Seduced By Second Chances. Reese Ryan

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       Two

      Teresa St. Claire had spent most of the week hiding out in her office. Once she arrived in the morning, she’d only peeked her head out when it had been absolutely necessary.

      Yes, she was the boss. But she felt like the screwup employee who’d put the entire company in jeopardy.

      Every time she closed her eyes, she could see the ugly headline that had been running for the past week.

       Mogul’s Torrid Affair with Father’s Mistress Ends after Her Surprise Inheritance Revealed.

      She’d been pegged as a home-wrecking gold digger who’d had an affair with the late Linus Christopher and now had her sights set on his heir Liam. The ugly rumors, complete with uncomplimentary videos and photos, lit up the airwaves and seemed to follow her everywhere online.

      Teresa had been hounded by gossip columnists and bloggers. Even a woman she’d always considered a reputable reporter had shown up at her home, inquiring about the nature of Teresa’s relationship with both Christopher men.

      The effect the rumors were having on her business was bad enough. But the additional tension it had created between her and Liam was unbearable. She could only imagine the embarrassment the rumors were causing him.

      Teresa wiped away warm tears when she recalled the expression on Liam’s face when he’d confronted her about the rumors. He’d even had the audacity to imply that she might’ve been behind them. Still, her brain was flooded with the warmth and passion that had been growing steadily between them, despite his constant mistrust of her.

      She sighed. The outer office was uncharacteristically quiet. Other than calls from gossip reporters, the phones barely rang. Her employees spoke in hushed tones with their heads together rather than with the jovial, energetic nature she was accustomed to.

      At this rate, the doors of Limitless Events would be shuttered for good in a few weeks, and it would be her fault.

      A knock at the door startled her from her thoughts.

      Teresa sat ramrod straight in the chair behind her desk. “Come in.”

      Corinne, her personal assistant, stepped inside. The woman dragged a hand through her headful of red corkscrew curls with an exasperated frown.

      “We’ve had another cancellation, haven’t we?” Teresa practically held her breath. That made three this week already. Not to mention the three or four clients who’d gotten nervous about having her plan their parties. It had been all she could do to calm them down so they wouldn’t jump ship. But she realized that any one of them might change their minds at any time.

      Corinne nodded. “Maggie Ellington called to say that she’s sorry, but she just can’t take a chance that the scandal won’t have died down by the time of her daughter’s wedding.”

      “That’s understandable.” Teresa tried to sound unaffected by the latest news. “She wants to make sure her daughter and son-in-law are the center of attention, not me.”

      “You mean she wants to make sure that she’s the center of attention, and she won’t be upstaged by anyone. Not even the bride.” Corinne folded her arms.

      “True.” Teresa laughed and gave her assistant a reassuring smile. “But we’d both do the same if we were in her shoes. I can’t blame her. In fact, I don’t blame any of them for canceling.”

      “Well, I do.” Corinne dropped into the chair in front of Teresa’s desk. “They’re all a bunch of hypocrites. Most of them have done more scandalous things on an average Tuesday than you’re being accused of. Not to mention that the whole story is just a crock of—”

      “I get it, Corinne.” Teresa held up a hand to calm her assistant.

      Corinne was fiercely СКАЧАТЬ