A Clandestine Corporate Affair(60)

“He mentioned it.”

He shrugged. “Who knows, maybe this one will stick.”

“Maybe I could bring Max by to see you some time.”

“Does that mean you will be seeing him again?”

If Ana would let him. And even if she didn’t, being in his son’s life was something he considered worth fighting for.

But before he fought that battle, he had a board meeting to crash.



“Okay,” Beth said, pressing the End button on her cell phone and jotting down a date and time in her daily planner. She set the book on the coffee table and sank back into the couch. “I have an appointment with the marriage counselor next Monday at 7:00 p.m. I made it later just in case Leo decides to come with me.”

But they both knew he wouldn’t. At least not yet. After finding a hotel room charge on Leo’s credit card bill, from two days after New Year’s, Beth finally took a stand. She insisted they go into counseling, and when he refused, she decided to go alone.

It was definitely a start.

Ana put her hand on Beth’s arm and gave it a squeeze. “I’m very proud of you. This is a huge step.”

“One that I wish my husband was making with me. But if he doesn’t love me enough to try to save our marriage, maybe it isn’t worth saving.” Tears welled in her eyes, but she took a deep breath and blinked them back. “But I’m going to get through it.” She put her hand over Ana’s. “We both are.”

Yeah, except Nathan did love her, and he loved Max, and he wanted to be with them, but he was just being a big idiot. And she was an idiot for believing him when he said he wouldn’t hurt her. But never again. He’d had his chance and he blew it. A few days ago she might have taken him back. She had still been in the mourning stage, crying every time she thought about him, but now she was angry—and boy, was she angry—and if he dared show up at her door, she was going to be the one gunning to “hurt” someone.

“I should probably pick Piper up from the babysitter’s and get home to make dinner,” Beth said. “Or better yet, maybe I’ll just grab something on the way home. Maybe Thai or sushi, Leo’s least favorites.”

The doorbell rang and Ana’s heart dropped into her knees. The way it had every time the doorbell rang this past week. But it wasn’t going to be Nathan. It never was. She didn’t want to see him even if it was, but it was just an automatic reaction, like Pavlov’s dog.

“I better get that,” she said, pushing herself up from the couch, deliberately not looking out the window before she pulled the door open.

She sucked in a surprised breath when she saw Nathan standing on her porch. Way to play it cool, Ana. Great job.

“Hi,” he said, and her heart dropped from her knees and landed in the balls of her feet. He looked good. So good that for a second she forgot to be angry. She very nearly launched herself at him.

“I’m very mad at you,” she said, more to remind herself than to warn him.

“I just want to talk,” he said, and the deep rumble of his voice danced across her nerve endings, making her shiver.

Whatever you do, just stay mad. Do not throw yourself into his arms.

“I have company over right now,” she said.

“And I was just leaving,” Beth said from behind her.

She turned to Beth and glared at her. Traitor.

Beth pulled her coat on and kissed Ana’s cheek. “I’ll call you tomorrow.” As she stepped down to the porch beside Nathan she looked up at him and said, “Hurt her again and I will take you out.”

Nathan’s brows rose a fraction, and she could swear she saw the hint of a smile. What did he have to smile about? She hoped he wasn’t here thinking he was going to get her back. Because that was not going to happen.

He stepped inside and took off his coat. He was still dressed for work. “Is Max here?”

She shook her head. “He’s at Jenny’s for a play date.”

“That’s good. We can talk without any distractions.”

“Who says I want to talk?”

“Well, you let me in, didn’t you?”

Not a smart move on her part. Because maybe she wasn’t quite as mad as she’d thought.

“Can we go sit down?” he asked.

That would be a bad idea. She wanted him close to the door so she could shove him out on a moment’s notice if she got any funny ideas. Or if he did. “I’m comfortable right here.”