One Midnight Kiss: A Billionaire Fake Fiancée Holiday Romance
One Midnight Kiss: Chapter 4

I walked into my office at eight sharp to find Penelope already waiting by my desk with a fresh stack of files. The rain was drumming against the windows of my corner office, droplets sliding down the glass and blurring the view. The dreary Seattle sunlight was barely peeking through the clouds. It was the kind of November morning where everyone wanted to stay in bed but not me. I thrived on days like this. Everyone else moved slower, while I kept my pace steady and strong.

The weather kind of matched my aura. I felt dreary. Not in a sad way, but my life felt gray. It wasn’t a bad thing. It was just life. Every morning I woke up, gave myself a pep talk, and hit the ground running.

Penelope handed over the files with her usual efficiency. “New leads for the Hollister account,” she announced. “And the Pacific Northwest expansion project—legal has some concerns.”

“Noted,” I said, scanning the pages. I could already tell Hollister would be a quick turnaround. It was just another part of the routine. I longed for something more dynamic, something I could really sink my teeth into.

“Anything else?” I asked, eyes still on the papers.

Penelope nodded. “Dave’s looking for you. He said he wants to talk before your ten o’clock appointment.”

I frowned. “Did he say why?”

“Nope,” she replied, a small smirk on her lips. “But he looked like a kid with a secret.”

“Great,” I muttered. “Let’s hope it’s a good secret.”

My line rang out at Penelope’s desk. “I’ll get that. Need anything?”

“Nope, I’m good.” I got right to work. I liked to stay busy. I wanted to be swamped. It was the only way I got through the day. One foot in front of the other. That was my motto. Just keep swimming. And in Seattle, that was very apropos.

There was a soft knock at my office door before it opened. Dave, the CEO and my boss, walked in.

I nodded and smiled. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” His eyes drifted to the window. He shook his head like he was disgusted by what he saw. “Don’t you crave sunshine?”

I laughed softly. “Don’t we all. What’s up? Penelope said you needed to talk to me.”

He took a seat, his long legs stretching out. “I’ve got a big project for you.”

“Okay, I like the sound of that,” I said, gesturing for him to continue.

“It’s an account that needs a lot of help. And I mean a lot. This is a top-tier opportunity, and the client specifically asked for you.”

“Me?” I sat up straighter, intrigued.

“There’s a meeting today with the CEO and CFO of HomeTech,” he said. “The company just moved into an office downstairs about a month ago. I want you to be the one to sit with them and help solve their advertising problems.”

I crossed my arms, giving him a flat look. “I’m the marketing director, Dave. If you’re here to hand me another mid-level account⁠—”

“It’s not a mid-level account,” he interrupted, waving a hand dismissively.

“I appreciate you thinking of me, but I’m a director, not an executive. I’m afraid you would be wasting my very healthy salary on something an executive could handle.”

He chuckles. “You used to love managing accounts, especially the impossible ones.”

“And I kicked ass, which is why I’m a director,” I said.

He leaned back in his chair, looking far too pleased with himself. “They want you, Natalia. They specifically requested your expertise.”

I sighed. “And what’s the project? Why are they in such desperate need of saving?”

“Hanna,” he said simply.

“Who is that?”

“Not a who, a what.” Dave put a folder on my desk. “Check it out.”

I opened the folder and scanned the first page filled with bullet points. It was an AI system designed to manage everything in a house from air quality to utilities. It was supposed to revolutionize the way people lived, making homes safer and more efficient. But the public wasn’t buying it. The backlash had been swift and harsh—people were terrified at the idea of a robot essentially living in their walls.

“Ah,” I said, letting out a small laugh. “I can see why they’re struggling. They’ve got a PR nightmare on their hands.”

“Exactly,” Dave said, grinning. “And they need you to turn it around. This isn’t your run of the mill account. I know you love a good challenge.”

I continued scanning through the file, looking at pictures and their ideas for the points that would impress a consumer.

He leaned forward, dropping his voice. “Natalia, you’re the best we have. And frankly, the CEO of HomeTech needs someone like you. He’s not the easiest person to work with.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to push down the frustration. I already knew I didn’t have a choice. Dave was pushing hard on this because he wanted it to be my problem, not his.

I could admit I was slightly curious about HomeTech. Our corporate building was normally quiet and full of men in suits. They were all the stiff working type, on their phones and carrying coffee without really looking at anyone. But with HomeTech moving in, the vibe in our building changed. They fit in with the Seattle scene. The place was bursting at the seams with barely out of college kids in sweatpants drinking oat milk lattes and energy drinks. They were the least serious-looking group of people I had ever seen.

I took a deep breath. “You want me to babysit a temperamental CEO and salvage an AI product that everyone is terrified of?”

“Exactly,” Dave said with a satisfied nod, a small smile playing on his lips. “And here’s the catch. He’s not just temperamental. He’s arrogant and has an ego the size of our building.”

“So, what you’re telling me is that I have to handle a tech tycoon with a big mouth, who scares more people than his product does, and make both him and his product loved by the public?”

Dave grinned. “That about sums it up. Now do you see why I came to you? You’re a ball buster Natalia. You’ll do fine. I know you love sinking your teeth into something juicy.”

“I’m not sure I would consider robots juicy,” I said. “Are we really already here in the tech world? I thought we had another decade before we had to deal with the robot takeover.”

Dave shrugged. “Apparently, the future is now, Natalia. Grab it by the horns. Maybe we’ll have to see what the tech is all about. Bring it into the office. Imagine the efficiency.”

I cringed at the idea. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”

“Remember, you’re the one that is in charge of getting people excited about this stuff,” he said. “You’re going to want to be familiar with it and be ready to promote it. If you’re not into it, it will show.”

“I’ve promoted erectile dysfunction drugs before,” I reminded him. “Trust me, I’m the queen of faking it.”

He chuckled and rose from the chair. He adjusted his tie and shot me a last victorious grin. “I know you’ll do great.”

“I’m picking my own team. I’m not dealing with this alone.”

“Deal,” he said. He looked at his watch. “You’ve got twenty minutes before the meeting. They’re expecting you downstairs.”

I jumped up, giving him a sharp look. “Twenty minutes? And you’re only telling me now?”

He grinned. “You’re the best at thinking on your feet, Natalia.”

“Remind me why I work here,” I muttered.

“Because you enjoy a good challenge,” Dave replied, opening the door to leave. “And this is certainly that.”

He walked out, grinning at his own joke. I took another glance at the HomeTech file. Twenty minutes was not a lot of time to prepare for a meeting like this, especially when I had just been thrown into the deep end. But Dave was right about one thing—I did love a good challenge.

I sat down and started reading through the file once again, trying to commit numbers and points to memory. I usually had weeks or months to prepare for a pitch. I didn’t know the first thing about AI. I struggled to get my coffeemaker to work properly. I had an InstaPot still in the box because the thing intimidated me. I didn’t do tech and now I was supposed to try and convince people like me it was a good thing?

Penelope walked into my office. “Well?”

“Dave is playing games.”

She frowned. “Like Scrabble?”

“He just dropped a new account in my lap,” I said.

“Do you want me to get Ramsey? He just wrapped up his account.”

I shook my head. “No, this one is for me. The client asked for me, so he wants me on the account.”

“As the exec?” she asked with confusion.

“Yep.”

She frowned. “Did you get demoted?”

“No. This company is in a bind. Did I mention it starts now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Get your tablet,” I said. “We’re going downstairs. Apparently, I’m meeting the big shots at HomeTech in like twenty minutes.”

Penelope’s eyes went wide. “Really? HomeTech? This is huge! Have you seen those guys? They’re all techy and geeky while still kind of hot.”

“Yeah, huge is one word for it,” I said.

We collected our things and made our way to the elevator. My mind was spinning like it was trying to figure out a puzzle. I had a few pieces of the tech. Now, I had to put them all together and come up with a plan.

In twenty minutes.

Technically, fifteen minutes now.

The elevator doors slid open, and we stepped into HomeTech’s offices. I was immediately struck by the difference. Our firm was sleek, polished, and all about appearances. HomeTech, on the other hand, looked like a college dorm. Kids in hoodies and joggers were huddled around screens, sipping lattes and arguing in low voices. The smell of coffee and what I was certain was popcorn permeated the room.

“This doesn’t look promising,” I murmured to Penelope.

She just grinned. “Geniuses work better in relaxed environments.”

“Or maybe they need to learn how to dress for a business meeting,” I shot back.

A guy who couldn’t have been older than twenty-five shuffled over to us, wearing a backward baseball cap and a HomeTech hoodie. “You’re here for the meeting, right? The ad chick? This way.”

“You can call me Natalia,” I said. “Because if you call me chick, I’m going to throw you out a window.”

The guy burst into laughter. I didn’t normally make it a habit to threaten clients, but I had never been called a chick by a client before.

We were in unchartered territory.

He led us into a conference room that looked hastily put together—chairs mismatched, a whiteboard covered in scribbles. I took a seat, trying not to let my irritation show. This was already shaping up to be a disaster. Dave was going to owe me.

Penelope sat beside me, her tablet poised to take notes. “Do you want coffee, Natalia?” she whispered.

“Let’s see how this goes first,” I replied. “I’m not sure I should have a weapon in my hand.”

Just then, the door swung open and a man in his early thirties rushed in. He looked flustered but gave us a bright smile. “Hi, I’m Jerrod, CFO of HomeTech. Thanks for meeting with us on such short notice. I appreciate the hustle.”

I stood and shook his hand. “Natalia Dawkins. It’s good to meet you.”

“We’re really excited to have you on board,” Jerrod said. “Fox will be right in and then we can get started.”

Fox?

I wasn’t sure if that was another acronym or what. My question was answered a second later when a tall man with dark hair and piercing hazel eyes strolled in. He was wearing a slick suit tailored to perfection. The way he carried himself told me he was the boss.

This was the CEO I was going to be babysitting.

Shit.