Devastated (Anger Management, #1)(73)

“I see,” he murmured thoughtfully as he looked down at the iPad that she’d snuck into her carry-on bag when he wasn’t looking. “And this new online form system is an emergency?”

“It is if we want an easier integration system,” she said, nodding solemnly, making his lips twitch.

With a heavy sigh, he tossed the iPad aside and pulled her into his arms so that she was straddling his lap. “What am I going to do with you, Mrs. O’Mallery?”

“Let me see how the forms look when they’re printed?” she suggested with a hopeful smile.

“We could do that,” Hunter said, as he leaned in and pressed his lips against her forehead, “or we could go for another swim.”

“We could do that,” she murmured in agreement only to shake her head with a sad sigh.

“But…” he said, sliding his hands down her back as he turned his head so that he could kiss her cheek.

“But that would mean leaving this bed, Mr. O’Mallery,” she pointed out as she wrapped her arms around him.

“And we wouldn’t want that,” Hunter said, as he slid his hands over her bottom and pulled her closer.

“We really wouldn’t,” she readily agreed with a nod, as she leaned in and-

“Wait. What are you doing?” she couldn’t help but wonder when he climbed off the bed and headed towards the open patio doors.

“Going for a swim with my beautiful wife,” Hunter said, kissing the tip of her nose.

“B-but my floatie?” she said, sending a look of longing towards the SpongeBob Square Pants floatie that he’d grabbed for her from the gift shop.

“You won’t need it,” he promised her as he headed towards the edge of the deck.

“And why’s that?” she asked, because she was pretty sure that she was going to need it, especially if she wanted to live.

“Because,” Hunter said, turning around as he tightened his hold around her, “I’m never letting you go.”

---



Maryhale, Florida

“I think there’s been a misunderstanding,” Ryan said, as he glanced up from the resume with barely anything on it to look at the small woman that had waited over two hours for this interview and-

“Mommy?”

Once again wondered why she’d brought her son with her when the little boy who’d been doing his best to sit quietly next to her reached over and gently tugged on the cheap blouse that was two sizes too big for her with a, “I need to go potty, mommy.”

“The bathroom’s over there, big guy,” Ryan said, gesturing absently towards the bathroom off his office as he took in the woman sitting across from him, taking in her long black hair that she’d put up in an elegant bun, pale baby blue eyes that looked sad, a cute nose, baby pink lips, a full figure, and realized that she was nothing like the women that he normally hired.

When the little boy hesitated, the woman that was wasting his time turned to him with a soft smile and said, “It’s okay, Chance.”

After throwing Ryan a questioning glance, the little boy reluctantly climbed out of his chair and headed towards the bathroom, mumbling, “Thank you,” as he kept his gaze glued to the floor.

Once the bathroom door closed behind him, Ryan focused on the woman that was better off applying for a job at Wal-Mart. “Listen,” he began, pausing to glance down at her resume to find her name, “Casey, this job requires office experience and research skills.”

“I have them,” she assured him with a nod and a hopeful look that bordered on desperation.

“Not according to your resume. You also haven’t held a job in six years and before that you were a fulltime student. I’m not really sure that this is the best fit,” Ryan said, using the sympathetic smile that he’d perfected for potential clients that he didn’t want to work with.

“For the past six years I’ve been raising my son, but I’ve also been working as an office manager for an insurance agency,” she rushed to explain.

“Then why isn’t it listed on your resume?”

There was a slight hesitation and then…

“Because the company belongs to my ex-husband’s family,” she admitted, as her shoulders slumped in defeat.

“What’s the name of the company?”

“I’d rather not say,” Casey said, struggling to meet his gaze only to end up staring down at her hands.

“I’m afraid that I’m going to need a reference,” Ryan said, as her son stepped out of the bathroom, eyes still glued to the floor.

“I’m done, mommy,” Chance said, risking a glance up at him only stare back down at his feet.

“Perfect timing,” Casey said with a warm smile for the little boy as she reluctantly got to her feet. “We’re all done here.”

“Did you get the job?” the little boy asked, risking a glance up to send his mom a hopeful look as Ryan got to his feet.

“No, I didn’t, but that’s okay. We’ll keep looking,” she reassured the little boy before she glanced back at him. “Thank you for your time.”

“You’re welcome,” Ryan said, gesturing to the door, “Let me walk you out.”

“Thank you,” Casey said, as she took the little boy’s hand and led him out of his office.