The Secret Heiress (4 page)

But something told him that Fionn had no idea how resistant and tough Anna Bolles was. He had been watching her career and she was known as a brilliant and talented broker. Why would she jump ship and want to own part of an events management company?

He listened to her give an overview of their clients and early successes. Her voice soothed his raw nerves. She was a huge distraction. He could barely take in her words; instead he was drawn to the beautiful lines of her body and graceful gestures she made with her hands.

“Where is the founding partner, Frances Casey?” He interrupted her as he read her name from the slide.

“Ms. Casey is on maternity leave.”

Alistair made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “So you expect us to fund a company that you joined a week ago?”

Anna folded her hands together and faced the panel. “I’ve been in conversations with Ms. Casey for some time and planned to come onboard when she stepped back to take leave.”

His eyes seared into her. “Didn’t you work insane hours at Blackly Simonson until recently?”

She nodded. “Yes. But I managed to find time to help with various parties and events.”

She held up her hand to forestall his next objection. “Mr. Martin, the skill set I bring to Gala & More is leadership and financial literacy, not event management.”

He leaned back. “Are you implying Ms. Casey is financially illiterate?” He suppressed a smile. Unfortunately, she was even more beautiful when she was on the defensive and actively backpedaling.

“No. I’m not implying that. However, she is a creative genius and it’s not possible to do everything extremely well. Within our partnership, she is more task oriented while I’m more of a global thinker.”

Anna advanced the slide and he sat back and allowed her to finish.

Her hands were shaking when she ended the presentation. It was impossible to know what the investors were thinking. It reminded Anna of a poker game with everyone being careful to not show their cards just yet. Most of the questions were about the financials and she was able to easily answer them.

Alistair took the lead. “So you are seeking a five year investment, 250,000 pounds sterling at eight percent?”

One of the men who had been silent, said, “Ms. Bolles, we invest in start-ups who give back to the community. Beyond hiring different catering and staging firms, you have not been able to sufficiently justify how your company could benefit the local community.”

Anna moved away from the podium. “I wanted to concentrate on the business concept and numbers first, because to give back a company needs to be successful. Ms. Casey and I intend to donate our time and expertize to five community organizations each year that serve underprivileged members of society. For example, there are wonderful soup kitchens that go unnoticed. We want to help them gain recognition and funding by putting together fundraising or publicity events for them.”

The man held up his hands and said, “That’s all the questions I have.”

It was possible that they liked the concept but would choose to not invest. She wished there were a few women on the panel. Most of these men were probably tired of dressing up and attending galas. They probably didn’t see the importance of an events company.

Anna stepped forward. “Celebrations are important in life. It’s how progress is measured, it encourages people to meet milestones, and can give some inspiration to keep working. I know all of you are successful business owners. You should ask yourself—where would your business be if you didn’t celebrate important milestones or achievements? Gala & More seeks to help businesses move forward.”

Alistair met her gaze. “Well said. But there is tough competition in London for an events planning business. For some reason, the city appeals to a wide range of party enthusiasts.”

She smoothed a stray piece of hair away from her face. “Based on the type of clients we have secured, Gala & More does appeal to a range of clients from museums to cosmetics companies. We need the proper funding to create a lasting entity.”

Alistair tapped his pen on the notepad. “I have an unusual proposition for you. I’m not ready to invest, but I am strangely reluctant to say no.”

Anna took a deep breath. What could he possibly mean? Her pitch fit the parameters for investment and Gala & More had several high-profile clients.

He continued, “You are rather new to the venture and Ms. Casey is on leave. I’d like to see you in action at an event you design and coordinate. Call my office and set up an appointment for next week. We can discuss the terms then.”

She wanted to decline his offer, but it wouldn’t help Gala & More. What possible hoops would he want her to jump through? There was so much to do and not enough time as it was. No one else came forward so she was stuck with a possible offer with contingencies.

“Thank you, everyone, for your time and consideration.”

Anna left the podium and the technician came forward to remove her microphone. Stepping out of the door, she smiled at the two young men ready to go in.

Texting Frances the outcome, Anna headed back to the office to deal with the hundreds of tasks waiting for her.

A week later, Anna walked into Martin Enterprises and marveled at the difference between a business of wineries and breweries as opposed to the financial world. The atmosphere was less pressurized and more about interaction. There were beautiful photographs of the vineyards in the main lobby and a floor-to-ceiling display of wine bottles behind glass. There were also glass cases showcasing the tools of the trade.

The receptionist guided her to the fourth floor of the historic building. Stepping off the elevator, she was greeted by another receptionist and invited to wait in a luxurious seating area. Picking up a magazine about the wine trade, she flipped through the pages and waited for the great Alistair Martin to find time to see her.

She should feel grateful that he was giving her an opportunity to further discuss an investment, but instead she was defensive and irritated.

He came out into the lobby.

“Ms. Bolles?”

She stood and shook his hand. “I appreciate you seeing me.”

Instead of dressing up for the meeting, she wore a white button-down shirt with grey dress pants. She had put her hair in a ponytail and applied only a minimal amount of makeup. She didn’t want to give him the impression that she was trying too hard.

Alistair led her to a spacious office with plate glass windows overlooking the River Thames. His corporate offices were located thirty minutes from London, giving him tremendous views and more square footage. But his office had been a challenge to get to without a car. She opted to use a taxi, but the driver wasn’t thrilled and wouldn’t commit to coming back for her.

“Would you care for a glass of wine?” He pulled out a bottle of sauvignon and effortlessly opened the cork.

Why did he make her so nervous? “Please.”

“So polite. I thought you may be irritated to leave London.”

“Why would I be irritated?” She breathed in his clean scent when he handed her the wine. She should distance herself and not be so enamored with him. It would not help her case at all if she hung on his every word like a school girl with an obsessive crush.

He stood next to her and steadily held her gaze. “You are not used to being told no.”

“I’ve been told no repeatedly in my life.” He raised his eyebrows in response.

Alistair took a swallow of his wine. “As Oliver’s daughter, you must have grown up in a life of extreme privilege. Private boarding schools, equestrian competitions, staff to accommodate your every wish.”

She crossed her arms. “You are against wealth? Isn’t that slightly contradictory?” Why did he have to stand so close to her? Her nerves were on edge as it was.

He moved closer and lowered his voice slightly. “When it prevents someone from seeing the truth.” He paused and her awareness of him became overwhelming. “A start-up is very different than a prestigious position in the financial world.”

Anna moved away from him and sat down in a chair near his desk and crossed her legs. “I understand that a different skill set is needed for a start-up. I was drawn to either starting my own venture or joining a start-up because I wanted greater freedom and autonomy. But it also happens that my financial background brings a necessary skill set to the table.”

Alistair stretched out in the chair next to her. “I check the background of every company that I fund. Gala & More is a long shot. But instead of simply turning down the deal, I’m going to give you the opportunity to prove yourself.”

Anna touched her neck. “I’m not sure what you mean.” Why did he want to challenge her? What possible good would come from it?

He looked out over the river. “I’m going to give Gala & More a lucrative contract to put together a harvesting celebration. Martin Enterprises has a new wine that we intend to introduce at this event.”

He was impossible to understand. “Why would you hire us if you are uncertain of investing?”

He smiled at her and she had the impression he was leading her down this path to see if she would fail. “If the event is successful, then I’ll fund Gala & More. If I’m not satisfied with the ideas, orchestration or whatever, then we will part ways. No harm done.” Why did he want to waste his time if he wasn’t interested in investing? Was it possible that he had an old score to settle with the Bolles family? He wouldn’t be the first person who wanted to seek some sort of revenge against her father.

She pushed aside her reservations and considered his challenge. Instead of overthinking it, she should just accept it at face value. It would be good for the company either way. Knowing that he was judging them would add another layer of stress, but if they were successful it would be worth the added work because they would be properly funded.

He watched her with an alert gaze. “This weekend is the fundraiser that I’m hosting. I mentioned it a few weeks ago. I expect you to attend. You’ll need to immerse yourself in Martin Enterprises if you intend to be successful.”

She touched the stem of her wine glass, feeling self-conscious with his eyes on her. “I’ll need to check my schedule. Can you give me more details about the event you expect Gala & More to put together?”

He formed his hands into a steeple. “I’d like to get to know more about Gala & More first.”

“What do you want to know?” she asked, glancing at the window, the desk, anywhere but at him. “You’ve looked over the financials, background of the partners, and during the presentation I discussed recent events we coordinated.”

“I’d like to see your offices and the systems you use to organize events.” He exuded an air of unruffled confidence and focus.

She made an effort to unclasp her hands. “You must know from the address that it is in a shabby, low rent neighborhood. It’s not meant as a place to bring clients. With proper funding, we plan to rent a better space.” There was no way she would give him a tour of the office, it was hideous and would not reflect well on the company.

He stood up. “I’ve no issue with starting from nothing. In fact, it can be a good practice to keep your overhead low. But I insist on seeing the company office and meeting the employees. We could head there now.”

She shook her head. “It’s late in the day so the staff has gone home.”

“It’s not even five o’clock.”

She attempted to play it off. “We are an events company. The staff works evenings and weekends so there is flexibility during the work week.”

He picked up his keys. “I’ll drive you back to London and you can at least show me the office space.”

“Mr. Martin, I can’t do that.”

“Alistair. I insist.” He stepped towards her and dread filled her. Either she would refuse and the funding would fall apart or she would placate him and he would question their professionalism and her ability to run a company.

“I need a week before I show you the office space. Quite honestly, I’ve been focusing on other aspects of Gala & More and haven’t had the opportunity to deal with the hoarding situation at the office.” She hoped her honesty wasn’t going to be a deal breaker.

He had to give her credit for her honesty. His assistant had visited the location and the report was not positive. He didn’t want her to fail—she was obviously hardworking and dedicated—but it would take more than those traits to resurrect Gala & More. She would need top-notch public relations skills, perseverance and creative ideas.

Alistair wasn’t in the habit of being swayed by a personal agenda, but he was drawn to Anna. His instincts told him that she would surprise everyone. There was an edge to her. Even though she was raised with privilege, she was a fighter. If she weren’t off limits, he would be pursuing her for himself.

“Shall we say next Tuesday in the morning? There is a wine event that evening that I would like you to attend with me.”

Anna looked at her phone and checked the date.

Without looking up, she asked, “How many events do you expect me to attend?”

Why was she reluctant to spend time with him? He kept the impatience out of his voice. “As many as is required to give you a sense of the industry, the expectations, and ideas for a memorable celebration.”