All or nothing (Love in chaos #1) - Missy Johnson Page 0,7

my ear. “You’re harder to get ahold of than a greased pig at a country fair.”

“Avery, I’m so sorry. My assistant was supposed to call you Friday to explain I needed a few extra days.” I kiss his ass, because it’s the only thing I can do. “How about you come in Monday morning and I’ll go through everything?”

“You promised me the plans Friday, Ben. It's now Tuesday.”

“I know I did, but I had a better idea. One that’s going to make you a lot more money,” I explain. I had everything prepared for him Friday, when I realized that by changing up one little thing, he was going to almost double his projected profit. “Trust me—”

“Trust you?” he barks. “I want the plans by tomorrow, or I take my sausages to another firm.”

He hangs up before I can remind him he’s contracted to us for the next six months. Before I came along, Avery was struggling to maximize the profit of his two sausage shops in South Carolina. Now, because of me, he’s in every Piggly Wiggly in the country—which is kind of ironic, since his specialty is pork. Sighing, I sit back, because missing a deadline, even if it was for a legitimate reason, just gives Avery another reason to hate me. Missing a deadline bothers me too, but this is better for his business.

My phone beeps. I half expect it to be another dig from Jake, but it's Mom reminding me about dinner tomorrow night. I smile, because I haven't missed a weekly dinner since I moved out five years ago.

Me: I’ll be there. I’m looking forward to it.

Mom: Good, I was hoping you could have a chat with Billy. I’m not sure what’s going on with that kid, but he got into another fight.

Me: Sure. I’ll take him to his game on Sunday.

The weekly catch up was my idea in the first place. The last thing I wanted to get into was a rut where I was too busy for the only people I cared about.

It's been just the four of us since I was ten, when Dad left us to marry his assistant. It wasn't a shock that he left. He treated Mom like shit, and every day I'd wake up hoping she'd come to her senses and leave him. Even so, I could not understand how he could leave Mom to care for two young babies and a pre-teen and not look back. For years, I've resented him because I felt like I had no choice but to step up and be the man of the house. I've been more of a father figure for the twins than he ever was. He reached out once or twice, but it never lasted. He had a new family to contend with now, along with new kids.

All that being said, I’m proud of Mom and the job she did raising us alone. And knowing that I helped shape the twins into the amazing young adults they are today stands as one of my best achievements. It’s another reason why I love our weekly dinners. Going home to catch up on everything they’ve been up to is a great reminder that I need them as much as they need me.

Chapter 3

BEN

I have to give it to Mason; it was sheer genius joining an online dating agency targeting single mothers. I’d been exchanging flirty texts all day with a woman who calls herself Amanda, so when she suggested we skip dinner and meet up at her hotel room, I took it as a good sign that she was spontaneous and I’d be in with a shot at convincing her to marry me.

If that fails, I’ll really turn on the charm. I’ll play on her emotions a little, tell her how I’d managed to get myself into a horrible situation that has put my grandfather’s legacy in jeopardy. With any luck, she’ll agree to help me out, because I just want to get this over with so I can know that my company is safe without all the media attention a court case is going to bring me.

I exit the elevator on the fourth level of the hotel we’d arranged to meet at and make my way down to room 412. My confidence grows with every step, because I can feel this is going to go well.

When I reach her room, I take a deep breath before knocking lightly on the door.

“Ben?”

Fuck.

A string of incoherent cussing escapes from under Mom's