I, Do, She Doesn't

By Leila Lacey

Cozette Lion is the youngest child and only daughter to a Hotel and Resort dynasty; Lion Industries. Having had the reigns of the company passed to her and not her older brothers, she works very hard at proving her father made the right decision. 
Cozette has driven Lion Industries to be even more successful than it was with her father at the reigns. She's done so well that she's almost driven her top competitor Carnello Hotel and Resorts into a hostile takeover. 
Derrick Marks wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he was born to a mother that was poor and had an addiction; He worked hard to become the man he is today. Derrick's mother worked for years as a maid for the Carnello family, allowing Derrick to become close to, their only son Rafael. Rafael was handed the reigns of his families company and doesn't know what to do with them. 
He asks Derrick to get close to Cozette, to see if he can get any insider information that will help him put her in her place. Derrick owes him so he agrees. What he wasn't ready for was falling in love, with Cozette. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leila Lacey
• Release date: Sep 21, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386006640

Leila Lacey

Love comes in many shapes and sizes.  Rising Michigan Author Leila Lacey writes from the heart about the trials and tribulations of love and romance from a plus size woman’s perspective.  With over 12 popular books on Amazon to date, she’s steadily claiming her space as a new romantic fiction author to keep an eye on. Bow down to the curves.  That’s the philosophy that’s motivated romantic fiction author Leila Lacey as she’s wrote over a dozen popular books taking a hot and exciting look at love and adventure from a strong, curvy woman’s viewpoint.  The books have been received with enthusiasm, and it’s clear the best is yet to come for these BBW romances (Big Beautiful Woman). “I think it’s important to present strong, beautiful, curvy women that have amazing female to female relationships,” commented Lacey, on what motivates her.  “If we don’t provide alternative role models for people, they could fall into the trap of not loving who is looking them back in the mirror.  Romantic fiction should entertain, but it should also help build confidence and a great self-image.  I’m trying to cover all these things and more in my books.” According to the author, Lacey had a quite unexpected entry into writing.  Although always interested in being a writer she never explored her skills fully until being convinced to join a writing contest.  Within 30 days she had finished her first novel, won the contest, and never looked back.  An example of a woman with confidence proving to herself, and the world, what can be accomplished when dreams are pursued actively. Some of her most popular books in the plus size women genre include:  Phoenix Rising;  A Very Curvy Christmas; Dr. Black’s Patient; Love’s Legacy; Shelby’s Awakening; and many, many more. Readers have responded to her work with enthusiasm.

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I DO, SHE DOESN’T

Leila Lacey

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is coincidental

Copyright © 2015 by Leila Lacey.

In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [e-mail]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

Senior Editor: Leanore Elliott

CHAPTER ONE

Cozette Lion had come to visit her father Zeus to let him know how well the company had done this quarter, as she needed to do every few months.

Cozette had taken her families company from a gold bar to a diamond. Lion Worldwide Holdings, Inc. was the first African American owned and ran global hospitality company. Lion was ranked as the 25th largest privately held company in the United States before for going public.

Cozette’s father had taken the reigns until he’d retired ten years ago. The decision had shocked the business community when Zeus had finally named his youngest child as his successor. With Cozette’s leadership, the company had not only done well, but had almost doubled its profits every year.

Daddy are you home? she yelled walking into the house.

Hi Ms. Cozette, her father’s longtime maid greeted her while coming in from the kitchen.

Hey, Kay. Is Daddy here?

"Yes, miss. He’s out by the pool’

By the pool, Zeus interjected from the open doorway with a laugh.

Who told him he could rest? Cozette retorted. Good Morning Daddy! How are you today?

Zeus stood up to embrace her, giving her one of his well-known bear hugs. I am doing wonderful, now that my baby girl is here. He pulled a chair out for her.

I came to show you how well the new plans and designs I implemented for the hotels are doing, she replied smiling.

Baby girl, it’s a Friday shouldn’t you be off on a date? Or getting ready for one. If you don’t give me a grandchild I might think I won’t get one. With your brother’s divorces lasting longer than their marriages.

Cozette had three older brothers. Leon who was seven years older than her, while he was brilliant with numbers, he liked sailing around the world from casino to casino, leaving broken hearts in his wake.

Keven was four years older than she was and one of the most celebrated players in the NBA today.

Last but not least, there was Josiah who was a proctologist.

Cozette had never gotten why of all the places on the human body...he would choose the behind.

Keven had so eloquently answered the question last Christmas, saying, Because he’s full of shit.

As wonderful, as her brothers were there was one area their decision making ability left a lot to be desired. Women!

All of them had married and all of them were in the middle of very acrimonious divorces.

After watching her brothers deal with trashy women loving them for their bank accounts and nothing else. She’d decided they last thing she needed was a husband.

Cozette had curves to spare, taking after her mother, most of her body was proportioned until you got to her butt and hips. They were lush, thick and curvy, Kim Kardashian had paid top dollar for the ass and hips God had blessed Cozette with for free, and she had no problem showing them off.

There wasn’t one plus size designer she didn’t know and well. She’d really just become accepting of her weight and size in the past three years. She’d never been one of those girls who took anyone’s shit because of her size either. Her senior year in high school, she’d been asked to the prom by the Varsity basketball team’s captain. He was also one of the most popular boys in school and he’d asked her out as a joke. The night of prom, he was two hours late before she realized he wasn’t coming.

He was completely surprised when she strode into the prom, walked directly up to him, and punched him in the face, leaving him unconscious and drooling on the gym floor. Then instead of leaving in tears, like most expected her to, she’d gotten on the dance floor and danced the rest of the night away.

Cozette wasn’t a woman who needed a man to want her, to be fulfilled. She loved her life, family, and friends. Did she want meet the love of her life and ride off into the sunset, making babies and adopting dogs? Yes, but she knew most men were too shallow to realize what she had to offer and she had too much respect for herself to give a crap.

Daddy! We have this talk every time I come over. I told you I may never have children. I mean I refuse to bring a child into this world without it having a father, and I’m sure I won’t be getting married anytime soon.

Alright, Alright, he said throwing his hands in the air, then picking up the file she handed him. I know from being married to your mother, God rest her soul, never to argue with a strong woman. Especially, a Lion woman.

Cozette laughed, sitting back in her chair looking out at her families twenty acre property that she, her brothers, her father and his siblings had grown up on. From the ten foot Italian Cypress to the tri-colored dappled willow, the land was covered in trees. With flowers and ponds making it one of the most peaceful places she had ever been and the place she came whenever she was overwhelmed to this day.

This is wonderful baby girl! Look at these numbers even the Carnello Hotels are way behind us. We’ve been neck and neck or even been beat for decades but these numbers are absolutely astounding! Zeus said with pride.

Oh please, Daddy they have no way of keeping up with us now. First, with party boy Rafael Carnello running the company, you can guarantee there is no attention to detail. Next, I am smarter, and more dedicated than he is. Rendering him a non-factor, she explained, waving him off.

ZEUS SMILED AND LAUGHED at his daughter’s confidence. He couldn’t think of a time when Cozette hadn’t known what she wanted and went after it with gusto. He remembered when she’d announced she was going to run for prom queen of her boarding school. While he thought his daughter was beautiful, he was worried the rich mean girls at Land Star Prep would have at her and it would be open season.

He should’ve known things would be quite to the contrary. Competitive stylish and a professional smartass, Cozette had beat her competitors by a mile.

I’m very proud of you sweetie just don’t get too confident. You never know what those damn Carnellos have up their sleeves.

Closing her file, Cozette winked at him whispering, No worries Daddy. When it comes to Rafael Carnello and me, he doesn’t even have a sleeve.

CHAPTER TWO

D AMN IT! Rafael Carnello shouted throwing the papers he was reading across his office, pacing the floor.

Sir...Mr. Marks is here, his assistant said through the intercom.

Send him in Rosie! he yelled running his hands through his hair.

Oh boy, what happened now? Derrick asked walking in.

Rafael and Derrick had been best friends since they were ten years old. Their very wealthy, very spoiled and very addicted mothers had met in rehab and became besties.

Derrick’s mother, Alexa had been on her last chance with her family, so when she slipped up again, she’d been summarily disowned by her father. She and Derrick had instantly been made homeless and penniless within a matter of minutes.

If there was one thing Derrick had learned about love, it was only real, based on the stipulations you were willing to maintain to keep it.

Alexa had gone to her best friend Evangeline Carnello for help. Her family had been the only ones, unafraid to piss her father off, and give them a handout. Although Derrick didn’t think making your best friend whom was an addict, who’d never worked a day in her life, your personal housekeeper was really a hand out.

Derrick and his mother had lived on the Carnello property and he’d gone to the best schools and had been shown the etiquette of a wealthy prince, side by side with Rafael.

Only when it was time to go to college, Derrick had gone on to Harvard, working two jobs to pay the tuition his mother, student loans, and grants couldn’t cover and Rafael had gone on a European tour on the yacht his parents had given him as a graduation present.

Seven years into his life of leisure, Rafael was called to take over the family business, his father had died unexpectedly of a massive heart attack, and it was his job to now run the family hotel business. 

Derrick was a very successful real estate mogul with a company that was valued in the hundreds of millions. He and Rafael had managed to stay close over the years. Rafael helped Derrick whenever things got out of hand.

That fucking bitch is killing me! Rafael yelled pointing to the paperwork he’d just thrown across the room.

Shaking his head, Derrick picked up the papers and read through them. Wow, she really is kicking your ass. Isn’t that like the fifth prime property she’s taken from under your nose and made into a successful resort?

Turning away from the window he’d been leaning against, Rafael strode toward the bar. Yes, you dick! I don’t need the asshole recap, thanks. He poured himself a scotch.

Hey, don’t get mad at me! I’m just telling the truth! Derrick snickered as he sat the folder on his desk.

I can’t figure out how she’s doing it, and the new plans that she keeps coming up with for the new hotel designs. What the hell is that? I have had five private investigators trying to find out who her architect is and nothing! There are whispers the board wants to vote me out.

As much as Derrick loved giving him shit, he hated to see him look so defeated. Derrick had been there when his father had told him he would never amount to anything and he really had no one to pass the family business on to.

While he never really knew what it was like to have a father, he knew Rafi well enough to know what all he was thinking about now. Come on. There has to be something you can do. Let me talk to someone people I know. I bet I know someone who knows who her architect is, he said pulling his phone out of this pocket.

That’s not gonna help. I need to get one step ahead of her, and I’ve only been able to think of one way to do that, he said pouring himself another glass.

Well, that’s really going to help, he mumbled about the booze.

DON’T START THAT PARENTING SHIT WITH ME D! he yelled at him

Throwing his hands in the air Derrick sat down and chuckled to himself. My bad! What’s your plan?

You, he said turning toward him.

Me? Me? What do you mean me? he asked confused.

You! I need you to get close to her. Get her guard down, find out who this architect is.

Wait—what? Derrick stood up and started to pace the floor. How exactly would I accomplish this?

I figure you like the fattys, Rafael replied. So date her, fuck her, and bed her. Give it to her so good, she’ll want to tell you her life story and the story of two of her ancestors.

Derrick stood gaping at him with a blank stare. What the hell was he thinking? I now know why you suck at business. You’re two deep fried rats short of a bucket of KFC chicken, he finally said.

Rafi sat down in his chair. You know I’m right. And fuck you by the way.

Nooo. I know you are crazy! That I know for sure. First of all, fattys...really? I mean are we in the fifth grade? I unlike you, captain herpes simplex ten, he said in a feminine voice. I happen to be able to see the beauty of a woman on the inside before the outside. I see all the light showing through them and their actions and the way they carry themselves. Next, what makes you think, she’s going to tell me her business secrets just because I’m swinging?

Okay, I realize you have gone all yay-yay sisterhood on me. But to snap you back to reality...A good dick will make a bitch talk every time.

Do me a favor. Don’t breed. I would hate to have a repeat of you in the world when I have a daughter. And in case it’s not clear. NO. AND. HELL. NO! That’s playing games with people’s feelings and I am too grown for that shit. Derrick had spent a lot of years trying to get over the broken heart of having the woman he loved, turn away from him to a woman. If there was anything that made a man feel like less of a man, it would be having the woman you love choosing to love another woman.

"Do I need to remind you,