The Billionaire's Second Chance (47 page)

“Is that alright with you Shannon? I’m sorry to leave you but this merger is time sensitive and I’d like to clear it from my schedule for now.” The implication that he wanted to free himself of work responsibilities reminded Shannon again that they were in uncharted territory.

“Nick, you go on and take care of business. Let Claire show me around your mighty kingdom.” she laughed as she enjoyed the infinitesimally brief look of shock on his PA’s face at her obvious needling of the great and powerful Nicholas Barrett.

“Besides, how can I find out all your secrets if you don’t let me grill your PA?”
she
added
with one of those enchantingly shy, downcast eyes sweeping up to his expressions that filled him with happiness.

Nick threw back his lead and laughed with complete delight at how cheeky she was being and earned the attention of everyone in their vicinity. He noted absently to himself that apparently laughing out loud was something he must rarely do if the stupefied expressions of those nearby were anything to go by.

God, he liked how having her back in his life felt. Liked how suddenly carefree and joyous his outlook was. He also very much liked that Shannon seemed relaxed and cheerful. This could only mean that
,
as he had hoped, the careful steps they’d been taking on the road to overcoming the past were paying off.

Seconds later he got swept away by clamoring voices coming from the open doors of the conference room where they’d made their way
.
Claire pushed him along assuring Nick the whole way that she would see to Shannon’s every comfort and would yes, walk slowly and not put any further stress on
her
wounded ankle.

Once he was drawn into the crowded conference room and the door shut behind him
,
Claire turned
her
full attention on Shannon immediately asking if she was okay to tour the executive wing.

The next half hour melted by as Shannon listened with increasing interest to Claire’s tour guide explanation of the green technology and systems Nick had insisted on even here in Barrett’s inner sanctum. She couldn’t help but be impressed by how seriously he approached this particular business philosophy and remembered exactly how passionate and determined he’d been as a younger man when it came to addressing some of the planet’s more immediate and pressing environmental and societal challenges.

Shannon asked a few questions but for the most part Claire was a font of knowledge who clearly knew her stuff. That she was proudly enthusiastic about the way Barrett did business was obvious
,
giving Shannon a measure of satisfaction at how well Nick’s efforts were paying off.

During part of their conversation Shannon must have said something that alerted Claire to the length of time
that
she
and Nick had known each other. She couldn’t fault the woman for being curious but to her credit, Nick’s PA knew not to step too far over the invisible line of business vs. personal. Shannon offer
ed
just enough detail to satisfy some of the questions which must be running through Claire’s mind and then left it at that.

“We worked together on a water project in sub-Sahara many years ago
.
” she intoned. “Ni
ck was a team leader, of course.
” she laughed and added “I was a translator so in a way you could say that I worked for him too!”

At Claire’s riveted expression Shannon
went on,
“It was my job to make sure that Mr. Get-it-Done didn’t step on too many local toes…something which wasn’t always easy.”

The two shared a quiet chuckle at that assessment and with Claire’s curiosity somewhat appeased the tour continued. When they’d made their way to Claire’s desk outside Nick’s private suite of executive spaces Shannon was just starting to feel the effects on her still sore ankle of having been walking around in heels.

“Do you mind if I sit down for a bit Claire?” she asked. “My foot is starting to complain. Nick tried to dissuade me from wearing my favorite shoes and I’d rather not give him the satisfaction of knowing he may have been right!”

The two women laughed together as Claire guided her solicitously to a nearby sofa and offered to fetch her something cool to drink while they waited for the man of the hour to re-appear.

Several long minutes passed as the two sat chatting while Shannon rested her foot before Nick’s voice sounded in the reception area. When he turned the corner Shannon had a moment to observe him in deep conversation with a younger man at his side as they talked and looked to be comparing notes on their smartphones.

Claire stood in anticipation of her boss’s approach while Shannon continued watching Nick’s demeanor with his employees. He seemed approachable and of course well-mannered and polite to everyone he came in contact with.

There was something about the young man at his side though
,
which sparked her curiosity. He seemed familiar somehow but yet not.  Turning her entire attention on the two men as they got nearer
,
a thunderbolt of
memory
surged through Shannon when recognition lit up her memory.

“Oh my heavens!” she cried. “Is that you
,
Obi?

Jumping to her feet with all thoughts of her aching ankle instantly forgotten
,
Shannon beamed with unrestrained delight when the young man with Nick lifted his head in confusion and stared her way.

A momentarily surprised Nick looked back and forth between the two in confusion before realization hit him as well.

“Sharona?” the young man asked in a voice marked by shock. “Sharona?” he asked again as his eyes swung between the obviously pleased woman and his boss who mugg
ed at him with a happy smile, nodding
in answer to his shocked question?

Stepping forward before Nick could actually say
anything
,
the young man swept Shannon into a mighty bear hug
and
swung her around in greeting.

“My Sharona!” he laughed over and over while Shannon giggled in delight.

Putting her down the two looked at each other like long lost siblings until Shannon finally chimed in with
,
“You’re all grown up Obi Wan. I can’t believe it’s you! What are you doing here?” she asked as she took in the tall, dark skinned young man wearing a western business suit whom she remembered as a local youth dressed in khakis and sneakers that they’d known from their time in Africa.

“I work for Barrett Global now.” he said acknowledging Nick with a nod in his direction. “The Big Bwanna helped me get into a good college and once I had my degree he gave me a chance to work here.”

With that Claire who still stood nearby cut in with
,
“Big Bwanna? Obi Wan? Sharona? Am I missing something?”

The three of them laughed as Obi carefully explained that nicknames were how they all addressed each other years ago.

“We called Shannon by the name Sharona. Something I bet she learned to despise since all anyone ever did was sing
My Sharona
around her! My real name is Obi
,
so Obi Wan was a no brainer.”

Claire smiled, clearly charmed but asked, “And Big Bwanna?”

Shannon and Obi looked at each other
laughing
while Nick cleared his throat before adding
,
“Think John Wayne.” Th
is brought giggles from Shannon,
a huge grin from Obi
,
and stunned mirth to Claire.

When Obi did a dead-on impersonation of John Wayne’s stagger as he instructed invisible cowboys to ‘put the wagons in a circle’
,
it looked like Claire had to bite back an explosion of laughter that neither Shannon nor Obi tried to stop.

“Alright, alright.” Nick cut in. “Enough with the joking at the boss’s expense. My dignity is at stake you two and now Claire is wondering if she can permanently block that spot on impersonation from her mind
,
so thanks a million for that Obi”.

Although he sounded
e
very inch the annoyed executive Shannon delighted in the twinkling smile that lit up his face accompanied by those wicked dimples of his which never failed to heat up her thoughts. When Nick put an arm around her waist in clear possession, Obi’s raised eyebrows told a million stories and asked a million more.

“I didn’t know you two were still in touch.” he said carefully. When neither Nick nor Shannon fed any explanation into the brief silence which followed Obi added, “Mama Jo will be so happy to hear that she was right all this time.”

At the mention of Mama Jo, Nick’s arm around her waist had tightened ever so slightly as Shannon’s questioning face met Obi’s.

“Mama Jo?” Shannon asked. “What do you mean she was right?” She looked up at Nick and found the confusion on her face mirrored on his. He shrugged in silent response and waited for an explanation along with Shannon.

Shuffling slightly as if he recognized perhaps he’d gotten too personal in front of Nick’s PA, Obi looked at his boss for clues how to proceed from there. When Nick asked
,
“You’re still in contact with Josephine?” Obi released a small sigh of relief and answered.

“She stays in touch. My mum keeps her up-to-date with letters and pictures I send home.  Mama Jo runs the children’s center that Mr. Nick built last year.” he said with obvious gratitude as he looked from Shannon to Nick to Claire. “She always thought you two were destined to be together.”

Shannon tried swallowing around the huge lump of emotion that clogged her throat when Obi’s words hit home. Nick hadn’t abandoned the project they’d worked so closely on all those years ago. Not only had he found a way to bring Obi from desperate third world poverty to a job and a career in New York
,
he’d also kept his interest alive with a much needed family resource in a struggling area where children were often left
without much in the way of aid
or education.

The wife of a powerful tribal leader
,
Mama Jo had been the female equivalent of a medicine man. She was half French
,
having been born of a European businessman and a local woman
,
and had been heavily involved in the modernization projects affecting her tribal areas.

It was she who shared the story of the
two
birds
,
representing lovers united
,
which had led to the matching tattoos Nick and Shannon each carried.
Learning
that the kindly older woman with the wise eyes and bright spirit had declared them to be destined for one another
made Shannon want to cry
.

Finally finding her voice Shannon stepped forward and grabbed both of Obi’s hands in hers saying
,
“Please let Mama Jo know I send my warmest greetings to her and her husband, Obi. I’ve never forgotten her”.

“It would be my great honor to do so
,
Shannon.” Obi replied. “Perhaps next year when Mr. Nick visits the village you could come and see all the good work being done at the children’s center.”

Claire seemed to be nodding her head as though a handful of puzzle pieces suddenly fell into place. “Is that the trip to Nairobi?” she asked while punching keys on
a hand-held device
, probably checking her long-range calendar for details. “Ah, I see it here. You’re in Monte Carlo for Mr. Ben-Ari’s wedding and then continuing on to Africa.”

Shannon turned bright eyes rimmed with welling tears at Nick who stood by uncharacteristically silent.  The big, bad, powerful, unfeeling business tycoon was a huge fraud she thought. He also did not like anyone acknowledging his altruistic actions and just like the discomfort she picked up on coming from him each time the privileges available to him got mentioned, he visibly squirmed at mention of his still vibrant connection to something Shannon thought he had scorned.

She wanted to hug him. No, she wanted to cover him with kisses and tell him in no uncertain terms how proud she was of the man he’d become and how sorry she was for not believing in him. Even though he had thrown her feelings away at the time
,
she now understood why and felt a measure of guilt at having judged him so harshly.

It took less than three minutes after that for Nick to wrap up their hallway conversation and send Obi and Claire on their way with Shannon promising to stay in touch with the young man. He wanted some alone time with the woman at his side and he didn’t want any outside eyes intruding on the conversation he knew they were about to have.

CHAPTER
TWENTY-
SIX

Ushering Shannon into his private office Nick steered her immediately to a grouping of comfortable sofas and chairs which made up a seating area clustered before a series of tall windows offering spectacular city views.  The moment she plunked down on the wide, deep sofa Shannon kicked off her shoes and tucked her feet under her legs as she settled into the seating.