Christmas 2011 Trio A. Кейт Хьюит

is the universal language.”

      Julie folded her arms. “Listen to me, Fletcher, and listen hard. I don’t want your money.” She spoke slowly and emphatically so that even a man as emotionally obtuse as this one would get the point.

      He angled his head sideways and stared at the ceiling. “Where have I heard that before?” Then, as though he was bored and ready to end the conversation, he said, “You want the money. Everyone wants the money. Just sign the agreement and cash the check. You can be outraged all over again—and twenty-five thousand dollars richer.”

      Julie’s mouth sagged open. “You don’t get it, do you? I’m not cashing the check. I’m not signing the settlement.”

      “Of course you’re not signing the settlement,” he snapped, his eyes so cold that for an instant she actually shivered.

      She caught her breath and stepped back. “It isn’t just me you distrust,” she whispered. He wasn’t capable of trusting a single, solitary person. Some elemental betrayal had waylaid him in the past, and he’d never recovered, never moved beyond it. She didn’t know what had happened; in fact, she didn’t want to know. But right now they were at an impasse unless she could think of some way to settle this, some way that suited them both.

      “All right,” Julie said. “Tell you what I’ll do.”

      “Ah, the bargaining begins. Are you sure you don’t want your attorney here?”

      “I don’t have an attorney. Now listen, because I’m only going to say this once.”

      “The schoolteacher speaks.” He’d folded his arms and she relaxed hers.

      “I’ll sign your stupid agreement.”

      He flashed her a knowing, sarcastic grin. “I thought you’d come to your senses sooner or later.”

      “With one stipulation.”

      His smile vanished.

      “I want a signed statement from you in which you concede that you caused the accident and—” she wagged her finger at his Cross pen “—I’d like a written apology.”

      His eyes narrowed and, if possible, grew even colder. Hands pressed on the top of his desk, he leaned forward again. “I didn’t cause the accident and there’s no way I’ll apologize for something I didn’t do.”

      She’d figured that would make him mad. Good. Maybe he’d understand how she felt. “Explain the damage to my bike, then,” she said, forcing her voice to remain calm.

      His lips thinned. “I can’t.”

      “What does it matter? You get what you want and I get what I want.”

      “What exactly do you want?” he demanded.

      “I already told you. And I already stated that I was only saying it once.”

      “Good luck, sister, because you’re not getting any apology from me.”

      “Okay,” she said cheerfully, and then because she enjoyed riling him, she added, “Shall I have my attorney call yours?”

      “I thought you didn’t have an attorney,” he challenged as if he’d welcome the opportunity to call her a boldfaced liar.

      “I don’t, at least not yet, but I imagine I won’t have any problem finding one who’d be willing to take you to court.”

      “Julie …” Her father rushed into the room and stopped midway between Julie and Fletcher’s desk. He spread his arms between the two of them, trying to assess the situation.

      He looked at his boss first. “Mr. Fletcher, I apologize that my daughter burst into your office.”

      “Dad, you’d better hear me out before you apologize to that man.” She gestured wildly at Fletcher. “He tried to buy me off with a settlement offer!”

      “I know, honey.”

      “You know?”

      Her father nodded. “Mr. Fletcher told me it was in the works, but it’s none of my affair, so I didn’t say anything.”

      “You involved my father in this?” Julie hissed at Fletcher.

      “Sweetheart,” her father said in the gentlest of tones, “perhaps it would be best if you left now.”

      “Not yet.” Julie was going to stand her ground. As far as she was concerned, this conversation was a long way from over.

      Her father glanced apologetically at his employer. “I’m afraid Julie’s got a temper, sir.”

      “Dad!”

      “She takes after her mother in that.”

      Julie was horrified to hear her father saying such a thing to a man who’d insulted her.

      “I’m sorry, Jules,” her father continued, “but you don’t leave me any other choice.” That said, he attempted to hoist her fireman-style over his shoulder and forcibly remove her from the office. Julie didn’t try to fight him, but she was too heavy for him to carry. He did manage to lift her several inches off the ground.

      “Dad! Put me down!”

      Either she weighed more than he’d assumed or he was willing to listen, because he set her down on the carpet.

      “Thank you,” she whispered.

      “Julie, get out of this office,” he said in a low, irate voice. “Now.”

      She could only imagine how amused Fletcher must be. “Not until this is settled,” she said, glaring at her father’s employer.

      Suddenly her father walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. The shock of it caught her unawares and she toppled back against him. Satisfied, he started to drag her out of the room, the heels of her shoes making tracks in the plush carpeting.

      “Let me go!” she cried. When she looked up, she saw Roy Fletcher grinning widely. “Don’t you dare laugh,” she warned, stretching out her arm and pointing at him.

      “Bye-bye, Ms. Wilcoff.” He waved and had the audacity to laugh outright.

      “We aren’t finished!” she shouted. “Daddy, for the love of heaven, let go of me.”

      “Not until we’re in the elevator,” her father said. He dragged her through the large double doors.

      Fletcher walked around his desk. Julie wanted it understood that he hadn’t heard the last of her. “Furthermore, you owe me an apology!”

      Fletcher’s assistant stood at her own desk, eyes twinkling. “Nice to have met you, Ms. Wilcoff.”

      “You, too,” Julie said, smiling weakly.

      The elevator arrived. “This is your last chance, Fletcher!” she yelled.

      “No, Julie,” her father said as he entered the elevator car. The doors slid closed. “This is your last chance. I don’t want you ever pulling anything like this again. Is that clear?”

      She nodded. It was ridiculous to be chastised by her father at the age of thirty, but at the moment she felt more like twelve.

      It seemed to take two lifetimes for the elevator to descend to the lobby. The silence was so tense it almost crackled—like static electricity. One glance at her father, who was the calmest man she’d ever known, told her he was furious.

      “You will apologize,” he said just before the doors slid open.

      She’d need to think about that.

      “Your car’s going to be towed,” he announced without inflection. “You took a handicapped parking space and you know better.”

      She resisted stamping her