The Bridal Agreement

Chapter 7

❀ Noelle's POV

I sit across from John Blase and watch him sip his third cup of coffee.

“I'll admit, this does taste like heaven”.

I nod proudly.

“I told you”.

He sets his cup down and looks at me.

“So, what do you want to talk about?”.

I sigh.

“What business deal do you have with my husband?” I ask.

He smirks.

“I don't deal with tamed men”.

“Oh, but he can be equally as vicious when I want him to” I retort.

He gives me a look.

“I don't know your husband. I don't even know your name. But if he's married to a brave and gorgeous woman like you then he's surely someone I'd like to have in my corner”.

Sure you do.

“Keith Mardell”.

He arches his brow.

“The devil of construction himself... I see”.

“So what business do you two have doing together? Because I found huge numbers in his office and a file with your name on it”.

“You were snooping through your husband's things?”.

“Answer the question, Blase”.

“I have no business with Keith Mardell. In fact, I've been trying to partner up with him for a project but he's never shown interest”.

“With all due respect, sir, please keep your projects away from my husband and his company”.

He laughs.

“I have genuine projects, you know? Those are for people like Mardell. The others are for the crooks who are after my money. I always protect my own”.

I look around his office and see the picture of a toddler girl hanging on his wall.

“Is that your daughter?” I ask.

He shakes his head without looking back.

“My niece” he answers and rotates a frame on his desk. “This is mine... the one my entire empire will be for”.

I gasp at the picture of the child.

“She looks exactly like my daughter” I say, reaching into my purse to show him a picture of when Kennedy was around the same age.

He narrows his eyes.

“Well call me crazy but they look like the same person” he says. “With different eyes, of course”.

I nod.

“Is she your only one too?”.

“No. I have an older son and my daughter's five now” I tell him, not glancing away from the picture. “Look at their hair... wow”.

“You know, you seem like a very nice woman. So why don't you stick to your coffee business and stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong?”.

I finally look up from the picture.

“Tell you what, why don't I advertise Coffee Mardell for you? I know some big people who'd just love it if you could supply them constantly with great coffee like this. I'd be one of those people”.