He focused on keeping his expression agreeable as he spoke. “I’m going to need your support.”
She gave another strained smile as she iced the sugar cookie tree. “Like that’s going to happen.”
“I didn’t know about the will.”
“Yes, you did.”
“How would I know? Tell me how I would know.”
“There were ten people in the first reading. Obviously someone leaked the details to you.”
“None of them knew I existed.”
“So you say.”
His voice rose. “I don’t just say. It’s true.”
“The red candies?” she asked him sweetly. “Or the blue and white?”
He took a calming breath. “The red.”
“I like the blue and white.”
“Seriously? You want to argue about candies?”
“I don’t want to argue about anything. I want you to go away. Preferably far away. I hear Alaska’s nice this time of year.”
Cole shifted Zachary in his arms. Happily, the baby was fascinated by the lights, the sounds and the people moving around.
“If you’ll listen to what I have to say, you’ll understand why you need to help me.”
“No, Cole. If I believed what you had to say, I might be inclined to help you. But that’s never going to happen. I’m never going to trust you again.”
“I want what’s best for Zachary.”
“You want what’s best for Cole. And congratulations, you’re halfway there.”
Cole regrouped. “Roth can still take control of the company.”
She dropped a handful of blue and white candies on the freshly iced tree and pressed them firmly down with her palm.
For a moment, he thought she’d crush the cookie.
“I can see you’ve done the math on the share ownership,” she said.
“Do you have any influence with the minor shareholders?”
She flashed another phony smile. “None whatsoever. I’m the lowly assistant director of finance and the stepsister of a flaky trophy wife. Why would anyone listen to me?”
“We can still help each other.”
“Have a cookie, Cole. It’s all you’re ever going to get from me.”
She suddenly scooped Zachary out of his arms.
It took the baby a second to realize what had happened. Then he immediately opened his mouth and let out a cry.
If not for the staff members surrounding them, Cole would have gone after her. Instead, he watched her march away and disappear into the crowd.
Zachary’s cries were soon swallowed by the cheery carols and happy shouts of the other children.