Page 46 of Bride By Committee

“Not quite. We’ve spent the last week playing at work.”

“How can you say that?” she demanded indignantly. “You call what you’ve put me through playing?”

He flashed a quick smile. “I’ve been having fun. Haven’t you?”

“Not really.” Though spending time with him had been wonderful. “Okay, maybe a little.”

“I can show you the difference between work and play.” He held out his hand. “All you have to do is come with me.”

It was unquestionably a challenge. She took his proffered hand, unable to resist lacing her fingers through his. “You’re on.”

“Let me call Bradford and tell him we’re on our way.”

“And then I’ll see the real Harry Jones?”

He didn’t laugh as she’d intended. “You’ll see a big part of him.”

“A big part, huh?” She couldn’t resist teasing him a little more. “You say that like you have a small part. If so, you’ve kept it well hidden.”

“Anytime you want to see it, feel free to ask.”

She shook her head. “You disappoint me, Harry. Ithought everything about you would be larger than life.”

“Can it, Adams, or I’ll give you a preview right here and now and you can offer your professional opinion on the matter.”

“There’s only one problem with that,” she informed him seriously.

“What?”

“I can’t promise it would be a professional opinion. But it definitely would be the opinion of an interested party.” She snatched her hand from his and sauntered to the door in a perfect imitation of Rosy. Once there, she paused long enough to shoot him a wicked grin. “A very interested party.”

“Madison, I’d like you to meet Kent Bradford, President and CEO of Bradford Software.”

Madison offered her hand, hoping her astonishment wasn’t too apparent. The kid Harry introduced didn’t look old enough to have climbed out of a sandbox by himself, let alone run a major software company. “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bradford.”

“Call me Kent.” A quick, infectious grin slid across his face. “And I’m twenty-two.”

She grimaced. “Was I that obvious?”

“Nah. You were real subtle. Hardly even blinked. The only one who’s never reacted was this guy.” He balled up a fist and actually had the nerve to sock Harry’s arm. Not that it made any impression. Instead, Kent winced, shaking his bruised fingers. “Don’t think anything rattles him.”

“So what’s the problem, Bradford?” Clearly, Harry didn’t intend to waste his breath on pleasantries. “I thought we had you all straightened out.”

In an instant the joking boy turned into a grim-faced man. “I thought so, too. But over the past three months something’s gone wrong. Major league wrong.”

“What?”

“I’m not sure. That’s why I called you.”

“Give me the short version.”

Kent shrugged. “Okay. I’m losing money. Lots of it. And I don’t know how or why or where it’s going.”

“That’s not my department. My job is to tell you what to do with your money once you get it, remember? Not where to find it when it goes missing.”

“I know, Iknow. But there’s no one else I can trust.”

“Hire an auditor.”

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