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Authors: Maxine Sullivan
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doing?”
“Absolutely nothing.” She’d already decided tomorrow was her own. “And I intend to keep it that way. Surely we can give the issue of the money a rest for one day?”
He stared hard and for a moment she thought he might argue.
Her chin lifted. “I need some time to myself, Adam,” she added, not to soften him, but merely to point out why she wouldn’t back down.
He took a moment to nod, then he pushed to his feet. “Okay. I understand.”
She blinked in surprise. “You do?”
“We all need space sometimes.” He leaned toward her, kissed her cheek and headed for the door. “I’ll call you.” He shut the door quietly behind him.
She was alone.
“I’m sure you will,” she murmured in the silent apartment.
On Monday morning Adam was just finishing up some work when Dominic’s personal assistant announced Todd was there to see him. He groaned inwardly. His friend didn’t stop by the Roth offices too often. “Send him in, thanks, Janice.”
Todd strolled in, looking the easygoing but confident businessman. “I see you’re still doing Dominic’s job.”
“He’s not due back from his honeymoon for another ten days.”
Todd shook his head in bemusement. “Your brother only got married a couple of months ago and already he’s taking another honeymoon. Sounds like things are turning out well for him.”
Adam agreed. Yet it hadn’t been so easy for his older brother. “I know, but things were…awkward between him and Cassandra at first. Now they’ve found they love each other, they wanted some time alone together with Nicole.”
Todd’s face sobered. “Yeah, I know. Liam’s death certainly made an impact on everyone.” His friend didn’t know the half of it, Adam mused, knowing he couldn’t tell him about Liam’s involvement with Stewart Branson. The less anyone knew the better. “So I’m helping Dad run the show. He and Mum should be back from Brisbane tomorrow, as well.”
“Good. That’ll give you a clear weekend coming up.”
Adam grew wary. “Why?”
“Chelsea and I are having a housewarming party at our new vacation home in the Grampians. We want you to come for the weekend. I assume you’ll bring Jenna. Actually, Chelsea insists on you bringing her. Chels really liked her.”
Adam had to bite his tongue. “Did she?”
“You know how Chels is. When she takes a liking to someone she almost kills them with kindness.”
Adam really had to bite his tongue. “Yes, I know.”
Todd looked pleased. “So you and Jenna will come?”
“I’m not sure,” he began, seeing disappointment dawn in his friend’s eyes. “Jenna may have something else planned,” he said, more to give himself time to think about this. Spending a whole weekend with him might tip Chelsea over the edge, and that thought was far from egotistical.
“You and Jenna have to come, Adam,” Todd said quickly, then grimaced. “I think Chelsea needs to be around people she likes right now.”
Adam went on full alert. “Why?”
Todd shrugged. “She’s been a bit down lately.”
“About?” God, if Chelsea had put her marriage at risk…
He seemed to hesitate. “She’s had some…problems. It’s just women’s stuff, but you know how it goes.”
Adam had the feeling there was something more to this, though suddenly he didn’t get the impression it had anything to do with him. Thank God! Were Todd and Chelsea having marriage problems? Was the openness between them simply for show?
Todd cleared his throat. “I’d really like you there, Adam.”
Adam considered his friend. If this was important to Todd, then he’d go. He nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Todd’s relief was evident.
After he left, Adam sat at the desk and twirled the gold pen in his fingers. He remembered Todd coming around to his apartment after Maddie died, making sure he was okay, then forcing him to get up and get dressed, forcing him to eat. Todd had been there for him every day when he’d been
“Absolutely nothing.” She’d already decided tomorrow was her own. “And I intend to keep it that way. Surely we can give the issue of the money a rest for one day?”
He stared hard and for a moment she thought he might argue.
Her chin lifted. “I need some time to myself, Adam,” she added, not to soften him, but merely to point out why she wouldn’t back down.
He took a moment to nod, then he pushed to his feet. “Okay. I understand.”
She blinked in surprise. “You do?”
“We all need space sometimes.” He leaned toward her, kissed her cheek and headed for the door. “I’ll call you.” He shut the door quietly behind him.
She was alone.
“I’m sure you will,” she murmured in the silent apartment.
On Monday morning Adam was just finishing up some work when Dominic’s personal assistant announced Todd was there to see him. He groaned inwardly. His friend didn’t stop by the Roth offices too often. “Send him in, thanks, Janice.”
Todd strolled in, looking the easygoing but confident businessman. “I see you’re still doing Dominic’s job.”
“He’s not due back from his honeymoon for another ten days.”
Todd shook his head in bemusement. “Your brother only got married a couple of months ago and already he’s taking another honeymoon. Sounds like things are turning out well for him.”
Adam agreed. Yet it hadn’t been so easy for his older brother. “I know, but things were…awkward between him and Cassandra at first. Now they’ve found they love each other, they wanted some time alone together with Nicole.”
Todd’s face sobered. “Yeah, I know. Liam’s death certainly made an impact on everyone.” His friend didn’t know the half of it, Adam mused, knowing he couldn’t tell him about Liam’s involvement with Stewart Branson. The less anyone knew the better. “So I’m helping Dad run the show. He and Mum should be back from Brisbane tomorrow, as well.”
“Good. That’ll give you a clear weekend coming up.”
Adam grew wary. “Why?”
“Chelsea and I are having a housewarming party at our new vacation home in the Grampians. We want you to come for the weekend. I assume you’ll bring Jenna. Actually, Chelsea insists on you bringing her. Chels really liked her.”
Adam had to bite his tongue. “Did she?”
“You know how Chels is. When she takes a liking to someone she almost kills them with kindness.”
Adam really had to bite his tongue. “Yes, I know.”
Todd looked pleased. “So you and Jenna will come?”
“I’m not sure,” he began, seeing disappointment dawn in his friend’s eyes. “Jenna may have something else planned,” he said, more to give himself time to think about this. Spending a whole weekend with him might tip Chelsea over the edge, and that thought was far from egotistical.
“You and Jenna have to come, Adam,” Todd said quickly, then grimaced. “I think Chelsea needs to be around people she likes right now.”
Adam went on full alert. “Why?”
Todd shrugged. “She’s been a bit down lately.”
“About?” God, if Chelsea had put her marriage at risk…
He seemed to hesitate. “She’s had some…problems. It’s just women’s stuff, but you know how it goes.”
Adam had the feeling there was something more to this, though suddenly he didn’t get the impression it had anything to do with him. Thank God! Were Todd and Chelsea having marriage problems? Was the openness between them simply for show?
Todd cleared his throat. “I’d really like you there, Adam.”
Adam considered his friend. If this was important to Todd, then he’d go. He nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Todd’s relief was evident.
After he left, Adam sat at the desk and twirled the gold pen in his fingers. He remembered Todd coming around to his apartment after Maddie died, making sure he was okay, then forcing him to get up and get dressed, forcing him to eat. Todd had been there for him every day when he’d been
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