Page 25 of The CEO

Wade chuckled. “It would make it a lot easier if they were, but they are different for the sake of diversity. If one industry goes down, we have others that will offset it and often pick up the slack left by the other companies. You’re passionately interested in business, aren’t you?”

She nodded. “I am. I hope to open my own business one day, but I want to be there for Lilly before I decide on anything else. I’m an author now which will allow me to care for Lilly, but I want to have something else to fall back on. Something physical. Perhaps when she starts school, I’ll have more time to think about it.”

“And what business would you like to open?” asked Stacy.

Bree realigned her body, so she faced Stacy directly and then gazed down at her. “I love to garden, so that’s what I’d like to do…have a garden center. It would carry everything you could want for a lovely backyard garden.”

“It sounds like you’ve given this some thought. Have you done anymore planning?” asked Wade.

Bree shook her head. “Right now, it’s just a dream. Like I said I don’t want to start anything until Lilly is older. She’s the most important person in my life.”

“I understand she’s a baby and needs you, but you can’t live your life just for your children. That’s unfair to you and to them. Trust me on this. I did that with my first one, and he resented me for not letting him grow up like his classmates.” Stacy chuckled at the memory. “We learned and treated the rest of the children differently.”

“I’ll take your advice under advisement.” Bree wasn’t sure she could do what they suggested, but she’d at least think about it. As the oldest in a family of five kids, she’d always been the one responsible for her younger siblings. Her parents were alwaysworking. Bree wanted to be there for Lilly in a way her parents never were.

The two couples chatted for a good thirty minutes.

“If you could direct me to the powder room, I’d appreciate it,” Bree whispered to Stacy.

Stacy pointed toward the entrance doors. “Of course. It’s just off the lobby where you came in. You can’t miss the signs.”

“Thank you.” Bree turned her gaze to Adam. “I’ll be right back.”

“Certainly. We’ll be here.” Adam gave her a kiss on the forehead.

Bree lifted her eyebrows. She had her back to Wade and Stacy, so only Adam could see her reaction.

He simply smiled.

Then she remembered what they were trying to convey and relaxed. Tonight, they were a happily married couple with a baby at home…well, at Rocky and Madelyn’s.

“Excuse me. I’ll be right back.” She headed off in the direction Stacy had indicated.

She was fixing her lipstick in the reclining room mirror when Valerie Kincaid walked up next to her. Bree looked at the woman in the mirror. “Valerie.”

Valerie narrowed her eyes and looked down her nose at Bree. “Brianna. I was surprised to hear of your marriage to Adam. I suppose I should say congratulations.”

Bree lifted a brow and placed the lipstick into her evening bag. “Don’t bother on my account.”

Valerie laughed. “You’re a little snippy tonight, aren’t you? Marriage to Adam not all you thought it would be?”

“My marriage to Adam is wonderful and not any of your business, anyway.” Would her expression give her away? She smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes. Valerie wouldn’t see that, though. The woman was too vapid to notice anything.

Valerie’s smile disappeared. “My marriage to Adam wasn’t anyone’s business, either, but Brad didn’t seem to have any problems sticking his nose into it. I know it was him who told Adam about me.”

Bree wouldn’t have Brad’s memory savaged. “You’re wrong about that, but even if you were right about Brad, you were wrong to cheat on Adam. All he ever did was love you, but that wasn’t enough for you, was it? And with Simon? What in the world were you thinking? Simon will never divorce Janie. She owns more than fifty-two percent of the business. He’d be a fool to divorce her.”

“You take that back. You’re wrong about that.” Valerie hissed.

Bree laughed. Adam had briefed her about Simon and explained Janie’s part of the business. He knew he’d have to work with Janie more than Simon. “You should do your homework better before you decide to seduce someone else’s husband. Janie’s parents started the business. She was gifted it upon her marriage to Simon. He was the means to an end. She wanted the business, and her parents wouldn’t give it to her until she was married. As part of her dowry, for lack of a better word, Simon was given his part of the business when he married Janie. Theirs is a business arrangement more than a marriage.”

Valerie eyes narrowed and her lips lifted on one side.

Bree thought steam might spray from her ears at any moment. The look on Valerie’s face was priceless, and Bree had to smile, though when she thought of her own marriage of convenience, her smile faltered. She and Adam had the same kind of arrangement. A business arrangement. Her smile disappeared.

Valerie narrowed her eyes and slapped Bree across the face.

Bree’s hand immediately went to her left cheek. It stung and she was afraid there would be a hand print. “What was that for?”