Free Bidding On The Billionaire (The Sherbrookes of Newport Book 8) by Christina Tetreault

she’d get a chance to explain things. Perhaps a lunch date during the week would work. Although not ideal since they’d be in a public place, it’d be better than dropping the news over the phone.
    What a crappy situation. And having to tell Trevor wasn’t even the worst of it. When her father learned she’d bid on Derek, he’d give her an earful and a half. He’d never liked Derek anyway, and if he believed it might interfere in his grand plan to finally take over Atlantic Coast Marketing, he may disown her.
    Brooklyn rolled her eyes. Okay, maybe disown was a bit much, but he’d be furious.
    Grabbing a chocolate from the candy dish, Brooklyn switched off her computer without even logging in. Whatever e-mails waited in her inbox would be there tomorrow morning too. With her computer off, she reached for the vase. The flowers brightened up the office, but it seemed a waste to leave something so beautiful here. Maybe if she thought of it, she’d grab a smaller arrangement or a flowering plant this week and bring it in. The last plant she’d had in her office had gotten too big and she’d taken it home. She’d never gotten around to replacing it with something else. With the flowers in her office now though, she realized how even the littlest color improved her otherwise plain office.
     
    Brooklyn gathered everything from her backseat and slammed the car door closed.
    “I thought your car was in front of me.” Addie’s voice had her turning around.
    “Do you need any help?” Brooklyn asked. Addie had an infant car seat on one arm, a diaper bag over her shoulder, and she carried a plastic food container.
    She shook her head and stopped alongside her. “Nah, I’m getting the hang of carrying a million things at once. But it’d be great if you’d get the door.”
    Unable to stop herself, Brooklyn peeked into the carrier, surprised to see Kendrick awake and sucking happily on his fingers. “He’s awake.”
    “He slept on the ride home from my mom’s. As soon as I took the seat from the car, he woke up. He’s starting to stay awake for longer periods of time. Of course, he still doesn’t sleep for more than a few hours at a time at night, but it’ll come I guess.”
    Derek’s sister-in-law did look tired. “Don’t forget I’m downstairs if you need help. I never babysat, but my younger cousins used to visit every summer. I used to help my aunt with them.” She pulled open the stairwell door and let Addie walk in first.
    “I appreciate the offer.” Addie started up the steps and Brooklyn followed. “Those flowers are gorgeous. Special gift for someone, or are they yours?”
    “Trevor sent them to me today. They looked too nice to leave in my office.”
    “Your date went well then?”
    They’d reached the top of the stairs, so she reached around Addie to push the door into the lobby open. “Uh, yeah, I guess. Did Trent tell you I saw him as we were leaving?” They’d only exchanged a hello as they passed each other Friday night.
    “He did. And Derek mentioned it too. I got the impression he doesn’t like your new boyfriend.”
    “He’s not my boyfriend.” The words tumbled from her mouth. “We’ve only gone out once so far.”
    Addie gestured toward the flowers with the plastic food container. “Looks like things are off to a good start.”
    “Maybe.”
    “I’ll see you later. It’s almost time for Kendrick to eat again, and when he’s hungry, he lets the whole world know it.”
    A slight twinge pierced her chest as she watched Derek’s sister-in-law cross to the private elevator. Someday she’d like to have a husband and a baby to spend her time with too. By all accounts, Trevor was in the market for a wife and another child. Letting their relationship develop and grow like her father wanted could definitely lead to a family of her own. Perhaps he deserved more effort on her end. Maybe she should meet his daughter and spend time with both of them. Even as the thought crossed