Page 27 of Marcel

“Mrs. Hadley?”Nikki stared at her with a frown. “First order of the damn day- go back to calling me Nikki, or I am going to replace you.”

Instead of smiling,the woman flinched, her plain face going white.

“Marge, whatthe hell is going on?” She demanded.

“It’sjust that you are married to the boss’s son-”

“And?”

“Things aredifferent.” She finished lamely.

“The onlydifference is that I wear these fabulously expensive square-cutdiamond rings and sit in a bigger office. Is this what everyone isthinking? That I am different?”

Marge nodded. “Youare now a Hadley-”

“I get it. Butyou work with me and have been more than an assistant; you aresupposed to be on my side.”

“I am.”The woman told her swiftly.

“Then act likeit and help me to check this space out. After we finish that, I needyou to get Miller on the phone.”

*****

“How was thehoneymoon?” Matthew watched his brother close the file beforepushing it away from his desk.

“Fine.”

“Just ‘fine’?”

Marcel spared hima glance as he walked over to the cabinet to pour himself a glass oforange juice.

“You know aswell as I do that it was not a love match.”

“You mean totell me you spent a week in that beautiful city with that exquisitewife of yours, and nothing happened?”

“Precisely. Ithought you came in here to discuss the Aldridge’s merger?”

“Ina minute.” Matthew gave him an unrepentant grin. “Iassume you already know your wife is a few feet down the hall.”

“This isSomething that should have been discussed with me first. What thehell were you and Dad thinking?”

“That Nikki isnow part of the family and deserves a bigger space.”

“The seniorpartners will believe this is some sort of favoritism.”

“Since when areyou concerned about what they think?”

“Since I ampart of this damn charade,” Marcel growled. “Her formeroffice was big enough for her status as junior partner.” Takinghis drink back, he sat on the edge of his desk. “Or is thatgoing to change as well?”

“It might.”

Swearing under hisbreath, Marcel glowered at him. “She needs to work for theposition, not have it handed to her like candy.”

“She is yourwife-”

“In name only.”He hissed. Leaning over, he pressed the intercom. “Millie, Isaid no interruptions-”

“It’sMrs. Simone Wellington, and she says she must speak with you.”

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