Read Online Executive Perks by Angela Claire - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Angela Claire
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flow of conversation, or rather soliloquy, emitting from the petite, fluffy-haired blondes in identical short gold lamé baby-doll dresses. The twins had all of Brendan’s airy charm but absolutely none of his occasional, even if sporadic, interest in the business side of the family. And they certainly, as they would be the first to gaily admit, had none of Virginia’s serious tendencies.
“I don’t know how you can stand that boring business stuff, all those numbers day in and day out,” one or the other of them would often complain to Virginia. “Why can’t you just be grateful to be born rich and leave it at that?”
The twins were certainly in their element now, Virginia thought, watching them glide to the dance floor, dates in tow. Virginia sipped her white wine gingerly, listening to the elegant strains of the orchestra in the background, when Nora, her voice a little slurred even at this early point in the evening, asked, “So did you get that business with Aaron Winston all worked out?”
Virginia clamped down on her confusing associations with Winston, just as she had all week. “It’s all taken care of, Nora. Didn’t you and Brian get the memo I had Brendan email to everybody?” Nora and the other family members, however uninvolved in the mechanics of the business, had been kept up to date on the threat from Winston and then the temporary settlement with him.
Uncle Victor, who was not sitting at the Beckett table but instead had opted to host a table of friends from his own generation, came over to say hello just as Virginia referenced the email. “I don’t know, Virginia, dear,” he said, kissing her on the cheek, “why you have to always use such an impersonal mode of communication for family members. I’d like to see you hand-write a note once in a while rather than put me to the trouble of having my secretary print out your computer scribbles.”
“You could try to read things on the computer screen like the rest of us,” Brendan pointed out as their uncle gave a little wave to all and departed as quickly as he’d come.
“Yes, I got the email,” Nora responded nonchalantly to the initial question. “I wanted to make sure because I think that’s Winston heading over here right now. I recognize him from his picture in People .”
Virginia turned in the direction Nora was indicating and made out Aaron Winston, tall and handsome in a traditional tuxedo, threading his way through the crowd toward the Becketts’ table.
“I can’t believe this,” she muttered, tempted to try to flee her own table but it was too late anyway. He was already here.
“Virginia, how nice to see you.” He hovered by her chair, waiting for her to introduce him to the others. When she merely nodded, a deliberate slight he was too pigheaded to acknowledge, he turned to Brendan, who, a prisoner of his own good manners, rose to make the introductions around the table.
After he had introduced his family members, Brendan smoothly continued, “This is Aaron Winston, of whom you have been reading so much of late.”
Pat rose to shake Aaron’s hand and Allie and Nora smiled at the handsome man despite themselves. Brendan’s model of the moment harrumphed loudly, causing him to laugh. “Sorry,” he said, “Freudian slip.” He turned back to Winston. “And this is my date, Linda Smith.”
“And where is your date?” Winston asked Virginia without preliminaries, although he did lean forward a bit toward her and spoke softly enough that the rest of the table could have been forgiven for turning back to their own conversations, surmising that a private one had been struck up between Aaron and Virginia. In fact, though, all eyes at the table continued to be glued to the two of them. Virginia looked into Aaron’s own teasing blue eyes and froze. Improbably, it was Nora who came to her rescue.
“She came with me,” Nora called out. “My husband couldn’t attend and Virginia didn’t want me to be the
“I don’t know how you can stand that boring business stuff, all those numbers day in and day out,” one or the other of them would often complain to Virginia. “Why can’t you just be grateful to be born rich and leave it at that?”
The twins were certainly in their element now, Virginia thought, watching them glide to the dance floor, dates in tow. Virginia sipped her white wine gingerly, listening to the elegant strains of the orchestra in the background, when Nora, her voice a little slurred even at this early point in the evening, asked, “So did you get that business with Aaron Winston all worked out?”
Virginia clamped down on her confusing associations with Winston, just as she had all week. “It’s all taken care of, Nora. Didn’t you and Brian get the memo I had Brendan email to everybody?” Nora and the other family members, however uninvolved in the mechanics of the business, had been kept up to date on the threat from Winston and then the temporary settlement with him.
Uncle Victor, who was not sitting at the Beckett table but instead had opted to host a table of friends from his own generation, came over to say hello just as Virginia referenced the email. “I don’t know, Virginia, dear,” he said, kissing her on the cheek, “why you have to always use such an impersonal mode of communication for family members. I’d like to see you hand-write a note once in a while rather than put me to the trouble of having my secretary print out your computer scribbles.”
“You could try to read things on the computer screen like the rest of us,” Brendan pointed out as their uncle gave a little wave to all and departed as quickly as he’d come.
“Yes, I got the email,” Nora responded nonchalantly to the initial question. “I wanted to make sure because I think that’s Winston heading over here right now. I recognize him from his picture in People .”
Virginia turned in the direction Nora was indicating and made out Aaron Winston, tall and handsome in a traditional tuxedo, threading his way through the crowd toward the Becketts’ table.
“I can’t believe this,” she muttered, tempted to try to flee her own table but it was too late anyway. He was already here.
“Virginia, how nice to see you.” He hovered by her chair, waiting for her to introduce him to the others. When she merely nodded, a deliberate slight he was too pigheaded to acknowledge, he turned to Brendan, who, a prisoner of his own good manners, rose to make the introductions around the table.
After he had introduced his family members, Brendan smoothly continued, “This is Aaron Winston, of whom you have been reading so much of late.”
Pat rose to shake Aaron’s hand and Allie and Nora smiled at the handsome man despite themselves. Brendan’s model of the moment harrumphed loudly, causing him to laugh. “Sorry,” he said, “Freudian slip.” He turned back to Winston. “And this is my date, Linda Smith.”
“And where is your date?” Winston asked Virginia without preliminaries, although he did lean forward a bit toward her and spoke softly enough that the rest of the table could have been forgiven for turning back to their own conversations, surmising that a private one had been struck up between Aaron and Virginia. In fact, though, all eyes at the table continued to be glued to the two of them. Virginia looked into Aaron’s own teasing blue eyes and froze. Improbably, it was Nora who came to her rescue.
“She came with me,” Nora called out. “My husband couldn’t attend and Virginia didn’t want me to be the
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