The Stubborn Suitor, Book 3 (The Stubborn Suitor #3)
By Alexa Wilder
1
Drew
As he watched Sylvester Kenton sign his name on the contract, making the sale final, Drew Sloane felt his entire body relax. Stress and tension he’d been carrying for months slowly began to seep from his body, making him feel lighter and younger all at once.
It was over. It was all over. The sale of Drew’s company had been finalized—for two and a half billion dollars, at that—and he was finally free to do what he wanted with his life. He never had to work another day.
Of course, he would work. Drew had no delusions about that. A life of leisure just wasn’t for him. But now he didn’t have to slave away in the corporate world, working twelve to fifteen-hour days and falling all over himself to impress people he couldn’t stand. Instead, he could focus on developing his philanthropic foundation. There was so much he wanted to do with his wealth—so many people he could help.
Drew shook Kenton’s hand, then the hand of James Cook, Kenton’s chief investor and the man Drew had been falling all over himself to impress over the last few months. Although Drew had wanted to sell his company, he had refused to do so until he could ensure that all of his employees’ jobs would be secure. Kenton was not willing to sign the deal until Cook approved of it. And so, Drew had spent the last few months convincing Cook that keeping on every single one of the over five-hundred people employed by his company, as well as ensuring that they retained their healthcare and other benefits, was a good investment for the corporation.
Drew had succeeded eventually, though it had been a difficult process. Cook only really cared about profits and looked down his nose at those he perceived to be below his social sphere. Drew had to convince him that happy, grateful employees provided much better return for their investment than those who resented the company they worked for.
After looking at the numbers—how Drew had been able to build the company from nothing into a multi-billion dollar corporation—the man was finally convinced. Though it had involved months of misery on Drew’s part, all of that hard work had paid off.
“It’s been a pleasure getting to know you, son,” Cook said warmly as he grasped Drew’s hand. Drew couldn’t help but chuckle slightly, because the man really didn’t know him at all. “I’m sure we’ll see each other again soon. Analise speaks very highly of you and I know she’ll want to have you over to the house again soon.”
Drew just nodded in reply, though he recoiled inwardly at the thought. He knew that Cook and his wife Nancy had been pushing their daughter, Analise, at him in the attempt at creating a more permanent type of business venture. Drew loathed that Cook was willing to sacrifice his daughter’s happiness in order to ensure the sale of the company. His wife Nancy had also encouraged the match, though Drew thought it was only because she wanted her daughter to marry someone as wealthy as they were.
Drew had played along as he’d worked to get Cook’s approval of the employee retention and benefits clause in the contract of the sale. The truth was, he was in no way interested in Analise Cook. She was beautiful, yes, in a generic way—tall and thin and cold. But she had nothing that interested Drew. The truth was, Drew already had someone of interest—someone he couldn’t get off his mind, even now. Especially now.
After the meeting was adjourned, Drew hurried to the car that was waiting outside to take him to the airport. He’d been in New York City for the last week, finalizing the sale of the company. But it was over now and he could finally go home to Cami.
Cami Hendricks was his ideal woman, fiery and passionate, and beautiful beyond compare. Unfortunately, up to this point, he’d been unable to treat her the way that she deserved. He’d met her at the most inopportune period in his life, during the last few weeks of the sale of his company. He simply did not have the time to properly devote to her.
But now, he did. And Drew was going home to do just that—woo Cami, and sweep her off her feet. He just hoped it wasn’t too late.
He looked down at his phone with a frown as the thought stuck in his head. He really did hope it wasn’t too late. In fact, he hadn’t heard from Cami in almost two weeks. The last time he’d seen her, they’d spent an incredible night together—which had included some of the hottest sex Drew had ever experienced.
Unfortunately, he’d been called away in the early hours of the morning by an emergency. His sister, Elsie, who was currently in the middle of a nasty divorce, had called because her soon-to-be-ex-husband had shown up outside of their house and had refused to leave. Drew had to go home and physically throw him off the property so that their son wouldn’t have to see his father taken away in handcuffs.
It just so happened that it had been the third time in a row that Drew had to dash early after spending the night with Cami. And it may have proved to be once too many. Since then, Cami had refused to answer his calls or return any of his messages. He’d even shown up at her house once and, though her car was in the driveway, no one had answered her door.
Now, though, Drew was free. His sister was safe from her ex-husband, protected by a restraining order, and his company was now in the very capable hands of Sylvester Kenton. He had all of the time in the world to give Cami exactly what she deserved. And he vowed to make it up to her. He was going to go home and make her fall in love with him. He didn’t care what it took. He was prepared to do anything.