“I want that in—”
“Writing. Yes, I know. Trust me. I will haveeverythingspelled out for both our benefits.”
The office door opened and slammed shut, announcing a new arrival. Neither of them was startled by the sudden intrusion. He was standing so close to Katie that she would have noticed if he’d flinched. She supposed she had him to thank for her warrior heart. He tried to startle the employees every time he walked into a room, so she was used to sudden noise.
The uninvited newcomer was his mother. Her old-school snobbery was evident in the way her eyes flickered over Katie without lingering. The woman never looked directly at her, and Katie surmised if she snatched her diamond necklace, Evelyn Grayson wouldn’t be able to pick her out of a police line-up. Actually, she probably wouldn’t be able to give the police enough of a description to have her picked up. The report would probably start and end with the fact Katie was a woman.
“You must do something to stop Poppy’s reign of terror,” Evelyn said. Gesturing to Katie, the woman added, “Send the girl away so we can talk in private.”
Katie took a step in the door’s direction, but a hand on her arm stopped her. While he spoke to his mother, Chase covertly slipped a ring onto Katie’s engagement finger behind her back. It was done with ease as if he’d practiced the move beforehand.
“I have no secrets from Katie, Mother.”
Evelyn rolled her eyes. “Oh dear, are you screwing your secretary? Didn’t your father teach you anything?”
The elderly woman’s word choice left Katie immobile and speechless. She’d expected a more genteel response. Did the social butterfly use that sort of language in front of her country club friends?
Chase didn’t even blink at his mother’s response. He took Katie’s left arm and moved it to the front of her body. Grasping her hand tenderly, he showed it to his mother with what seemed like great pride. “As of tomorrow, Katie will be my wife.”
♥♥♥
Chase held his breath while waiting for his mother’s reaction to the idea of him marrying his secretary. A formidable woman, she could upset his plan if the urge struck. Although he’d known her his entire life, he never knew what her response to any given situation would be. She had the ability to shock him like no one else in his life.
His mother frowned. “You’re marrying your secretary? That’s worse than an affair. What are you thinking, Charles?”
She was the only one that called him Charles, his given name. He hated it, but he didn’t bother protesting. Evelyn Grayson did what she wanted.
“Is she pregnant?” his mother asked.
“Not yet,” he said with a growing grin. “But hopefully soon.” He squeezed Katie’s hand to reassure her that his mother’s bark might be ferocious, but she wouldn’t bite. “Don’t worry about Poppy, Mother. Katie and I will handle her as soon as we’re man and wife. We’ll pull our generous fifty percent of stock together and put it with yours. Poppy won’t be able to terrorize the villagers anymore.”
A smile quickly replaced his mother’s frown. “So that’s it. You and your new wife will have the controlling vote, and I assume you will be having a baby before you turn thirty-five. I underestimated you.” She leaned in to place her lips near his ear and whispered, “Make sure you put everything in writing and get her to sign on the dotted line before the vows.”
He chuckled. “You two are going to get along famously.”
As soon as his mother left, he put an arm around Katie’s waist and walked her to the door. She was talking, but he wasn’t listening. He only caught a word here and there, something about notes she needed to type.
“Forget that,” he said. “I’ll give it to Marty to do. Billy isn’t here today. Big surprise. So, she isn’t busy. You need to go home, pack a bag, and meet me downstairs in one hour.”
She blinked. “Why? Where are we going?”
“Vegas.” The more he thought about it the better the idea appealed to him. “We need to marry before people find out what we’re doing. The paparazzi will be all over us, and Poppy will do whatever underhanded thing she can think of to keep it from happening. Trust me. Vegas is the best solution.”
“What about the contract?”
The blood washed out of Katie’s face, and he feared she was close to changing her mind. “I told legal to draw one up last night.”
“You were that sure you could convince me?”
“I was that sure of how much you want a child.”
“This is all happening so fast,” she said.
“I’m sorry. I would give you more time, but we don’t have that luxury.”
“But...”
Her wide eyes reminded him of a frightened deer about to bolt for safety. He smoothed his hands up and down her arms before giving them a light squeeze. “Once this is done and you have that beautiful little baby in your arms, you will be so glad you did it. Nothing else will matter.”