Worse, no matter who he was, she’d been condescending and rude and pretty much just plain awful.

She shut down her computer and leaned back in her chair. This was what came from sleeping with a man while not knowing who he was, she told herself. She really had to start doing research.

So now what? She probably owed him an apology. Saying she was sorry and possibly admitting she was wrong was not her strong suit. And she was going to have to revisit his advice to her, damn him. Because given who he was and what he knew, he’d probably been right.

Still mulling over her new reality, she drove home, all the while trying to remember if there was food in the house for anyone but the cats. She really had to start going to the grocery store on a regular basis or find some kind of meal delivery service, or hire a housekeeper, which seemed silly given how small her place was—all of which was meant to distract her from feeling like a fool. She’d been so confident in her assessments of Dugan. So smug and righteous and bitchy. God, she hated being wrong.

She’d barely parked in her driveway when a car pulled in next to hers. She knew without looking it was a late-model BMW and the guy sitting behind the wheel had, hey, given away millions of dollars to charity.

He got out and walked around to the driver’s side of her car and opened the door.

“Go away,” she said, unable to put much effort into the words.

“Because?”

“Oh, please.” She grabbed her tote bag and got out, then glared at him. “You know I looked you up. You know I know who you are. You’re just here to gloat.”

He smiled at her. “Maybe a little.”

He leaned in as if to kiss her. She jumped back. “Don’t do that. We can’t kiss. Not now.”

“Because it’s seven on a Thursday?”

“No. Because of who you are. Before you were just some hunky Tai Chi guy who I liked.”

“You forgot to say I was also good in bed.”

“This isn’t funny.”

“I think it’s funny.” He put his arm around her. “Sophie, Sophie, Sophie. It’s hard to be smug when you figure out the rest of the world is just as smart as you.”

She shrugged out of his embrace. “I wasn’t smug.”

“Yes, you were.”

She looked at the ground, then back at him. “I was and I’m sorry. I assumed a lot of stuff that wasn’t true. I was wrong.”

“Thank you.”

She sighed. “It was just easier for me when I could put you in a box. I thought I knew who you were and now I don’t know anything.”

“That’s a little harsh. You know a few things. You know how to scare away a great sales director candidate.”

“Ha-ha.”

“Told you I was funny.” He opened the back door of his sedan and pulled out a large bag. “I brought dinner.”

Her spirits perked up. “Really?”

“I knew you wouldn’t come to me and I was starting to miss you.”

She inhaled the smell of fried chicken. Her stomach growled. But before she gave in, there were ground rules to establish.

“You know I can’t sleep with you anymore.”

“I’m getting that message, yes.”

“I intend to pick your brain about my business.”

“I figured.”

“But we can still be friends.”

He put his arm around her again and guided her toward the house. “My heart beats faster at the thought.”

“Now who’s being smug?”