Marrying the Boss

He nodded, telling himself it might be true.

“In the meantime,” his mother said, “I’ll get our lawyer to recommend a private detective for the case. See what we can find out about little Miss Fairbanks. And her mother.”

Mark opened his mouth, then closed it and looked away. It didn’t sit right, but he knew it to be a wise course of action. Know thy enemy.

Especially if the enemy possessed killer legs.

LEANNE READ her letter to her mother. “‘You are to convene at the Collins Company boardroom next Tuesday or forfeit your chance to be named Chief Executive Officer.’”

She’d scanned it herself, then brought the notice to her mother’s house to discuss. “I don’t want to go.”

“What do you mean?” her mom demanded. “Gloria and the boy stood in front of a judge and tried to have your father declared insane. If you don’t show up, it’s like saying you agree.”

Three weeks had passed since the revelations in the mausoleum. Her letter had arrived by registered mail, relating the details in “lawyer language” and citing the amount of her cash inheritance. A very nice nest egg. Her mother could retire, and Leanne could quit teaching if she wanted.

Mr. Benton had told Leanne the Collins Company lawyer had argued with Gloria against bringing the case to court on the grounds it would hurt the company’s image. Gloria pursued it nevertheless. A judge, who, according to Gloria, “didn’t have the sense God gave tree sap,” had pronounced the will valid. She had turned the air blue when they lost.

Leanne paced the living room. “Why would I want to run CoCo? I’m not even sure I could, but I don’t want it. I don’t want anything from that family. They’ve had no use for me for the past thirty years. I have no use for them now.”

Her mother stepped in front of her, bringing Leanne to a halt. “Sit. You’re making me dizzy.” She dragged her onto the sofa beside her. “Now, listen. Your father pro—”

“Please don’t call him that. He doesn’t deserve—”

“Your father,” she insisted, “provided for you. I received a check every month after he left, before you were even born. I got a check in my eighth month to cover all my doctor and hospital fees.”

“As if he’s some hero for doling out money. Mom, he was rich—filthy, disgustingly rich. It was a payoff so you wouldn’t make trouble.”

“Lionel knew I wouldn’t make trouble. He gave me money to provide for us. For your safe delivery and care. Every month,” she stressed, “a nice check came in the mail.”

“I know, Mom. I get it. Conscience money.”

“He loved me, Lee.”

Leanne bit her lip and dropped her gaze to their clasped hands. If her mother needed to believe that, she wouldn’t argue.

“And he cared about you. That’s what the money meant. That’s why he mentioned you in the will.”

“But not you.”

The silence hung between them. Leanne wanted to cry out, If he loved you so much, where’s your inheritance? But she wouldn’t hurt her mother with bitter words.

“Let it go, honey,” her mom said quietly. “I’ve had thirty years with you. That’s gift enough.”

Leanne laid her head on her mother’s lap, fighting back tears. “You’re unbelievable.”

She stroked a hand through Leanne’s hair. “I loved him. When you love someone, that’s all that matters. I didn’t care that he was rich. Or married.”

Leanne sat up. “That’s so unlike you.”

“I hope you find a love like that, Leanne.”

She grinned. “You want me to have an affair with a rich married man?”

Her mom chucked her playfully on the chin. “Smarty-pants. I want you to experience a love that will take your breath away. That makes you reexamine everything you thought you knew about yourself. That makes you a new person.”

“I don’t want to have to change to keep some guy. That’s not who I am.”

Her mom frowned. “Is that what you think of me?”

“I don’t know. You never imagined you’d ever be with a married man. Then Lionel Collins came along and you changed.”

“He swept me away. I can’t explain it any better. I saw things in him no one else saw, not even his wife. He was gentle and fun and amazing in bed.”

“Eeew! Don’t tell me stuff like that. You’re my mother.”

Her mom leaned toward her and whispered, “I’ve had sex.”

“Stop it.” Leanne laughed and made her index fingers into a cross to ward her off. “Besides, this is about me taking over CoCo.”

“Well, for one thing, we’ll have to stop calling it CoCo. Keep in mind, whoever runs Collins inherits Lionel’s stock and gets control of the company.”

“Yeah, Mr. Benton explained that.” Leanne picked at the seam of a pillow. “Mark looked so hurt by it all.”

“By what?”

“Lionel’s putting him up against me for CoCo.”

“That’s business.”

“He took it personally. I feel bad. It’s wrong, somehow, to fight him for this.”

Her mom’s hand rested on hers. “If you don’t want to do it, just tell them.”

“It’s just more trouble. I’m not part of the family.”

“So, you don’t want your inheritance, either?”

Leanne heard the hurt in her mother’s voice. By not taking these gifts—if the challenge for CoCo could be called a gift—she rejected Lionel, as well. “Oh, no, I’m accepting the money. There’s enough for you to buy a nice home in New Mexico or Arizona. You can retire from cutting hair and being on your feet all day.”

“No, the money is for you. Buy something you’ll enjoy.”

Leanne smiled. “You think I won’t enjoy visiting you someplace nice and warm in the middle of winter? Or sitting by your pool in the summer?”

“Oh, I’m getting a pool now, huh? Well, okay.” She sighed, a smile dancing in her eyes. “If it’ll make you happy.”

MARK PACED the conference room, glancing at the clock. “Mother, it’s time. I’m going in there alone.” He held up his palm to halt her interruption. “I’ll give you all the details on what transpires.”

“I should go with you. I’ll buy the girl out. Teachers don’t get paid that much. She’ll know she can’t compete against you. It’s a smart move.”