the room as a whole and then added, “And this is her son Adam. He’s…”
Cassie nearly dropped the olive tray as she turned; her whole body had gone rigid. “The jackass that fired me today.”
Chapter Two
You could have heard a pin drop in the kitchen before all hell broke loose. Cassie slammed the tray of olives down on the counter and stood there; staring at Adam, shooting daggers at him before she noticed that her siblings had surrounded her and were doing the same.
Bev looked stricken and Stephen put his arm around her and silently begged his children with his eyes to knock it off. With a nervous laugh, he said “Well, small world. Um…Bev, these are my kids, Matt, Katie, Lauren and, uh, Cassie.” Remembering their manners, they each shook Bev’s hand and welcomed her but their gazes soon returned to Adam. Cassie was enjoying watching him squirm.
“Um, maybe I should leave,” he murmured, taking a step back, clearly looking for an escape.
“That won’t be necessary, Adam. Please, you are our guest and my children will please remember themselves and stop trying to intimidate you.” He shot them all a glare that was guaranteed to get them to do what he said and within seconds, they were all scurrying around the kitchen, pouring drinks, setting out plates and chatting with Bev as if she were an old friend.
Except for Adam and Cassie. Each stood where they were as if in a standoff. It took a few minutes for Stephen to notice and when he did he summoned them both to follow him into his office on the other side of the house. He was surprised when he turned and actually found them both there. “Listen, this is a big night for me and Bev and I will not have the two of you ruining it. I understand that you have a business relationship and some issues with one another right now but that is about business and tonight is not. So say whatever it is that you need to say and then get back into that kitchen so that we can have a nice dinner.” His tone left no room for argument and with that, he turned and shut the door and returned to the kitchen.
Arms folded, Cassie turned and leaned against her father’s desk and stared, daring Adam to speak first.
He looked uncomfortable enough to cave. “I did not appreciate being called a ‘jackass’ in front of my mother and your family.”
“Really? I did not appreciate being fired for sticking to a legally binding contract.”
She heard the sharp intake of his breath and knew she hit her mark. “I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on that point for right now. As it stands, I am here purely to appease my mother. I thought we were meeting with potential business clients; I had no idea that she was bringing me here to meet her boyfriend and his family. I mean, really,” he said with disgust, “a boyfriend. At her age. What the hell is she thinking?”
“Oh, maybe that she met a wonderful man?”
“Of course you’d say that, you’re his daughter. Don’t you think it’s a bit ridiculous for them to be dating at their age?”
“I think they’re in love.”
“Love? Please. I highly doubt it.” If his snort of derision didn’t get the point across that Adam did not believe in love, the look of disgust on his face certainly did.
“You are a sad, sad human being, you know that?” Pushing off from the desk, Cassie crossed to the door. “I don’t know what your problem is but I think it’s sweet and wonderful that they’ve found each other. As for tonight, we have no choice but to be civil. Just remember, you’re on my turf and right now no one here is impressed with who you are.”
It was a glorious exit; he had to give her that. Rubbing a hand across his chin, he closed his eyes and tried to think of a believable excuse to get the hell out of Dodge. Unfortunately, nothing came to him. The sound of laughter and the tempting aroma that he was sure was
Cassie nearly dropped the olive tray as she turned; her whole body had gone rigid. “The jackass that fired me today.”
Chapter Two
You could have heard a pin drop in the kitchen before all hell broke loose. Cassie slammed the tray of olives down on the counter and stood there; staring at Adam, shooting daggers at him before she noticed that her siblings had surrounded her and were doing the same.
Bev looked stricken and Stephen put his arm around her and silently begged his children with his eyes to knock it off. With a nervous laugh, he said “Well, small world. Um…Bev, these are my kids, Matt, Katie, Lauren and, uh, Cassie.” Remembering their manners, they each shook Bev’s hand and welcomed her but their gazes soon returned to Adam. Cassie was enjoying watching him squirm.
“Um, maybe I should leave,” he murmured, taking a step back, clearly looking for an escape.
“That won’t be necessary, Adam. Please, you are our guest and my children will please remember themselves and stop trying to intimidate you.” He shot them all a glare that was guaranteed to get them to do what he said and within seconds, they were all scurrying around the kitchen, pouring drinks, setting out plates and chatting with Bev as if she were an old friend.
Except for Adam and Cassie. Each stood where they were as if in a standoff. It took a few minutes for Stephen to notice and when he did he summoned them both to follow him into his office on the other side of the house. He was surprised when he turned and actually found them both there. “Listen, this is a big night for me and Bev and I will not have the two of you ruining it. I understand that you have a business relationship and some issues with one another right now but that is about business and tonight is not. So say whatever it is that you need to say and then get back into that kitchen so that we can have a nice dinner.” His tone left no room for argument and with that, he turned and shut the door and returned to the kitchen.
Arms folded, Cassie turned and leaned against her father’s desk and stared, daring Adam to speak first.
He looked uncomfortable enough to cave. “I did not appreciate being called a ‘jackass’ in front of my mother and your family.”
“Really? I did not appreciate being fired for sticking to a legally binding contract.”
She heard the sharp intake of his breath and knew she hit her mark. “I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on that point for right now. As it stands, I am here purely to appease my mother. I thought we were meeting with potential business clients; I had no idea that she was bringing me here to meet her boyfriend and his family. I mean, really,” he said with disgust, “a boyfriend. At her age. What the hell is she thinking?”
“Oh, maybe that she met a wonderful man?”
“Of course you’d say that, you’re his daughter. Don’t you think it’s a bit ridiculous for them to be dating at their age?”
“I think they’re in love.”
“Love? Please. I highly doubt it.” If his snort of derision didn’t get the point across that Adam did not believe in love, the look of disgust on his face certainly did.
“You are a sad, sad human being, you know that?” Pushing off from the desk, Cassie crossed to the door. “I don’t know what your problem is but I think it’s sweet and wonderful that they’ve found each other. As for tonight, we have no choice but to be civil. Just remember, you’re on my turf and right now no one here is impressed with who you are.”
It was a glorious exit; he had to give her that. Rubbing a hand across his chin, he closed his eyes and tried to think of a believable excuse to get the hell out of Dodge. Unfortunately, nothing came to him. The sound of laughter and the tempting aroma that he was sure was