the role. She respected privacy, yet she had an openness about her
that made you want to tell her the truth. Any Mistress, especially Head
Mistress, had to have this quality, and it was a rarity. It was upon this
realization that Sondra realized what she had to do to get Addison to accept
the offer. Then and there, she’d decided it was time to tell her the truth.
Addison’s day was filled with wall-to-wall meetings,
which she was grateful for because it kept her mind focused on work and off of
the shit storm that seemed to be surrounding her at the moment.
Penny, her mother-in-law, had been breathing down her neck ever
since Patrick had announced he was taking the promotion. She’d already called
three times this morning, and Penny was the last thing Addie needed or wanted
to deal with right then.
Thankfully, her first two meetings had been successful. She’d
closed two deals and was on her way to close the third when Patrick called.
“Hello.”
“Hey there. How are you?” Patrick said, sounding upbeat.
“I’m good—just running between meetings. How are you?”
Addie checked her watch, calculating what time it had to be now
in China.
“Tired. But good. Things are going better than expected. Listen,
this is really premature, but there has been some talk about extending the
project, and I was wondering what you’d think about living here—in China.”
The shit storm didn’t seem to be letting up any time soon. Addie
sighed. “I don’t know, Patrick.”
Silence.
“Well, give it some thought, ok? Give the boys a hug and tell
them I miss them.”
“Will do.” Addie said flatly.
“Addison, I miss you. I know you’re angry, but it doesn’t have to
be this way, you know.”
Addie stared at the clear blue sky, contemplating what to say.
“I know,” Addie finally muttered, knowing it was all she could
offer.
Addie closed on the third deal and headed back to the
office to quickly wrap things up for the day before it was time to pick up the
boys. Opening up her email to send a few contracts, she smiled.
From: William B. Hartman
Date: 6/18/12
To: Addison Greyer
Subject: Speaking in Italian
Dear Mrs. Greyer,
Never underestimate the investigative tools at my disposal. I
am fully aware that you are not Italian. :)
That said, I was testing the waters to see if you may enjoy
speaking Italian.
I have to travel to Capri on business, and I want you to come
with me. Bring the boys if you’d like. They’ll love it.
I’ve arranged it with your boss.
We leave in two days.
Il Vostro,
William
P.S. I can’t wait to see the beaches of Capri reflected in your
eyes.
Seriously. I’ve made arrangements with your boss. Who does
this man think he is? Addie stood and paced the length of her office. Certainly
he didn’t think it was just that easy. That she could jet off to Italy, just
like that. But what pissed her off the most was how much she wished she could.
How badly she wanted to go. Addie grabbed her purse and headed out, first
calling Penny to ask her to pick up the boys. She hated to do it, knowing and
dreading the trouble it would bring. But she needed to clear her mind. She
needed to see William.
Penny Greyer received the call to pick up her grandsons
without a second to spare, which was, of course, something her daughter-in-law
would pull. Addison liked putting her on the spot, making her jump through
hoops. So thank goodness, Penny had Rosie, or God knows what she would’ve done.
Penny knew it was just a matter of time after her son left that Addison would
crumble. There was no way a girl of her means could survive alone, the way
Penny had all those years. Her daughter-in-law just didn’t have what it takes
to put her husband or her children first—which is why she had tried everything
in her power to dissuade Patrick from marrying that girl. She begged him to
quit seeing her, knowing she only wanted her son for his family’s money. She
even tried setting him up with a few girls
that made you want to tell her the truth. Any Mistress, especially Head
Mistress, had to have this quality, and it was a rarity. It was upon this
realization that Sondra realized what she had to do to get Addison to accept
the offer. Then and there, she’d decided it was time to tell her the truth.
Addison’s day was filled with wall-to-wall meetings,
which she was grateful for because it kept her mind focused on work and off of
the shit storm that seemed to be surrounding her at the moment.
Penny, her mother-in-law, had been breathing down her neck ever
since Patrick had announced he was taking the promotion. She’d already called
three times this morning, and Penny was the last thing Addie needed or wanted
to deal with right then.
Thankfully, her first two meetings had been successful. She’d
closed two deals and was on her way to close the third when Patrick called.
“Hello.”
“Hey there. How are you?” Patrick said, sounding upbeat.
“I’m good—just running between meetings. How are you?”
Addie checked her watch, calculating what time it had to be now
in China.
“Tired. But good. Things are going better than expected. Listen,
this is really premature, but there has been some talk about extending the
project, and I was wondering what you’d think about living here—in China.”
The shit storm didn’t seem to be letting up any time soon. Addie
sighed. “I don’t know, Patrick.”
Silence.
“Well, give it some thought, ok? Give the boys a hug and tell
them I miss them.”
“Will do.” Addie said flatly.
“Addison, I miss you. I know you’re angry, but it doesn’t have to
be this way, you know.”
Addie stared at the clear blue sky, contemplating what to say.
“I know,” Addie finally muttered, knowing it was all she could
offer.
Addie closed on the third deal and headed back to the
office to quickly wrap things up for the day before it was time to pick up the
boys. Opening up her email to send a few contracts, she smiled.
From: William B. Hartman
Date: 6/18/12
To: Addison Greyer
Subject: Speaking in Italian
Dear Mrs. Greyer,
Never underestimate the investigative tools at my disposal. I
am fully aware that you are not Italian. :)
That said, I was testing the waters to see if you may enjoy
speaking Italian.
I have to travel to Capri on business, and I want you to come
with me. Bring the boys if you’d like. They’ll love it.
I’ve arranged it with your boss.
We leave in two days.
Il Vostro,
William
P.S. I can’t wait to see the beaches of Capri reflected in your
eyes.
Seriously. I’ve made arrangements with your boss. Who does
this man think he is? Addie stood and paced the length of her office. Certainly
he didn’t think it was just that easy. That she could jet off to Italy, just
like that. But what pissed her off the most was how much she wished she could.
How badly she wanted to go. Addie grabbed her purse and headed out, first
calling Penny to ask her to pick up the boys. She hated to do it, knowing and
dreading the trouble it would bring. But she needed to clear her mind. She
needed to see William.
Penny Greyer received the call to pick up her grandsons
without a second to spare, which was, of course, something her daughter-in-law
would pull. Addison liked putting her on the spot, making her jump through
hoops. So thank goodness, Penny had Rosie, or God knows what she would’ve done.
Penny knew it was just a matter of time after her son left that Addison would
crumble. There was no way a girl of her means could survive alone, the way
Penny had all those years. Her daughter-in-law just didn’t have what it takes
to put her husband or her children first—which is why she had tried everything
in her power to dissuade Patrick from marrying that girl. She begged him to
quit seeing her, knowing she only wanted her son for his family’s money. She
even tried setting him up with a few girls
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