e marble table wi

he next booth in confusi

ers resting on her buttons. She

der. Cold hostility surrounde

o had encouraged the taunts, to th

Gillian, whose smi

ord carried through the noise. "Is th

r feet and spoke in a strained voice. "Uncle Ethan, why are you he

using the Carter name to

.." Gillian's usual pride was nowhere to be seen. For t

ion. "Mr. Carter, you've misunderstood. Gillian came here with me. She's young, and she was only having fun with one of my emp

though the warning beneath his words

urned to l

ed as she blinked, and after a long sile

ated but was too frightened to admit it. Th

is none of your business. There's something else I'd like to know. Does Blake Group usually make female e

ponse, and anger d

m command. "Gill

as she continued trying to defend herself

iance's lover, before the entire group w

k your grandfather to handle it himself. He'll remind you how som

visibly

his youngest son, above every

enough to bring her grandfath

nterest in anyone else's affairs. She couldn't

dare to challenge him, so she faced Nicole wit

han that," Ethan muttere

rough clenched teeth. "

ole in front of the employees on her ve

nyone, Gillian snatched u

or me!" Clare hu

flashed across his face. After giving Nicol

rted, and the remaining staff traded unco

d of the couch, only a f

Gillian's fear of him was far

had clearly been

lly planned nervousness. "Thank you,

over the smooth skin visible above her neckline, a

ay. "You've already helped me more than once.

me from the

an finish my birthday celebration fir

to celebrate his f

e everyone a carefully measured smile. "Sor

an's friends might

with us, Ms. Daws

"Are you sure I wouldn'

n, there's plenty of r

e settled into the vac

e marble table. Seeing no alcoho

, Ms. Dawson," R

y. "Next time, I'll bring you a birthday pr

yland, and you don't owe me a present," he responded. "We all

smile s

s to simmer, and she'd even burned her hand while making it. Ethan had

o distant would be har

nt smile had returned. "I'm happy everyone enjoyed it. I'll make some more

e brief disappointment in Nicole's eyes hadn't esc

yland had confused the thermos with hi

to his mouth and kept

tern joked. "Your boyfriend must be the real win

ile. "Work keeps me too busy. I

her mouth, she stole

, though his glass had sto

riend. Where did that leave the man she

ghtened Et

rd him and asked in a sweet voice, "How abo

h. The group traded knowing l

d. "You heard

ore meeting her eyes. Then he

he last of Nic

his face. "Calling Ethan single doesn't even cover it. He's never dated anyon

urs spread aro

struggled to

nce and family background

ith love letters!" Ryland raised his eyebrows before leaning closer a

s until every person in t

id..." Ryland paused again to build s