Page 41 of Nash

"It's an unusualrequest." She pointed out.

"Yes, it is.Well?"

"Do I have timeto think about it?"

"No. Yes, or no?I need an answer now."

She was over theshock and trying to keep the amusement from showing. "The answeris yes."

He stared at her fora minute as if he had no idea what to make of her. "All rightthen. I’ll see you later." Without saying anything else,he turned and left the room. She just had enough time to take a fewshaky breaths before her team came rushing back in.

"What did hewant?" Maddie asked anxiously. "He’s never beeninside this office before. Was he mad?"

"He just wantedto say thanks." She lied smoothly. "That's it."

*****

He was nervous andcouldn’t believe it. All through the rest of the day, he couldbarely concentrate on the meetings he had to participate in.

He received thecomments about the talk show with nods and smiles, without going intodetails. Most of the board members and management team already knewabout his past, but he’d never encouraged any kind ofconversation.

It was nearing theend of the day when his assistant buzzed the intercom to let him knowhis father was on the line. “He wasn’t sure you’dwant to speak to him.” She told him, her cultured voice lackingany sort of inflection.

“Put himthrough.” Tapping his fingers on the desk, he waited for thecall.

“I wasn’tsure I should call.” His voice was hesitant and sounded thickas if he’d been crying. “I caught the interview.”

“Okay.”

There was a pause. “Iknow saying I’m sorry isn’t going to make a difference.”

“No.”

A tattered sighsounded in his ear. “I’m going to say it again. I’msorry, son. I sat there listening to you talking about what I put youthrough and wanted to die. If I had the courage, I would end my life-“

“What the hellis that going to prove?”

“You’reright. I wish I could do something to make it up to you.”

“You’regoing to have to give me time and not rush me.”

“I won’t.”

“This nonsenseyou’re pulling about ending your life isn’t going to workeither.”

“I’m nottrying to gain sympathy-“

“You won’tbe receiving any,” Nash told him coldly. “I was the onewho went through the shit, I have to be the one to deal with it myway and in my own time.”

“You’reright.”

“I have to go.Meetings.”

“Yes, ofcourse. I'll talk to you later.”

Hanging up, Nash satback and closed his eyes briefly. He’d propositioned anemployee, a woman he couldn’t seem to get out of his head.After the conversation with Maxwell, he’d decided he had tohave her one time. In his bed, where he’d have the opportunityto explore every inch of her body and this time he was going to useprotection.

He just wanted to seeif he could shake her from his life and out of his mind.