Love Me Tender (Seven Brides, Seven Brothers)
Page 15
Dumped on live television by a world famous supermodel. For a purple-haired rock star! It almost sounded like the punch line of a joke. Only it wasn't a laughing matter. As the owner and CEO of BD Holdings, he didn't appreciate the idea of being humiliated and embarrassed in front of the whole world. His secretary had been fielding calls all day from the media and entertainment sites regarding the break-up. On his behalf she'd issued the standard “No comment.”
Granted, things hadn't been going so well between he and Thalia as of late, but to be so calculating and insensitive as to announce that she was breaking up with him on a TV talk show. That was a low blow. And it had been premeditated. Earlier this morning she'd left him a message about guesting on the show and telling him to tune in to listen to her big announcement. She'd done it to get under his skin because he hadn't acted on her hints about an engagement ring.
What kind of person, he wondered, did such a thing to their boyfriend? He had to give it to his now ex-girlfriend, Thalia. She sure knew how to go out with a bang. Wait till his brothers found out. They were going to laugh themselves silly about it.
It shouldn't bother him that a woman he didn't love had kicked him to the curb. But it did bother him. And he knew why. Being with Thalia had driven away some of the loneliness he felt. For a man like himself who sat in his concrete tower day after day, making deals and amassing a vast fortune, it had come as a surprise to him that the one thing he desperately wanted, money couldn't buy.
After his father's stroke he'd surprised himself by moving his company to his hometown of Breeze Point, Cape Cod. Seeing his father hovering between life and death had made things in his life crystal clear. Family...his big, bustling Donahue family...was the single most important thing in his world. He'd made a vow—a solemn, life affirming vow—that he would focus on his family in light of the fact that tomorrows were never promised. He wanted to walk Breezy Beach with his father, play football scrimmages with his brothers and learn how to make baked lasagna from his mother. Money had once been a motivator for him. Now that he'd amassed millions, it was no longer his main focus.
Family first. It was his new motto. He intended to live out that motto, each and every day.
As he sat in his new office in Breeze Point, he let out a sigh of contentment at the beautiful vista outside his window. He had a prime view of the endless miles of ocean at Breezy Beach. His decision to buy a building near the ocean was a strategic one. He was returning to his roots by moving back to Cape Cod. He wanted to be near the ocean. It inspired him. Calmed him. It was a part of him.
Today of all days he needed to be calmed down. Had he really kissed his secretary last night? He'd downed a few glasses of wine, hadn't he? Otherwise, he never would have crossed that particular line with Rose Maddock. Normally, he didn't have more than one glass, but he'd been foolish enough to believe that a few glasses of wine could help him deal with his hurt. It sure had backfired on him.
And for what? He hadn't been in love with Thalia. He'd never been in love with any woman, a fact that he found hard to admit. His ego was bruised. Nothing more. She'd tossed him aside for a celebrity fling. Her feelings for him had been shallow and nothing more than a sham. And now he was knee deep in an awkward situation. He'd kissed his prim and proper secretary. There was no telling how things would pan out today when Rose showed up at work. For a man who never broke a sweat brokering million dollar deals, he was suddenly feeling as if he might snap under the pressure.
*
Rose Maddock shook her head with disgust as she walked into the offices of BD Holdings, her employer for the last five years. She was upset with herself. Her whole life she'd played it safe, always following the rules. She'd always been the quintessential good girl. Straight A's in school. No out of control behavior. Married at twenty-one. Widowed at twenty-seven. She'd never had a single misstep.
Until last night, when she'd crossed a line and thrown everything in her life into chaos.
Now that her boss, Brandon Donahue, had moved his company lock, stock and barrel to Breeze Point, Cape Cod, her life was completely different. Not that she was about to complain. Boston was a lovely city, but she'd never gotten accustomed to the hustle and bustle of living there. Breeze Point was a lovely seaside town with quaint shops, friendly townsfolk and beautiful scenery. Who wouldn't want to live here?
Her son, AJ, loved it. He was only five years old, but he'd told her he wanted to live in Breeze Point forever. He was looking forward to a Cape Cod Christmas. But now, due to an unfortunate kiss she'd shared with her boss, everything was in turmoil. She hated to do something so drastic, but what kind of woman would she be if she continued to work for a man she didn't even like? A man who'd she'd locked lips with last night. She bit her lip as the memory washed over her. Brandon's handsome face lowering down to hers. His lips kissing her, oh so tenderly. Her own lips kissing him back.
Her cheeks felt flushed at the memory. Well! She may have gone down the wrong path last night, but this morning she would set everything to rights.
*
“Good morning, Mr. Donahue.” Rose's voice cut into the silence like a shard of glass. He swung his gaze up from the paperwork on his desk, trying not to treat his secretary any differently based on the events of last night. How had he failed to notice how attractive she was with her big brown eyes and mahogany skin? Probably because he'd always focused on the women who drew attention to themselves. Rose was a natural beauty, one who believed deliberately hid her light behind glasses and shapeless clothing.
Mr. Donahue? Was she still calling him by his formal name? After that surprisingly sweet kiss they'd shared? He'd love to know what she was thinking about that kiss.
“Good Morning, Rose. How are you today?”
Was that a scowl on her face? Uh oh!
“I'm fine,” she said in a clipped tone.
“Here. I need to give you this.” She held out a piece of paper to him.
He raised an eyebrow. What was going on? He didn't like the frozen expression on Rose's face. She seemed to be looking everywhere but at him. When he looked down at the piece of paper, a few words jumped out at him. Regret. Resign. Immediately.