Read Online That New York Minute by Abby Gaines - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Abby Gaines
Tags: Romance
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Garrett. You and Lucas, and since Lucas is on an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf…”
“What about friends?” he said. “I’m sure lots of people like you.”
“They do,” she said. “But at this stage I don’t want to humiliate Dwight by telling our friends I’ve left him, and when they do find out, I don’t want to make them take sides.”
“I bet they’d side with you,” he muttered.
“Probably. I just need a couple of weeks—a week,” she amended hastily, seeing him recoil, “to sort myself out. Then I’ll go.”
“Look, Stephanie—” he paced to the refrigerator “—you and I have never had any kind of relationship. I’m happy for you about the baby, and I hope you and Dad work something out. But don’t push your luck by claiming some stepmother bond with me now.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Crap,” she said, beating him to it. “These hormones.” She dug a tissue out of the pocket of her trench coat, and blew her nose.
Garrett was reminded, uncomfortably, of Rachel accusing him of making that account exec cry. Of her comments about him being insensitive toward women.
She’d had an agenda, he told himself. And the more he thought about it, the more he was damned if he was going to give her the satisfaction of him quitting.
The thought took him by surprise…because the alternative to not quitting was to actively pursue the partnership. Which he wasn’t even sure he wanted.
But if he quit, he’d be hanging around home until he found a new job. Stephanie would doubtless let the fact that he was out of work slip to Dwight. Who’d made it plain he didn’t think Garrett was up to the job of chief creative officer. Garrett hated to prove his father right.
So, maybe he should stick around a bit longer. Win the partnership and then decide what to do. Brightwater was an interesting account; he already had a few ideas in his head. He’d be coming from behind, after those wisecracks he’d made today, but that didn’t faze him. And beating Rachel after that stunt she’d pulled… There was nothing more satisfying than beating a worthy adversary.
Stephanie had cupped one hand beneath her stomach; she was rubbing it gently, as if to soothe the occupant.
I don’t want her here. Dealing with his family invariably left him feeling isolated and resentful. He was over that, and he wanted to stay that way.
But Stephanie had nowhere else to go. Casting a pregnant woman out on the street would be low, even for Garrett. Especially when the baby was his half sibling. He didn’t like the idea of it hearing that story one day. And, much as he hated talking about personal stuff at work, he could drop the fact that she was staying into a conversation with Tony…that ought to help negate Rachel’s suggestions he had trouble dealing with women. Plus, it would tick his dad off to know his wife had sought refuge with Garrett. That thought brought a smile, admittedly a grim one, to his face.
“Fine,” he said. “You can stay. One week.”
She took a step toward him. For an alarming moment, he thought she was going to hug him—something she’d given up trying after the first year of her marriage to Dwight.
“You must have more stuff than that,” Garrett said quickly, gesturing to her backpack.
“My case is in a locker at Grand Central,” she said. “I didn’t want to lug it here if you were going to throw me out.”
At least she’d been realistic. But now she was looking at him expectantly.
Garrett picked up the car keys he’d tossed on the island. “Let’s go.”
As he stepped aside to let her past, her stomach brushed against him. There would be no avoiding her.
He turned his mind to a more enjoyable image: the sexy-legged Rachel Frye, and her horrified expression when she learned he was sticking around.
CHAPTER SEVEN
R ACHEL SLIPPED INTO the meeting room where Garrett’s team had set up Pitch Central. Ignoring the boardroom-style table, where his team of
“What about friends?” he said. “I’m sure lots of people like you.”
“They do,” she said. “But at this stage I don’t want to humiliate Dwight by telling our friends I’ve left him, and when they do find out, I don’t want to make them take sides.”
“I bet they’d side with you,” he muttered.
“Probably. I just need a couple of weeks—a week,” she amended hastily, seeing him recoil, “to sort myself out. Then I’ll go.”
“Look, Stephanie—” he paced to the refrigerator “—you and I have never had any kind of relationship. I’m happy for you about the baby, and I hope you and Dad work something out. But don’t push your luck by claiming some stepmother bond with me now.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Crap,” she said, beating him to it. “These hormones.” She dug a tissue out of the pocket of her trench coat, and blew her nose.
Garrett was reminded, uncomfortably, of Rachel accusing him of making that account exec cry. Of her comments about him being insensitive toward women.
She’d had an agenda, he told himself. And the more he thought about it, the more he was damned if he was going to give her the satisfaction of him quitting.
The thought took him by surprise…because the alternative to not quitting was to actively pursue the partnership. Which he wasn’t even sure he wanted.
But if he quit, he’d be hanging around home until he found a new job. Stephanie would doubtless let the fact that he was out of work slip to Dwight. Who’d made it plain he didn’t think Garrett was up to the job of chief creative officer. Garrett hated to prove his father right.
So, maybe he should stick around a bit longer. Win the partnership and then decide what to do. Brightwater was an interesting account; he already had a few ideas in his head. He’d be coming from behind, after those wisecracks he’d made today, but that didn’t faze him. And beating Rachel after that stunt she’d pulled… There was nothing more satisfying than beating a worthy adversary.
Stephanie had cupped one hand beneath her stomach; she was rubbing it gently, as if to soothe the occupant.
I don’t want her here. Dealing with his family invariably left him feeling isolated and resentful. He was over that, and he wanted to stay that way.
But Stephanie had nowhere else to go. Casting a pregnant woman out on the street would be low, even for Garrett. Especially when the baby was his half sibling. He didn’t like the idea of it hearing that story one day. And, much as he hated talking about personal stuff at work, he could drop the fact that she was staying into a conversation with Tony…that ought to help negate Rachel’s suggestions he had trouble dealing with women. Plus, it would tick his dad off to know his wife had sought refuge with Garrett. That thought brought a smile, admittedly a grim one, to his face.
“Fine,” he said. “You can stay. One week.”
She took a step toward him. For an alarming moment, he thought she was going to hug him—something she’d given up trying after the first year of her marriage to Dwight.
“You must have more stuff than that,” Garrett said quickly, gesturing to her backpack.
“My case is in a locker at Grand Central,” she said. “I didn’t want to lug it here if you were going to throw me out.”
At least she’d been realistic. But now she was looking at him expectantly.
Garrett picked up the car keys he’d tossed on the island. “Let’s go.”
As he stepped aside to let her past, her stomach brushed against him. There would be no avoiding her.
He turned his mind to a more enjoyable image: the sexy-legged Rachel Frye, and her horrified expression when she learned he was sticking around.
CHAPTER SEVEN
R ACHEL SLIPPED INTO the meeting room where Garrett’s team had set up Pitch Central. Ignoring the boardroom-style table, where his team of
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