Prodigal Son Read Free

clutched the back of the chair more firmly and met his direct gaze. “I don’t know anything. If I did, I would tell you. You have my complete loyalty.”
    “But there’s something?”
    She hesitated. “A feeling. I’m sorry. I can’t be more specific. There’s nothing more to say.”
    He’d known the woman all of two weeks, yet he would have bet she wasn’t lying. She didn’t know. Or she was a damn fine actress.
    Feelings. As a rule, he didn’t trust emotion, but gut responses were different. He’d changed his line of questioning during a trial more than once based on a feeling and each time he’d been right.
    “If you learn anything,” he began.
    “I’ll tell you. I’ve been talking to people. Listening.” She swallowed. “I lost my husband a few years ago. We never had children and a lot of our friends have retired and moved south. This company is all I have. I’ll do anything to protect it.”
    “Thank you.”
    She nodded and left.
    Mysteries he didn’t want or need. As for Mrs. Wycliff, while he appreciated her concern and her willingness to provide him with information, who was to say if they had similar goals? She wanted Hanson Media Group to go on forever, he wanted out. If those two objectives came into conflict, he had a feeling his once-loyal secretary would become a bitter enemy.
    * * *
    With employment came paperwork, Samantha thought two days later as she sat in an empty office and filled out her formal job application, along with pages for insurance, a security pass, a parking space and emergency contact information.
    She worked quickly, still unable to believe she’d landed her dream job with little or no effort on her part. She’d been so excited to get going, she’d come in before her start date to do the paperwork.
    “Thank you, Helen,” she murmured, knowing her friend had somehow managed to get her name on the short list of candidates. She’d wanted to mention that to Jack during their interview, but on Helen’s advice had kept quiet. For reasons that made no sense to Samantha, Jack, along with his siblings, thought Helen was little more than a trophy wife.
    Hope I’m around when they all discover that there’s a very functioning brain behind those big eyes, Samantha thought.
    She signed the application and moved on to the next piece of paper.
    “Morning.”
    She looked up and saw Jack in the doorway to the small office. He looked tall, sexy and just-out-of-the-shower tempting. What was it about a freshly shaved man that got her body to pay attention?
    “Hi,” she said.
    “I heard you were here taking care of details.” He leaned against the door frame. “Thanks for accepting the job.”
    “I’m the grateful one,” she said with a laugh. “I can’t wait to get started. But first there’s all this to work through.” She patted the papers. “I’ve been promised that if I do everything correctly, I get my own ID badge at the end of the day. And the key to my office.”
    “I heard that rumor, too. My intrepid assistant informed me we already have a meeting scheduled.”
    “Monday afternoon,” she said. “I’ll be working all weekend, bringing myself up to speed. I’ll want to discuss parameters with you before I set my team on the task.”
    “You’re not expected to work 24-7,” he said.
    “I know, but I’m excited and it’s not as if I have a lot of things planned. I’ve just moved to Chicago. I’m still finding my way around.”
    “All the more reason to get out and explore.”
    She tilted her head. “Hmm, is my new boss discouraging me from working? That’s a new one.”
    “I don’t want you to burn out your first week. I need you around longer than that.”
    She knew they were just joking around, and she enjoyed that she and Jack seemed to have kept some remnant of their friendship intact. But why did she have to be so aware of him?
    Even now, with him standing several feet away, she would swear she could hear him breathing. Heat seemed to