AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, she’s the best. But I’d better get going. Try not to worry about work, okay?”
“Yes, and please stay safe. I heard Chicago is getting hit pretty hard with a lake-effect storm.”
“Will do. I’ll call you later if my niece doesn’t wear me out.”
Lacey giggled. “Have fun.”
When the screen went black, Drew went into his kitchen to make his famous microwavable popcorn sprinkled with parmesan cheese and plopped down next to his niece on the couch. “Ready to finishToy Story?”
Victoria stuck her little hand in the bowl, scooping up a few kernels before popping them in her mouth and nodding. Even though Drew had seen this movie more times than he could remember, he happily sat next to his niece and watched it again.
Drew’s cell phone rang; it was his sister-in-law Monica. “Hey, how’s it going?”
“Great. Thank you for keeping Victoria. Is she behaving?”
“Of course. My niece is the best.” He winked at the sweet girl when she looked at him with a smile. “Would you like to speak with her?”
“Yes, please.”
Drew handed his phone to his niece and watched her buttery fingers slide over the case. “It’s your mom.”
“Hi, Mommy… yes… okay… yes… we’re watching a movie and having popcorn… Mommy… Mommy…” Drew could tell she wasn’t paying attention to whatever her mother was saying until she said all she needed to. “I talked to Uncle Drew’s girlfriend. Yup…”
Victoria handed Drew the phone as Monica was saying something about brushing teeth. “It’s me,” he said. “Apparently she was done with the call.”
Monica let out a breath. “Are you sure you want her all night? She can be a handful.”
“Mon, yes. Don’t worry about a thing. I got it covered.” Drew continued to reassure his sister-in-law, promising he’d get her daughter to bed by eight.
After a few more minutes of assurances, he ended the call andgrabbed a handful of popcorn. “Your mommy is funny.”
Victoria shrugged. “Women.” She shook her head, and Drew started to laugh.
“Where did you hear that?”
“Daddy.”
Drew looked at his niece and couldn’t help but fall more in love with her. “You’re funny.”
Victoria giggled. “I know.”
Chapter 24
Lacey twisted her hands together, gathering her nerves before heading to the executive conference room. When she got the call that both her bosses wanted to see her, her heart rate increased tenfold. Did they know she’d met with Pete? Were they angry?Whyhadn’t she gone to them as soon as the meeting happened?
For some reason the scenario had played out differently in her head. Lacey would be the one calling the meeting with the news that she’d secured Carson Enterprises as a client. Then she’d receive her promotion, and she’d become a partner and put the egotistical Zeke in his place. But now she realized just how naive that vision was. Why hadn’t she come clean from the get-go?
Feeling as though a ball was lodged in the hollow of her throat, she was just about to step out of her office when her cell phone buzzed. Seeing Drew’s name, she let out a breath of relief; the sound of his voice would calm her fraying nerves.
“Hi, I’m so glad you called.”
“That’s a greeting I can get used to. How’s your day going?” Drew’s deep voice had Lacey closing her eyes, imagining him standing in her office rather than in his, hundreds of miles away.
Lacey went on to explain where she was headed before her phone rang. “I’m nervous. What if they’re upset and my initiative landed me in the unemployment line instead of the executive floor?”
“Sweetheart, everything will be fine. You said you wanted to come clean with them, so you tell them before they tell you.”
She nodded—not that Drew could see that. “You’re right.”
