*Anna* “Oh, dear God!” I exclaim, staring at two older women getting it on in a storage closet in one of the many department stores I own. “What the hell is going on?”“Close the door!” one of the women screeches. She’s attempting to pull her shirt over her exposed breasts, but it’s a button-down, and her boobs are still showing between the gaps.“I’ll close it long enough for the two of you to make yourselves presentable, but then, well, you’re in big trouble!” I tell them, closing the door.“Who the hell was that?” I hear one of them ask the other.“Just a random customer,” the other says. “She can’t threaten us. It’s not like Alec saw anything. It’ll be our word against hers, and there are two of us.”“I can hear you,” I say, not even bothering to raise my voice. My yelling has already drawn quite a crowd. Customers have come over, as well as Alec, who is standing a few feet behind me, his eyes wide. “And you’ll find out who I am as soon as you get your clothes on.”“Wh-what’s hap
*Anna*Poppy and I get out of the car and head into yet another department store I own. This is the third one I’ve visited since I became CEO of Savage Enterprises, and I’m hoping there aren’t any rude people in this one. So far, we are zero for two.“I’m so glad we don’t have to worry about you being two people at once this time,” my friend says as we head over to the evening gown section.“Me, too,” I agree. “Since you won’t be there this time, it would be nearly impossible to pull that off.”“Grant could help you, I suppose. But he’ll probably be busy with other members of the Young family. Now that he’s CEO, I should hope they are all showing him more respect,” she says.I almost roll my eyes. “That family wouldn’t know how to show someone respect if their lives depended on it. Well, except for Grandmother Trudy. It doesn’t matter anyway. Thanks to my fast thinking husband, Anna’s not invited, so it’s just one version of me.”We arrive in the area of the store where a large array
*Anna*I don’t mind one bit that I’m not invited to Grandmother Trudy’s retirement party. It makes it a lot easier not to have to switch costumes seven thousand times between Anna and A. Savage. Grant is more offended than he’s letting on. He told his mother it was fine, and it really is, but I understand that he’s upset that his grandmother doesn’t want his wife at her party. I would be offended, too, if it weren’t doing me a favor.“How did your mom take the news of my true identity?” I ask him that evening over dinner. We’re eating the best pasta primavera I’ve ever had in my life. We were both so busy today, we haven’t had a chance to get into the details yet.My husband sighs and shrugs, finishing what he’s chewing before he says, “She was shocked at first. She didn’t understand, and then I think she didn’t believe me. Mom wanted to know how long I’ve known and why you didn’t tell me sooner. But by the time I finished explaining everything, I think she understood. She said she ca
*Grant*Aunt Hattie sits across from me in my office, a huge binder splayed between us on my desk. It’s difficult for me to even look at the woman, considering everything she’s done to my wife. But she’s here to discuss Grandmother Trudy’s retirement party, so I have no choice but to listen and pretend like I give a damn what she thinks.Thankfully, my mother is also here. That softens the blow a bit. “We could do an ice sculpture,” Aunt Hattie suggests. “We could have the artist sculpt it in the shape of Trudy. She’d like that.”I arch an eyebrow. “You think Grandmother would like to see herself melting all over the banquet room floor?”She scowls at me. “It won’t melt! Not before the party is over, anyway. Haven’t you ever seen an ice sculpture before, Grant?”“I have, but they’re usually outside and at Christmastime, not in the middle of an office building for a retirement celebration. Should we release a few dozen doves, too, and have them flying around, crapping on everybody and
*Anna*I decide to leave work a little early tonight because my mother is coming over for dinner. It’s not that I don’t trust the staff to get Savage Gardens ready for her visit. I just want to make sure everything is perfect–and I can’t concentrate anyway.Grant stayed at work, so unfortunately, I come home by myself. It’s okay, though. I’ll get to see him plenty tonight.I walk through the door, and Bridgette greets me in the foyer. “Hello, Ms. Savage,” she says with a wide smile. “Don’t worry. Everything is in order for your mother’s visit.”“I have no doubt,” I assure her. Behind her, a huge bloom of fresh flowers in my mother’s favorite colors–red, gold, and purple–fill a large vase on an entry table. She’s going to love that.The house smells wonderful–like roast and simmering vegetables. Mom loves roast, so Samantha is making that for dinner. I also catch a hint of apple pie, one of Mom’s favorite desserts.“We readied the guest room with the most pleasant view of the gardens f
*Grant*The first day of shadowing Grandmother Trudy is more boring than anything else. I mostly sit there and listen to her yell at people–clients, employees, the caterer for Hattie’s birthday party next week. Honestly, by the time 5:00 rolls around, I have a massive headache.I don’t think I’ll be handling anything the same way that she does—by shouting. How in the world does such a small person have so much anger in her? I probably don’t want to know.Grandmother Trudy leaves promptly at 5:00, but I know I can’t do that. Not anymore. Anna is in the same boat, so I go back to my office to work on a few things. She said the car would be here to pick me up closer to 6:00, so I have some time. I make some notes about accounts I want to check into as soon as Grandmother Trudy hands things over to me.A knock on my door takes me away from my work. I’m kind of surprised anyone else is here. Celia, a vice-president who got her ass handed to her earlier today, steps into the room holding on