From Boss to Bridegroom Read Free Page A

else.”
    â€œSounds like my aunt did the interview for me.”
    â€œShe says you’re as good as she is.”
    â€œWe’ve never worked together so I wouldn’t know if that’s the truth or not. But I am good.”
    That brought a slow-as-molasses, one-sided smile from him, as if she’d said something with a double entendre he hadn’t missed and wouldn’t let go.
    Lucy sat up straighter, anticipating an inappropriate comment.
    But he surprised her and kept his wayward thoughts—if that was what had been behind his expression—to himself.
    Unfortunately she was also aware of an unwarranted little flutter of something wholly unprofessional that that devilish quirk of a smile set off in her. And maintaining a stiff posture didn’t help that one iota.
    â€œDid Sadie warn you about what I require in the way of a secretary?”
    â€œShe said you were brusque and demanding.”
    He laughed, a deep, barrel-chested sound that seemed to warm the air all around them. “Honesty. I like that. Did she warn you about the amount ofwork I need from a secretary-slash-assistant-slash-researcher and the kind of hours I keep?”
    â€œBasically. But you should know that I absolutely will not work past five o’clock.”
    That sobered him and pulled his brows nearly together over those stunning eyes of his. “Okay, I’m going to go out on a limb here because you’re Sadie’s niece and this is somewhat of an informal interview. I’m in a mess and the last thing I need is another single mother running through this office. I’ve had my fill of them in the last two months. Every time I turn around they’re on the phone with one of their kids or worrying about them or leaving to do something with them. So I’m not asking if you have children. But if you do, do us both a favor and just say thanks but no thanks here and now.”
    Max was not something Lucy hid from anyone and it was on the tip of her tongue to admit that yes, she was a single mother. But at the same time it also occurred to her that it was none of Rand Colton’s business one way or another. Being a parent—even a single parent—would not interfere with the job he wanted her to do for him. On the other hand, as vehement as he was on the subject of single mothers, Lucy thought that it could very well influence his opinion of her and that could reflect down the road in referrals or derogatory comments he might make to other attorneys she could be courting for research work.
    She didn’t deny having a child—that was somethingshe would never do. But since he was leaving it up to her to give him the sign that she did have a child by turning the job down, she just didn’t do it. Instead she said, “I assure you I will not let personal calls interrupt my work and you’ll get very full days out of me. They’ll just end at five.”
    â€œI work later than that.”
    â€œI don’t.”
    Lucy met him eye to eye in the stare-down that followed, not so much as blinking before he did. Yes, she’d come to realize working with this man would give her just the opening and contacts she needed to garner future research work and so the job was more valuable to her than she’d originally thought, but it wasn’t so vital that she would neglect Max because of it.
    Rand Colton was the first to break the standoff.
    â€œYou know I’m under the gun here. The library back there—” he threw a nod over his shoulder in the direction of the corridor behind him “—is full of files that need to be updated, sorted and put away. I don’t know how people can tout themselves as competent when they don’t even seem to know the alphabet. I’m working on several big cases and, as I’m sure you’ve gathered just since arriving, my scheduling is a mess.”
    â€œI can take care of all that.”
    â€œBut not after