The Great Baby Caper by Eugenia Riley

Author:Eugenia Riley [Riley, Eugenia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-10-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-one

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At Bootle’s Baby Bower’s corporate headquarters in west Denver, Courtney sat at her desk staring at a sea of paperwork. She couldn’t believe how backed up things had gotten during her absence from the company. Although Courtney had assumed that Wally Gilchrist had been appointed new CEO after she’d quit, in truth, M. Billingham Bootle had reneged on his promises made in New Orleans, semi-retiring without ever appointing a successor.

Until her return. It amazed Courtney to realize that the old guy had held the position open during her absence. The reins of power had been officially transferred in the board room early this morning. Courtney half shuddered as she recalled her chill reception, particularly from her former competitors, Gilchrist, Gideon, and Getz. None had come forward to shake her hand. She could fault Al Gideon and Gil Getz as sore losers, but Wally Gilchrist was entitled to be miffed, since he really should have won by default in New Orleans.

She had a lot of fence-mending to do as a direct result of M. Billingham’s machinations. With the company rudderless for over two months, Gideon, Gilchrist, and Getz had fallen into infighting that had further snarled operations. The company would be going public within the year, but the legal framework and paperwork were sadly behind schedule, with deadlines swiftly approaching on some critical SEC filings. Inventory for the upcoming Christmas season was sadly lacking. Planned store openings in Colorado Springs and Pueblo might have to be postponed. It would take her months just to get the operations back up to speed.

All at the worst possible time in her personal life. She was a partner in a marriage supposedly “in name only” that her husband already found more than convenient. In about six months she would deliver Mark’s child.

She remembered her moments of weakness on Mackinac, how she had succumbed to Mark and his lovemaking. The atmosphere between them had been tense since then, although on the airplane ride home, she’d made a point of insisting he not tell anyone—especially his grandfather—about the baby without first consulting her.

Then when they’d arrived at her apartment last night, he’d followed her into her bedroom and boldly set his suitcase down next to hers at the foot of her bed.

That’s when Courtney had made her stand. “Mark, please, put your bag in the guest bedroom.”

He had appeared incredulous. “You’re banning me from your bedroom after what happened between us last night?”

“I think we rushed things a bit,” she managed.

“Rushed things? Does memory fail me, or did you rip at my clothing?”

She had fought a smile. “You’re not exactly making your case, Mark.”

“What? That you made love with your husband last night?” Drawing closer, he’d asked poignantly, “Don’t you want to make love with me, Courtney?”

That question had made her feel miserably put on the spot.

“Tell me the truth now. You owe me that much.”

Bravely she had faced him. “Yes, I want to make love with you. I think what happened last night is certainly evidence of that, and I take responsibility for my part in it.

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