Chapter 5 5. THOSE BROWN EYES.

MAC's...

I stifled a yawn as the Zoom meeting dragged on. I'd been at the office since 6 AM, and the meeting had started just thirty minutes later. A glance at the stopwatch on my desk gave me a headache.

9:30 AM.

Three hours into this one meeting-and it wasn't even the only one today. Just the longest.

"Emiliano, ¿por qué no hablamos durante la cena cuando regreses a Manhattan?" I suggested we continue the conversation over dinner once he was back in town.

All our discussions had been in Spanish. Guess those language lessons weren't a waste after all. Most of our investors were Spanish or Italian, and I'd never shown up sounding unprepared. Holding a fluent conversation was a quiet power move-and one that could very well land me the McLaren Media House contract.

"Claro, hermano. Estaré en Manhattan en una semana."

I smiled a little at the word hermano. He said he'd be in Manhattan in a week.

I shut down the system, then grabbed my MacBook to scan through the dozen unread emails-most of them about the Gidi Stream rollout. Before I could click the first one, my phone buzzed. Mum.

Ignoring her would only mean a 30-minute call from my father on how to be a better son. I sighed and picked up.

"Sì?"

"Mac? How are you, darling?" Her voice was bright. "I just spoke to Alice. She mentioned she's coming to New York to plan a wedding for the Romanos. Isn't that wonderful?"

I waited for a beat.

"You know how hectic this season is for me, right? You called to tell me that?"

"Of course not. I'm calling about your engagement party. Alice thinks it would be the perfect way to announce things to the board. If the right people are there-and they will be-it'll strengthen your candidacy for the CEO position."

I sat back, expression unreadable.

"She wants to organize it before she leaves for Chicago. It'll be a beautiful event, and a smart one."

McLaren Media House had branches across the UK, Paris, and the U.S. My father had led the New York division for years. Now, he was stepping down to focus on his marriage-something I still couldn't fully wrap my head around.

But Blake McLaren never did anything without purpose. Unlike his father, he believed leadership had to be earned. No hand-me-downs. No free rides.

And bachelorhood? Not exactly part of the CEO image.

That's why I agreed to the arrangement with Hayley. Refusing would mean being cut out-not just from the candidacy, but from the company altogether. That wasn't a threat. That was McLaren tradition. My parents' marriage had been arranged the same way.

So if an engagement party was what it took to get the board on my side?

Fine.

"If that's what you think," I said.

"So... you agree?"

"Mum, I have to go. Someone's at the door."

Which, for once, wasn't a lie.

"Before you hang up-Alice wants to arrange a meeting between you and Hayley. I'll call her now. She'll be thrilled."

"Bye, Mum."

Alice had been our family's event planner for decades. That made her family-loved by all. Even me.

"Come in," I called, setting my MacBook aside.

The door creaked open. The sound of heels tapped against the hardwood-soft, hesitant steps. Like someone trying not to be heard. But the thing about heels? Silence was never really an option.

"Good morning, Mr. Mac," came Richard's voice.

I looked up, ready to respond-and stopped.

Time stopped.

Standing beside Richard was a woman I had seen before.

'Seen was an understatement'.

Blonde hair. Tanned skin. Dark brown eyes that didn't blink. A short skirt. Curves that made the air around her shift.

And those eyes?

Locked on me.