Page 71 of The Library on Plum Island
“I’ll have a word with him,” Alex promised. “Ignore his rudeness. He’s not a nice person. I have no idea why my father has put up with him all these years.”
“He was throwing the Blackwell’s name around to get him what he wanted,” Donna warned.
“Thanks, Donna, I’ll take it from here,” Alex said.
“Okay.” Donna nodded, and before she left, she smiled. “Congratulations on your wedding. I believe you married Doctor Thornton? You couldn’t have picked anyone nicer or more caring.”
Alex was stunned that Donna knew he’d gotten married. “Thank you.” His brow creased. “Does everyone know?”
“I guess, pretty much!” Donna nodded. “The island is not that big, and even if no one knew, about ten minutes ago, the man in your office announced at the top of his lungs when he stormed in here, cussing about how you had the nerve to marry a little nobody and run away from your responsibilities.”
“What?” Alex spluttered. “He said that?”
“Yes, I’m afraid so,” Donna told him. “I was trying to move to your office, but he was determined to announce it to everyone in the foyer.”
“What an idiot,” Alex said through clenched teeth. “I guess it’s going to be splashed all over the tabloids by tonight anyway. We were trying to keep it quiet.”
“I understand,” Donna said. “If the press had known, they would have stormed the island.”
“Do me a favor, Donna,” Alex asked, taking a steadying breath as he eyed his office door. “If I’m not out of the office in forty-five minutes, interrupt me with a meeting I have to go to.”
“Or a flight you have to catch for your honeymoon?” Donna suggested.
“Perfect,” Alex said, about to step into his office when his father messaged back.
Remember to record the conversation, Alex.
I’ve already set up the app,Alex replied.
He scrolled to the app and hit the record button as he walked into the office, nearly choking to death at the smell of cigars. In between the smoke, Todd Spiers was puffing away.
“Todd,” Alex greeted him, walking straight for the glass doors and pushing them open. “Please put that out. I don’t know if you know this, but you can’t smoke here.”
“Well, it’s your fault,” Todd Spiers drawled in his Texas accent. “You took so bleeding long to get here and I was trapped in this excuse of an office.”
“I was busy with a prearranged engagement,” Alex pointed out icily as he loosened his jacket buttons and took a seat behind his desk. “Youdid nothave a valid appointment, and I hate to point this out to you, but people have lives, and we don’t plan them around you making a sudden appearance.”
“Didn’t your daddy teach you manners, boy?” Todd couldn’t find an ashtray, so he put his cigar out in the plant on Alex’s desk, making Alex’s jaw clenched. “That ain’t no way to speak to ya elders now.”
“Respect isn’t a right, Todd. It’s something that’s earned,” Alex informed him. “I don’t have time to sit here and argue about age dynamics. So, could you please get to the point of this meeting you demanded? And also, can you explain why you’d deem it necessary to spew lies about me in the middle of the foyer of this busy hotel?”
“I don’t spew lies, boy,” Todd’s eyes flashed angrily.
Alex placed the phone he’d been clutching in his hand on the desk before him. “Would you care to elaborate on your public announcement of me not owning my responsibilities?” He leaned back in his chair. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Todd Spiers.
“So what?” Todd raised an eyebrow challengingly. “I’m free to say what I want, and I’m mad as a cat dunked in a bath of water.”
“That doesn’t give you the right to share your views with anyone who’ll listen before discussing them with the person you’re accusing of shirking their responsibilities,” Alex informed him coldly and glanced at his wristwatch. “Now, would you mind getting to the point of why you demanded this meeting and what I’ve done to incur your anger?”
“You know why I’m here,” Todd said, glaring at Alex. “You’ve made a mockery out of my little girl and left her …” Anger flashed in the man’s beady eyes. “You’ve gone and left her in the state you have after promising to marry her and then declaring you’re not the marrying kind.” His eyes ran over Alex’s suit. “Only to get married to a little nobody doctor from the backwaters of this town.”
“Excuse me?” Alex’s brows rose as he sat staring at the man in disbelief. “You hauled me away from my wedding day because Monica’s feeling slighted about me marrying someone else?”
“Slighted?” Todd spluttered. “You call jilting my daughter and then leaving her pregnantslighted?”
Alex felt like someone had thrown a bucket of ice water over him at Todd’s words. He gave his head a slight shake, wondering if he’d heard the man correctly.
“Excuse me?” Alex gaped at Todd in disbelief. “Monica’s pregnant?”
