Free Tycoon Takes Revenge by Anna DePalo

a low volume from its two small speakers.
    He nodded at the computer. “You’ve got some eclectic musical tastes. From Norah Jones to salsa?”
    â€œWe were raised on salsa,” Samantha piped up as she walked over to Kayla with a glass of water. “Our grandmother is a big fan.” Samantha looked at him. “She was born in Cuba.”
    â€œWas she?” Noah took a sip of his beer, amused that the expression on Kayla’s face said she wondered whether her sister was planning to give him details about their entire family.
    â€œYup,” Samantha said, ignoring her sister’s pointed look and sitting down on the couch next to her. “Bolero, salsa, merengue— Abuela likes it all. Kayla and I could barely get anything else played around the house since our grandmother was often there. Fortunately, Ricky Martin hit it big, and we finally found a middle ground.”
    â€œInteresting,” he murmured, looking at Kayla.
    â€œ Abuela sang around the house, too,” Samantha continued, then laughed before turning to her sister, “but Kayla only sings in the shower.”
    â€œYeah, I know.”
    â€œSo, you mentioned an event a minute ago,” Kayla said, clearly looking to change the subject. “What event?”
    â€œThere’s a black-tie benefit for the Boston Esplanade being thrown on the banks of the Charles River next Saturday night by the Charlesbank Association. I’d like you to come with me. You’ll get to listen in on some interesting conversations.”
    â€œUnless it’s a costume ball with Venetian masks, the answer is no. We had one near brush with paparazzi on Friday night. I’ll follow you around but in a more low-key way from now on.”
    He sat back and tilted his head. “Somehow I thought that would be your initial reaction.”
    â€œGood, then you weren’t disappointed,” she countered.
    Samantha was looking like she longed for a big tub of popcorn so she could watch the gathering storm with the same intensity she’d view an absorbing TV drama.
    â€œInstead of inviting me to charity benefits,” Kayla continued, “if you really wanted to help me, you’d be inviting me to tour Whittaker Enterprises’ offices and giving me a list of employees to speak with.”
    â€œFine. I’ve been too busy this week to get to that,” he responded. “Call my office on Monday. We’ll set up a time for you to come by and I’ll have some names for you. But I still want you to go to the Charlesbank Association event with me.”
    â€œGoing to a charity benefit with you would be like waving a red flag in front of the gossip columnists in this town—they’re sure to charge, and odds are we’d be gored.”
    â€œI’ll introduce you as the reporter who’s researching an in-depth piece on Whittaker Enterprises,” he saidwith patience. “Everyone will buy it because the alternative—that we’re flaunting a relationship that I just publicly denied existed—will seem too outrageous.”
    Kayla rolled her eyes. “Wow, you sure know nothing about gossip columnists. Stories about three-headed aliens landing on top of city hall aren’t too outrageous.” She leaned forward. “And if the mayor refutes it, of course, the headline is Mayor Denies Aliens Landed on his Roof.”
    Samantha laughed.
    Noah stared at Kayla, and she stared right back.
    Sighing, he turned to Samantha. “Feel free to chime in any time, kid. I could use all the help I can get.”
    â€œNo way.” Samantha shook her head. “Kayla’s wearing her ‘look.’ She can be very stubborn when she wants to be.”
    â€œYou don’t say?” he said, not taking his eyes off Kayla.
    â€œYup. She’s been known to camp out overnight for concert tickets.”
    â€œEveryone has his price,” he said.
    â€œYou couldn’t afford