Page 148 of Somebody's Watching Me
Hands in his suit pockets, Trevor turned to face them. “Thank you, Hillary. But I’ll hear it from my brother.”
The little shit had grown a pair of balls since getting married. Heather was a goddamn nightmare, filling her husband’s head with delusions of grandeur.
“Miranda is not sleeping with another man.”
“Then why would someone insinuate that there is an affair happening right under your nose?”
Ah, that was most definitely a Heather question. The old Trevor would have hardly been able to meet his gaze when speaking, let alone be bold enough to question him.
“Miranda and I have been spending time apart since her recovery,” Ben said, surprising everyone. He didn’t owe them an explanation and all those present knew it. “I’ve been staying at Haven to see Selah more.”
“Why not bring Selah to Parkland Grounds?” Trevor asked. “You’ve openly acknowledged him. Why continue to sneak off to see him like he’s still a dirty little secret?”
For a split second, Ben imagined shoving his brother through the glass window. Not only would it be fun to watch, but it would also eliminate the gigantic pain in his ass both he and Heather had become.
“Watch your fucking mouth, Trevor.”
Trevor shrugged. “I’m only curious.”
“My son has never been a dirty little secret.”
Taking another gamble, Trevor chuckled. “If you say so.”
“Mr. Fairweather is only repeating what others are whispering behind your back.”
This comment came from Larry, Trevor’s version of Hillary.
Standing in the farthest corner of the office, Larry clasped his hands together. “Image is important, and when those who are equal to you in social standing start to repeat audacious gossip, the public tends to believe the rumors. Your wife having a sordid affair right under your nose shows weakness, and it could damage Fairweather Holdings’ credibility.”
“What did I say about reading those Chicken Soup for the Soul books, Larry?” Hillary twisted in her chair to face him. “They make you sound like a jackass.”
Tapping his finger on the desk, Ben drew everyone’s attention. “We’re holding. No action is to be taken.”
He didn’t miss the way Hillary’s shoulders fell. She always knew how to put on a good show. “You’re going to make me agree with Larry?” she asked. “A no comment stance makes us look weak. Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Disappointing.” Trevor snapped his fingers at Larry, indicating it was time to leave. “But I can’t say unexpected. We’ll just let the ships fall where they may.”
Hillary snapped forward, facing Ben so Trevor wouldn’t see her laughing.
“It’s chips, Trevor,” Ben corrected as politely as he could. This whole being a good person thing was hard, but damn it, he was trying. “Give the kids and Heather my love.”
Red in the face, Trevor left with Larry speaking softly to him as they went. Neither had been invited to Texas but had come when rumors regarding Miranda somehow reached Heather.
“Congratulations for not murdering him over the Selah comment,” Hillary said when they were gone. “Both of your brothers deserve a good kick in the ass most days.”
She shuffled the papers in the file, ready to get down to business. “The rumor seems to have originated from Gabby Garrison’s fat mouth, which means she heard it from Richard.”
Richard Garrison, an old associate of his father and one of the few remaining shareholders Ben needed to persuade to sell, had recently visited the new Florida triple office towers. He claimed he wanted to see if the buildings had suffered any damage from the hurricane last year.
No one knew he was in town until he and his wife showed up unannounced at Parkland Grounds. When they didn’t find Ben at home on a Sunday afternoon, the Garrisons assumed the worst after quizzing Josie, who smartly wouldn’t let them in the house.
“I pretended to be one of the staff,” Josie had told him once they were gone. “Who the hell just pops in on someone like that?”
Someone under The McIntyre’s thumb, that’s who. Randall was becoming increasingly suspicious of the painfully slow purchasing of Fairweather stock being done little by little. There was no other excuse for Garrison to just casually show up at the house of a person he hardly associated with outside the boardroom.
Adopting the policy of becoming a good man was one thing, but ignoring this was unacceptable.
