The only thing that bothered her — and she wished it wouldn’t — was that after their first night at his place, he never mentioned his family again. Especially the uncle who raised him. Even when she tried bringing his family up in conversation, Haddison would change the subject. She was certain she hadn’t imagined it.
“Well, we’re glad you and Haddison are spending quality time together,” Victoria said, smiling. “You’re happy. We can tell.”
Yes, she was happy. Haddison had made her happier in just a few weeks than Charles had the entire time they’d been together. He went out of his way to make her feel special. “Yes, I am happy.” She smiled. “And Vic?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t get stressed out about Cortez Masters.”
Victoria released a deep sigh. “I wish it were that easy.”
“Why isn’t it?” Sebrina asked. Kennedy knew they’d all been wondering about that for a while.
Victoria’s gaze moved around the table, and then as if she’d made up her mind, she said, “It’s something I should have told you guys about…but didn’t.”
“What?” Monica asked concerned.
Victoria nibbled on her bottom lip, a sure sign she was nervous about something. “Before Quinn introduced his triplet cousins to us last year, Cortez and I had already met.”
“You had?” Kennedy asked. This was certainly news to them. “When?”
Victoria didn’t say anything for a minute, then relented. “Do you remember that summer I spent studying botany in France?”
“Yes,” Sebrina said. “It was the summer before your last year in college while working on your master’s degree.”
Victoria nodded. “I met Cortez that year. He had graduated from law school and was in France to celebrate. We met and agreed to have a weekend fling.”
“He was that guy!” Sebrina exclaimed.
“Yes, that one,” Victoria said. She’d been sitting at a café in Paris while talking on the phone with Bree when Cortez had entered her line of vision. Immediately, he had piqued her interest. She had continued talking to Sebrina and telling her how handsome and fine the man she was looking at was. He’d seen her checking him out, and after she’d ended the call with Sebrina, he approached her table. Since Monica and Kennedy didn’t know any details, she told them the story of how she and Cortez had met.
“So, there you have it. I told him my name was Adele, a student at the University of Paris, and that I was from France. Since I speak fluent French, he believed me.” Victoria shook her head. “He’s upset because he thinks I used him since I disappeared the next morning.
Nobody at the table said anything, and Kennedy knew why. They’d all met Quinn’s cousins, the triplets — Cortez, Cobra, and Colton. All three were hot, with a capital H.
“So other than having to deal with Cortez as my attorney, everything is going fine,” Victoria said.
Kennedy hoped things continued to go that way for Victoria. Kennedy had only heard one thing about Cortez Masters — that of the three, he was the most serious. Those were the type of men whom you never wanted to get on their bad side. And it sure sounded like Victoria had.
Maceo tossed the document he’d just finished reading on his desk. It had required nearly a full hour of his time to go through it and he was mad. Angrier than he’d been in a long time.
He was usually more hands-on during the promotion process at his company, but he’d been preoccupied lately with opening that second office in Los Angeles. Other than his wife, Haddison, and his attorneys, he hadn’t told a soul about the upcoming merger and wasn’t intending to make it common knowledge until everything was in place.
It had taken nearly a year of tough negotiations to reach this point, and he’d depended on his capable management staff to do the right thing. Now it seemed he’d misplaced his trust. What Nelson Whitworth had done was dishonest. And the damage he and Larry Matthews had done to Kennedy Bennett’s stellar employment reputation was both illegal and immoral.
He glanced across the room at his nephew who’d been standing at the window the entire time Maceo had been reading the documents. Since Haddison had done the investigation — and a thorough one at that — he could understand his nephew’s anger. Especially since Maceo was certain Haddison had fallen in love with Kennedy Bennett. His nephew had yet to admit to it, but it didn’t matter. Maceo recognized the signs. They were there whenever Haddison mentioned her name.
“I want to fire them today, Haddison.”
Haddison turned and nodded. “There is something I need to tell you about regarding my relationship with Kennedy.”
“I think you pretty much made it clear that you care a lot for her.”
“Yes, but I haven’t told you everything. There are some things even she doesn’t know,” Haddison said.
Maceo lifted a brow. “Such as?”
Haddison ran a hand down his face. “When I ran into her here nearly a month ago, it wasn’t the first time we’d met. I’d met her about seven months ago while working undercover. I was involved in the bank robbery where she was taken hostage.”
His uncle sat up straight in his chair, recalling the incident. He hadn’t known his nephew had been right here in St. Paul. Haddison never talked about his undercover activities, and Maceo knew better than to ask. “How could she not remember you?”
“Because I was wearing a ski mask.”
Maceo nodded. “Will you ever tell her?”
“I hadn’t planned to, but now I think that maybe I should.”
Maceo nodded again. “The fastest way to ruin a relationship is by keeping secrets. With love comes trust.”
Haddison released a deep sigh. “You’re right. But first I need to tell Kennedy about Whitworth and Matthews. She deserves to know what those bastards did, and I want her to hear it from me before they’re fired. This is her last week here. So far, Matthews hasn’t named her replacement, and she’s been wondering why.”
“And after I get rid of Matthews and Whitworth, I want to talk to Ms. Bennett myself,” Maceo said. “And just so you know, I’ll respect her decision to file a lawsuit against this company if she chooses to do so.”
Haddison didn’t say anything, not surprised. Kennedy would be within her right if she brought legal actions against Rivers.
Maceo glanced at his watch. “I have a very important conference call regarding the merger that will end around eleven. I want Matthews and Whitworth in my office right after that. I don’t want them employed here a minute longer.”
Kennedy stepped off the elevator onto the junior executive floor. She was going to talk to Larry Matthews, whether he wanted to see her or not. This was her last week, and he still hadn’t named her replacement. Her clients deserved better than that. They were entitled to an easy transition, and they wouldn’t get that unless she could smooth the way for her replacement.
Her heart kicked up a beat when she passed the corridor that led to Haddison’s office. Was he there buried in paperwork, the way he’d been buried between her legs last night? Sensations swamped her when vivid memories overwhelmed her. They had gone to a concert, then returned to his place and were practically naked before the door had closed behind them. She’d ended up spending the night, and this morning she’d given him an invitation that he hadn’t turned down.