was the trip? How’s Alex and the kids?”
“Noah and Chloe have grown so much since the last time I saw them. Alex is stillon the mend.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I can’t imagine how he’s managed all these months. I thought divorce was rough, but losing the love of your life so unexpectedly…” Jared sighed.
“I think he just needs some more time.”
Jared nodded. “Well, since we’re on for poker at Tyler’s on Thursday, I’m going to take a wild guess and say you’re not here to see me.”
“Is Charismaaround?” Derek held up the packages.
Jared smiled. “She went to Reed Bradley to pick up a few books, but she should be back soon.”
“Mind if I stick around until she gets back?”
“Sure. We can hang out in my office.” Jared turned to the receptionist. “Itza, tell Charisma to come to my office when she returns.”
Derek smiled at her. “Itza, would you mind placing these in Ms.Reed’s office?”
“Sure thing!”
Derek followed Jared to his office. “Have any tips on persuading your cousin to see my point of view?”
“I wouldn’t try taking up the challenge of changing a Reed woman’s mind.”
Derek grinned at Jared. Challenge accepted.
* * *
Charisma walked into the firm to find Itza more bubbly and excitable than usual. Whatevershe was keyed up over must have been big, because everyone was gathered at the reception area listening to her like she was retelling some epic story.
“What’s going on?” Charisma put her bag down.
Itza beamed. “Derek Popovich is here!”
Ah. That explained why all the women in the office had congregated for a group swoon. She hadn’t expected him to be back in town so quickly. Itmust have been a short reconciliation with Phoebe. She just knew pictures of them making out on a beach would conveniently surface on a gossip Web site in a few days. But here he was, back in Philadelphia, and for some reason he’d felt compelled to come to Reed Designs. She had better things to do than hang around to catch a glimpse of him. She picked up her bag and headed for her office.
“Jared said he needed to see you in his office when you came back,” Itza yelled after her.
Great. Now she had no choice but to see Derek. She put her things away, went to the restroom, and then headed to the break room and got a drink of water. Finally, she took the fateful walk down the hall and tapped on the open door of Jared’s office.
Jared glanced over and smiled. “Charisma, you’rejust in time. Derek was just singing your praises.”
“About what? We haven’t really done anything yet.”
Derek locked eyes with her. “I thought we tossed around some really good ideas at our last meeting.”
“The only thing that got tossed around was me, like a rag doll, when you had pulled your psychotic girlfriend off me.” She glared at him—well, as much as she dared to scowl atone of her boss’s clients. “So what brings you by? I thought we had an appointment for next Tuesday?”
“You returned my gifts. I want to know why.” He folded his arms over his chest.
“I told you why I couldn’t accept anything from you. Don’t get me wrong. It’s totally your fault a ten thousand dollar purse got ruined, but I’ve moved on.”
“So we’re at a stalemate on this.” He raisedan eyebrow. “That doesn’t surprise me. Jared tells me stubbornness is a trait with the women in your family.”
Charisma plastered on a tight smile as she glanced at Jared. “I’ll be sure to tell Grandma what you said.”
“You don’t have to mention that to her,” Jared said quickly.
“I think I do.”
“You do know you’re proving his point?” Derek bit back a smile when she put herhand on her hip. “Can we talk? Perhaps in your office?”
She hesitated, then motioned for Derek to follow her down the hall to her office. Once there, she ushered him inside and closed the door. The gifts had returned and sat piled on her desk. Derek was at it again. He just
“Noah and Chloe have grown so much since the last time I saw them. Alex is stillon the mend.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I can’t imagine how he’s managed all these months. I thought divorce was rough, but losing the love of your life so unexpectedly…” Jared sighed.
“I think he just needs some more time.”
Jared nodded. “Well, since we’re on for poker at Tyler’s on Thursday, I’m going to take a wild guess and say you’re not here to see me.”
“Is Charismaaround?” Derek held up the packages.
Jared smiled. “She went to Reed Bradley to pick up a few books, but she should be back soon.”
“Mind if I stick around until she gets back?”
“Sure. We can hang out in my office.” Jared turned to the receptionist. “Itza, tell Charisma to come to my office when she returns.”
Derek smiled at her. “Itza, would you mind placing these in Ms.Reed’s office?”
“Sure thing!”
Derek followed Jared to his office. “Have any tips on persuading your cousin to see my point of view?”
“I wouldn’t try taking up the challenge of changing a Reed woman’s mind.”
Derek grinned at Jared. Challenge accepted.
* * *
Charisma walked into the firm to find Itza more bubbly and excitable than usual. Whatevershe was keyed up over must have been big, because everyone was gathered at the reception area listening to her like she was retelling some epic story.
“What’s going on?” Charisma put her bag down.
Itza beamed. “Derek Popovich is here!”
Ah. That explained why all the women in the office had congregated for a group swoon. She hadn’t expected him to be back in town so quickly. Itmust have been a short reconciliation with Phoebe. She just knew pictures of them making out on a beach would conveniently surface on a gossip Web site in a few days. But here he was, back in Philadelphia, and for some reason he’d felt compelled to come to Reed Designs. She had better things to do than hang around to catch a glimpse of him. She picked up her bag and headed for her office.
“Jared said he needed to see you in his office when you came back,” Itza yelled after her.
Great. Now she had no choice but to see Derek. She put her things away, went to the restroom, and then headed to the break room and got a drink of water. Finally, she took the fateful walk down the hall and tapped on the open door of Jared’s office.
Jared glanced over and smiled. “Charisma, you’rejust in time. Derek was just singing your praises.”
“About what? We haven’t really done anything yet.”
Derek locked eyes with her. “I thought we tossed around some really good ideas at our last meeting.”
“The only thing that got tossed around was me, like a rag doll, when you had pulled your psychotic girlfriend off me.” She glared at him—well, as much as she dared to scowl atone of her boss’s clients. “So what brings you by? I thought we had an appointment for next Tuesday?”
“You returned my gifts. I want to know why.” He folded his arms over his chest.
“I told you why I couldn’t accept anything from you. Don’t get me wrong. It’s totally your fault a ten thousand dollar purse got ruined, but I’ve moved on.”
“So we’re at a stalemate on this.” He raisedan eyebrow. “That doesn’t surprise me. Jared tells me stubbornness is a trait with the women in your family.”
Charisma plastered on a tight smile as she glanced at Jared. “I’ll be sure to tell Grandma what you said.”
“You don’t have to mention that to her,” Jared said quickly.
“I think I do.”
“You do know you’re proving his point?” Derek bit back a smile when she put herhand on her hip. “Can we talk? Perhaps in your office?”
She hesitated, then motioned for Derek to follow her down the hall to her office. Once there, she ushered him inside and closed the door. The gifts had returned and sat piled on her desk. Derek was at it again. He just
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