Operation Revenge (16 page)

"I find that hard to believe." He cocked his head slightly. "He can't make you happy. Not the way I can." He took a step forward and then stopped. "Please, give me another chance."

"No!" she said forcefully. "It's over. Why can't you just accept it? I'm with Simon now."

Chad gestured at the for sale sign. "You're selling your house to move in with him, aren't you?"

Haley crossed her arms in front of her. "So, what if I am?"

"You can't be serious," he growled. "We broke up less than three weeks ago and all ready you're moving in with the man." His eyes smoldered with rage. "You're nothing but a-" He broke off, gritting his teeth.

"I'm a what?" Haley sneered. "A slut? Is that what you were going to call me?"

"You said it," Chad stated. "I didn't."

"Yet you're thinking it." She pointed a finger at him. "You're the one that was cheating all those months. How many women did you sleep with?" He didn't answer her. "I'm tired of this back and forth bull shit. Go slither back under your rock." She turned around and made her way toward the house.

"Don't move in with him, Haley," Chad called out. "You do and you will regret it."

"Get off my back, old woman!" Daniel yelled.

"Don't you raise your voice at me, young man!" Marian shouted back. "I will take my cane and whack you with it."

"Bring it on!"

Groaning, Simon closed the door behind him and placed his briefcase on the table. It had been a long day and he was tired. The last thing he wanted was to put up with their childish behavior. Over their shouting match, he heard footsteps on the stairs and glanced toward the staircase. He saw Marian's caregiver, Dana Nelson. In her late thirties, she was average height with short auburn hair and gray eyes. She had come highly recommended through an agency and had moved in when Marian did.

"Hello, Mr. Wilcox," she said.

"Ms. Nelson." A sharp pain erupted between his eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "How long have they been at it?"

She smiled. "Not long. This is their third fight of the day."

Simon rolled his eyes. "I'll handle it." He followed the sound of their voices and found them in the kitchen. "What's going on in here?" he demanded to know.

"She's being a meddling old bat," Daniel snarled, glaring at his grandmother.

Marian shifted in her wheelchair and looked up at Simon. "All I asked him was if he had a girlfriend."

"That isn't all she asked me," he said. "She wanted to know why I was living with you. She's been a thorn in my side all day. This morning she came into my room, pulled back the curtains, and demanded that I get out of bed."

"It was two o'clock in the afternoon," she corrected him. "Men your age are at work that time of the day, not sleeping. If you would get a job-"

"You see?" Daniel growled at Simon. "You see what I put up with?"

"You're not innocent in this," Marian said angrily. "You've been making snide remarks all day."

"I have not!"

"Oh yes, you-"

"Enough!" Simon roared. He rubbed his forehead and sighed heavily. "You two are acting like children. Gran, I told you before you moved in here that you will respect other people's privacy. What Daniel does in none of your business."

Daniel smirked. "Thank you, little brother."

"Don't thank me," Simon told him. "I know how you are. You probably were making comments. You knew they would set her off." He jerked his tie loose. "I don't want to hear either of you for the rest of the night." He left the kitchen and headed upstairs to his bedroom. The peace and quiet he found there was heavenly. He took off his shoes and lay down on the bed.

As he lay there, his thoughts turned toward Haley and he reached for the phone. He dialed her number and waited for her to answer.

"Hello?" she said, coming on the line, a few seconds later.

"Am I catching you at a bad time?" he asked her.

"No," she assured him. "I was just doing some packing."

"Take it easy," he cautioned her. "You don't want to risk re-injuring your wrist. If you need anything heavy moved let me know."

"Yes, sir," Haley muttered. "So how is your Gran?"

Simon groaned inwardly. "She's just as feisty as always. She and Daniel are going at it like children."

"Try not to let them get to you," she said.

"That's easier said than done," he replied dryly. "I wish you were moved in."

"It won't be long now," she promised him. "My cell phone is ringing. It's probably Sandra."

"Then I will let you go." They said goodbye and he hung up the phone.

Chapter 1
7

4 weeks later . . .

It was a cold, rainy afternoon in mid October. Haley was sitting at her desk, gazing out the large window that took up most of one wall. As she watched the rain trickle down the windowpane, she thought back over the past several weeks. They had been exhausting weeks, spent packing up her belongings. Fortunately, for her, the couple that ended up buying her house had been in need of furniture and gladly took hers off her hands. It had made moving to Simon's house easier for her and everyone that helped with the move.

Haley shifted in her chair and glanced down at her desk. Her eyes were immediately drawn to her keys and she recalled the night, less than a week ago, when she moved into Simon's house.

"
Do you want some help?"

Haley glanced up from the cardboard box she was unpacking and smiled at Simon, who was standing in the bedroom doorway. "No. I have everything under control, but thank you for asking."

He nodded. "Mind if I come in?"

"
It's your home," she said, returning her attention to the box.

"
It's your home now too." Simon moved toward the bed and stopped at the foot of it. "Feel free to put your things where ever you like."

"
I'll keep that in mind." Haley removed a porcelain figurine of an angel from the box. She tore off the newspaper she had wrapped it in and carefully placed the angel on the nightstand.

"
Do you collect angels?" he asked.

"
Yes." She caressed the figurine with the tip of her fingernail. "I have many figurines, but I have to say that this one is my favorite. My nephew's gave it to me three Christmases ago. They swore to me that they picked it out without any help from Sandra." She grinned. "They claimed they wrapped it too. From the looks of the poorly wrapped box I had to believe them."

"
While we're on the subject of giving things, I have something for you." Simon reached into his pocket and brought out his set of keys. "I had a house key made for you." He located the key and removed it from the ring.

"
Thank you." She took the key from him and stuck it in the pocket of her jeans. "So, any rules that I need to abide by, Mr. Wilcox?"

His eyes twinkling with laughter, he said, "Yes, Ms. Denton, there are a few."

Haley cocked her head slightly. "I'm listening."

"
No one touches my cookies," he said with mock seriousness. "I keep my cookies and other junk food in the cabinet above the microwave. That cabinet is off limits."

"
Is that right?" she smirked. "What happens if your cookies disappear?"

"
I hunt down the person responsible and make them suffer." He stepped closer to her. "It's not pretty."

"
What else?"

The laughter disappeared from Simon's eyes and he grew serious. He reached out and touched her cheek with the back of his hand. "If you're going to be late at the office please call and let me know so I won't worry about you."

"
All right," she whispered. "Will you please try and do the same?"

He smiled crookedly. "I'll try, but . . .

Haley snapped back to the present when the phone on her desk rang. She reached out and snatched up the receiver. "Warner and Meyer's. Haley speaking."

"I'm going to be late tonight," Simon told her. "The team and I are wrapping up a campaign. I don't know what time I'll be home."

"I'll keep dinner warm for you," she said.

"You don't have to do that," he uttered. "I'll probably send out for something."

"Like that's healthy," she said dryly.

"Worried about me, Denton?"

"You wish," she muttered.

"You're worried about me," Simon said confidently. "I'd bet money on it and you know I only do that when I know I'm going to win."

"Don't you have work to do?"

He chuckled. "I'll see you later."

"Bye."

"Bye, sweetheart."

Haley hung up the phone.

"Ms. Denton." Mr. Warner appeared in the doorway of his office. "I left a file in my car. Would you mind getting it for me?"

She pushed back her chair and rose to her feet. "Is there anything else you would like me to get for you, sir?"

"No, just the file." He handed her his keys. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, sir." Haley left the reception room and walked down the hallway to the elevator. She pushed the button and waited for the doors to open. They parted, a minute later, and Chad stepped out.

"Hello, Haley."

She glared at him. "What are you doing here?"

"You didn't hear the good news?" He smirked at her. "I'm working here now. As of this morning you are looking at Warren Meyer's assistant."