Chapter One
Un-fucking-believable.
More annoyance than anger clouded Kenton’s mind as he stared at the text message. The words on the screen of his smart phone taunted him like a thieving cat. Julie picked today of all days to leave him. And by text at that.
Gotta love technology.
He really shouldn’t be surprised. He’d known it would happen eventually. She’d moved out of their bedroom a few months ago. Hell, he should have known five years ago on their first date. Sure, he cared for her a great deal. He would give her—and had given her—anything she desired. Shouldn’t he be more upset about the breakup?
A light tap sound on his office door a moment before it opened. Aimee—the reason why he wasn’t heartbroken—stepped inside, holding a notebook and pen to her chest. She’d twisted her brown hair into a bun on top of her head, held in place by a yellow, number two pencil. Black rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of her nose.
When her green eyes met his stare, she flushed and looked down at her notebook. “Have I come at a bad time?”
If only she understood how beautiful she looked.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. She was his assistant and had been for years. Yet, he knew nothing about her other than the glasses she wore were for reading and computer use only, and she had a sister, whom she lived with, and teenage niece and nephew.
And she liked her coffee sweet and creamy.
“No, Aimee, please come in and have a seat.”
She shut the door behind her and sat in one of the chairs across the desk from him. “Mr. Campton’s assistant called and confirmed dinner tonight.”
Kenton groaned. They planned the dinner to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Campton to the firm as his new clients. To keep the mood relaxing and less business-like, Julie agreed to accompany him play the good supportive girlfriend.
Without Julie to accompany him, he considered rescheduling. Something about hanging out with the happily married couple on the heels of a failed relationship didn’t appeal to him. He’d feel like a third wheel and have to answer awkward questions. He needed a date, someone to distract Regina and keep her from going into matchmaker mode.
However, he didn’t want to take a total stranger to a client dinner, and he didn’t want to call Julie. She left and it seemed better to leave it that way.
“Sir? Are you okay?”
He focused on Aimee and tilted his head slightly to the side. Her large green eyes held concern and something else he’d never noticed before. It could be simply she’d never looked him in the eyes before. Whatever the reason, he saw a loneliness there which mirrored his own.
The loneliness he’d felt since losing both his parents ten years ago.
“Mr. McDonnell?”
Shaking out of his thoughts, he smiled at her. “Do you like seafood?”
Her eyes widened and she drew back a little, showing her surprise at his question. Instead of answering, she peered back at her notebook. “The Olsens called and wanted to set up an appointment to go over the new evidence against their company.”
He sighed. “I’ll call them. I’m sure I can handle it over the phone.” He paused before asking her, again, “Do you like seafood?”
Without looking at him, she nodded then took a slip of paper tucked into the back cover of the notebook and slid it across the desk. He peered down at it and froze. A note from Julie to Aimee. Her familiar handwriting, neat and proper, expressed no distress over her decision to leave.
Aimee,
I broke it off with Kenton. It just wasn’t going anywhere. We tried, but failed. He really is a great guy and an amazing lover. I saw the way he looked at you, the way his voice softened when he mentioned your name. Don’t run from him for long. He’s too good of a catch.
Julie
He crumpled the paper in his hand and sat back in his chair, understanding Aimee’s hesitation. “Julie broke up with me in a text.” He laughed. “Like we’re in high school
Un-fucking-believable.
More annoyance than anger clouded Kenton’s mind as he stared at the text message. The words on the screen of his smart phone taunted him like a thieving cat. Julie picked today of all days to leave him. And by text at that.
Gotta love technology.
He really shouldn’t be surprised. He’d known it would happen eventually. She’d moved out of their bedroom a few months ago. Hell, he should have known five years ago on their first date. Sure, he cared for her a great deal. He would give her—and had given her—anything she desired. Shouldn’t he be more upset about the breakup?
A light tap sound on his office door a moment before it opened. Aimee—the reason why he wasn’t heartbroken—stepped inside, holding a notebook and pen to her chest. She’d twisted her brown hair into a bun on top of her head, held in place by a yellow, number two pencil. Black rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of her nose.
When her green eyes met his stare, she flushed and looked down at her notebook. “Have I come at a bad time?”
If only she understood how beautiful she looked.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. She was his assistant and had been for years. Yet, he knew nothing about her other than the glasses she wore were for reading and computer use only, and she had a sister, whom she lived with, and teenage niece and nephew.
And she liked her coffee sweet and creamy.
“No, Aimee, please come in and have a seat.”
She shut the door behind her and sat in one of the chairs across the desk from him. “Mr. Campton’s assistant called and confirmed dinner tonight.”
Kenton groaned. They planned the dinner to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Campton to the firm as his new clients. To keep the mood relaxing and less business-like, Julie agreed to accompany him play the good supportive girlfriend.
Without Julie to accompany him, he considered rescheduling. Something about hanging out with the happily married couple on the heels of a failed relationship didn’t appeal to him. He’d feel like a third wheel and have to answer awkward questions. He needed a date, someone to distract Regina and keep her from going into matchmaker mode.
However, he didn’t want to take a total stranger to a client dinner, and he didn’t want to call Julie. She left and it seemed better to leave it that way.
“Sir? Are you okay?”
He focused on Aimee and tilted his head slightly to the side. Her large green eyes held concern and something else he’d never noticed before. It could be simply she’d never looked him in the eyes before. Whatever the reason, he saw a loneliness there which mirrored his own.
The loneliness he’d felt since losing both his parents ten years ago.
“Mr. McDonnell?”
Shaking out of his thoughts, he smiled at her. “Do you like seafood?”
Her eyes widened and she drew back a little, showing her surprise at his question. Instead of answering, she peered back at her notebook. “The Olsens called and wanted to set up an appointment to go over the new evidence against their company.”
He sighed. “I’ll call them. I’m sure I can handle it over the phone.” He paused before asking her, again, “Do you like seafood?”
Without looking at him, she nodded then took a slip of paper tucked into the back cover of the notebook and slid it across the desk. He peered down at it and froze. A note from Julie to Aimee. Her familiar handwriting, neat and proper, expressed no distress over her decision to leave.
Aimee,
I broke it off with Kenton. It just wasn’t going anywhere. We tried, but failed. He really is a great guy and an amazing lover. I saw the way he looked at you, the way his voice softened when he mentioned your name. Don’t run from him for long. He’s too good of a catch.
Julie
He crumpled the paper in his hand and sat back in his chair, understanding Aimee’s hesitation. “Julie broke up with me in a text.” He laughed. “Like we’re in high school
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