Free Too Much Temptation by Lori Foster Page B

support since her legs had turned to rubber. “I’m fired?”
    “Bullshit, Agatha,” Noah all but shouted over Grace’s head. “You better rethink this.”
    “Watch your mouth, Noah! I won’t tolerate that language in my house.”
    “I’m fired?” Grace asked again. They both ignored her.
    “And I won’t tolerate you using Grace against me.”
    “You’re the one using her,” Agatha challenged, “to embarrass Kara, and to hurt me.”
    “No one is using me.” Again, she was ignored.
    “She’ll be better off taken out of the equation.” Agatha glanced at her nails. “Or are you going to tell me that you really care for her?”
    Grace bit her lip, then almost tripped when Noah took an angry step forward. Because she was in front of him, she had to move, too.
    “You couldn’t find a better secretary and assistant if you paid double Grace’s salary and you know it, Agatha.”
    “I’ll make do.” She glanced up. “I’ll have to, since I have no intention of further insulting your fiancée.”
    “ Ex -fiancée,” Noah ground out.
    “I’m really fired?” Grace couldn’t quite grasp it. She’d never been fired in her life. Of course, she’d never had a man of Noah’s appeal hugged around her either. Yet he was there, all but holding her up. Indignant on her behalf.
    Agatha gave Grace a pitying look. “I’m afraid so, dear. I’ll give you two weeks’ pay, of course.”
    Well hell, Grace thought.
    Noah forcibly set Grace aside and confronted his grandmother nose to nose. Agatha was tall, but Noah towered over most men. He made his grandmother seem diminutive in comparison. She didn’t back down. She glared up at him with the same blue eyes, only hers were faded with time.
    “Fine.” Noah’s smile was not a nice thing. “You’re on your own now, Agatha.”
    Despite Agatha’s usual bravado, her face paled. “What does that mean?”
    “It means I’m finished. I know you put on that little show of disowning me, but you haven’t had your hand in the actual day-to-day work in years. I figured you’d be calling in no time, looking for a way to make me keep things running for you. Odds are, I’d have done it, too. But not now.”
    Agatha scowled, and Grace saw her eyes darken with a measure of guilt. Obviously, Noah knew how his grandmother’s mind worked.
    “You have no interest in Harper’s Bistro, is that what you’re telling me?” Agatha tried to brazen out the situation, but Grace saw the worry in her eyes, and it bothered her. She didn’t want grandmother and grandson growing further apart.
    Though Grace knew it wasn’t true, Noah said, “I have no interest in any of your businesses.”
    “They were our businesses.”
    “Maybe—before you disowned me and fired Grace. But I’m sure you remember how to keep it all running. The boards for all the charitable organizations will welcome you back, I’m sure. They barely accepted me as your representative anyway. And Lord knows you’ll have no problem finding an informed escort to take you to the political functions fast approaching.”
    Agatha looked more furious by the moment. Furious—and panicked. Grace wondered if Agatha even realized how full her social calendar had become. She had a lot of obligations pending, and without Noah to assist her, she’d either have to start canceling or be busy every night.
    “And the restaurant,” Noah continued, “well hell, Agatha. You started it, so I have no doubt you remember how to keep it running.”
    Agatha thumped her fist on the desk. “You’ve hired all new people! And you’ve repeatedly ignored my suggestions on schedules and pay and…”
    “So now’s your chance to change things your way. Have fun. Just don’t come to me when it all blows up in your face.” Noah turned and caught Grace’s hand. “Let’s go.”
    Grace was forced to skip along beside him or be dragged. She felt sick at heart, seeing the enmity grow between them. She’d wanted to mend things, not