Oui: The French Connection Series, Book 1

By Brooklyn Knight

Laila Renaud is only concerned about two things: securing an internship position at the prestigious Hamilton Associates, and forging her path as an influential businesswoman of color. To do that, she must sock-it to her long-time rival, Ryder Hanson and prove that she is the cream of the crop. But the moment she lays eyes on Dylan Hamilton, the princely CEO at her internship site, she is forced to devise a Plan B, because being in this man's presence is sure to turn her world - and her goals - upside down.

For Dylan, it was a good thing that his firm only took on one intern a year, and had chosen Ryder Hanson. It meant he wouldn't have to see Laila Renaud again and he could ignore the raw desire which had almost overpowered him when he'd seen her sitting in his boardroom on the day of the work shadow. But when his business partner insists that the firm bring her on as a second intern, it's only a matter of time before the sparks burst into flames.

Laila is driven by success and after being double-crossed in love and business, she has no time for love.

Dylan is driven by an intense desire to show Laila that she can have both success and him, if she wants.

All she has to do is say 'oui'...

All he has to do is convince her to say it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brooklyn Knight
• Release date: Apr 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005714154

Brooklyn Knight

Brooklyn Knight is a romance enthusiast who lives in the island of Bermuda and has been writing stories since she was a little girl. Over the years, her gift for designing and bringing characters to life has evolved, and she enjoys creating vivid, memorable characters and unforgettable situations. Her characters are thought-provoking and evocative; and they will draw emotion out of you like water from a well.

Book preview

Chapter Two

Laila

‘Make It Up To You’

Sir, Carter called him again. Dylan!

The CEO’s head shot around and he grabbed his tie, running his hand over it.

Sir, I was just telling the students what a pleasure it is for you to do this every year… Carter nodded, eyes wide.

Right, yes, he responded. Mr. Hamilton turned to look at us again, and this time there was no glitter in his eyes. In fact he didn’t even look at me.

It gave me an opportunity to catch my breath, but the minute he stepped further into the room, bringing with him a rich and delightful aroma, I started wheezing again.

Good morning to each of you, he greeted us corporately. I don’t doubt you’ve had an adequate welcome, but I’d like to personally mention how special this time is for me. He assumed his position in front of the room, towering over us, asserting his presence.

Mr. Hamilton eased his hands into his pockets. His poise and dominance were astounding. The way he stood there, looking like he owned the entire world had me about to buckle over.

Ashely kicked my foot under the table.

Every year, we are privileged to be exposed to new and exceptional talent; people that we desire to employ and work with as we strive to make ourselves the leader in the investment and insurance industry, he said. That’s why each of you is here – because your professors see something in you and have been kind enough to expose our upper-level management to your skills and abilities. His voice rattled the room to the very corners.

Or maybe it just rattled my corners.

Girl, get yourself together!

He looked around but glossed over me. I want to go around the room and have each of you tell me who you are and what your distinct area of interest is.

Silence except for the sound of breakfasts churning in stomachs.

Starting with you. He pointed to Ashley.

She cleared her throat. My name is Ashley Tatem sir, and though I haven’t settled on a distinct area of interest as yet, I’m an eager student who wants to be exposed to all aspects of business. I think the benefits of general knowledge outweigh those of specialization.

This time she said more than she had with Carter, but Mr. Hamilton’s lips formed a tight smile.

Welcome, Ashley. He turned to Ryder, who jumped to attention.

Ryder Hanson, sir. I have experience managing the high-income portfolios of some very wealthy clients. I worked at my father’s firm for three consecutive summers and as a result, have obtained a sound knowledge and understanding of diversification and asset management. I believe that’s where my skillset lies.

Very impressive, Mr. Hanson, the CEO nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. And of course, your father is Ted Hanson.

Yes, sir, that is correct. Ryder’s chin was almost touching the damn ceiling.

I bristled in my seat.

I am very familiar with your father’s work and I understand you’ll be our intern for the next few months. Mr. Hamilton offered Ryder a flashing smile that turned me green. I heard about your proposal, too. Something to do with cyber insurance...

Ryder’s eyes shifted to mine, but I looked away.

I’m… interested in projective planning and the consideration of cyber insurance in that regard. That’s what the proposal to your company was about. I posed a few questions regarding what it would look like and drafted some answers to those questions. There was also some preliminary troubleshooting involved.

Brilliant. Very impressive, Mr. Carter mumbled. We talked about that for hours, he reminded the CEO.

Thank you, sir, Ryder said. Admittedly, there was a team of dedicated colleagues that assisted with the development of that concept. In fact, he gestured towards me, my colleague here worked very closely with me on the project and can speak just as knowledgeably.

My eyes shot up and Ryder smiled at me before tipping his head in the direction of the CEO. Go on, Laila. Tell them about the project.

I nodded, smoothing imaginary creases out of my perfectly steamed suit, realizing that the spotlight was now on me.

Mr. Hamilton paused before refocusing his attention and when his eyes flashed, my pulse increased. He moistened the most perfect set of lips I had ever seen.

Suddenly, I was imagining how they’d feel against my –

So, I suppose that brings me to you… Miss –

I jerked to attention. Renaud. Laila Renaud, Mr. Hamilton.

Our eyes entangled and the feeling of being tugged had me shaking. I was free-falling into the depths of his presence and there was no parachute in sight.

This could be bad…

Mr. Carter cleared his throat and I startled, trying to regain what was left of my composure.

Sir, as Mr. Hanson mentioned, I am interested in speculation and innovation regarding new products and services, but specifically, as they relate and respond to the advances of technology. My tone grew more robust. Passion stirred in my belly. There are clear benefits to exploring the feasibility of e-Insurance, I told him. We’re in the digital age, Mr. Hamilton. Thanks to online literary giants, brick and mortar stores are becoming obsolete. Very soon, if not already, cable service providers will be forced to consider other products for the consumer because everything is digital. Nobody rents movies anymore. Cable is barely competitive – and I can go online and send my choice of flowers or candy anywhere in the world with the click of a button. This is the world in which we live, I said, and I am convinced that the time has come for us to consider how our customers might require and benefit from the security of web-based insurance. There’s an untapped market here, sir, and I think it’s worthy of exploration.

The room would have been silent, had it not been for the sound of my heart thrashing against my ribcage.

Mr. Carter’s eyes shifted from me to the CEO.

The CEO nodded and his mouth drew into a straight line. Thank you, Miss Renaud. It’s good to have you on the team today. He smiled and turned to Gus.

Gus’s voice, sounding like a drone of bees in the summer, faded into the background and I shrunk in my seat.

The spotlight had turned off.

* * *

The day ended later than any of us had expected. After the initial meeting, we’d taken a tour of the firm before being assigned to various midlevel managers. We were floating on the clouds of exhilaration.

Well, most of us were…

I couldn’t deny that it had been an amazing experience, but Dylan Hamilton’s lackluster response to my diatribe bothered me. I’d intended to blow him out of the water, but it hadn’t happened. Instead, Ryder had stolen my thunder and rained on my parade.

Again.

Oh my God, that was awesome! It totally exceeded my expectations. Ashley had said that one hundred times already.

I was trying to manage my annoyance. I’m glad you had a great time, I forced myself to say.

Ryder approached and heat singed my insides. I agree. After spending the day with Dylan Hamilton, there are no words to describe the experience.

I rolled my eyes, but stinging tears threatened to fall anyway. I was being silly. The day hadn’t gone the way I’d planned, but I owed Ryder some level of gratitude. After the way I’d been acting, he didn’t have to acknowledge me in that boardroom, but he had. The least I could do was woman-up and let him know I was grateful.

I sucked in a breath and turned to face him. I’m glad everything worked out for you, Ryder, I said, but my lips hardly moved.

His neck moved backwards. Wait... He pressed his hand against his chest. Are you talking to me?

Stranger things have happened, I shrugged.

His blue eyes twinkled and he stepped closer. So, to what do I owe this pleasure?

Don’t push it.

Fine, he laughed raising his hands. "I’ll take what I can get. After six months of not returning my calls and completely shutting me out, you’ve acknowledged me and I won’t complain. Besides, I know that this is your way of saying thank you without actually saying it, but that’s okay. I did what I did today because it was the right thing to do, and I wanted to prove to you that I am actually capable of doing the right thing."

Maybe I am trying to say thank you, I said. The words were like sandpaper scraping the back of my throat. But don’t get excited. It’s still too little too late. Neither the vice president nor Mr. Hamilton cared about what I said. The impact had already been made.

What are you talking about? Laila, they loved you, he insisted. The look on Mr. Hamilton’s face when you were speaking, he was speechless. I can’t believe you didn’t notice.

I cleared my throat as recollections of the powerful exchange flooded me, and I fought the urge to look up to where his office sat perched on the top floor.

It doesn’t matter, I said shrugging. "At the end of the day what you did was more than a sorry and I should acknowledge that, so… thank you."

Ryder’s lashes fluttered and he lifted his hand to push a stray tendril from my face. You don’t have to thank me, Lai, he said, shaking his head. I know I need to prove that I never meant to hurt you. Whatever that looks like, I’m willing to do it. This is about more than e-Insurance and the damn internship, he said. I really, really miss you. I miss what happened.

Ryder moved his to my cheek and I eased out of his path.

He recoiled.

We’re not going there, I said backing away from him.

We haven’t gone there in six months, but maybe it’s time we do, he countered. I can’t stop thinking about you, Laila. I can’t stop thinking about us.

What happened with us was a mistake.

A mistake you made repeatedly for six months…

It was late. We had been working on that project all night. It was one glass of wine too many.

That was the first night, he reminded me. What’s your excuse for the second? Or third? His eyes scanned my face.

I had no answer.

Ryder closed in on me. Lai, I know I fucked up, he admitted. I hurt you, I betrayed your trust, but I want to try again.

We can’t. My response was succinct.

Why not?

Because I don’t give second chances to double-crossing assholes, Ryder. I smiled and touched his cheek, but when his hand pressed against mine, I froze.

Small waves of electricity pulsed through my body, but I ignored them.

Give me another chance, Laila, he whispered, drawing closer. Let me take you to dinner. We can talk about whatever you want. It doesn’t even have to be about us. Let’s just spend some time together.

I exhaled, shifting my briefcase from one shoulder to the other. I was punishing Ryder Hanson. He deserved every ounce of what I was dishing out, but he’d apologized – and it had been more than words. He’d given me the stage when he could have kept the limelight to himself.

Maybe I’m taking this too far…

I pushed my hair behind my ear. I’m busy Ryder, I told him. Unlike you, I don’t have an internship position secured. I need to make sure my resume and applications are in order.

Tonight, he interrupted. I promise I won’t keep you long. Besides, it’s been a tough day and it’s the weekend. Dinner would be the perfect way for us to wind down and relax.

Us?

He didn’t say anything.

I grimaced, thumbing my ear. Where? I demanded. "It has to be somewhere completely public. I am not willing to be alone with you."

Bistro Du Midi, he responded. I know that French cuisine is your favorite. It reminds you of home.

The reference to my original home in France forced tension to slip away and I smiled in nostalgic recollection. You know I’ve never been one to turn down a bouillabaisse, I said, and if you’re paying…

When have you ever incurred an expense on my behalf?

Fiscal or emotional?

Ryder frowned. Never mind. He pulled out his cell phone. A few seconds later, he’d secured reservations for two at Bistro Du Midi, a place my father had taken me to several times when I was a girl and we’d first arrived in America.

Sudden tears blurred my vision.

Maybe dinner wasn’t a good idea, but before I could make the suggestion, Ryder was turning around turned to face me.

Done, he said. He smiled big and bright and I allowed my defenses to lower, even if only for a few hours.

A few minutes later, an Uber pulled up to the curb and Ryder opened the door.

I entered and he slid in next to me.

The car pulled away and I turned around to see the prestigious ‘HA’ emblem posted at the top of the soaring building.

I also saw the CEO staring out of the window down at the sidewalk, and his eyes were on me.

Chapter Three

Dylan

‘Crucial Factor’

Carter burst into the office balancing a stack of files in his arms, and I moved away from the window.

Files for Monday morning’s meeting, he said throwing them onto a side desk.

I ran my hands through my hair and walked over to the table, glancing at the files, uninterested. I’d seen them a million times and was well-versed with the details.

I slapped one closed before walking over to the mini-bar and pouring myself a Bourbon. You want one? I held up a crystal tumbler.

Why not, he said, falling onto the chaise. I’m meeting the wife in an hour for dinner and a drink should get me in the right frame of mind.

We laughed, knowing that it was always best for an individual to be intoxicated when dealing with Carter’s wife, especially if that individual was her husband.

I handed Carter the drink and strolled back over to the window, clutching my glass. The view is amazing this time of day, I muttered. I’ve been here for ten years, and it still gets me every time.

You’re stressed, Carter guessed.

What are you talking about?

When you’re stressed that’s what you do, he explained. "You talk about the view. Carter pushed the glass against his mouth. What’s on your mind?"

I grunted but didn’t say anything.

Carter hummed and peered at me over the edge of his glass. How are things going with Emily?

They’re not going with Emily, Carter, I said shaking my head. In fact, I’m thinking about ending it.

"I think you’re overreacting. You’ve been with her for years."

Maybe that’s the problem… I was talking to myself. I’m thirty-seven, Carter.

Precisely why you should be speeding things along, he countered. You’re not getting any younger, Dylan. You want kids, don’t you?

That’s not what I meant, I grumbled. "I’m thirty-seven and I don’t have time to waste on a relationship that’s not going anywhere. I’d rather be single than stay in a dead-end

Reviews for Oui

[RedHobo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked it OK. I liked how driven Layla was at first, and as a 26 years old woman she didn't strike me as naive or anything, but the way she jumped into that relationship with him during their business trip had me side eying the hell out of her. LmI found it very unprofessional. Also, I found cringey/limit creepy having him calling her like her father used to in incorrect French (you wouldn't say 'ma belle fille'). I think it was supposed to be cute or something but I found it very odd, it only gave their relationship some weird 'daddy vibe' and emphasized their age difference (which wasn't even that big). Add to this the whole sex 'dominating' bit and I was a bit 'hmmmm'. I am not sure their dynamics needed this. It was so very cliché... Also I think Layla would have benefited to have some other people to connect with beside her white boss turned lover and her white ex turned rival. Like that Ashle girl just disappeared like 'pouf'. So Layla's life revolved around her internship and her men issues, which shrinked her character a bit. I was a bit disappointed by that.