Read Online Coming To Reason (A Long Road to Love) by Liza O'Connor - Free Book Online Page A

man.”
    The phone slammed down and Destiny burst into applause.
    “Oh, Destiny, child. The man provoked me into speaking
such. Do not ever believe what you heard is proper phone etiquette.”
    Dan closed his door and returned to his desk. His eighteen-year-old
daughter had fallen in love with a married man. But where? She spent all her
time at college and here. Must be at college. Maybe he should go visit her
professors and see if any looked like someone his daughter could love.
    He turned on his cell phone and searched through the
messages looking for any calls not from Trent, Sam, or Mars. He found one.
    He selected it and hit redial.
    “Give me my phone back!” an old woman yelled.
    “Dan, it is critical I speak to you. Call me back… Damn it,
lady, that hurt. What do you have in there? Bricks?”
    Dan shook his head. Trent’s behavior had always been a
great source of amusement until Dan met Carrie. Ever since, it had been a great
irritant. She deserved so much better.
    His thoughts turned to his daughter’s mystery man. Why the
hell would Destiny fall in love with a married guy? Thank God, she chose someone
who knew the difference between right and wrong and not a jerk like Trent.
    His cell phone rang. Trent.
    He should take the call now. Once he heard the phone
conversation, he’d no doubt be angry as hell.
    “Dan Marshal.”
    “It’s about fucking time!”
    “Who’s this?”
    “You know damn well who it is. You’ve been dodging my calls
for two days.”
    “Ah, Trent. Thanks for clogging up my phone while I had it
turned off. Keeps those paying clients from getting through to me.”
    “I’ll pay your outrageous bill under one condition.”
    “Sorry, I can’t make Hell freeze over, so I’m letting my
lawyer handle the matter.”
    “You’re suing me?” Trent thundered
    “Normal procedure when a contract is broken.”
    “Your lawyer will cost almost as much as the bill.”
    Dan rolled his eyes. Trent was a piece of work. “Possibly,
which is why I’m asking the judge to make you pay the court costs and lawyer
fees.”
    “Yeah, well, good luck collecting.”
    “I’m looking forward to selling the judgment against you to
some sleazy firm such as GetPaidSuperFast. Then you can have your phone
messages filled with nothing but threats.”
    “If you’ll shut up and listen for a moment, I have a better
solution.”
    Despite having no hope getting his money would be this
easy, Dan gave it a try. “Go ahead.”
    “I understand you’ve hired Carrie as one of your whores.”
    His jaw clenched so tight he halfway expected his teeth to
crack. He took in a deep breath so he could relax enough to respond. “You have
it wrong. But I can see your confusion, since you pressure your salesgirls to prostitute
themselves for a contract.”
    “You’re probably the one who started the lies about me and my company.”
    Dan pressed his fingers to his temple. “Wrong again.”
    “Are you going to tell me one of your so-called consultants
didn’t nearly rape me in her office?”
    Four months ago, Trent and Carrie arrived, wishing to
replace half their staff. He’d assigned Sandra to the project, thinking they’d
get along. And according to Sandra, they got along very well until Carrie walked
into the office. Then he put on a good show of revulsion. Knowing Trent’s
proclivities, he believed the woman.
    However, having it thrown back in his face now made him a
bit sorry he hadn’t fired Sandra on the spot. Then he’d have the high road. Instead,
he seemed to wallow in the same filth as Trent, which did not sit well with
him.
    “Carrie made it very clear she had no intention of using
flirtation to manage her clients. And I agreed she doesn’t need it. I’d prefer
none of my consultants use it.”
    “Well, I’d prefer she didn’t work for you. I got her a
better job in New Jersey, but she feels some obligation to you because you
hired her first. So I need you to fire her so she can take this job near