Perfectly Imperfect: Worth of a Billionaire Series, #1

By Lexy Timms

All you have in business is your reputation. So, it's very important that you keep your word…

 

Ryan Abbot is an investor looking for projects that will help people who need it most.

 

He hears about a solar farm project in Arizona and decides to check it out. Ginny Grayson is the environmental engineer running the project. She's feisty and opinionated. They clash every time they meet and the tension between the two of them is undeniable.

 

Ginny finds out that the project is threatening to take over protected state land and is furious.  She blames Ryan and quits.

 

Ryan needs to find a way to prove his intentions were pure and he wasn't involved in the secrecy. Can he do it before it's too late? Will they have a chance to realize the tension between the two of them is more than just sexual?

 

Worth of a Billionaire Series

• Perfectly Imperfect
• Entirely Improper
• Stupidly Illogical

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dark Shadow Publishing
• Release date: Aug 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223501206

Lexy Timms

"Love should be something that lasts forever, not is lost forever."  Visit USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, LEXY TIMMS https://www.facebook.com/SavingForever *Please feel free to connect with me and share your comments. I love connecting with my readers.* Sign up for news and updates and freebies - I like spoiling my readers! http://eepurl.com/9i0vD website: www.lexytimms.com Dealing in Antique Jewelry and hanging out with her awesome hubby and three kids, Lexy Timms loves writing in her free time.  MANAGING THE BOSSES is a bestselling 10-part series dipping into the lives of Alex Reid and Jamie Connors. Can a secretary really fall for her billionaire boss?

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Worth of a Billionaire Series

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Perfectly Imperfect

Entirely Improper

Stupidly Illogical

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Perfectly Imperfect Blurb

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RYAN ABBOT IS AN INVESTOR looking for projects that will help people who need it most.

He hears about a solar farm project in Arizona and decides to check it out. Ginny Grayson is the environmental engineer running the project. She’s feisty and opinionated. They clash every time they meet and the tension between the two of them is undeniable.

Ginny finds out that the project is threatening to take over protected state land and is furious.  She blames Ryan and quits.

Ryan needs to find a way to prove his intentions were pure and he wasn’t involved in the secrecy. Can he do it before it’s too late? Will they have a chance to realize the tension between the two of them is more than just sexual?

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Contents

Worth of a Billionaire Series

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Perfectly Imperfect Blurb

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Worth of a Billionaire Series

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Chapter One

Ryan

I STEPPED INTO THE elevator of the downtown Manhattan building where my company offices were housed. As the polished metal doors closed behind me, it felt like I was being locked into a steel cage. The office was not my favorite place to be. I did everything I could to avoid coming into the city. I preferred my very private, very quiet estate in Rhode Island. But as much as I preferred to hide away, there were times I had to actually get my butt into the office. Like today.

Today was a crucial day for my tech company, and I had an important meeting with potential investors. They needed to see my face. Most stuff I could call in or teleconference. But when we were talking about millions of dollars, the boss had to be involved. As the elevator ascended, my mind was flooded with thoughts of how far we had come and how far we could go with the right support.

My company had been a passion project from the start. What began as a small team of dreamers had grown into a successful venture, making waves in the tech industry. We were doing well, maybe even better than we had ever imagined, but that wasn’t enough. I wanted to take it to the next level, to revolutionize the world with our innovations.

Some people thought it was the money that motivated me, but I already had more money than I could spend. I was set up for life. I had several properties and a private plane—three actually. Cars, clothes, and whatever I wanted. I wanted to make more money so I could give away more. I loved being philanthropic. Which was why I was entertaining offers for investors to bring me their money to spend.

While we didn’t necessarily need investors to survive, their backing would allow us to expand and grow faster. It would provide us with more resources, opportunities, and global reach. But it wasn’t just about the money; it was about finding partners who believed in our vision, who could bring valuable expertise to the table.

As the elevator dinged, signaling my arrival, I took a deep breath. My thoughts momentarily shifted to my pet projects—those wild ideas that constantly swirled in the back of my mind. With the company’s success, I had the privilege of acting as an angel donor for some incredible causes, and that was one of the driving forces behind my desire to attract investors. I wanted to do more, to have a positive impact beyond just our tech innovations.

I stepped out of the elevator and into my sleek, modern office space, greeted by my receptionist. Good morning, Mr. Abbot.

Good morning, Jackie.

The team is ready, and our guests have already been seated in the conference room. She smiled.

Thank you.

I walked to my office, only to be waylaid by several people anxious to discuss final points before the meeting. I wasn’t all that worried. The investment would be great, but it wasn’t going to cost us anything. Together, we walked into the boardroom like the powerhouse crew we were.

We delivered our pitch and waited. I wasn’t worried they weren’t going to invest. We made people a lot of money. We were a sure thing. After the meeting, a couple of the investors were talking over some of the other investments they were considering. I happened to overhear one of them mention a solar project.

His words sent shivers of excitement down my spine. This was exactly the kind of initiative I wanted to be a part of—a project that aligned with my values and had the potential to make a real difference in the world.

What’s this project? I asked him. He gave me the rundown of the project and how they intended to involve the community. We continued chatting for some time. Walking away, my mind was abuzz with thoughts of the solar project.

Thank you for the information, I said and shook his hand.

Back in my office, I found myself researching the solar project in Phoenix, digging into every available detail. The more I learned, the more my excitement grew. I knew I had to find a way to be involved in this venture, to contribute my skills and passion to its success. This was the kind of thing I loved to do. It was supposed to help lower energy costs in the Phoenix area, which would benefit lower-income families. With the extreme heat, it cost a lot to keep homes cool. I loved projects that benefited the people struggling the most. I sent out a quick email to the manager of the project and then got to work catching up on other things.

My alarm on my phone sounded. Great, I muttered.

It was time to head to the charity dinner I’d gotten roped into. It was being held at a luxury hotel, which right away said the charity dinner had very little to do with charity. They could have had it at a Denny’s or an Outback Steakhouse and donated all that money to the charity instead of spending it on a bunch of overpriced food.

Mr. Abbot. The young woman took my invitation and flashed me a flirtatious smile. I was used to the flirting. Beautiful, single women loved to work events like this because they were on the hunt for a wealthy bachelor. I preferred to find a woman interested in me—not my wallet. You’re at table three.

Thanks.

I walked into the room abuzz with women in gowns, dripping with diamonds and soaked in expensive perfume. That was something else I could never quite handle. It was so overwhelming. The entire room smelled like roses and vanilla. It was too much.

Champagne? A waiter held out a tray.

Thank you.

I took a glass and continued across the room, scanning the tables to look for mine. Two women were already seated there.

One of them was tall and slender, with long legs that seemed to go on forever. She had jet-black hair that cascaded down her back in waves and a sultry pout that made my heart race. The other woman was shorter and curvier, with fiery red hair and sparkling blue eyes that danced with mischief. She wore a tight-fitting dress that hugged her hourglass figure in all the right places.

As I approached the table, the tall woman stood up and extended her hand. Hi, I’m Veronica, she said, her voice low and husky.

I shook her hand and offered a smile. Nice to meet you.

The other woman looked me up and down like she was undressing me with her eyes. Ryan Abbot, she said.

I was used to people recognizing me. I was a successful businessman with a net worth of over a billion dollars. But something about the way this woman said my name made my skin tingle. I took her hand and shook it firmly. And you are?

She grinned, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. I’m Mandy, she said, her voice like honey. "And I’m not afraid to admit that I’ve had a crush on you since I saw you on the cover of Forbes."

I chuckled, feeling my cheeks heat up. Well, I’m flattered, I said.

Flattered but not interested. I couldn’t say what it was I was looking for in a woman, but I knew what I didn’t want. I had been told by my best friend Drew I was too picky when it came to women. If you were going to settle down with one woman for the rest of your life, I felt like that was a good time to be picky. I didn’t want to be a statistic and end up divorced. I didn’t want to shop for my first ex-wife. I wanted to look for the one woman I would spend the rest of my life with.

Our table filled up with everyone talking about their homes in the Hamptons and where they were going to spend their summers. It was always about money and trophy wives and husbands. I never felt like I belonged. I was an outsider in their world. I didn’t have ancestors connected to royalty or oil barons. I was a self-made man. I came from nothing. Like absolutely nothing. I didn’t even have a home growing up. I was a foster kid that carried around a black trash bag that contained everything I owned—and it wasn’t much.

As I listened to the conversations around me, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for everything I had accomplished in my life. But at the same time, I felt a sense of emptiness in my heart. Money couldn’t buy me happiness, and it certainly couldn’t buy me love.

What about you, Ryan? Mandy asked. Do you have a house in the Hamptons?

I shook my head. No.

Where is your vacation house?

I don’t have one. I live in Rhode Island. I guess that’s what I consider my vacation house. I love it there. I have an apartment in the city when I need to come into work.

They all seemed appalled that I didn’t have a vacation house. I thought about buying one, but it seemed silly to own three homes. I was one person. I could rent a house if I wanted to get out of town for a couple of weeks. Instead of a mortgage payment, I could put that money into one of my pet projects.

The conversation switched to the stock market. I didn’t mess with the stock market. I had a guy that did all my buying and selling. Every month he gave me an update about how much money I made or lost. I didn’t pay a lot of attention to it.

After the first course was served, Mandy made a disparaging comment about one of the servers.

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of disgust rise up within me. These people thought they could just talk down to anyone they deemed beneath them. It was the kind of behavior that made me feel even more like an outsider in their world.

I cleared my throat, drawing their attention. You know, I think the servers here are doing a great job. It’s not an easy job to be constantly on your feet, catering to the whims of guests who sometimes forget basic manners. I think we should all be a little more grateful for their hard work.

There was a moment of silence, and then Mandy let out a forced laugh. Oh, Ryan. Don’t be so sensitive. They’re just servers. They get paid to do their job.

I could feel my anger rising, but I tried to keep my cool. Just because someone is getting paid for their work doesn’t mean they deserve to be treated poorly. Imagine if someone talked about you like that behind your back.

Mandy rolled her eyes. Whatever. Let’s just enjoy our meal.

I realized then that I didn’t belong in their world. I didn’t care about vacation homes or the stock market. I cared about treating people with respect and kindness, and that didn’t seem to be a priority for these people.

I pretended my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out, stared at the screen for a few seconds, and then shook my head. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go.

I put my napkin on my plate and got to my feet. I didn’t think any of them believed me, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t sit in the room with them for another minute.

Enjoy your meals, I said and walked away.

I left the hotel and took a car back to my building. I knew what people said about me behind my back. I didn’t fit in. I thought outside the box. I didn’t conform. I couldn’t bring myself to care. They weren’t my friends. They weren’t even friends with the people they claimed were their friends. I had one friend, Drew, and that was all I needed.

Chapter Two

Ryan

IT WAS GOOD TO BE BACK home in Rhode Island. The city taxed my nerves. I was not cut out for the city and crowds. Every time I went to the New York office, it hurt just a little more. It was loud, and it stank to high heaven. My estate spanned fifteen acres right on the water. I could go weeks without seeing anyone. I couldn’t explain why I craved the isolation. Maybe it was because I had been alone all my life.

I parked my Mercedes and walked into center Drew ran. It was a charity near and dear to my heart. I wished I’d had a place like the one he set up when I was aging out of foster care. When I came of age, it was one day I was controlled and owned by the system and the next I was turned loose. I was put out and expected to sink or swim. No one gave a shit. It was another file off their desk. So many kids I was in the system with failed. Some had ended up in jail, some were homeless, and others unfortunately died. They got swallowed by the world.

I felt very, very lucky I’d managed to survive. I’d made a ton of money, and now I wanted to help the lost and abandoned. It was my donations that kept the doors open on this place. I couldn’t believe more people didn’t want to help the kids out. I gave my money and my time. I hoped I could inspire the kids to hit the ground running. They weren’t destined to fail. They had a choice to keep moving forward. If anything, the freedom they gained when they turned eighteen could be used to their advantage.

Hey, Josh, I greeted one of the young men I was close with. How was the job fair?

He shrugged. It was all right.

Anything interest you?

I kind of liked the linemen thing, he said with a shrug.

Hey, that’s great work, I told him enthusiastically. Good money with very little schooling needed.

Yeah, I’m done with school. I can’t wait until I don’t have to go back.

I understood where he was coming from. High school wasn’t always a positive experience for foster kids. The social workers did their best to keep a kid in the same school, but sometimes it just didn’t work out. Bouncing around from school to school, never staying long enough to make friends or play team sports made the high school experience pretty miserable.

I’m going to check up on you, I told him. You have my number. You call if you need anything.

I walked to the office and found Drew talking to another young man.

Hey, Drew, I said, approaching him. What’s going on?

Hey, man, Drew replied warmly. Just talking to Marcus here about his job search.

I turned to Marcus, giving him a reassuring smile. How’s it going?

He looked up at me and shrugged. It’s tough out there, you know?

I do know, I said, nodding. But don’t give up. You’ll find something.

Drew chimed in, Yeah, we’re here to help you out, man. You’re not alone in this.

Marcus smiled a little, looking grateful. Thanks, guys.

As the conversation between