IT TAKES A REBEL

by Stephanie Bond

But then she’d know that he knew about her losing the vice presidency. He put down the phone.

  Then he brightened—calling to thank her for helping with the commercials would be simple and appropriate. He dialed her office number and drummed his fingers on his desk while the phone rang.

  “Tess Hanover.”

  “This is Jack Stillman—”

  “Oh, hellooooo, Mr. Stillman.”

  “Um, hello. I was trying to reach Alex. Is she available?”

  “No,” she said, her tone a little odd.

  He frowned. “Has she left for the day?”

  “You could say that.”

  Jack sighed. “Tess, did she or didn’t she?”

  “Actually,” the woman said, her voice lowered to a conspiratorial level, “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but Ms. Tremont resigned.”

  “What?”

  “She and Mr. Reddinger both resigned,” she whispered. “I heard that he got a great job offer in Cincinnati.”

  And Alex was going with him. Jack’s heart sank. “Ms. Tremont and her father had an argument.”

  He hated to snoop, but the woman seemed anxious to tell him something. “What about?”

  “Mr. Tremont barged into her office, and I overheard him blame her for nearly losing you as a spokesman.”

  Jack swallowed hard. “What did he say?”

  “That she’d gone back on her promise to try to work with you, and the reason you had changed your mind was because she was so difficult to get along with.”

  He closed his eyes. “That’s not true.”

  “He sounded angry. Ms. Tremont offered to step aside and let someone else work with you, but he told her the new vice president would be taking over those responsibilities.” Relishing every detail, Tess’s voice rolled with inflection. “Then a little while later, Mr. Reddinger arrived and went into Ms. Tremont’s office. They came out together and asked me to make official copies of their resignation letters.”

  He felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. “Is Al still there?”

  “Yes.”

  “Patch me through to him, please.” Feeling as if Alex were slipping through his fingers, he stood and paced until Al Tremont’s voice came on the line.

  “Jack, what’s up?”

  He wasted no time on formalities. “What’s this about you telling Alex I couldn’t work with her because she was too difficult to get along with?”

  “Well, that’s what you said, Jack.”

  “No, I said I couldn’t work with Alex, but I didn’t tell you why. We both jumped to conclusions about what the other person meant.”

  “I’m confused, son. Why can’t you work with Alex?”

  Sweat broke out on his upper lip, and the pain in his chest escalated to the point of forcing him to sit down.

  “Jack?”

  “I love her.” He leaned his head back, waiting for the fallout.

  “What?” Al sounded incredulous.

  “I love your daughter.”

  The man made a few blustery sounds. “Does Alex know?”

  “Not unless she’s a mind reader.”

  “Well, son, you’d better get a move on.”

  “I understand she and Reddinger both resigned.”

  Al made a rueful sound. “I can replace Heath, but not Alex. I can’t believe she’s leaving for him.”

  “Maybe she’s leaving because she feels unappreciated at Tremont’s,” Jack ventured.

  “Why, that’s absurd.”

  “Is it? I know she was hoping for that vice presidency.”

  “Jack, just between you and me, I was planning to step down in the next couple of months, and recommend that Alex take over as president. That’s why she didn’t get the vice presidency.”

  Shocked, Jack asked, “Why didn’t you tell her?”

  “When she told me she was leaving with Reddinger, I didn’t want to muddy the waters. You see, son, I’m more concerned that Alex be with the right man than that she take over the family business.” Al laughed with no humor. “I guess neither one of us has been as forthcoming with Alex as we should have been. But I’ll make you a deal. If you can talk her into staying in Lexington, I’ll offer her the presidency.” Al made a regretful noise. “Jack … if you can keep my daughter from leaving me, I would be in your debt.”

  Jack swallowed. “Maybe you should offer her the presidency first, just to sweeten the deal.”

  “Sorry, son, I don’t want to get in the way here. You’re on your own.”

  *

  Chapter 18

  « ^ »

  “Did he take it hard?” Lana asked, licking mocha cocoa cake icing from a silver spoon.

  “Who, Daddy or Heath?” Alex sucked down fantasy fudge.

  Lana leaned against the couch arm. “Both.”

  She heaved a sigh, her head still spinning from the day’s events. “Daddy didn’t make a fuss, said he was disappointed I was leaving Tremont’s, but wanted me to be happy.” Alex shook her head. “After all these years, he has no idea how much he and the company mean to me. I’m going to be more diligent about spending time with Daddy—even if it means putting up with Gloria—but it’s time I move on in my career.”

  “And Heath?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I think he was more bothered by the thought of living alone in a new city than by the thought of losing me.”

  “What are you going to do now?”

  Alex shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe you and I can buy a coffee shop.”

  Lana pointed her spoon. “I was talking about Jack.”

  Her heart clenched. “What does Jack have to do with all this?”

  “Please. Only that you’re in love with the man.”

  She scraped her spoon against the bottom to get the last trace of chocolate, but it was hard to see through the film of tears. “So is every other woman in the city. If Jack Stillman were open for business, I’d have to take a number to be served.”

  “Not true. He has a thing for you.”

  Shaking her head, Alex tried to smile. “Yeah, he called it a ‘friendly curiosity.’ Besides, he told my father he couldn’t work with me, so what does that tell you?”

  Ping.

  Alex dropped her spoon and jerked her head toward the sliding glass door.

  “What’s that?” Lana asked.

  Ping.

  Her heart lifted, tentatively. “Excuse me.” She walked to the glass door and opened it in time to take a hit on the top of her head. “Ow!” Crouching low, she made her way to the rail, then leaned over, frowning. “You almost gave me a concussion!”

  Jack stopped, then dropped a handful of pebbles next to his bike parked in the grass. He tilted his head back and offered up a tentative grin. “Women with concussions are much easier to persuade.”

  Refusing to get her hopes up, Alex crossed her arms. “Persuade to do what?”

  “To not go to Cincinnati with Reddinger.”

  Behind her, Lana gasped, but Alex would only allow herself the smallest thrill. “And do what instead?”

  He hesitated so long, she thought he wasn’t going to respond. “Stay … stay here with me.”

  Behind her, Lana whimpered, but Alex still had a bone to pick with Jack. “Why would you want me to stay, when I’m so difficult to get along with that you can’t even work with me?”

  His shoulders fell. “Your father misunderstood. When I said that I couldn’t work with you, I meant I couldn’t because…”

  “Because why? I didn’t hear you.”

  “Because I love you!”

  Behind her, Lana cried out and, at last, Alex allowed her heart to soar. Still, she tried to remain nonchalant. “I’m not sure if I believe you.”

  He scratched his temple. “I figured as much.” Then he turned to his bike and unstrapped a large box. “Okay, I’m coming up.”

  She watched with delighted disbelief as he marched across the grass beneath the balcony.

  “What’s he doing?” Lana whispere
d.

  “He’s climbing up the fire escape,” Alex whispered back. “Scram!”

  “No way. I want to see this.”

  “Goodbye, Lana.”

  “Oh, all right. Call me, would you?”

  “Sure.”

  She thought her heart might come out of her chest. Was it possible? Did this man love her? Slowly he hauled himself and the box up the fire escape ladder. Alex held her breath until his smiling face appeared on the other side of her balcony railing.

  His eyes were serious, his expression earnest. “Alex, I don’t have anything to offer you except my heart and my devotion, but I want to try to make you happy.” He glanced at her hand, then frowned. “Where’s your engagement ring?”

  “I returned it,” she said, feeling herself misting up.

  “Why?” he asked, his dark eyes hopeful.

  “Because I love you,” she whispered.

  A grin split his handsome face, then he pulled her mouth to his for a deep, promising kiss.

  Suddenly Alex pulled back. “I’m unemployed now.”

  Jack shook his head. “I don’t think so, Madam President.”

  She frowned. “What?”

  “Your father has news. We’ll call him,” he said simply, then nipped at her neck, “afterward.”

  Alex tilted her head back, reveling in the thrill of his mouth, his tongue, his teeth on her skin. “Yes, afterward,” she murmured. “Are you coming over?”

  He lifted his head, as if he’d just remembered he was suspended three stories up. “Absolutely.”

  “Jack, what’s in the box?”

  His grin was sheepish. “Um, I bought you a hat,” he said, handing her the box, then climbed over the rail to join her. “One that I thought would suit you.”

  “Can I open it?”

  He swallowed, then exhaled noisily, as if gathering his strength. “Go ahead.”

  Alex bit her bottom lip and lifted the lid, then sucked in a sharp breath.

  On a cloud of netting sat a white bridal hat, with a short, pearl-studded veil.

  “Oh … oh … oh.” Happy tears streamed down her face as she kissed him.

  “My brother convinced me that love like this doesn’t come around but once in a lifetime,” he said. “But before I get down on one knee, I have a confession to make.”

  Alex swallowed, her joy suspended for a second. “What?”

  He winced. “Remember the day you showed up at my office?”

  She nodded. How could she forget?

  “I wasn’t setting you up for my ad pitch. I thought you were an IRS agent, and what you saw was the way the agency and I really were—a complete mess.”

  She stuck her tongue in her cheek to suppress her mirth. “So what happened?”

  He splayed his hands. “What can I say? You made me want to straighten up my act, and it feels … right. We feel right, Alex.”

  Incredibly touched, Alex cleared her throat. “You were about to get down on one knee?”

  He grinned and swooped down in obvious relief. “Alex, will you marry me?”

  “But I thought you were against marriage … I thought you said—”

  “My knees aren’t what they used to be, sweetheart. Is that a yes or a no?”

  Alex laughed. “Yes.”

  His face split into a grin, then he shot to his feet and swung her around, whooping. At last he set her on her feet, then situated the little white hat on her head and kissed her until she was breathless. Warm and alight with his love, Alex finally pulled away, laughing. “Wait … I have to … call Lana.”

  But Jack shook his head, then leaned over to scoop her into his arms and carry her into the loft. “Afterward.”

  *

  Epilogue

  « ^

  “Alex,” Lana said from the doorway of the dressing room. “Can your father come in?”

  Alex tucked an errant strand of hair beneath the bridal hat Jack had given her and smiled at her maid of honor from the dressing vanity. “Yes, Lana, please send him in.”

  She stood and smoothed the skirt of her gown, simple white silk. Her heart thumped with elation and anticipation. Over the past few months, she and Jack had grown closer every day, their love deepening as their friendship and passion bloomed. She felt very special and extremely blessed to be marrying such a wonderful man.

  “If only your mother could see you.”

  Alex turned to see her father standing just inside the dressing room, splendidly handsome in his tuxedo, beaming.

  “She would be so proud,” he murmured, his voice catching.

  She walked toward him slowly. “But what do you think, Daddy?”

  He met her in the middle of the room and she was astonished to see his eyes were moist. “I think,” he said, his voice throaty, “that I am the luckiest man on this earth to have such an amazing, beautiful, talented woman for my daughter.”

  Her eyes filled with tears as she lifted her arms to hug his neck, counting yet another blessing—she and her father had grown as close as she’d always hoped. And Alex had even begun to forge a tentative relationship with Gloria.

  Her father smiled down at her and stroked her cheek with his thumb. “And I’d say that Jack is the second luckiest man on this earth.”

  Alex straightened his bow tie. “Thank you, Daddy. And in Jack you’re finally getting a son.”

  Her father’s blue eyes turned questioning. “What do you mean?”

  She gave him a small smile. “A son, Daddy, like you’ve always wanted.”

  A strange expression came over his face. “I couldn’t be happier that you and Jack are making a life together, Alex, but whatever gave you the idea that I wanted a son?”

  Alex balked. “Well … you’re so into sports … and you get along so well with Jack … and I always thought…”

  His laugh rumbled out, low and rueful, then he took both her hands in his. “Alex, my dear heart, I would’ve been glad for any more children your mother and I might have had, but when she first told me she was pregnant, I never imagined having anything but a beautiful little girl to love and who would love me in return. I’m sorry if I ever gave you the impression that you weren’t everything I’d dreamed of in a child. Alex, I love you more than life itself and I’m so proud of you, I’m … speechless.”

  Her eyes overflowed as she wrapped her arms around his middle. “Daddy, thank you, thank you.”

  “Hey, you two,” Lana said from the doorway. “We’re waiting.”

  They separated, and Alex wiped at her tears.

  “Are you ready, my dear?” her father asked.

  She nodded, sniffing her tears dry. She claimed her bouquet, then smiled at her father as he lowered the short veil over her face.

  “My last walk with my little girl,” he said, extending his arm.

  She took his arm, blinking rapidly. “I’ll always be your little girl, Daddy.”

  “Jack’s probably wondering if I’m going to keep you,” he said gruffly. “We’d better get going.”

  By the time they reached the doorway of the chapel, Alex had composed herself enough that she could clearly see Jack, stunning in his tuxedo, waiting for her at the altar, his brother Derek by his side. When Jack’s face lit up, her heart nearly burst with happiness. Her father squeezed her arm and she began to walk toward Jack, her friend, her lover, her soul mate.

  “Happy, sweetheart?” her father whispered.

  “How could I not be, Daddy?” she said, squeezing back. “I have the two most wonderful men in the world to love.”

  *

 

 

 
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