Free On the Move by Pamela Britton Page A

was he talking about?
    “I’m sure you’ll want to be there when the doctors give your mom the prognosis. Any idea if she’s ever going to walk again?”
    Reluctantly, she pressed the connect button. “Hey, Scott,” she said with false brightness.
    “Vicky. There you are. Great. How’s your mom?”
    “Um, she’s doing just fine, Scott,” wondering what the heck Brandon had told him.
    “Look, I’m not a complete jerk. I can’t believe you were afraid to call me and ask for time off. Look, I’ll have one of the administrative assistants arrange a flight back home. Take a couple weeks. When your mom’s stable, you can come back to work. Of course, it’ll have to be unpaid leave. Human Resources says you haven’t accrued any time off. But I’m sure you’ll cope. All that matters is your mom.”
    And at last Vicky understood what Brandon had done—given her a way out.
    “Scott, really, I don’t think it’s necessary that I leave.”
    Vicky couldn’t believe she said the words.
    “Vicky, honey, you sure?”
    “I’m sure,” she said. “I’ll stick around. Wait it out. My, um, dad said he’d call if there was any change.”
    “Wow, Vicky, way to be a team player,” Scott said. “I’m impressed.”
    “Um, thanks,” Vicky said.
    What was she doing? She ought to get out while the going was good because there was no denying the truth. She wasn’t really mad at Brandon for kissing her, or worried that he’d do it again. He was just that kind of guy—the kind of man—that liked women. What had her worried was that there was a chance that she wouldn’t have the willpower to stop him if he kissed her again.
    “That’s just great, Vic,” Scott said. “Frankly, I was a little worried if you took a week off, we might have to let you go, but you just reassured me that I made the right choice when I hired you. How are you and Brandon getting along, by the way?”
    “Great,” she muttered. “He invited me to move in with him.”
    “He did? That’s great!”
    Vicky blanched. “Scott, it was a joke.”
    “But it’s a great idea. Last time I was down there, he offered to let me use his nanny quarters. I didn’t end up staying there, but why shouldn’t you? After all, if you moved in, you’d be able to keep an even closer eye on our boy.”
    “Scott, no, I really don’t think that’d be wise.”
    “Oh, but I think so.”
    “I need my privacy. And, frankly, I doubt Brandon would go along.”
    “He’ll go along.”
    “No, Scott. It’s a bad idea.”
    “It’s a great idea. Remember, Vic…personal attention. That’s how we’re going to make him a star. Go out and take a look, at least. Couldn’t hurt.”
    “But, Scott—”
    “Got to go. I’ll check in with you tomorrow.” She heard one last chirp, and then her boss was gone.
    “Bye,” Vicky mumbled, clutching her head. Why the heck had she mentioned moving in with Brandon?

    N ANNY QUARTERS , Brandon thought. The idea was insane. Just what the heck had Vicky been thinking when she told Scott about his offer to let her move in? He’d been kidding. And why hadn’t she taken the “out” he’d given her earlier? She could have kept her job and saved face all in one shot. He hadn’t wanted her to quit because he’d been stupid enough to kiss her.
    “Damn,” he muttered, the word echoing off the stucco ceiling in his tiny kitchen.
    Now Scott wanted Vicky to look at his nanny quarters? Was the man serious?
    “Damn,” he said again.
    Obviously Scott had been serious. If Brandon wasn’t mistaken, that was Vicky coming down his driveway. He moved closer to the window.
    Sure enough, that was her. Already.
    “Damn,” he muttered again. Now what?
    He watched as she got out of the car and looked around. He knew what she would see—and it wasn’t much. No palatial estate. No landscaped lawn. No sparkling lake in the background like most of the other drivers on the circuit. His home was a tiny, run-down farmhouse nestled atop