CEO's Expectant Secretary(28)

“But you must have some memories of Brock as a child,” Elle said.

“He was a handful. Very physically active, very curious, ambitious from the day he was born. Of course, his father loved that about him. We had a nanny before he was sent to private school. His father had very strong opinions about Brock’s upbringing. He always said he was raising the lead lion, and the word ‘average’ was never allowed in any discussions about Brock. Speaking of a nanny, I can get you in with the most exclusive agency in San Francisco.”

“Oh, I haven’t even thought about nannies yet,” Elle said, thinking her view of parenting might differ widely from that of Carol Maddox.

“Well, don’t leave it until it’s too late. I’m sure Brock will demand the cream of the crop. He’s just like his father that way,” Carol said. “Since you’re no longer working for Brock, have you decided which clubs you’d like to join? I can help you with that, too.”

Elle shrugged and smiled, trying not to feel overwhelmed. “I have to be honest. Between the marriage, the move and the pregnancy, I’m still taking it one day at a time.”

“Oh, the pregnancy,” Carol said and shook her head. “The most miserable times of my life. I was in bed half the time with both of them. Maybe you’ll get lucky and have a boy the first time and then you can talk Brock into stopping at one. Having a second child was necessary for the well-being of my marriage,” Carol added. “Never forget for a moment that women will compete for the attention of a wealthy man, whether he’s married or not. There’s always someone trying to take your husband away from you.”



When Elle returned home, she felt like crawling back into bed and hiding. Marrying Brock was clearly the biggest mistake of her life. She should have quit Maddox and fled to Mexico or Canada or Paris. Anywhere but here with Brock’s Cruella de Vil mother. Feeling suffocated, Elle snuck out of the house and drove to her mother’s. They spent the afternoon talking and baking cookies together for one of the members of Suzanne’s support group.

When the clock passed seven in the evening, her mother slid her arm around Elle. “Sweetie, shouldn’t you be with your husband?”

“He’s working. He won’t mind me spending time with you,” Elle said.

“But it’s getting late,” her mother said. “Are you sure you shouldn’t go home?”

Elle’s cell phone rang. She winced, pretty certain she knew who was calling.

“Elle?” her mother prompted, when she didn’t race to her purse.

Elle reached for her phone and answered it. “Hi,” she said.

“Where are you?” Brock asked.

“With my mom,” Elle said, forcing her lips into a smile. “Baking cookies. Where are you?”

“At home looking for my wife,” Brock said. He paused a half beat. “My mother scared the piss out of you, didn’t she?”

Elle laughed nervously. “Cannot lie. She’s a little creepy.”

“Come home,” he said. “I’ll protect you.”

“You can’t protect me during the day when you’re at work,” she said.

“I can buy her a new place,” he said. “Let her fill it up with all the stuff that’s in the house.”

“She can’t be all bad,” Elle said. “She had you.”

“Don’t remind me,” he muttered.

“I don’t know,” Elle said. “I bet you don’t know everything about what went on between her and your father.”

“You’re not defending her,” he said.

“No, but I think there may be more than meets the eye.”

“I can’t disagree. There’s Botox, face-lifts, Resty-lane—”

“Give the woman a break. Her whole life was being Mrs. James Maddox.”

“She sucked you in,” Brock said.

“I can see some of her points,” she admitted.

Silence passed. “You’re joking.”

“No. I’m not.”

“That’s it,” Brock said. “I’m sending Roger to get you.”

“I have my car,” Elle said.

“I don’t want you driving in the dark,” Brock said.

Elle rolled her eyes. “Too bad,” she said and hung up. Feeling her mother’s gaze on her, she pretended to continue her conversation. “Of course, I’ll come home darling. Right away,” she said and turned to her mother. “I guess I should go home.”

Her mother studied her suspiciously. “Are you sure everything is okay between the two of you?”

“I’m sure,” Elle fibbed, making sure not to look directly at her mother because her mother could read her like a book. “We’re newlyweds. We’re working things out. Plus, I’m pregnant. It’s complicated, but Brock is an amazing man.” Elle wasn’t shading the truth about most of what she’d said. “I’ll see you soon,” she said and gave her mother a hug.