Free Business Affairs by Shirley Rogers

she had to do was to invite him back to her room. He was a smart man. She wouldn’t have to hit him with a brick for him to figure out why. “If I had, they would have wanted to know who I was going with.”
    â€œAnd you didn’t want them to know you were going with me?” Alex asked, his tone betraying a hint of annoyance.
    The bells on the sleigh jingled delightfully against the wood as it made a wide turn. She looked at Alex. “No,” she admitted. Her parents would have warned her that going away with her boss was a bad idea, something she already knew. “I realize how ridiculous that sounds, but I care very much about what my parents think of me. They would have gotten the wrong idea.”
    â€œWhat? That we were going to shack up together?” Alex teased.
    â€œAlex!” Jennifer playfully pinched him on his neck. Then she sobered. “Well, yes.” Her cheeks warmed as she made the admission. “My parents have very old-fashioned values.” They’d be truly disappointed in her if she went through with her plan to seduce Alex to getpregnant. And heartbroken. But they also loved her, so however she conceived, she knew they’d love her child. “They keep reminding me Tony is getting married next year and Greg is seriously dating someone. No doubt they’ll get engaged, too.”
    â€œLet me guess,” Alex said, giving her a knowing look. “Your parents want to see you settled down.”
    She nodded. “It’s been a regular topic of conversation when I visit. Apparently three grandchildren aren’t enough. They want all of their offspring to add more.” And she wanted to. She really did. Life just didn’t seem to be cooperating. “Do your parents ever put pressure on you?”
    His jaw muscle flinched. “I don’t see my parents enough for them to try to influence me.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œMy father isn’t the typical grandfather type.”
    â€œThat’s a shame,” she said quietly. “What about your mother?”
    â€œWe don’t have much of a relationship. I haven’t heard from her in about six months.”
    â€œSix months?” She couldn’t imagine anything more sad than a mother not sharing a loving relationship with her child. Sure, she got aggravated with her parents sometimes, but they loved her. And she loved and respected them. “Do you try to talk to her?”
    â€œI’ve called her a few times, but…” He shrugged, his expression indifferent. He was smart enough to know his mother’s nurturing well was dry. Why he bothered to go back to it was a mystery to him. “She doesn’t care about me. She never has.” Alex surprised himself by admitting something so private to Jennifer.
    â€œWhy do you say that?” she asked, her gaze searching his face. His eyes held a sadness she wanted to kiss away.
    â€œShe left me with my father when they divorced. I was ten. She said I would cramp her lifestyle.” Not wanting her to see how much it cost him to admit the truth to her, he made work of putting the thermos away. When he sat back, he rested his arm behind her on the seat.
    Jennifer had seen that flash of disillusionment cross his eyes before he’d concealed it. Taken aback by his admission, she figured it was no wonder Alex was so detached. He didn’t know how to love because he’d never been loved. “Oh, Alex. I’m sorry. I can’t even imagine what that must feel like.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter. I don’t spend time thinking about it.” Even as he said the words, he knew in his heart he’d lied. He’d never had the kind of family Jennifer had grown up with. The love and respect in her voice when she talked about her family seemed foreign to him. It was easier not to be hurt when you didn’t expect anything from anyone.
    Jennifer’s belief in family and