Page 3 of Knocked Up By the Silver Fox

The call ended before I got a chance to say anything else, but just knowing I'd made her day was enough. And to top it off, these functions were always very lucrative for the firm. The private school I paid an arm and a leg for Abby to attend boasted a student body that included children of politicians and celebrities. It was always a chance to rub elbows and potentially pick up a few new clients.

I slid my phone back into my pocket and thought of Abby and how much she struggled when Kate was ripped from ourlives. Since then, it had only been the two of us. She took care of me and I took care of her, and that was all the family either of us needed. That's not to say there weren't times I wished I had a partner, someone to bond with intimately and share future dreams with. Abby would inevitably grow up and find her own partner, and I'd be left alone. Not to mention sex…I hadn't had a partner for that in years either. Not since Kate.

But seeing Ms. Elizabeth Reid in her formfitting skirt and those curves made my body feel worked up and ready, just the way Kate's always had. I hadn't met very many women I found attractive, but I hadn't been looking. I wasn't going to go out looking either. I didn't know that my heart could take it if I lost someone like that again.

But it didn't hurt to look. And looking at Ms. Elizabeth Reid would be very enjoyable indeed. Maybe too enjoyable. But I had a feeling we'd work well together regardless. Now if I could keep my roaming eyes under control we'd be good.

3

BETH

Iheld the small planter in my hand and admired the tiny flowers blossoming on the succulent leaves. The green splash amidst the boring office backdrop would pop, but I might end up killing it. My green thumb was more like a black thumb.

"This one will be easier to keep alive," Rachel said, pointing at a plant with long spindly vines and heart-shaped leaves. If anyone could keep plants alive it was my twin.

"Anything that needs barely any attention." I chuckled and set down the succulent, focusing on the plant Rachel was pointing out. "I just need some life in that office." I thought about this past week and how I had been given this promotion and then instantly I was shuffled right up to the CEO's office. His secretary was not too happy about having to give me her office, though I felt I deserved everything that was coming to me. I had earned it by my hard work.

"Tell me again why you didn't buy decorations for your office last week when you knew you were getting the job?" Rachel thumbed through a book about how to care for plants. I should probably buy that, or my plants were all going to die.

I'd told her about the promotion, but at the time I thought I'd be in a cubicle with other senior analysts. Jill had her own office, but as far as I knew the others were just in bigger, nicer cubicles than the ones the junior and entry-level analysts used. The total shock of being assigned my own office was the exciting bit I was looking forward to telling her about.

"Well…" I said, drawing it out. I picked up the plant and she smiled at me.

"Well?" She leaned forward, raising an eyebrow, and I grinned at her.

"I'm not in a cubicle like I thought. I knew if I was just in a cubicle I wouldn't have much space." Wrapping my arm around the pot, I turned to head toward the cash register. "Oh, and keep that book. I'm going to buy it and hope I can up my gardening skills."

Rachel snickered and said, "You, up your gardening? These plants will be lucky to survive until morning." I rolled my eyes before she continued. "So your own office, huh?"

We weaved through the small store, making our way past a stack of cute planters. Everything was so crafty and looked homemade and homegrown, but I had to pace myself. Even if I could keep them alive, I didn't have that much space in the office. It was still just made for a secretary, not like Mr. Caldwell's. His office was three of mine and had a view of the city unlike any other.

"Yeah, so the CEO overheard my rebuttal of Kevin's research. He agreed with me, and because we moved on the sale, we won the bid. We got the acquisition and everything I told him was true. The hidden gem…" I smiled to myself and felt a swell of pride.

I hadn't known Mr. Caldwell was even in the room, though I'd seen him once or twice before. He had hidden himself away in the back corner where I couldn't see him when I walked in late,so when I was so bold with Jill, I really put myself out there. The fact that he agreed and immediately requested me to be on his personal team was a bonus.

"Wow, that's impressive. On your first day?" Rachel was always so supportive. I knew she believed in me, even when no one else did. It was sort of twin magic—something we dubbed as our own secret since the time we were only ten years old. I loved that we were so close.

"Yeah, well I earned it. I didn't bust my butt for no reason. I've been working hard. I just never imagined I'd skip from entry-level to senior analyst in such a short time. Most folks take years to get this far." I set my plant on the checkout counter and Rachel laid the book next to it. The cashier smiled at me and scanned my items.

"Thirty-two dollars and forty-nine cents, please."

I handed her my debit card and thought of how nice the increase in salary would be. Rachel and I by no means struggled, but there were things we wanted and still had to save up for. A bit of free cash would be nice.

"So the boss took a liking to you, huh?" Rachel picked up the book and plant as I accepted my card back. We both walked away from the counter after thanking the cashier.

I thought about how Mr. Caldwell's eyes didn't just look at my face. I'd seen him look me over, though I could never quite tell if a man was checking me out or if he was just admiring my attire. From what I could tell, it looked like maybe a bit of both. My boss did have a right to critique my appearance if he felt I was unprofessional, but I tried to dress as professionally as possible.

"Well, you could say that. He'll have me working directly for him. And with the way my research and analysis has gone over the past year, I think I can manage. I'll have my own team, and working directly for him will be a huge honor."

We got to the sidewalk and turned north toward the subway station. Neither of us had a car, but in the city there wasn't really any place to park. Besides, public transport had become so convenient, and if the trains were delayed there was always an Uber—though sometimes you had to wait hours for those.

When we were settled on a train headed north, I sighed softly and stared down at the plant. Rachel nudged me with her elbow and grinned at me. "You're going to do fine. This guy is lucky to have you. But just don't let it go to your head."

"What do you mean?" I eyed her as the train started moving and made us both sway backward. I wasn't sure what she was trying to say, but the look on her face wasn't encouraging—the way she typically was with me.

"I mean, you have a very pretty face, and a great body. Men would kill to get their hands on you, Beth. You can't possibly think your sex appeal has nothing to do with this hot older guy promoting you and then making you his PA." She rolled her eyes at me and I felt defeated. Not in a million years did I ever think my sister would say something like that to me.

"You're wrong, Rachel. Mr. Caldwell wants me for my actual talent. I got the company a major score." I shook my head and turned away, feeling frustrated. I wasn't going to break down and cry or anything, but it sort of hurt that she even thought that. I was a very smart woman, and I knew what I was doing. "I'm just working for him."

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