singsonged, not in any real pain.
Madelyn beamed. “See how you did that? That’s the perfect reaction.”
Seth glanced at Madelyn. “It is?”
“Sure, you let Sabrina know that what she was doing wasn’t right, but you weren’t mean about it. You sort of made it a game.”
Seth virtually glowed from the praise. “Really?”
“You’re a natural.”
Sabrina playfully patted Seth’s cheek. “Thanks. I know what it’s like not to have parents. This kid is going to feel alone and different. So, I intend to play a part in her life.”
“That’s very sweet,” Madelyn said, wondering how someone Ty raised could be so thoughtful, and also remembering that Ty and Seth had another brother. One who had run away. One who might not be as sweet as Seth, but who could actually be more like Ty. And one whose story might poke a big ugly hole in Madelyn’s carefully orchestrated PR plan.
Since Ty wasn’t forthcoming with information, she strolled behind her desk, flipped the calendar page to the appropriate day and, as if it were of little consequence, casually said, “I imagine it was very difficult being orphaned. Especially when raised through most of your teen years by such a high-profile older brother.”
Seth peered around Sabrina at Madelyn. “Ty wasn’t always a big shot.”
“That’s right. The first five years that you guys were on your own he nearly went bankrupt every year.”
“It wasn’t because he didn’t try.”
“Oh, believe me, I’m sure he tried.”
“He was great.” Seth smiled at the memory. “Tough as nails and so freaking determined to succeed that he didn’t let anybody stand in his way.”
Madelyn banished the image of a young, sexy Ty taking on the world by forcing herself to focus on the conversation with Seth. Though she had to admit that remembering how he’d struggled as a young man, particularly since he was also supporting two brothers at the time, did tweak her conscience, making her feel she should consider how hard his life had been before she criticized him for taking the easy way out in dealing with their attraction. “That’s interesting.”
“Yeah, and it’s old news to you. You have access to every file in the building so I know you know all this. What are you fishing for?”
Madelyn winced and decided to come clean. “Seth, I need to know what I’m going to be facing if the reporter uncovers information about Cooper leaving town. Ty won’t talk about it, so I’m guessing it’s not something good. If you believe the reason Cooper left needs to remain a secret, or if you know Ty wants it to remain a secret, just explain enough of it to me that I can create an answer that spins the situation into something acceptable if the reporter asks about it.”
Sabrina grabbed Seth’s ear as he said, “The real bottom line was that Ty never believed Cooper respected him. But in the end it was Ty who didn’t respect Cooper. And that’s why Cooper left. He didn’twant to work for someone who didn’t respect him. Brother or not.”
Well, that didn’t sound too bad. Still, she had to be sure. “So there was no fight? Nothing I have to spin?”
“Oh, there was a fight. A big fight. But no one saw it or heard about it except me and that was only because I was upstairs. Ty certainly never talked about it in public and Cooper left before he could.”
Madelyn tapped her fingers on her desk blotter. Seth’s answer explained Ty’s comment that Cooper left town so he wouldn’t bad-mouth his older brother. “So if the reporter asks about Cooper, what would you say to make his leaving seem reasonable?”
Seth drew a quick breath. “I would say he got his degree and two years experience and left to find a job in another town. Because that was how the timing went.”
“What if the reporter knows you guys haven’t had contact in almost a decade?”
Seth shrugged. “We’re all very busy, Madelyn.”
Madelyn nodded. “Okay, I can take that and craft an
Madelyn beamed. “See how you did that? That’s the perfect reaction.”
Seth glanced at Madelyn. “It is?”
“Sure, you let Sabrina know that what she was doing wasn’t right, but you weren’t mean about it. You sort of made it a game.”
Seth virtually glowed from the praise. “Really?”
“You’re a natural.”
Sabrina playfully patted Seth’s cheek. “Thanks. I know what it’s like not to have parents. This kid is going to feel alone and different. So, I intend to play a part in her life.”
“That’s very sweet,” Madelyn said, wondering how someone Ty raised could be so thoughtful, and also remembering that Ty and Seth had another brother. One who had run away. One who might not be as sweet as Seth, but who could actually be more like Ty. And one whose story might poke a big ugly hole in Madelyn’s carefully orchestrated PR plan.
Since Ty wasn’t forthcoming with information, she strolled behind her desk, flipped the calendar page to the appropriate day and, as if it were of little consequence, casually said, “I imagine it was very difficult being orphaned. Especially when raised through most of your teen years by such a high-profile older brother.”
Seth peered around Sabrina at Madelyn. “Ty wasn’t always a big shot.”
“That’s right. The first five years that you guys were on your own he nearly went bankrupt every year.”
“It wasn’t because he didn’t try.”
“Oh, believe me, I’m sure he tried.”
“He was great.” Seth smiled at the memory. “Tough as nails and so freaking determined to succeed that he didn’t let anybody stand in his way.”
Madelyn banished the image of a young, sexy Ty taking on the world by forcing herself to focus on the conversation with Seth. Though she had to admit that remembering how he’d struggled as a young man, particularly since he was also supporting two brothers at the time, did tweak her conscience, making her feel she should consider how hard his life had been before she criticized him for taking the easy way out in dealing with their attraction. “That’s interesting.”
“Yeah, and it’s old news to you. You have access to every file in the building so I know you know all this. What are you fishing for?”
Madelyn winced and decided to come clean. “Seth, I need to know what I’m going to be facing if the reporter uncovers information about Cooper leaving town. Ty won’t talk about it, so I’m guessing it’s not something good. If you believe the reason Cooper left needs to remain a secret, or if you know Ty wants it to remain a secret, just explain enough of it to me that I can create an answer that spins the situation into something acceptable if the reporter asks about it.”
Sabrina grabbed Seth’s ear as he said, “The real bottom line was that Ty never believed Cooper respected him. But in the end it was Ty who didn’t respect Cooper. And that’s why Cooper left. He didn’twant to work for someone who didn’t respect him. Brother or not.”
Well, that didn’t sound too bad. Still, she had to be sure. “So there was no fight? Nothing I have to spin?”
“Oh, there was a fight. A big fight. But no one saw it or heard about it except me and that was only because I was upstairs. Ty certainly never talked about it in public and Cooper left before he could.”
Madelyn tapped her fingers on her desk blotter. Seth’s answer explained Ty’s comment that Cooper left town so he wouldn’t bad-mouth his older brother. “So if the reporter asks about Cooper, what would you say to make his leaving seem reasonable?”
Seth drew a quick breath. “I would say he got his degree and two years experience and left to find a job in another town. Because that was how the timing went.”
“What if the reporter knows you guys haven’t had contact in almost a decade?”
Seth shrugged. “We’re all very busy, Madelyn.”
Madelyn nodded. “Okay, I can take that and craft an
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