Free Accidental Meeting by Susette Williams Page A

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how he could have broken his right ankle without having any other injuries.”
    “Well,
he didn’t exactly break his leg in the accident.” Abbey relayed the whole
story: how she'd been relieved that he hadn’t been hurt and how he'd fallen
down the embankment while trying to get away from her. Both Angel and Agnes
roared in laughter.
    “What’s
so funny? We heard you all outside,” Bruce asked. Michael followed him into the
kitchen. Bruce looked at his mother and sister, then at Abbey who was the only
one not laughing. “Did I miss something?”
    “Abbey
told us how you two met,” Angel said, wiping away tears from her eyes. “You
ought to write that story up and submit it somewhere, Abbey.”
    “It’ll
be something you can tell your grandchildren. That’s hilarious,” Agnes said.
“Is Ted still outside? He’s got to hear how you two met.”
    Abbey
had been afraid how Bruce would handle his family’s reaction to their meeting
but he seemed to take it all in stride. She caught him glancing at her a couple
times and managed a smile, which he returned and even joined in with their
banter.
    Bruce’s
family was adorable. Abbey knew she'd miss them even though she barely knew
them. She was tempted to accept his offer of a permanent job. But in her heart,
she knew it wouldn’t work out because of her feelings for him and it would kill
her to ever see Bruce with another woman.
    By
the way his mother talked he hadn’t dated anyone in awhile. While she silently
admitted feeling a tiny burst of exhilaration at that knowledge, she didn’t
know why his mother thought they were a couple. Bruce didn’t look at her in
that way, no matter how much she wished he would and if she continued to work
for him, he would never see her that way. When she tried to set Agnes straight,
she merely responded with a low chuckle and said, “You two will get together
one day. Don’t worry. It’ll happen.”
    And
what if all you're ever be is only Bruce's employee? Abbey thought to herself.
No, it wasn’t likely to happen. She could tuck her daydreams into her pajama
bag and save them for bedtime.
     

 
    Chapter Eight
     
    Week
Six
    Abbey
parked on the street in front of Bruce's house. A gray Lexus was parked in the
driveway next to Bruce’s Lincoln. She couldn’t help but wonder who was visiting
him this early in the morning. Doris was off today so that ruled her out. When
she rang the doorbell, it took a few moments for someone to answer.
    “Hello.
You must be Abbey.” A tall, slender blonde in a gray, pinstripe suit stepped
aside for her to enter the foyer. “Come on in. Bruce is in the living room.
Would you like a cup of coffee? We’ve just finished ours but I can make you
some if you like.”
    “No,
thank you.” Abbey smiled as she passed the other woman and went into the living
room. Bruce sat on the couch gathering folders and putting them into a soft,
leather briefcase. Two empty coffee cups sat near each other on the coffee
table. Bruce and Jean were obviously working very closely together on the
couch.
    “Is
something wrong?” Bruce asked.
    Abbey
looked up to meet his gaze, her mind still on the coffee cups. “ Hm ? No.”
    “You
looked like you were frowning. I thought maybe something was wrong.” Bruce
zipped the briefcase closed. “Abbey, this is my assistant, Jean.”
    “Hi,”
both women said in unison.
    Abbey
shook Jean’s outstretched hand. Then it dawned on her, his assistant — the one who recently had a baby. “Does this mean you
won’t be needing me anymore?” Abbey glanced from Jean to Bruce. Her pulse
quickened. What excuse could she use to ever see him again if he no longer
needed her? She moistened her lips and swallowed the lump in her throat.
    “No.
I mean, yes. I still need you. Jean is going to be working at our home office.”
Bruce stood.
    “Have
a seat. I’ll get this mess.” Jean moved her briefcase to a chair nearby and
took both coffee cups to the