you a salary.”
“Is that what you think? That I don’t have a salary because I expected Margaret to hand River Run to me on a silver platter?”
“What else am I to think?”
“You sonofa....” Emma couldn’t finish. Her anger swept the beauty of the evening away. She’d thought maybe he’d changed, warmed up, fit in…made a decision to commit. Isn’t that why he’d shaved?
Obviously not.
Stone Connor cared only about himself. She could only guess at his motivation, and it certainly wasn’t toward her best interest. He probably wanted to alleviate his guilt, pay her a ridiculous sum in order to convince his warped sense of righteousness that he’d recompensed her appropriately for a lifetime of blood.
What did she expect?
No, Emma realized, her problems were her own. She hadn’t explained her history because he’d fire her. How could she anticipate his understanding? She needed a plan. An escape route.
She needed to quit overreacting.
“Hey, don’t go getting all twisted hither and nither. It was an easy assumption.” He leaned forward placing his hand on hers. Emma resisted turning her palm over and grabbing his hand like it was the last rung on a ten-story fire escape. She wouldn’t trust this man.
“Stop tearing that napkin to shreds. I’m not being confrontational, but I’d like to right any wrongs from the past.”
“Your grandmother provided quite handsomely for me, and I’m no charity case.” Emma refused to fall for his counterfeit charm again. She knew the heart of the beast, and it was solid granite. This salary war wasn’t about paying her--it was about control.
“Still, you deserve a salary.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I prefer to leave things as they are.”
“Which is?”
“River Run pays my expenses with a bonus at the end of each year. The bonus is based on a percentage of the previous year’s profits, and the sum is then invested in Clover Enterprises.”
Stone raised one brow. “Clover is you?”
“Yes,” she said, ignoring the skeptical expression.
“Funny, I thought it was someone else.”
“It’s mine.”
Emma said a silent prayer. He’d certainly deduced that Nate Connor’s name signed and authorized all transactions for Clover Enterprises. If he delved any deeper, it could very well explode years of planning.
The man sitting across from her would be shocked to discover she had no license, no bank account, no social security number. As far as the computer banks and the government were concerned, she didn’t exist.
It needed to remain that way.
Stone relaxed, obviously content with her explanation. At least he wasn’t pushing anymore.
Emma raised her glass and sipped the wine. It was her favorite. An Italian Chardonnay the color of honey with a smooth, buttery taste. She detested the woodsy overtone of the more popular Chardonnay’s, and her discovery of this wine sprouted a dangerous obsession. She exercised restraint and limited herself to one bottle a week.
“This is great wine,” Stone said.
“Be careful, it’s addictive.”
“Really?”
“Uh huh,” she murmured, lost for a moment as the liquid gold slipped down her throat, burning slightly. This was how Stone made her feel, she realized with a start. Careful girl . That kind of thinking would only lead to heartbreak.
“Next item on my agenda…” Stone leaned forward and focused all his attention on her face, causing a river of panic to surface. What did he know? “Is a stipulation that if not followed will result in immediate dismissal.”
Her throat tightened, and she swallowed back the sudden panic.
“My father isn’t to step one foot on this property.”
“But...”
“No,” he warned. “This is not up for discussion.”
Emma sat back, her chest constricting in pain. She didn’t know who this affected the most…him, her, his father? All three of them, she figured.
Could she manage a year without Nate? More importantly, could Nate manage a year without
“Is that what you think? That I don’t have a salary because I expected Margaret to hand River Run to me on a silver platter?”
“What else am I to think?”
“You sonofa....” Emma couldn’t finish. Her anger swept the beauty of the evening away. She’d thought maybe he’d changed, warmed up, fit in…made a decision to commit. Isn’t that why he’d shaved?
Obviously not.
Stone Connor cared only about himself. She could only guess at his motivation, and it certainly wasn’t toward her best interest. He probably wanted to alleviate his guilt, pay her a ridiculous sum in order to convince his warped sense of righteousness that he’d recompensed her appropriately for a lifetime of blood.
What did she expect?
No, Emma realized, her problems were her own. She hadn’t explained her history because he’d fire her. How could she anticipate his understanding? She needed a plan. An escape route.
She needed to quit overreacting.
“Hey, don’t go getting all twisted hither and nither. It was an easy assumption.” He leaned forward placing his hand on hers. Emma resisted turning her palm over and grabbing his hand like it was the last rung on a ten-story fire escape. She wouldn’t trust this man.
“Stop tearing that napkin to shreds. I’m not being confrontational, but I’d like to right any wrongs from the past.”
“Your grandmother provided quite handsomely for me, and I’m no charity case.” Emma refused to fall for his counterfeit charm again. She knew the heart of the beast, and it was solid granite. This salary war wasn’t about paying her--it was about control.
“Still, you deserve a salary.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I prefer to leave things as they are.”
“Which is?”
“River Run pays my expenses with a bonus at the end of each year. The bonus is based on a percentage of the previous year’s profits, and the sum is then invested in Clover Enterprises.”
Stone raised one brow. “Clover is you?”
“Yes,” she said, ignoring the skeptical expression.
“Funny, I thought it was someone else.”
“It’s mine.”
Emma said a silent prayer. He’d certainly deduced that Nate Connor’s name signed and authorized all transactions for Clover Enterprises. If he delved any deeper, it could very well explode years of planning.
The man sitting across from her would be shocked to discover she had no license, no bank account, no social security number. As far as the computer banks and the government were concerned, she didn’t exist.
It needed to remain that way.
Stone relaxed, obviously content with her explanation. At least he wasn’t pushing anymore.
Emma raised her glass and sipped the wine. It was her favorite. An Italian Chardonnay the color of honey with a smooth, buttery taste. She detested the woodsy overtone of the more popular Chardonnay’s, and her discovery of this wine sprouted a dangerous obsession. She exercised restraint and limited herself to one bottle a week.
“This is great wine,” Stone said.
“Be careful, it’s addictive.”
“Really?”
“Uh huh,” she murmured, lost for a moment as the liquid gold slipped down her throat, burning slightly. This was how Stone made her feel, she realized with a start. Careful girl . That kind of thinking would only lead to heartbreak.
“Next item on my agenda…” Stone leaned forward and focused all his attention on her face, causing a river of panic to surface. What did he know? “Is a stipulation that if not followed will result in immediate dismissal.”
Her throat tightened, and she swallowed back the sudden panic.
“My father isn’t to step one foot on this property.”
“But...”
“No,” he warned. “This is not up for discussion.”
Emma sat back, her chest constricting in pain. She didn’t know who this affected the most…him, her, his father? All three of them, she figured.
Could she manage a year without Nate? More importantly, could Nate manage a year without
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