"Then we're agreed. As soon as your meeting with Abigail has taken place, you can deliver." Donovan sealed our deal.
"I'll be in touch," I replied curtly and ended the conversation. I had no desire to meet with Abigail, but I guess I couldn't avoid it.
You have to think strategically, Carter. What's one meeting compared to a huge contract? An unpleasant appointment versus... your photo on the front page of the New York Times.
Nothing. It was nothing compared to that. Just a small sacrifice. Now I would banish Abigail from my mind and think about the beautiful Isabella instead. She kept sneaking into my thoughts anyway. I put my feet up on my desk and closed my eyes.
Ah, that body.
Unfortunately, I couldn't enjoy my fantasy for very long. The ringing of my phone interrupted my thoughts after just a few seconds. I grunted in annoyance. Who dared to disturb me again?
Cameron.
The guy really always called at the most inconvenient times.
"What do you want now?" I began the conversation irritably.
"Donovan Hayden Ellesmere just sent me a message. This is MY contract. Keep your hands off it."
I laughed mockingly. "Cameron,ElecarCorporationis awarding this contract. To the company of their choice. YOU don't get to decide anything."
"What did you promise Donovan to make him change his mind?"
"Nothing," I lied.
"You can't care much about your fiancée if you're so easily meeting with Abigail again," my brother needled.
Damn it.
Did that old gossip Donovan have nothing better to do than call Cameron right after our conversation and tell him everything in detail? Angrily, I clenched my left hand into a fist. Did Donovan want to play Cameron and me against each other? Then he'd better watch out. I made a mental note to speak with the other board members ofElecarCorporationlater that afternoon. In the end, I would get the contract. And preferably without ever seeing Abigail again.
"If our grandmother finds out that you're meeting other women while you're engaged..." Cameron left his sentence unfinished. I knew what he wanted to say anyway. If our grandmother found out about this, I could kiss my inheritance goodbye once and for all.
I would have to be very, very careful at the wedding. Of course, no one knew about the deal between Isabella and me, but Cameron would certainly try to squeeze information out of Isabella at the party or find out something in some other way that he could use to harm me.
"You'd better watch out," I now threatened Cameron in turn. "You also know what happens if open conflict breaks out between us and we stop talking to each other."
Then our grandmother would disinherit us too.
"If something's fishy with you, I'll find out. You'd better watch yourself." Cameron sounded biting. He must really be afraid of losing the contract. And his inheritance. The thought amused me more than anything else I had heard today.
"Take good care of your company." I could threaten just as well as Cameron.
My brother didn't reply. So I simply hung up. Everything had been said. I had nothing more to tell him. The idiot had kept me from thinking about more pleasant things for long enough. Like Isabella's body.
But no sooner had I hung up than my phone rang again.
"Carco Batteries switchboard, hello." I answered the call slightly irritated, without even checking who was calling. At that moment, a thought flashed through my mind. I hoped it wasn't Isabella. I didn't want to look ridiculous in front of her at all.
"Got a new job?" A male voice.
Don.
"It almost feels like it," I grumbled.
"Well then, I have a message for your top boss. A certain Carter Jenkins." Don played along with my game. I grinned. My best friend was always up for a joke. That was one of the things I liked so much about him. Don continued: "Carter Jenkins hasn't been reachable for the past few hours. So Tony, the boss of his motorsport club, called me. The spare part for Carter's quad isn't particularly easy to get."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I flared up, dropping my role as switchboard operator.