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Asher tilted his head, studying the administrator.
“Is that a usual practice in the lab, or were those new rules announced today?”
At his odd question, Willow peeked over at him again. She was reminded again of headlines like “Colton Oil CEO Ousted” and “Colton Patriarch Shot: Son Questioned,” in the weekly Mustang Valley Times and on the local news.
“Let me guess. Some other testing is taking priority over two six-month-olds.”
Anne straightened. “I don’t have any details regarding the backup at the lab, and, even if I did, I wouldn’t be able to discuss them because of privacy laws.”
The administrator didn’t make eye contact with Willow, but she peeked at Asher before she lowered her gaze to her hands. That tell was the only confirmation Willow needed.
Why didn’t someone just say that it had to do with the Coltons? Something bigger than even a possible mix-up of Payne Colton’s grandchild. Since the family company had paid for updates to make the hospital a state-of-the-art facility fifteen years before, they probably thought of it as one of their properties, just like they ran Colton Oil. Just like they owned Mustang Valley itself.
“Fine. Tomorrow at ten.” Asher gathered his daughter and marched out of the office.
“Fine,” Willow echoed, before collecting her diaper bag, propping Luna on her hip and stomping out after him.
He was probably just angry that the news and the delay had disrupted his schedule and his charmed life. She had more to be upset about than he did. As if it wasn’t bad enough dealing with the awful possibility that Luna might not be hers and trying to explain her inappropriate reaction to a man who’d turned out to be a Colton, now she would be forced to face him again the next day.
So, it continued. Everything bad in her life started out with the Coltons and only went downhill from there.
Chapter 3
“I didn’t think you’d ever call,” the woman whined into the phone the moment she answered.
His sigh came through the line, just as she caught sight of her profile in the mirror. Neck skin taut. Face flawless, she decided, as she brushed her fingertips along her own jawline. Still beautiful. She’d deserved better than she’d been given.
“Are you listening to me?”
“What? Oh. What did you say?”
“I said I told you I would call as soon as it was done. And I did.”
“Yes, you did.” She pushed her shoulders back and faced the mirror straight on. The last thing she needed was for there to be frustration in the ranks. Not when she was so close to getting the revenge that she’d craved so deeply it felt embedded in her soul.
“You always keep your promises...for us. And I appreciate each one.”
He harrumphed. “That’s better.”
The man filled her in on the newest development that had required creativity outside her specific instructions. She wouldn’t stomp on the guy’s ideas when he was helping her to get what she wanted.
“Why does it matter?” he asked in the cajoling tone that had long since begun to annoy her.
“What are you talking about?”
“Him. Why does he still matter?”
Because he did. Why couldn’t the guy get it through his marble-sized brain? Wasn’t it bad enough that she’d been forced to see a reminder of all she’d lost right downtown that morning? She smoothed her hands over her floral-print skirt and matching summer sweater set.
“Like I said before, I need to put this behind me, put him behind me, so I can think about only you.” She paused to turn on the syrupy charm. “That’s what you want, isn’t it? It’s what I want.”
She nearly choked on her own saccharine tone, but when he didn’t respond immediately, she knew he was still on board. For now. She gave him his next instructions, made some promises that she would keep when hell was covered with ice cubes and then clicked off the phone with barely a goodbye.
Despite too many delays, her plan was finally coming along. Someone in Mustang Valley was going down. Soon. Once that happened, she could kick her assistant to the curb, as well.
* * *
Asher strapped Harper in her stroller, slid off the silly headband that one of the new housekeepers had insisted went with that dress and popped her favorite car-keys-style teething toy in her chubby hands. Then, taking a deep breath, he wheeled her down the hall to the entrance.
