Chapter 1
“So as you can see from our projections Mr Yeung, all you would need to do is reduce your yearly outgoings by 3% to retain your business. This can easily be done by following the recommendations we have listed on page 45 and would allow you to maintain your current staffing levels thus maintaining your current production levels.”
“This is not only incredible news but also such a relief. I can’t thank you enough Miss Henderson.”
“Please, call me Harper and you are very welcome. My secretary will be in touch over the next few days with our invoice so if you have any more questions please send them on.”
“No problem, and thanks again.”
I smile as I finish the call and close my laptop. I look at the time and see that it’s past lunch which would explain why I’m so damn hungry. It’s great that we are getting business from around the world but the time difference really messes with my eating schedule when trying to arrange meetings.
I saunter through to the kitchen trying to remember where I put the stash of tortilla chips that I bought last week. After looking in all the usual places I’m about to give up when I look up to the top shelf of the cabinet.
“Imagine stashing them up there!”
If I weren’t craving Nachos so damn much I would opt for something else. I look around for the footstool before remembering I had taken it up to the bathroom last night.
“Damnit!”
I will not give up, I want those freaking nachos.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
I jump before quickly catching my balance then glance around my shoulder to see an unamused Alex standing in the doorway.
“Harper!”
“Did you put the tortillas up there?” I glare at him.
“Where else should I have put them?”
“Not out of my reach asshole.”
“You are actually having a go at me right now? What are you playing at?”
I look down at myself perched on the worktop. “I’m trying to get the fucking totillas!”
“You’re eight and a half months pregnant, get the fuck down!”
Alex comes over and puts his arms around me, helping me off the worktop.
“Jesus Harper. You’re about to pop and your climbing fucking kitchen units!”
“I wanted Nachos.”
“Well then you ask for help.”
“This is all your fault!”
Alex’s eyes widen and I see a smirk appear. “Oh please enlighten me.”
“You stashed them too fucking high!”
Alex shakes his head and points to the dining table. “Sit down, I will make your bloody nachos.”
I do as he says but not without dramatics. I look over to see Alex smirking at me.
“Really?”
“Oh shut up.”
Alex chuckles, “so how was the meeting with Mr Yeung?”
I rub my ever expanding stomach since this womb raider has clearly been woken in all the excitement. “He’s very happy with our proposal,” I smile.
Alex fist bumps the air, “Yes! I knew you would ace it. You know Mr Yeung is very respected in Hong Kong, if he puts the word out we will get a lot more business from out there.”
I smile and nod before looking around the kitchen, it’s very quiet, too quiet.
“Where’s Archie?”
Alex laughs, “He’s in the living area, too much running around in the park.”
I laugh with Alex as I imagine the rings Archie was running around him.
“Oooh!” I wince as I feel a shooting pain across my bump.
“Are you alright? Alex asks with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah I’m fine, this baby doesn’t have as much space to dance around in anymore.”
Alex comes over and places my plate of nachos on the table in front of me before placing his hands on my bump.
“I can’t wait to meet him or her. Why don’t you take it easy this afternoon, I can do the Reilly proposal without you.”
I gently stroke his face, “I know you can babe but I’m fine. I’m going to be stepping away soon for a bit so I want to get as much work done as possible in the meantime.”
Alex dips his eyebrows at me, “You need to slow down, you’ve got nothing to prove Harper.”
“It’s not about that and you know it. I’ve got plenty of time left, I’m just not ready to stop right now.”
“Harper Henderson, you’re so damn infuriating, woman.”
I smile as I crunch into my delicious cheesy nachos, “It’s one of the many things you love about me.”
“Mummy, mummy, mummy!”
I turn to see Archie running into the kitchen.
“Hey buddy!” I open my arms wide and he runs into them, giving me a hug. “Did you have fun at the park with Daddy?”
Archie nods his head excitedly, “Yes, lots! Daddy let me go on the tyre swing.”
I spin my head around to glare at Alex and see him frantically shaking his head and waving his arms at our son.
“Alex!”
“Babe…”
“He’s fucking two!”
“Mummy said a bad word.”
Alex chuckles as our son tattles on me. “It’s all your dad’s fault,” I tell Archie.
“How on earth did you come to that conclusion?”
I look at Alex’s shocked expression and try to hold back my laughter. “You’ve always brought out the worst in me,” I smirk at him.
I’m not lying either, Alex and I know exactly which buttons to push to annoy each other. Three years ago he hated me. I didn’t know why at the time but his pompous attitude pissed me off. It wasn’t until we had to work together during a seminar series that we realised we had a knack for pushing each other’s buttons physically as well.
It was when our secret liaison was exposed to the world in epic fashion that the truth behind the Harper/Munro feud was also exposed. Turns out my father had an affair with Alex’s mother when we were kids. Our fathers went from being best friends to enemies and we suffered the fallout. Not only that but I discovered that when my mother left, my father refused to let her see me, only what he told me was that she abandoned me.
When the truth came out I cut ties with my father immediately. Alex also Cut ties with his father when he found out Mr Munro tried to blackmail me in an effort to stop me seeing Alex. We left our very successful family businesses and started out on our own. Fortunately we had been working long enough to gain favour with a few of our father’s clients that they also jumped ship and came with us. The publicity was welcomed as the whole “sex scandal” could have definitely put a damper on things career wise.
To say it was a dramatic few months would be an understatement. We had only just got our business off the ground when I discovered I was pregnant. Alex and I were both shocked, however our friends were surprised it had taken so long given how we can’t keep our hands off each other.
“Where’s my favourite nephew?”
Archie lets out a squeal as he hears Becca come through the door. He disappears out of the kitchen as he runs towards her voice.
Moments later Becca appears with Archie on her hip, “Well hello, hello. Still cooking the Gremlin I see.”
“Becca!”
Alex’s eyes widen while Archie giggles at his Auntie.
“If that kid…” I point to Archie, “calls his sibling Gremlin, I’m coming after you.”
Becca laughs as she takes a seat at the table and rests Archie on her lap.
“Soooo….”
I squint my eyes at Becca as she tries to look innocent while playing with Archie’s hair.
“Spit it out Becca,” Alex says, his mouth curled in amusement.
“I saw mum today.”
Alex’s face changes from amused to stern in 0.5 seconds flat. Given her history, Alex prefers not to have a relationship with her.
“How is Gwen?” I ask in an effort to avoid awkwardness.
Becca stares at her brother, “She wants to know if you have thought any more about letting her meet Archie.”
I inwardly cringe as I wait for the inevitable.
“She failed miserably at being a mother. Why the hell would I give her the opportunity to fail at being a grandmother as well.
“Alex!”
“No Becca, I won’t let her into Archie’s life just so she can disappoint him, absolutely not!”
“She needs to see him, Alex, she needs to see you.”
“Why? What could possibly be so fucking important that suddenly she has to spend time with her family?”
“She’s fucking dying!”
