Freedom (Billionaire Secrets Series, #2) Read online

  “Simon, something like that would send the media into a frenzy,” Heather finally said. “Gary just lied and said we were still sleeping together. If we show up to this reunion that’ll make it seem true. We’ll look like a couple.”

  “Not if we show everyone that we’re just friends and coworkers,” he said. “Let everyone see that we get on well together, but we’ve put anything romantic behind us.”

  Heather frowned. “What does Linda have to say about all this? She’s the media relations officer, after all.”

  Reaching for his cell phone, he started composing a text and sent it to Linda. “I’ve just asked her to come up here for a quick meeting.” Getting Linda mixed up in all this was probably for the best, though he had spent years ignoring a lot of her advice. Mostly because it consisted of talking incessantly to the press like some of the other self-important CEOs in the tech industry.

  But as he glanced over at Heather and saw the pained look on her face he realized that, right now, he was desperate enough to do anything. Even if that meant letting Linda in on his idea.

  LINDA APPEARED MINUTES later and they all sat down at the table in his office.

  “This is a first,” Linda murmured from across the table. “Things must have to be bad for you to be asking for my help, Simon. Usually I have to drag you kicking and screaming to have any media-related meetings.”

  Wordlessly, he slid his cell phone in her direction.

  Linda raised an inquisitive eyebrow, grabbed the phone, and started playing the video of Gary making an ass of himself in front of the media. “When did this come out? How have I not seen this?”

  “It literally got sent to me ten minutes ago,” he muttered. “Some journalist sent it to me first as a courtesy, but it will probably get out within the hour. He’d like me to respond to it.”

  “Well, we have to release a statement,” Linda said. “Refute this. Condemn everything this guy says. Really go after him and nail him to the wall.”

  “That guy is my ex-husband,” Heather said from her place beside him. “We’re not going to be nailing him. It’s freedom of speech. He’ll just find more ways to prove it’s true. Or say more hateful things.”

  Linda frowned. “I understand that you want to protect your ex, but we have to go on the offensive and discredit him. Destroy him if we must. He can’t get away with this.”

  “He’s my son’s father,” Heather said, her eyes flashing with anger. “I know he’s just made things worse for us, but I’m not going to go after him. I’m not putting my son through something like this. Things are bad enough; I refuse to stoop down to Gary’s level.”

  “You’ve got to be joking,” Linda said fiercely. “Your ex-husband just accused you of being a liar. He says you’re still sleeping with Simon—”

  “I’m not,” Heather cut her off sharply.

  Simon tried his best not to take her tone personally, but damn it was hard not to. She sounded almost insulted that anyone would insinuate that she was still sleeping with him. Which meant that Heather really must have put their relationship behind her.

  She was over him, and now he knew it.

  Linda glared at Heather, and he put his hands up, trying to keep the peace.

  “Things are tense right now, but we’re all on the same side. We all want what’s best for Dover,” he said.

  “You’re right. I’m sorry.” Linda sighed. “I just worry that things are spinning out of control. I know you don’t often like my advice, Simon, but it’s never been this bad before. The timing of this story has really put us in a difficult position.”

  “I understand that.” He didn’t blame Linda for being disappointed or on edge. But right now, they had to work together. Had to be on the same team. “My position is on the line here, too. The board might suspend me over this.”

  “Like hell they will,” Linda snapped. “I won’t stand for it. If they try that they’ll have to fire me.”

  “Don’t jeopardize your job for me,” he said firmly. “I appreciate your loyalty, but I want to protect everyone at Dover from this. This was my mistake. Not yours. Nobody should pay for this but me.”

  “And me,” Heather said softly.

  Linda’s expression softened. “Everyone makes mistakes.”

  “Is that how the rest of the staff feels?” Heather asked. “Because, from the looks of things, they’re probably gossiping about me as we speak. They probably hate me, and I don’t blame them.”

  “This story isn’t good for morale,” Linda admitted. “But in this business people love to vilify women, and I won’t stand for it. That’s why I want us to stand up to your ex-husband.”

  “I’m grateful, but I couldn’t face my son if I did something to hurt his father,” Heather said.

  Linda nodded. “I understand.” Her brow furrowed, a pensive expression flitting across her face. “There’s got to be another way to contain this mess.”

  “I had an idea,” Simon said.

  “You have an idea on how to deal with the media?” Linda chuckled. “I’ve got to hear this.”

  Simon quickly filled her in on his idea to attend his high school reunion.

  “You know, that idea isn’t half bad,” Linda said.

  “What?” Heather gasped. “You can’t actually be serious. My ex-husband just told the media that Simon and I are still sleeping with each other. Going to the reunion together isn’t going to put those rumors to rest.”

  “It might, though. I noticed something after you released your statement, Heather.” Linda leaned forward. “The media frenzy died down after your statement came out. People believed you were genuine when you said your relationship with Simon was over and that you had no ill will. They sympathized with you because you were brave enough to release a statement.”

  “Linda, that’s crazy,” Heather insisted. “You make it sound like I have some power over the press.”

  “You do,” Linda said. “You have a lot more power than you realize. The press likes you. Which means the public will like you enough to trust Dover and its products again. We could use something like this to our benefit.”

  Heather bit her lip. “What if I screw things up? Squander whatever good will the media has for me?”

  “Well, the reunion is next week. We could have been much more prepared if Simon had told me about this reunion weeks ago when he first got the invite, but there’s no going back now. There isn’t much time, but we can do some prep. I can coach you on how to deal with an appearance like this,” Linda said. “I don’t want to pressure you, but I think Simon has the right idea. It sounds counterintuitive but hiding will only look suspicious now that your ex has talked to the media. Being transparent could work in your favor.”

  “You really think this could help Dover?” Heather asked.

  Linda nodded. “I do. Our new product line has just come out and, even though we haven’t gotten official numbers yet, things look sluggish. It might simply be a natural dip in the market, but Dover hasn’t experienced dips like this. At least not in the past.”

  “It’s the scandal, isn’t it?” Heather’s shoulders sagged.

  “Possibly,” Linda said.

  “This is my fault,” she said.

  “There’s a way to fix things,” Linda said. “And you’re the best person to do that. I really believe this. We need to win the media back to our side. I...” She tapped her chin as she thought. “I really think this could work. Right now, Heather is a media darling. They won’t believe the ex—they’ll say he’s just jealous. They may put you in higher regard when you don’t respond to his accusations.”

  Or they could roast you over hot coals. Simon kept the thought to himself.

  Heather let out a long, shaky breath. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

  “Good.” Linda smiled and rubbed her hands together. “Our first task is to get you a makeover.”

  HEATHER’S FACE FELL. “A makeover? Me?”

  “Of course,” Linda said. “The reunion invita
tion said semi-formal. You’ll have to get dressed up.”

  “I think I can dress myself.” Heather did her best to keep the annoyance out of her voice, but Linda was glancing at her with judgment flashing in her eyes.

  Linda sniffed derisively. “I’ve seen how you dress.”

  “What’s wrong with how I dress?” Heather narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

  When Simon started chuckling she gave him her iciest glare.

  “Now you know how it feels,” he said.

  Ugh. He looked positively smug now that the shoe was on the other foot. Her boss was enjoying her discomfort a little too much.

  “Nothing’s wrong with how you dress,” Linda said quickly, in a less than reassuring tone. “You have a fantastic figure, but for some reason you have a tendency to dress on the drab, geeky side.”

  Heather pursed her lips. “I’m a conservative dresser at work. What’s wrong with that?”

  “Nothing. If you’re a nun.” Linda looked her over, sizing her up with silent disapproval.

  Heather bristled. She never would have agreed to this reunion scheme if she knew they’d insist on changing everything about her. There was nothing wrong with her wardrobe. She liked looking professional. Even if that did mean she disappeared into the background. “I don’t like being at the center of attention, okay? I’m completely fine with looking nun-like.”

  Linda snorted. “Nobody is fine with looking nun-like. Not even nuns.”

  A loud noise that sounded almost identical to a bark of laughter escaped Simon’s throat, making Heather frown. “You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?” she snapped.

  Simon cleared his throat. “Of course not.”

  When his lips started twitching she glared at him.

  “I can’t afford fancy clothes,” Heather said, desperate to get them to change their minds.

  “I’ll take care of the expense.” Simon reached into this jacket pocket and retrieved a credit card that he set on the table. “You can buy as many clothes as you like, Heather. It’s on me. Sorry, it’s on the company’s tab.”

  “But—”

  “I insist.” There was a devilish glint in his blue eyes.

  Oh, she could see it now. Linda cramming her into a too-tight dress and shoes she couldn’t walk in. This was a nightmare. Inwardly she cursed Gary for his jealousy and pettiness. If only she could wring his neck without hurting Finn.

  “Are you going to try to cut my hair?” Heather demanded. “Because I absolutely draw the line at touching my hair.”

  “You have lovely hair so, no, we aren’t going to cut it,” Linda said. “The color is a bit on the mousy side, though, so we’ll add some highlights—”

  “There’s nothing wrong with Heather’s hair,” Simon growled, coming to her rescue. “I might be getting a kick out of seeing her have to wear some clothes she hates, but there’s nothing wrong with how she looks.”

  Linda stared at him in stunned silence. “I never said there was anything wrong with her looks.”

  “Good,” Simon said. “Because she’s beautiful. Always has been.”

  Heat stole up her cheeks, forcing Heather to lower her eyes while she caught her breath. “Thank you, Simon.”

  Linda raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you two aren’t still sleeping together?”

  “No!” they both said at the same time.

  “Linda.” Simon tapped the table in annoyance. “That’s enough.”

  “Fine. I’ll back off.” Linda turned her attention back to Heather. “Well? What do you say to a makeover? We want the media to take you seriously, so what you wear matters.”

  Heather hesitated. They were asking for so much. She had never sought the limelight. All she wanted was to do her job well and take care of her son. Fix the mess she had made of her life over the past year.

  “I know you don’t like attention, but the media will love you,” Linda said. “Have you ever thought that maybe you don’t like the attention because you think you don’t deserve it?”

  “I...” Her voice trailed off. She had never thought of it like that.

  For years Gary had made her feel bad about being shy and reserved. Her ex-husband didn’t think she was exciting enough. But Simon seemed to think she was. Which meant that, deep down, there was more to her than she ever realized. Simon saw something in her that she had locked away. Locked away because she didn’t think she deserved anything more. Anything better. Gary had convinced her of that. Her ex-husband had told her she wasn’t enough, so she decided not to be enough. And then Simon had come along and seen so much in her that it took her breath away.

  Simon turned to face her and placed his large hand over hers. Warmth spread through her and suddenly she felt at ease for the first time all morning. “Heather, I know this is a lot to ask, but it’s obvious that you want to help Dover. You care about this job and Dover’s employees even though you haven’t been here long. And showing the media that you stand by your statement makes Gary look like the liar that he is. Which makes it harder for Gary to carry out his threats of taking Finn away. It might be good for Dover and your son.”

  Finn. Her heart squeezed at the thought of her son. Doubts nagged at her, but if getting a makeover would help her keep her son she was ready to do it. It didn’t matter if she worried that this might not work. She had to try. Do whatever it took. Because there was nothing she wouldn’t do for Finn.

  Gathering her strength, she took a deep breath. “Okay. I’m all in.”

  Chapter 9

  “You’re going to have to practice walking,” Linda instructed.

  They were in a downtown department store, hunting for the right look for next week’s reunion. Linda was holding on to a pile of clothes while her newly hired personal assistant, Beatrice Arden, was staring at her nails, obviously bored.

  Heather felt like an idiot, walking across the department store in heels that were way too high. She wobbled, her arms shooting out as she fought to catch her balance. “How am I supposed to walk in these?” Her arms were still flailing around, but at least she was still standing.

  “It’s so easy,” Beatrice said, demonstrating an elegant walk in her own eye-poppingly-high stilettos. “Heel toe, heel toe.”

  Beatrice had been at Dover on the same day of Heather’s interview, when they were both candidates to be Linda’s personal assistant. Beatrice eventually got hired to work for Linda. Like Heather she was still very new to Dover, but Beatrice’s glamour and style had already earned her a reputation with the other employees.

  How Heather wished some of that glamour would rub off on her. Right now, she was awkwardly stomping around the store, trying out some shoes while shoppers stared at her as they walked by.

  “I think I’d rather go with the wedge heels,” Heather said. “They’re more comfortable.”

  “But these shoes are killer,” Beatrice protested, gesturing to the strappy red heels Heather had been forced into.

  “Yes. Literally. If I wear these to the reunion I’ll break my neck,” Heather said.

  “Fine, you can wear a pair of wedges,” Linda said. “But at least try on some of the clothes I picked out.”

  After she slipped out of the uncomfortable shoes, Heather made her way to the dressing room while Linda and Beatrice waited outside.

  Once she wiggled her way into a sassy red number that stopped just above her knees, Heather had to admit she liked how she looked. She hated admitting that, but she loved the way the dress hugged her body. It made her feel sexy. The same way Simon always made her feel when he gazed at her with that smoldering fire in his eyes.

  She groaned inwardly. It didn’t matter what she did, her thoughts always drifted to Simon. This reunion was supposed to prove that she was totally over him, but just thinking about him made her heart flutter.

  Enough. Get out there and be professional.

  Shaking off her nerves, she stepped out of the dressing room to get Linda’s opinion.

  “Wow.”
Linda’s eyes widened in delight. “You look absolutely gorgeous.”

  “Don’t look so surprised,” Heather said in indignation. “I might not be a supermodel, but I’ve still got it.”

  “You do,” Linda agreed. “It’s about time you realized that, missy. And showed it off.”

  Heather smiled despite her worry about still being hung up on her boss. “I like this dress. I’m going to try on all the others, but this is a strong contender.”

  “I agree,” Beatrice piped up. “You look ravishing.”

  Having the two of them compliment how she looked was making some of the weight of the reunion seem lighter. Heather hadn’t been treated like she was beautiful during her marriage. Truth be told, most of the time she felt like someone Gary tolerated rather than his wife. It made sense, considering they’d only gotten married because she got pregnant, but her new job kept reminding her just how badly Gary had treated her. If there was one thing she’d take away from working at Dover, it was the extra boost of confidence everyone on the staff had given her.

  By the time they finished shopping, it was time for Heather to pick up her son from her parents’ house. When Finn hopped into the car she flashed him a big smile in the mirror.

  “How was your day, pumpkin?” she asked as she drove away.

  “It was the best, Mom!” her son replied excitedly. “Today was animal day, and a zookeeper brought a bunch of snakes and frogs.”

  To her that sounded like a nightmare, but if Finn was delighted by scary animals then she’d be excited right along with him.

  “That’s great,” she said, her smile widening.

  Her son was the most important thing in the world. The best thing that had ever happened to her. The reunion was going to be worth it if that meant she could protect Finn. It didn’t matter how deeply she cared for Simon... there was only enough room in her heart for her son.

  HE HADN’T BEEN TO HEATHER’S house since the day she’d slammed the door in his face.