Romantic Acquisition Read Online Free PDF

with that statement.  He was too curious.  “What would she say?” he asked, watching her face carefully. 
     
    Kate smiled brightly.  “She’d probably say if you don’t have something nice to say about someone, don’t say anything at all.”
     
    Carlo chuckled at her evasive answer.  “I take it she doesn’t really like David all that much?”
     
    “He’s different than his father , ” was all Kate would say, her eyes challenging him. 
     
    “Is that why she didn’t stay on as his secretary?”  
     
    Kate nodded.  “Phillip and David Jamison have two completely different business philosophies.   I don’t think David would have kept her on even if she’d wanted to stay.  My mother was not a passive woman.  When she disagreed with Phillip, she said so.  I don’t think David would have liked that. ”
     
    “David likes yes-men around him?” he asked.
     
    “That sounds negative.  He’s kept me around and I’m definitely not a yes person, nor a yes- man,” she teased. 
     
    “I can definitely see that ,” he laughed.  “But they disagreed with each other on the direction of Jamison ’ s?” he continued. 
     
    “My mother liked the way Phillip ran the company.  I don’t think she likes the way David does.  But that doesn’t mean David is wrong, just that the two of them disagree.”
     
    Carlo nodded his understanding and let that subject drop.  He was interested in a statement she made a few minutes ago and the fact that she had avoided answering his question about her father’s current status in her life .  “What about your father?  You didn’t answer my question earlier.”
     
    Kate shrugged her shoulders and took a sip of her martini, looking off at the other guests in the restaurant.  “I don’t remember him, ” was all she would say. 
     
    Again, he was going to be a bore and not give in to her evasiveness.  He got the message but was too curious.  “What do you mean?  Where did he go?  Did he die?”
     
    Kate smiled but it was humorless.  “Oh no, nothing so dramatic as that.  He just decided one day that he didn’t like being a father or a husband and he went away.  We never heard from him again.” 
     
    Carlo knew she was trying to hide her feelings, but a small amount of pain still came through in her voice and the way her eyes avoided focusing on any particular thing while she talked about her father.
     
    “How old were you at the time?” he asked quietly. 
     
    “ Four years old.”   She didn’t elaborate. 
     
    “What do you do when you aren’t working?” Carlo asked, changing the subject.   He could tell t hat it was a very painful subject for her.  He wanted to know more, but she obviously didn’t want to discuss it and he didn’t want to push her.  He decided to come back to that subject later.   He already knew that he was going to have several of these kinds of conversations with this woman.  He was too fascinated and wanted to get to know her. 
     
    Kate was ea g er to talk about something less emotionally charged.  Her eyes lit up again and she leaned forward in her seat.  “Oh, different things.  I shop at other stores, see what they’re selling , compare prices and quality .” She laughed, “But I usually find the more interesting items to sell at Jamison’s from my own sources so it is just a self-serving mission when I shop.”
     
    “How so?” He liked the way her eyes revealed whatever she was feeling. 
     
    “I like to know if I’ve gotten the best deals or the best clothes.  Jamison’s is known for quality and originality.  We cater to the business woman, but also to the individual.”
     
    “ How did you come up with that niche idea?” he asked. 
     
    The fork froze midway to her mouth.  “How did you know it was my idea?”
     
    He smiled at her surprised expression.  “I researched the trends, cross referenced when you became the buyer and figured it out.”   He winked at her