Five Dates with the Billionaire - Alyssa J. Montgomery Page 0,1
on me yet.’
He refused to contemplate that Gran’s life might be drawing to an end. It was decades ago, but it seemed like yesterday that his grandparents had saved him from living within the conflict of his parents’ marriage.
The afternoon he’d locked himself in his room and phoned Violet and Archibald in tears was still firmly etched in his mind. He’d been scared witless listening to his parents’ screaming match punctuated with smashing crockery. His grandparents had arrived soon after his call and announced they were taking him to live with them until his parents sorted themselves out.
He’d never moved back home.
‘Connor, whatever time I have left, there’s one thing I want more than anything.’
The gravity of her tone made a great weight press on his chest. ‘Tell me, Gran.’
‘I want to see you settled.’ Her words dropped into the air between them like a boulder dropping into a still pond. Shock waves rippled out from the forceful impact and caught him off-balance.
Shit. Of all the things she could’ve requested of him… ‘I’m hardly unsettled.’
‘Married, Connor. I want to see you happily married.’
Tension speared through him. ‘Be reasonable. You know that’s not going to happen. Ask anything else of me, Gran.’
‘There’s nothing else. It’s my dearest wish.’
Damn it. She knew this was a no-go zone for him. How could she even think of putting him in such a position? ‘One trip down the aisle with disastrous consequences was quite enough.’
‘I always knew Rachel was all wrong for you.’
Yes. Gran had warned him, but he hadn’t listened. He’d thought he’d found his soul mate. He’d thought Rachel had loved him and that they would build a happy life together, as his grandparents had in their marriage.
‘What you and Grandad had was rare. Once, I wanted the same kind of love. Now, I’m happy without it.’
‘But Connor—’
‘No Gran. I’m happily divorced and not about to fall into the matrimonial trap again.’ He failed to suppress a shudder. ‘I should’ve learned from my parents.’
She squeezed on his arm. ‘I know you want to avoid more pain, but you’re missing out on so much happiness.’
Gran was wrong. ‘I’m perfectly happy as I am.’
‘Archie and I were soul mates,’ his grandmother continued. ‘I’m certain there’s a soul mate for you.’
‘Right, she’s just around the corner,’ he intoned with heavy sarcasm.
Violet smiled. ‘You have no idea how right you are.’
‘Oh hell, Gran,’ he tried to make light of the serious topic. ‘Have you been sizing up all the single females you’ve met at the hospital?’
This time, she laughed before she grew serious again. ‘There’s a young lady I want you to date.’
His jaw slackened as he registered the resolve in her gaze. ‘You’re kidding.’
‘I’m not. I have a young friend I’d like you to get to know.’
His eyebrows shot up and he didn’t bother trying to hide his horror. ‘You’re trying to play matchmaker?’
‘I’m not trying, I’m insisting you date her. Five dates together, then I’ll have this procedure.’
He couldn’t have understood her. She couldn’t really be saying…
‘Mia’s twenty-six. She’s smart, honest, caring and perfect for you.’
‘Absolutely not!’
‘Connor—’
‘No, Gran.’ Had she gone mad? ‘There’s hardly anything I wouldn’t do for you, but I will never go on a blind date—let alone one arranged by my grandmother!’
‘It would hardly be a blind date. You know Mia.’
He did?
Mia.
It wasn’t a particularly common name.
‘The only Mia I know works for us.’
‘She does indeed.’
His head jerked back sharply. ‘Mia from marketing? Mia Simms?’
‘One and the same.’ His grandmother wore a self-satisfied smile.
‘Now I know you’re joking, but it’s not remotely funny.’
‘I’m deadly serious.’
Shit.
He jumped up from the chair. ‘Absolutely not!’
Gran had to have lost her mind. What type of drugs had they been pumping into her?
‘She’s wonderful, Connor.’
Summoning up a mental image of the young woman from the marketing department, he cringed. Sure, he’d noticed the attractive slant of her high cheekbones and the fullness of her lips, but it wouldn’t have mattered if she’d been the most gorgeous woman on the planet. The clothes she wore reflected her personality: dull, shapeless and downright dowdy. ‘She’s awful!’
‘Rubbish! She’s one of the sweetest young women I’ve ever met.’
‘I don’t care if she’s sweet. She’s completely boring. Besides, have you seen her?’
‘Frequently.’ Violet raised an eyebrow at him. ‘Appearance isn’t everything. Have you ever spoken to her?’
‘Once.’ He was unlikely to forget it. ‘I asked her a question during a marketing presentation and I’ve never been game to put her through the torture again.’ He looked heavenward as he remembered the incident.