The Amendment Read online

  In the photo, she was cupping my cheek and talking, her face alive and vibrant in one of her rare clear moments. I missed her every day, but I knew how thrilled she would be to know how happy I was with my life. She had adored Richard and helped make him the man he was today. With her, he found the ability to love another person—to open himself up to feelings he had long denied. It was her passing that brought us together in every sense of the word and helped get us to where we were now.

  Thinking of her brought a tear to my eye, and suddenly I needed to see Richard. I pushed off the blankets, and rushed through my morning routine, hurrying down the steps toward the kitchen. I could hear Richard’s low laughter and Gracie’s voice chatting at him. Heather was gurgling, no doubt wrapped in Richard’s arms. He rarely let either of them out of his sight the first couple of days after he had been gone. I walked into the kitchen, smiling at the sight before me. They were all together at the table, bowls of cereal and oatmeal eaten, the banana peel still on the counter from Richard slicing it up on Gracie’s cereal.

  They were both on his lap, his arms holding them close. Gracie was talking, Heather sleepy and content, safe and secure in his embrace. He lifted his hazel gaze to mine, the expression in his eyes tender and content.

  “Hey, sweetheart. We’ve been waiting for you.”

  Gracie slid from his knee and rushed toward me. In her hand was a new stuffed toy Richard had brought her. He always came home with a present for each of us. I held out my arms, scooping her up and raining kisses over her chubby cheeks, making her giggle. I walked to Richard and pressed a long kiss to Heather’s head. Richard’s head fell back on his shoulders.

  “What about Daddy?” he asked. “Does he get a kiss too?”

  I brushed a kiss to his mouth, whimpering when he caught my neck, pressing my face closer to his and deepening the kiss. He slid his tongue along mine, caressing the skin on my neck, his touch possessive and firm.

  I stood slowly, our gazes locked. Gracie giggled.

  “Daddy, you kissed Mommy.”

  His gaze never left mine. “I did, baby girl. I like to kiss Mommy.”

  “Me too?”

  Standing, he smirked and blew a raspberry on her cheek. “Yep. You too.”

  He tucked Heather into her infant seat, making sure she was strapped in, then lifted Gracie from my arms. He grinned at me. “Daddy needs more coffee to keep up his kissing strength.”

  I laughed. Richard could do anything—except cook. His coffee, no matter how often I showed him how to make it, was horrendous. His cooking skills were limited to cereal, pancakes, and toast. Our most used appliance was the Keurig machine. He would be lost without it since he needed caffeine as soon as he woke in the morning and he was always up before me.

  I turned to start the coffee, and he tugged me back, kissing me one last time.

  “Morning, Katy,” he murmured. “I love being home with you. I missed you.”

  I cupped his cheek. “We love having you home. We missed you too.”

  “Are you okay?” he asked. “You look sad.”

  I lifted my shoulder. “Memories,” I confessed.

  He knew on occasion that thinking of Penny made me sad. He always understood. With a gentle smile, he pressed a kiss to my forehead as he slipped a small box into my hand. “For you.”

  I flipped open the lid, gasping in delight at the delicate pearl earrings resting against the dark velvet. Small pink, black, and cream beads hanging from white gold threads glinted in the light.

  “They’re beautiful.”

  “As are you.”

  I turned and kissed him, our mouths moving together perfectly. “I love your presents, but I especially love that you’re home. That’s always the best gift.”

  He wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. “Thanks, sweetheart. Home is the best gift for me too.”

  An hour later, he appeared, dressed in a dark-charcoal suit with a silver-gray tie. He tugged on the sleeves of his white shirt, the embossed RVR on his cuffs peeking out.

  “I can’t get these damn cuff links on, Katy,” he grumbled. “This pair never seem to cooperate for me.”

  I set down my coffee and slipped the heavy silver disks into the sleeves, fastening them. “There.”

  He inspected his sleeves, pleased. “Thanks, sweetheart.”

  “Will you be late tonight?”

  He shook his head, smirking as he grabbed my coffee from the counter beside me and stole the last few mouthfuls.

  “Damn it, you still make the best coffee.”

  I rolled my eyes and waited.

  “No, in fact, unless there’s some big emergency at the office, I thought I’d come home around three and start the weekend early. Maybe we can take the girls to the park and out for supper somewhere.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Zandini’s?” he suggested. “We haven’t had pizza in a while, and Gracie loves it there.”

  I chuckled. “So does Daddy.”

  He lifted one eyebrow in amusement and kissed me fast. “Yes, he does. I want to spend the weekend with my girls. I’ve missed you all too much.”

  I cupped his cheek. “A family weekend sounds perfect.”

  “Great. I looked at my calendar and next week is going to be crazy. Graham has me booked solid. You have a sitter for Thursday, right?”

  “Yes. The dinner?”

  He nodded, a grimace crossing his face. “Graham is certain we’re going to grab a few awards for the campaign for BAM. Otherwise, I’d skip it.”

  I studied him for a minute. “Why?” He usually enjoyed the dinners and spending the evening talking with his peers about marketing and strategies.

  “David will be there. From the rumors I’ve heard, things aren’t going well with his company. That will make him especially nasty. I don’t want him anywhere near you.”

  I stroked along his jawline, feeling the tension simply talking about David caused him. “He’s in the past, Richard. He can’t hurt us now.”

  He huffed out a long breath, not meeting my eyes.

  “Hey.”

  He looked up, wary.

  “What is it, darling? Tell me,” I insisted.

  He slid his arm around my waist, pulling me close. His breath tickled the hairs on my forehead. “Seeing him, being in the same room as he is, reminds me of the man I was before. The bastard I was to you—to everyone. It reminds me how close I came to becoming like him. I hate even hearing his name, never mind being around him.”

  I hugged him close. It was rare, even now, that Richard showed his vulnerable side.

  “I know he’s going to bait me. Make his snide remarks—remind me of my past.”

  I held him tighter. “Nothing he says will make any difference.”

  He laid his cheek on my head. “I worry I’ll slip back into that behavior someday,” he confessed in a low voice. “That I will lose everything I hold so dear to my heart.”

  I tilted up my head, meeting his worried gaze. “No, you will not. You will never be like him, Richard. You’ve totally changed. You were lost and alone before. You have me now. The girls. The Gavin family. We would never allow that to happen. You would never allow that to happen.” I studied him, worried. “Maybe you should tell Graham you don’t want to attend. He would understand.”

  Our eyes locked. Anxiety was evident in his stance. “Katy…”

  “I love you,” I insisted. “I love you with everything I have. I love the man you are.”

  “I know.” He stroked my cheek with his finger, but he still looked worried.

  “David baits you because you have something he will never have, Richard. Happiness. You’re fulfilled and complete. At the end of the day, you have a home and a family that loves you. He’s alone and miserable.”

  His tension drained away. He stood straighter, and the frown lines eased from his face.

  “You’re right. I have everything he wants and will never have. He can’t affect me because I won’t let him. I have too much good in my life.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  He lowered his face and kissed me, his mouth moving with mine gently. “Thank you, sweetheart. I don’t know what came over me, but thank you for listening and being there for me.”

  “I’ll always be here.”

  He kissed me again. “Then I have everything I need.”

  RICHARD

  “Is that everything, Mr. VanRyan?” Sheila, the woman who owned my favorite flower shop, inquired.

  “Yes. Those will be delivered this morning?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Perfect. Thank you.” Satisfied, I ended the call, the music returning to the speakers in my car. Katy would have flowers arriving by lunchtime.

  I had no idea what had come over me this morning. I’d dealt with David on several occasions since leaving his firm. We attended many of the same functions, and we often competed for the same business. I ran into him on occasion in the same restaurants. Victoria wasn’t a huge city, and the marketing world was small, so it was inevitable. I would acknowledge him at the dinner and move on. Why knowing I would be seeing him next week suddenly bothered me, I couldn’t comprehend. However, as usual, my Katy had been there and offered me precisely what I needed to sort it out in my head and be able to move forward.

  She was correct. The man I had been was gone. The person I was back then when I worked for David and lived his cutthroat ways no longer existed. I had a real life now and the one thing David would never possess, because he was simply incapable.

  Love.

  It made me richer and stronger than he could ever be.

  Sometimes, I simply needed reminding.

  Katy descended the steps, her deep-red dress swirling around her knees. The off-the-shoulder look w
as sexy, and the cut of the dress hugged her curves. She was perfect.

  Gracie clapped her hands in delight. “Mommy, you look tho pwetty! Doesn’t she look pwetty, Daddy?”

  “Yes, she does. Beautiful, in fact.”

  Katy lifted Gracie from my arms. “Thank you. Are you going to be a good girl for Mrs. Thomas?”

  Gracie bobbed her head eagerly. Mrs. Thomas had been a staple in our home since Gracie was born. A grandmotherly sort, she doted on both our girls, and us as well. She lived a few houses over—her husband was retired and enjoyed golf. She preferred to stay busy and had a small group of parents in the neighborhood she babysat for. I made sure to pay her enough and treat her very well, so she was always available for us. It was easy since she reminded me a little of Penny and I liked how she cared for my girls.

  All of them.

  “We’re gonna do a puthzel.”

  I grinned at the lingering lisp in Gracie’s voice. It was slowly disappearing, and I hated to see it go, although I knew it was part of her growing up.

  I hated that part as well. It was happening too fast.

  Katy rubbed her nose on Gracie’s affectionately. “I made a treat for you to share too.”

  Gracie threw up her little arms. “Yay!”

  “Give Mommy a kiss goodnight,” I instructed. “Then Daddy needs one, and we have to go.”

  Kisses, snuggles, and more nose rubs later, we were headed to the dinner. Katy slipped her hand into mine.

  “You’re wearing my favorite suit. You look very handsome.”

  I squeezed her fingers. “Thought you’d like it.” I winked. “Hoping if I show you a good enough time, maybe I’d get lucky. My good looks should seal the deal.”

  She chuckled low in her throat and turned to the window. “Such ego. Go fuck yourself, VanRyan.”

  I laughed, feeling my tension ease as I steered the car toward the banquet hall. Katy always knew how to get me to smile.

  “God, I love you, Katy VanRyan.”

  She looked at me, her beautiful eyes bright in the dimness of the car. “I love you. And I’m right beside you. Okay?”

  I lifted her hand to my mouth and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Okay.”

  The noise level was intense, the lights too bright, and the dinner, as usual, ho-hum. Looking at the two awards, however, sitting on the table and knowing it was my efforts that brought them to The Gavin Group was an incredible high. Graham had been lavish in his praise, accepting the awards and making sure the entire room knew who made them possible, even making me stand up and take a bow. Katy was so proud, she wept—silent drops of joy that told me how she was feeling. I kissed them away, then kissed her mouth.

  “Does this cinch the lucky part at the end?” I asked against the softness of her lips. I felt her wide smile.

  “Definitely.”

  “Win for me.”

  I waited in line at the bar, accepting congratulations. I ordered a round of drinks for the table and waited patiently for them to be ready, glad for a quiet moment to myself.

  “How does it feel?”

  I stiffened at the voice and turned my head slightly. David Anderson stood beside me. He looked older, the deep furrows on his forehead more pronounced. His hair was thinner and his mouth in a perpetual glower.

  “Excuse me?” I replied coolly.

  “That’s three years in a row you’ve won Gavin’s company awards. Three years you’ve brought acclaim to Graham. How has he rewarded you for that?”

  I turned and faced him fully, keeping my voice low. “How he has rewarded me is none of your business, David. If you recall, I won you a few awards in my time with your company—which you never bothered to thank me for. Suffice it to say, his rewards are far more generous than yours ever were.”

  “I can offer you a partnership. I’d even throw in VP. You’d get the title, the prestige, and the money. The whole package.”

  I was dumbfounded at his brashness. Galled that he would do this here and now. Burning rage set in.

  I leaned forward, ice dripping from my tone. “There is no amount of money, no title, nothing you could offer that would ever entice me to come back to work for you. You and your company are pure poison, and I want nothing to do with you.”

  He regarded me with contempt, his tone filled with derision. “You used to be such a shark, Richard. Top of your game. Working for Gavin has made you soft. You need to be challenged. I can do that.”

  I barked out a laugh. “Soft? Just the opposite. I know who I am now. I work in a company that thrives on positivity. They have pride in their work and the campaigns they put together. Their reputation is stellar. I’m proud to be associated with The Gavin Group. That itself is reward enough. As for being challenged, I think the awards I won tonight speak for themselves. They were won with integrity and team effort.”

  I spun around, hoping like hell the drinks were ready, when David spoke again. “He’ll never make you a partner. He’ll use your talent and pat you on the back, but you’ll never really be one of them. He only promotes family.” His voice grew pitiful. “You might make him a lot of money, but you’ll never be family.”

  My hands curled into fists, but I refused to respond. I accepted the tray of drinks and elbowed my way past David. If I spoke again, things would get ugly, and I refused to embarrass Graham that way.

  “Get in touch with me when you change your mind,” he called after me.

  I ignored him.

  3

  Richard

  The next morning, a knock at my door diverted my attention from my laptop. I glanced up to see Graham leaning against the frame.

  “May I come in?”

  With a grin, I saved the work I was doing on my computer. I indicated the chair in front of my desk. “It’s your company, Graham. I think you can go anywhere you damn well please.”

  He smiled and sat in front of me. “I didn’t want to interrupt. You looked very intense.”

  “Tightening up an idea for the BAM boys. Becca had a great concept, but it needed a little tweaking. I think they’ll like it.” BAM was one of our largest clients and based in Toronto. Although Becca was their point person and brilliant at her job, Bentley, the owner of the company, liked me to stay involved. Given his status with our firm, and the relationships I had developed with the men at BAM, I was happy to do so.

  “I have no doubt. You seem to thrive on their campaigns.” He shifted and ran his fingers down the perfect crease of his pant leg. It was an uncharacteristically nervous gesture for Graham.

  “What’s up?” I asked, picking up my cup and taking a sip of coffee.

  “I wanted to congratulate you in private. You were very successful last night.”

  “We were. Becca was a huge part of my work, as was everyone else here.” I cocked my head to the side. “You taught me that, Graham. Teamwork. Because of this team, I’m doing some of the best work I have ever done.”

  He steepled his fingers together and rested his chin on them as he regarded me.

  “I saw David talking to you last night. You seemed, ah, perturbed when you came back to the table. I didn’t want to bring it up last night, but I’d like to ask you about it now.”

  I leaned back, studying Graham. Unlike David, his appearance hadn’t changed much. He was a bit older, but then again, so was I. We both had a few more silver hairs on our heads now. Unlike David, however, Graham’s countenance was smooth and unruffled, although his eyes looked troubled.

  I waved my hand. “He was being his usual arrogant self. He thinks I’ve gone soft and need a challenge.”

  Graham lifted one eyebrow. “A challenge? Has he counted the awards you’ve won since coming here?”

  I snorted. “This time, he offered me a partnership and VP to come back. Name my own terms. He’s upping the ante.”

  It wasn’t David’s first offer, but it had certainly been his boldest to date.

  Graham tapped a beat on his chin with his index finger. “Were you tempted?”