An Invincible Summer (Wyndham Beach) by Mariah Stewart (e novels to read .TXT) 📕

in. Maggie thought she heard Grace’s name followed by uneasy laughter, so she stuck her head through the doorway and said, “Morning, ladies.”

“Ah, hi, Mrs. Flynn.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Flynn.”

Maggie forced a smile and continued on her way, trying to think calming thoughts and practice deep breathing. The last thing she wanted was to come off like a shrieking banshee. There were other ways to get the point across. She didn’t want to add to the office gossip.

And then Mrs. Flynn came in and she was screaming and yelling and acting like a crazy woman. It was scary.

Nope. No scary crazy woman here. Only a woman who was in complete control of herself and her anger.

At Zach’s door, she paused. Hearing voices, she knocked once quickly, then stepped inside, closing the door behind her. A giggling Amber sat on the edge of Zach’s desk, his hand up her skirt.

“Well, good morning. Glad you’re together so I can take care of all my business at one time.”

Zach went white and removed his hand so quickly Maggie was amazed it didn’t snap off at the wrist. Amber took her time turning to the voice but jumped off the desk the second she saw Maggie.

“Mrs. Flynn,” Amber stammered.

Zach looked terrified, as if he knew the boom was about to be lowered. He wasn’t wrong.

“You.” Maggie pointed a finger at Amber and spoke slowly and calmly. “You are fired. Your last paycheck will be mailed to you. And if I were you, I wouldn’t bother asking for a recommendation from anyone associated with this firm.”

“What?” Amber narrowed her eyes as if about to take Maggie on. “You can’t fire me.”

“Ahhh, Amber . . .” Zach stood but looked as if he were about to pass out.

“She can’t fire me. She doesn’t even work here,” Amber snapped.

“Maggie . . .” Zach took two steps in Maggie’s direction, and she stopped him right there with a sharp, “It’s Mrs. Flynn.”

“Mrs. Flynn.” Still the color of paste, Zach swallowed hard. “May I ask . . . ?”

Turning back to Amber, Maggie ignored him. “The FBI will be here to talk to you in . . .” Maggie glanced at her watch. “About another twenty minutes, which should give you enough time to clear out your desk and check in with HR.”

“The FBI? What are you talking about?” Amber looked at Zach as if for support. He was strangely silent, so she turned back to Maggie. “I haven’t done anything wrong. And I certainly haven’t done anything that would require the freaking FBI.”

“Au contraire.” Maggie’s smile was lethal. “You hacked into Grace’s computer and stole some files.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Amber smirked. “You have no proof.”

“Actually, we do have proof. Dates, times, and files copied and sent to your laptop.” Maggie folded her arms over her chest and tried to project a calm she did not feel. “You’re welcome to ask the HR rep about that. She’s already been given confirmation, which I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to share with you.”

“Amber . . . did you . . . ?” Zach came around the side of the desk slowly. “Tell me you didn’t . . .”

“You used the information you stole to go to Amy Spinelli,” Maggie continued, “and you ruined my daughter’s career. You can bet your ass we called the FBI.”

Amber’s mouth dropped open.

“Amber.” Zach grabbed her by the shoulders. “You’re a paralegal. You know that shit’s against the law. It’s a federal crime, for God’s sake. What the hell were you thinking?”

“I was thinking I wanted her out of our lives.” She pushed him away. “I hate her being here every day, giving me dirty looks. Watching every move I make, hoping I’ll screw up somehow.”

“Well, you did,” he said. “You screwed up big-time.”

“You did indeed.” Maggie nodded toward the door.

Amber wet her lips, apparently readying a plea. “Mrs. Flynn, if I could explain . . .”

“You may not. Out, now, or I will call building security to escort you down to HR. I would think you’d rather walk out of here and make your way to the office on your own, but it’s your choice.”

Her eyes flickered from Zach to Maggie and back to Zach. “I’ll see you at home,” she told him as she left.

“But maybe not for a while.” Maggie walked behind her to close the door.

“Mag . . . Mrs. Flynn . . . ,” Zach began.

“Please don’t. Just listen.” Maggie fought to keep her voice level, but it was a battle. “You’re going to need to look for a job. You should probably start today.”

“I can’t be fired for falling in love with someone,” he protested. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. It just . . . happened.”

“Right.” She nodded slowly. “The heart wants what the heart wants, and all that.”

He nodded, perhaps for a tiny moment thinking she understood.

“Well, Zach, I’ll tell you what my heart wants.” Maggie leaned a hip against his desk. “My heart wants my daughter to be happy. My heart wants her heart to have not been broken by you. My heart wants her life to be sane again.”

“I never meant to hurt her. And you can’t blame me for what Amber did. I swear I had nothing to do with that. I never would have let her hack into Grace’s computer.” He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple moving nervously above the knot of his tie. “Please, believe me. I’m not responsible for what Amber did.”

“I don’t hold you directly responsible for Amber ruining Grace’s career. But I do blame you for ruining her life.” Maggie was not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing all the ways his actions had affected Grace.

“I didn’t think she’d take the divorce as hard as she did.” He slumped in his chair, looking both confused and defeated.

Maggie laughed. “Really? Tell me how you thought she might take it.” She slipped into her Mama Bear persona and pinned him to his chair with her gaze. “Come on, Zach, we both know you never thought about how she’d feel when her husband of ten years openly cheated on her in her own home. And