Free My One And Only by MacKenzie Taylor Page A

taking the case."
    "Is this why you blew off the rest of that meeting in Prague?" Ted demanded.
    "I was bored. Next time the President wants a representative at an international economics sum mit, I'm sending you."
    "You were supposed to speak Monday night."
    "They probably gave me a medal for being a no-show." He glanced out his window at the dreary May sky. "Is it supposed to stop raining soon?" he asked no one in particular.
    "I heard," Jack said, "that they've had nice weather in Chicago lately."
    Ethan slanted him a wry look. "I ought to fire you for that."
    "Probably. Look, Ethan, it's not that I care if you want to take on this MDS thing—"
    "I told you, I haven't decided."
    Jack ignored that. "It's just that there will be certain speculations if we do. I'd like your permission to prepare the publicity department. They're already a little overwhelmed dealing with Edward Kinsey's mess. It's not a big deal, but I'd like to give them a heads up."
    Ethan scowled. "Speaking of Kinsey, Lewis still hasn't briefed me on that. Are we going to be implicated?"
    Ted shook his head. "I doubt it. We've cooperated with the Feds, and it's pretty clear there's no way we could have been involved with that side of Edward's operation."
    Jack forged ahead. "Nevertheless, they've got their hands full down there, and if we're going to open a can of worms like MDS, then I think the least we could do—"
    He stopped abruptly when the door to Ethan's office crashed open. "My God, Ethan!" The woman swept into the room like a ship in full sail. " Tell me it isn't true."
    Ethan stifled a groan. "Hello, Pamela."
    Both Ted and Jack politely stood. Ethan refused the small courtesy. His former fiancée , clad in a dramatic-looking red suit that had probably cost as much as a small car, advanced into the office and planted her manicured hands on his desk. "Did you really seduce Harrison's lover?"
    The fragile rein on his temper snapped. He gave Jack and Ted an unmistakable look that sent them both hurrying from the room with mumbled greetings for Pam as they passed by. Jack pulled the door shut behind him. Ethan rose from his chair and rounded the desk. "Nice to see you, Pam."
    She turned to face him. "Are you going to answer me or not?"
    "I haven't decided yet," he told her. "But whether or not I do, don't you think that question was a little inappropriate to ask me?"
    She frowned at him. "Since when did you start worrying about propriety?" she said with a pout.
    This had been one of the most consistently irritating facets of their relationship. Though he had developed a reputation for a somewhat reckless approach to his business ventures, he preferred to keep his private life circumspect. Pamela had never understood the distinction. Initially, she'd felt challenged to bring out that side of him. When he'd refused, she'd pushed harder. When the relationship ended, he'd had the grace not to point out to her that he'd been right all along.
    But he had always found her histrionic streak annoying. During their engagement, he'd resigned himself to the fact that this would constitute the "worse" part of the for-better-or-for-worse arrangement of their pending marriage. Now that he was no longer obligated to endure it, he found his patience for it even thinner.
    Pamela was watching him through narrowed eyes. "You did, didn't you? I couldn't believe it when I heard—"
    Ethan held up a hand. "Stop right there. What the hell did you hear anyway?"
    She looked flustered, and he could understand why. He had never raised his voice to her during their engagement.
    "I was your fiancée for six months, Ethan, and we dated for two years before that. I have friends here."
    "And I, obviously, have an employee loyalty problem."
    She advanced toward him. "It's not like that," she assured him, her tone conciliatory. "I happened to stop by the afternoon you left for Prague. I was having lunch with—with someone. She mentioned that Abby Lee had been here to see you. I