Checkmate Read Online Free PDF

office.
     
    “I wanted to ask you for a favor, son,” Mr. Wilson said, pouring himself a glass of water.
    “Of course. What is it about, Stefan?”
    “I want you to look after my daughter.”
    I felt my eyebrows pull together in confusion. “What exactly do you mean?” 
    “She’s a very determined girl, you know? If she has a goal, she will do anything possible and impossible to succeed. And that’s exactly what worries me.”
    “Why would it worry you? I thi nk that’s a good quality.”
    “It is good. Until it becomes an obsession. And right now, I know that there’s nothing more important for her than this company. She wants to head it.”
    “Then what am I doing here?” I took a seat at one of the chairs and crossed my arms, watching the different emotions crossing the man’s face. I could tell that he loved his only daughter very much.
    “She’s too young to take that much responsibility. I want her to live and enjoy her life. To go out more, to have more friends, even to have a boyfriend. I doubt she ever dated anyone after that guy from Los Angles. She was so crazy about him, she never wanted to move to New York, but my wife and I didn’t have a choice but to take her with us.”
    I didn’t think I was ready to talk about Scarlett’s ex-boyfriends , especially with her father, but apparently, Stefan didn’t share my uneasiness.
    He proceeded, “She’s too focused on her work. Of course, I’m proud of everything she’s doing for our family business, but I don’t want my daughter to be on the shelf, if you know what I mean.”
    God, c ould this conversation become even more awkward?
    I shifted uneasily in my chair. “Do you want me to help her find a boyf riend?” I asked, hoping that was not the point of this conversation. 
    “Well, I thought maybe you could introduce her to your friends, so that she had more people to talk to outside this building.”
    Well, what was I supposed to say? Of course, Stefan, I’ll make sure your Sunshine has someone to make out with?
    “I’ll see what I can do,” I said, hoping the man wouldn’t make me ask his daughter out. Not that I minded seeing her outside work, but he and I surely imagined it differently. Besides, I hated dates.
    “Thank you, Dominick. You don’t know how much it means to me. Maybe when you have your own children, yo u will be able to understand my concern for her.”
    “Maybe,” I said solemnly.
    We discussed a few more things about my work in the company, and he left, promising to come to the company’s twenty-third anniversary reception that was supposed to be held in two weeks. By that time, I needed to figure out how to get closer to his daughter and how to not be slapped in the face for doing that. Easier said than done…
    It was lunchtime, so I asked my sec retary to order something edible and called my brother whom I hadn’t seen for weeks.
    “ Salut , Bro! How are things going?”
    “ Oh, the devil himself!” He replied, laughing into the handset. “To what do I owe the honor?”
    “I’m back to the States, and I thought maybe you’d want to see me.”
    “You sound just like my ex.”
    “Which one?”
    “Shut up, smart ass. Unlike you, I don’t use women just for sex.”
    “Really? Then what do you use them for?”
    “Fun. They have fun with me, I have fun with them. And everyone is happy.” 
    “You sure they share your happiness?” I asked skeptically.
    “I am. We set the rules before the game begins.”
    I shook my head, smiling. “You are so full of shit!”
    “Look who’s talking!”
    I rolled my eyes. “Okay, I know this exchange of pleasantries will never end. So why don’t you drag your ass out of bed, and come to my office? Maybe you will finally want to join me in the workforce, and get a job.”
    “ Jamais de la vie — never on this side of the grave!”
    “Good to know that you still remember how to speak your native language.”
    “I practice it a lot,” he said with a laugh,