Page 42 of Broken
His uncle was heading back toward the elevator bank when Prescott intercepted him. “Artemis, this is my sister, Sally.”
“Sister?”
“Yeah, I mentioned—” Prescott began.
“Welcome to the family,” Artemis replied, cutting him off.
“Thank you,” Sally said. “Do you have a family?”
“I’ve been married over forty years. I’ve got two grown children and seven grandchildren. I guess that makes me the patriarch.” Artemis chuckled.
“Arty!” Leslie called from the entrance.
“My consultant needs me.” Artemis hurried off.
“I’d love to meet his family, one day,” Sally said. “It was just me and my mom, then I got married and we had Ethan. My husband passed, then my mom. My family has always been so small. I would love to be a part of a big, extended family.”
“Welcome to the mayhem,” Prescott said before suggesting they head upstairs.
On the elevator ride, he told her she’d be meeting with the HR director.
“Not gonna lie,” she replied. “I’m super excited. Armstrong is a fantastic company to work for, plus with daycare in the next building, I would feel so relieved knowing Ethan is nearby.”
“Where is he now?”
The elevator doors opened, and they stepped out.
“He’s in daycare twice a week.” On the way down the hallway, she said, “Ethan’s such a social, energetic little boy. He loves making friends, plus I’ve got two days to get everything done, so I can focus on him the rest of the week.”
“You’re a good mom.”
His sister smiled. “I try. Ethan is my entire world and I want to balance having a career with being a single mom.”
He escorted her to the director’s office, made the introduction, and left.
* * *
Jacqueline
Even the three-thousandmiles that separated her from Prescott couldn’t shake him from her thoughts.
Monday morning had her back in California and working at her desk, but her mind kept wandering to the mountain of a man who turned her inside out with a single glance and ignited her need with his passionate touch.
She wasn’t sure she believed him when he told her, “You don’t know the whole story”, but she wasn’t going to obsess over it. The damage had been done. She would put the debacle known as Prescott Armstrong behind her and focus on her current situation—busting her ass on this task force so she could get another shot at putting her career back on track, and snag a job back east.
At the end of the day, she packed up her laptop. Once home, she changed, and went for a good, long run.
When finished, she walked the last block to her apartment building and punched in her passcode. As soon as she entered the lobby, she eyed Jeff waiting on a nearby sofa.
Ah, crap.
He jumped up. Smiling big, he hurried over, arms outstretched.
“Hey, I’m glad I caught you,” he said.
Rather than allow him to hug her, she stopped a few feet away. “What are you doing here?”
“I went to the airport yesterday to pick you up, but I forgot your arrival time, so I waited around forever.” He rolled his eyes. “I shoulda put it in my phone. You know me. I never remember the deets.”
