Read Online My One And Only by MacKenzie Taylor - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: MacKenzie Taylor
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family is more interested in what you can do for them than in who you are. That you've never trusted anyone enough to let them love you. "I didn't know what else to do."
"You shouldn't have brought Ethan into this."
"I wanted to help."
"What did he say when he saw the reports?"
It had pained him to ask the question, she knew. "He confirmed what we already know."
"And?"
"He said he'd get back to me."
"The best thing that could happen would be for him to turn you down."
"Maybe he will."
He shook his head, his expression fierce. "I doubt it."
"I don't think he wants to hurt you, Harrison."
"You could never understand, Abigail. Trust me."
"If you'd only—"
He held up one hand. "Just make sure you keep me in the loop at least, will you?"
Abby sensed the dismissal and rose to go. She hesitated as she studied the haggard lines of his face. "If you tell me to, I'll call him and say I've changed my mind."
He thought it over for a minute, then shook his head. "It's too late for that."
"You're sure?"
"You have no idea what you're asking, Abby." He seemed slightly lost. "Things aren't always what they seem" he said enigmatically. His voice sounded flat and lifeless. "But the wheels are in motion now. There's no sense trying to stop them."
Abby hesitated. "Are you sure there isn't something you want to tell me?"
"I'm absolutely sure." He reached for a manila folder—her signal that the discussion was closed. "Let's get back to work, Abby. What's done is done."
She was halfway to the door when he interrupted her progress. "Tell Rachel I'll take ten tickets."
"I will." Abby paused, her hand on the doorknob. "Deirdre is coming in this afternoon. She wants to talk about this office issue again." Thus far, Abby had been able to persuade Deirdre that she didn't need an office in the MDS building to conduct her business. As the fund-raiser neared, however, Deirdre was pushing harder. "Do you want to come sit in on the meeting?"
The look he gave her spoke volumes. "Would you want to if you were me?"
"Hell, no," she assured him. "But she's your sister, and I'm only putting up with her because you asked me to."
His expression softened. "And I appreciate it. Deirdre's in a bad place. She needed something."
"So you gave her to me."
"You're the best I've got, Abby."
She felt cheered by the return of their usual banter. "Well, she's driving me nuts—and the rest of the staff along with me. That little scene the other day was just the tip of the iceberg."
"She's determined to have an office?"
"I think she wants mine."
"She does," he admitted. "She told me the other day that she thinks the foundation should be run by a Montgomery."
"If I hadn't heard you complain about how the woman keeps her checking account, I might feel threatened."
Some of the usual sparkle had returned to his gaze. "Believe me, you have nothing to fear. I love my sister, but I'm not stupid."
"Then can I count on you this afternoon?"
"Yes. Check with Joanna and make sure my schedule's cleared."
"Got it." She pulled open the door.
"Abby?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you planning to bring a date to the fundraiser this year?"
Abby managed a small laugh. "Good grief, Harrison, like I have time to think about a date!"
"It's a big night. I'd rather not have any surprises."
Ethan, she thought. He was worried that she would bring Ethan.
"No, I'm not bringing a date. And are you ever going to stop bugging me about my social life?"
"Lack of social life, you mean?" He shook his head. "When you tell me you've developed one, I'll stop asking."
"I'll keep that in mind."
He gave Abby the full impact of his gaze. "Thank you for telling me the truth, Abby," he said quietly.
She didn't have to ask what he meant. As their financial picture had grown bleaker, many of Har rison's advisors had attempted to shield themselves by concealing the more unpleasant facts from him. Since the day he'd inherited the business from his autocratic father, there had been a common
"You shouldn't have brought Ethan into this."
"I wanted to help."
"What did he say when he saw the reports?"
It had pained him to ask the question, she knew. "He confirmed what we already know."
"And?"
"He said he'd get back to me."
"The best thing that could happen would be for him to turn you down."
"Maybe he will."
He shook his head, his expression fierce. "I doubt it."
"I don't think he wants to hurt you, Harrison."
"You could never understand, Abigail. Trust me."
"If you'd only—"
He held up one hand. "Just make sure you keep me in the loop at least, will you?"
Abby sensed the dismissal and rose to go. She hesitated as she studied the haggard lines of his face. "If you tell me to, I'll call him and say I've changed my mind."
He thought it over for a minute, then shook his head. "It's too late for that."
"You're sure?"
"You have no idea what you're asking, Abby." He seemed slightly lost. "Things aren't always what they seem" he said enigmatically. His voice sounded flat and lifeless. "But the wheels are in motion now. There's no sense trying to stop them."
Abby hesitated. "Are you sure there isn't something you want to tell me?"
"I'm absolutely sure." He reached for a manila folder—her signal that the discussion was closed. "Let's get back to work, Abby. What's done is done."
She was halfway to the door when he interrupted her progress. "Tell Rachel I'll take ten tickets."
"I will." Abby paused, her hand on the doorknob. "Deirdre is coming in this afternoon. She wants to talk about this office issue again." Thus far, Abby had been able to persuade Deirdre that she didn't need an office in the MDS building to conduct her business. As the fund-raiser neared, however, Deirdre was pushing harder. "Do you want to come sit in on the meeting?"
The look he gave her spoke volumes. "Would you want to if you were me?"
"Hell, no," she assured him. "But she's your sister, and I'm only putting up with her because you asked me to."
His expression softened. "And I appreciate it. Deirdre's in a bad place. She needed something."
"So you gave her to me."
"You're the best I've got, Abby."
She felt cheered by the return of their usual banter. "Well, she's driving me nuts—and the rest of the staff along with me. That little scene the other day was just the tip of the iceberg."
"She's determined to have an office?"
"I think she wants mine."
"She does," he admitted. "She told me the other day that she thinks the foundation should be run by a Montgomery."
"If I hadn't heard you complain about how the woman keeps her checking account, I might feel threatened."
Some of the usual sparkle had returned to his gaze. "Believe me, you have nothing to fear. I love my sister, but I'm not stupid."
"Then can I count on you this afternoon?"
"Yes. Check with Joanna and make sure my schedule's cleared."
"Got it." She pulled open the door.
"Abby?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you planning to bring a date to the fundraiser this year?"
Abby managed a small laugh. "Good grief, Harrison, like I have time to think about a date!"
"It's a big night. I'd rather not have any surprises."
Ethan, she thought. He was worried that she would bring Ethan.
"No, I'm not bringing a date. And are you ever going to stop bugging me about my social life?"
"Lack of social life, you mean?" He shook his head. "When you tell me you've developed one, I'll stop asking."
"I'll keep that in mind."
He gave Abby the full impact of his gaze. "Thank you for telling me the truth, Abby," he said quietly.
She didn't have to ask what he meant. As their financial picture had grown bleaker, many of Har rison's advisors had attempted to shield themselves by concealing the more unpleasant facts from him. Since the day he'd inherited the business from his autocratic father, there had been a common
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