Milk Money Read online

  Milk Money

  Jude E. McNamara

  Milk Money

  Copyright © 2012 by Judy M. Young

  EBook ISBN: 978-0-9972863-2-8

  Digital Edition: December 2015

  Cover Design: ADCooperBooks.com

  Copy Editor: Michelle Phinney-Smith

  Formatting: Storywonk.com

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the writer’s imagination or are used fictitiously are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, places, events, business establishments, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Author Contact

  Website: http://www.judeemcnamara.com

  Email: [email protected]

  Facebook: Jude E. McNamara

  Twitter: @judeemcnamara

  Instagram: iamtwojudes

  Two Judes Publishing

  668 Stony Hill Road Suite 339

  Yardley, Pennsylvania, 19067

  Contents

  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

  Epilogue

  A Word About The Author

  Stay Connected With Jude

  An Excerpt From Sugar Mommy On Top

  Acknowledgements

  I am beyond grateful to everyone who was part of the process of creating Milk Money. Thank you to:

  My loyal and diligent beta readers: Nicole Arnold, Jeanine Hillesland, Alexis Giostra, Donna Harden Nelson, Erica McCarty; all of who read multiple versions of the story, and provided me helpful feedback until I felt it was right.

  A.D. Cooper at ADCooperBooks for designing the beautiful cover capturing the essence of my vision for Milk Money.

  My editor: Michelle Phinney-Smith for all her work, without which there would be rambling and other grammatical offenses.

  Donna Sebastian: the inspiration for the name Two Judes Publishing.

  Britter, whose “bright green smiley-faced” note has been on my door for four years now and reads “Keep Writing”; it reminds me not to quit and to keep doing what I’m doing.

  Candy Cane for helping me sort through tons of imagery for all things graphic. Your talents are never lost on me. I see you.

  Tymoney, Diva, and Tootsie Pop: You’re the best fan club ever.

  A special thanks to Lani Diane Rich and Alastair Stephens at StoryWonk.com You guys are my first and my last word on all things story.

  To my readers: To all those who purchased my novel and those who have shared my stories on your book blogs and with your book clubs, thank you for your unfailing love and support. You rock, and I am eternally grateful.

  And last, but not least: To my mother for your undying love, motivation, and support throughout my entire writing life. To my father who is with me always in spirit.

  Dedication

  To JimmyMac, and the people I belong to . . .

  Nicholas Becker, New York’s Angel Investor extraordinaire, has the perfect life of wealth, power, and prestige. Almost. Gone is the missing long-time love of his life, Harper Carmichael Montgomery. She’s the one woman immune to his charming ways, since their summer love went awry a decade ago. All grown up, Harper has become Nicholas’s most ardent business nemesis.

  Harper Carmichael Montgomery, daughter to a U.S. senator and heiress to the Carmichael Empire, is at the top of her game. CEO of her own company, Harper is now one of Forbes’ top Thirty Over Thirty businesswoman. She’s the poster gal for a successful single businesswoman’s life. Life is good, except for the one thing she lost a decade ago, Nicholas Becker—the only man who ever held her heart captive.

  While years have passed, Nicholas and Harper’s animosity toward each other has yet to fade. The wedding of mutual friends draws Nicholas and Harper together long enough to discover they must compete yet again in a race to take over the Japanese conglomerate both prestigious family empires desire to possess.

  Will obligation to family come first? Or will Nicholas and Harper heal old wounds and build a bridge to fulfill the desires of what they can only achieve together.

  Chapter One

  Nicholas

  “The second best thing about this New Year’s Eve night, next to my getting married, is the fact that you’re my best man, Nicky. Thank you for standing up for me,” Mico said, giving me a bear hug.

  I tapped the rooftop of the limousine, waving my hand to let my driver Silas and my security chief Stephen Parks know that we were ready to head to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. Stephen was following behind us in the black armored Chevy Suburban. His security team was positioned ahead of us in another Suburban. Tonight’s wedding celebration was a huge affair. My good friend Noah “Mico” Dunham was marrying Riley Nelson Cook. This time last year, my friend and his new bride’s son had almost lost their lives in a serious motorcycle accident.

  “Silas, get us to the church on time!” I yelled. “If we’re late, Mico will put me in one of those famous headlocks he was known for at the Naval Academy.”

  “Yeah man, how’s our time? Riley will have my ass if I’m late.” Mico said.

  “It’s ten fifteen. Don’t worry. Silas will have us there on time. Your bride is scheduled to arrive at eleven thirty.”

  “I take my vows at midnight, Nicky.”

  “Don’t worry about it Mico. I’ve got the ring. We’re on schedule.”

  Tonight was a big deal for my good friend. It was a bigger deal for me because I was standing up for him. Best Man. I wanted this night to go without a hitch.

  “Here, take a shot to calm your nerves,” I said, grabbing the crystal decanter off the limousine bar, pouring Mico and myself a shot of vodka.

  “Thanks for the wedding present, Nicky. Loaning us the Milk Money jet so we can spend our honeymoon in the South of France is beyond wonderful,” Mico said.

  I could tell by his huge grin my gift had made him happy.

  “Not a problem Mico. Riley’s company was a great investment decision. I’ll get it back from you one way or the other,” I laughed heartily.

  “Thanks Nicky. I earned major cool points with her when Milk Money took her company on as a client. That was a really good decision.”

  “Nah man. I should be thanking you for bringing Riley’s business to my attention. Of the ten companies Milk Money has provided angel investment funds to this past year, hers has been one of the more profitable businesses on my leader board.”

  “Riley’s worked really hard to make her business a success.”

  “Well it shows. That investment is showing lots of promise right off the bat. Even Lucia is happy,” I said proudly.

  “Well if Lucia is happy, then life is pretty good. Lucia is one badass woman. She is not to be messed with, Nicky.”

  “You’re telling me? Dude, you’re preaching to the choir.”

  “Does she ever chill, or does she always work herself into oblivion?”

  “Rarely chills,” I said, shaking my head back and forth.
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br />   What Mico didn’t realize, was that “badass” didn’t even begin to appropriately describe my business partner Lucia Falco’s talents.

  Lucia had been with me from the early days eight years ago, when I formed Milk Money. Together, she and I nurtured the firm, having started it on a shoestring budget. Today Milk Money was one of the most premiere angel investment firms on Wall Street. And Lucia Falco was central to the company’s success. She was a beautiful, smart, no nonsense workaholic. When it came to business, we were a lot alike.

  “Mico, I have nothing but good things to say about Lucia. She’s a wonderful business partner. She keeps me on the straight and narrow. Lucia is the Yin to my Yang. I could not survive without her.”

  “Yeah, Beauty and the Beast,” Mico grunted.

  “Just like the POTUS needs a body man, Lucia is my body woman.”

  “Well somebody needs to keep you in line, Nicky. I suppose it might as well be Lucia,” he said casually. “Everywhere I turn, you’re in the gossip columns with this heiress or that model.”

  “Oh, don’t believe everything you hear Mico.”

  “I don’t. But I know you. No doubt, most of the gossip is true. You even give the foreign press a workout. Nicky, don’t you think it’s time to slow your roll?”

  “Why should I?” I glanced at Mico quizzically.

  “Look, I know you’ve got this whole ‘I’m not going to commit to any woman’ thing going on, but dude, you’re forty-one.”

  “Give it a break, Mico.”

  “No Nicky, I think it’s time you retire that ‘playa’ card of yours. Get on with it. Settle down. Tie the knot. Make some babies.”

  “Babies?” I said, choking on my drink. “Good Lord.”

  “You’re Big Willie now. You are on Forbes’ list of the top one hundred richest men. You are the most eligible bachelor in Manhattan. Quit the shenanigans, man, and settle down,” Mico pleaded.

  “Jesus man, you’re starting to sound like Big Daddy.” The mere thought of my kingpin father brought memories of his recent communication today.

  “How so?” Mico said, glancing at his own watch, clearly getting more nervous the closer we got to the cathedral.

  “I received a very lengthy voicemail earlier today from Big Daddy. He was dribbling on and on about why I needed a wife and kids. He claimed I need to focus on the family legacy.”

  “See Nicky, even Big Daddy and I are on the same page.”

  “Mico, please. You know there has only been one woman that has ever meant anything to me. And, she has managed to walk away with my heart. Matter of fact, she stomped on it, crushed it into a thousand pieces, and ground the heel of her pricey stiletto into it.” I sighed and took a big swig of my drink, wondering how the hell things got so messed up between me and her. “And as far as Big Daddy is concerned, he wants me to do what he wants me to do, when he wants it,” I babbled. “You know how he is.”

  “So?” Mico said sharply, shifting nervously in his seat.

  “Sooooo, some people respect him, some people fear him. Big Daddy doesn’t care which you choose, as long as you stay out of his way and give him what he wants. He forgets that I’m not other people. I don’t have to give into his demands.”

  “Not the wisest move for you to be getting on the bad side of Big Daddy Blake Ross Becker II,” Mico chuckled, putting full emphasis on my father’s full name.

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I said, waving my hand wildly in the air. I was ready for this conversation to end. I could hardly deny that my father was starting to put his foot on my neck over my state of singleness.

  “Man, you best get with the program with Big Daddy. I’m not really sure you should be poking that bear, if you know what I mean. How hard can it be Nicky, for you to find a woman and settle down?”

  “After Harper, I don’t give my heart away anymore. She feels like unfinished business,” I said solemnly.

  “You’ve got to start somewhere Nicky.”

  “These other women don’t really do it for me. They are just playmates on my playground, baby.”

  Mico shook his head. I knew that look. I’d seen it on his face too many times before throughout our friendship. It was the look of frustration when he felt he wasn’t getting through to me. And there was a lot of truth to that.

  “Harper doesn’t get to rip my heart out and shred it in a thousand pieces a second time,” I ranted. “Once in life is enough. I don’t want to have to pull out the Uzis, throw handcuffs on her, and keep her on lockdown for a lifetime,” I laughed.

  “This is nothing to joke about Nicky. You and Harper ought to knock it off and call a truce. Why don’t you cut out this sparring shit? It’s obvious you two haven’t gotten to a place of being done with each other.”

  Even I had to admit on some level that my friend was right. I never did feel like the relationship with Harper was over. I didn’t have what last month’s playmate said she needed from me . . . what was it? Closure? Yes. I didn’t have closure. And, I didn’t want anything close to closure either.

  “You know you both have gotten down right lethal in your interactions. It’s like a watching a bloody boxing match, except even the folks outside of the ring aren’t safe. An onlooker to the two of you could easily end up being collateral damage. God forbid if one should ever get on either of your bad side,” Mico sighed.

  “It is what it is, man.”

  “Nicky man, what happened that summer at Martha’s Vineyard was ten years ago. You both were young. But now you both are older, wiser, and a hell of a lot richer. You still can fix this, Nicky.”

  “I don’t know Mico. Harper cuts my balls off at every turn. Have you forgotten how that woman operates?” I gave Mico my best “Are you crazy?” look.

  “Look Nicky. Be reasonable. Your net worth is over half a billion dollars. She’s pulling her own weight, pushing up strong on your heels three hundred million dollars later. Milk Money has been like a cash cow making money hand over foot in the angel investment market. You are heir to Becker Foods, the world renowned chicken processing dynasty second to none.”

  “And your point is . . . ?”

  “My point is . . . financially, you’ve achieved almost everything you could ever hope for, frankly.”

  Hmphf. Not everything. What Mico didn’t understand was that Harper was not in my life the way I needed her to be. Everything meant I would have her. And I didn’t. I had everything, but nothing. My life was empty now without her.

  “And Harper? Let’s not forget her,” Mico rambled further. “She’s heir apparent to the Queen of Ketchup, Elizabeth Carmichael Montgomery of the Carmichael Ketchup conglomerate.” Mico continued on with his lecture. “And her Daddy Warbucks father is the politically popular U.S. senator from New York. What more could you ask for with parentage like that? Harper would be the icing on your cake.”

  Well at least Mico had that part right. If I was the cake then she definitely was the icing. Chocolate icing on top of that. My favorite.

  “Both you and Harper obviously have more money than brains because neither of you can admit that you still love each other. The two of you could put all those assets to good use. Roll with it Nicky.”

  Assets. Yeah, my Harper had a ton of assets—and I don’t mean financial ones. Those big brown eyes, those sexy legs, those pouty lips. What I wouldn’t give to have those assets under me right about now.

  “There’s a lot of dirty water under that bridge Mico. Not to mention Harper hates my guts. And she makes my blood boil half the time,” I said, pouring myself another vodka shot before checking my watch.

  I literally had to put myself on a back burner with a low flame whenever I was near Harper. Whenever I was close to her I wanted to fucking combust. “I wish I could turn her over my knee sometimes and spank that pretty little ass until it blushes,” I growled. “That woman fights me at every turn. Hell, last year I couldn’t even buy the little kids at the new community center in Harlem some decent artwork, without her stealing
it out from under me.”

  “She didn’t steal it Nicky. She outbid you,” Mico said calmly.

  “Yeah and then a few months ago, she did an end run on me with that little restaurant chain in New Orleans that I wanted Milk Money to take on as an investment.”

  “You beat her to the punch on those shares of Gilliam Global,” Mico added. “She was paying you back. You pissed her off,” he said, his voice raising a couple of octaves.

  “And Lord, don’t forget the time she fucking doused me in a vat of Carmichael Ketchup at that damn carnival my Mother’s foundation gives in Martha’s Vineyard every year.”

  “You fucking threw her in the water ball tank minutes before she was to show her horse.”

  “Man, I damn near drowned in ketchup.”

  “You ever seen a wet equestrian?” Mico asked. “What the hell Nicky?”

  I shrugged my shoulders knowing that Mico was right. Harper and I had taken the passion we had in our love for each other and turned it inside out, directing venom at each other as if we were the couple in the War of the Roses. We both played our parts well too. She was a formidable opponent, I must say that.

  “What was up with you two that day?” Mico asked.

  “We were fighting over a very valuable piece of property on Star Island in Miami. Harper wanted to give it to her parents for their anniversary. I stole the deal right out from under her pretty little nose. Then I re-sold the property for a profit. She was beyond pissed. So I threw her in the water ball tank to cool her off.”

  “And you looked like a bleeding heart in your white linen suit doused in ketchup,” Mico said, laughing out loud and shaking his head. “You two looked like a couple of spoiled overgrown rich kids acting out at the family picnic. The only thing missing was the crazy aunt.”

  “I swear to god that woman has made it her life’s mission to fuck with me every chance she gets,” I said. “And that mouth of hers. That cute little sensual mouth of her that oozes sex appeal, but never shuts the fuck up.”