Page 63 of Nash Falls
“Not following.”
She glanced around to make sure no one was nearby. “Look Rhett, I’m sure you know I’m locked into a shitty prenup. Barton’s lawyers screwed me but good. But if I forego the kid, what can you do for me when you get the grand prize? It’ll have to be in writing, of course. Otherwise, I’ll let him get me pregnant and all bets are off for you.”
“You’re very transactional.”
“Hell, you Temples swear by that philosophy. So why not me? I have to look out for myself.”
“Well, what I can do is think about it.”
“Thinkhard. None of us are getting any younger, especiallyyour father. And who knows, there might be some added perks in it for you if we can make a deal.”
She bumped him with her hip and headed on, slowly walking catlike down the hall and giving him a view from behind. She turned to look back once, smiled at his riveted attention, and kept going.
If my dad does manage to impregnate you, Min, I know a urologist who’s going to get his ass sued off.
CHAPTER
30
RHETT HEADED TO HIS FATHER’Soffice on the top floor, knocked, and was told to enter.
Barton Temple was sitting behind a whale of a desk that Rhett had been told had come from one of the Chanel chateaus in France. His father was dressed in dark slacks and a white shirt, open at the collar. He was puffing on a cigar, and a glass of bourbon was next to his elbow.
His father pointed to a chair opposite and Rhett plunked himself down.
Barton took a few moments to peck on his keyboard, then took off his trifocals and studied his son, who had slouched in the chair and was gazing at the ceiling.
His father barked, “Sit like a goddamn CEO! Not like some jock in eighth-grade math class!”
Rhett slowly sat up straight and stared across at his father. “I had to cancel some meetings to come out here. What’s up?”
“What’s up is your company, which I gave you, is in danger of going right into the shitter.”
“My numbers are not that bad,” said Rhett. “And Walt—”
“And Walt is looking to jump ship.”
“So you heard?”
“I guarantee I heard before you, boy,” snapped his father.
“Nothing happened.”
“No, somethingdidhappen. What happened was he got turned down.”
Rhett sat up even straighter. “Every one of our competitors would sacrifice a child to get Nash. So what happened?”
His father smashed his fist down so hard on the desk’s surface that his bourbon glass moved an inch. “It’s your job to know the answer to that question.”
“I can make some inquiries.”
“You should have already made them.”
“Okay, why doyouthink they turned him down?”
His father gave him an incredulous look. “I would imagine they turned him down because they are scared shitless of yours truly, boy.”
“O-kay.”
