The Bride He Took For Granted novel Chapter 55

The Bride He Took for Granted

Chapter 55

Landon ran a broad hand over Joan’s back, his breathing growing heavier.

He kissed her and lifted her onto the edge of the desk.

The cool surface made Joan shiver.

Even then, she hadn’t forgotten what she wanted.

She gave him a light push, holding him back just enough.

“Lynn wants to work at your company.”

Landon’s voice was husky.

“Tell her to come in.”

“No.” Joan looked at him. “I want her to get in the same way I did-on her own merit.”

Landon chuckled. Bracing his hands on either side of her, he looked down at her.

“So what do you want?”

“Let her submit a résumé and interview like everyone else. Just make sure your people are fair. If she’s the best candidate, hire07

Chapter 55

Landon narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Fine. We’ll do it your way.

He reached for the tie at Joan’s waist.

Just when Joan thought they were finally going to take things further, Ruth called and told Landon to come home.

Joan couldn’t hide her disappointment.

Landon, on the other hand, pulled himself together almost immediately.

“My dad’s been working out of state. He’s only home for one night, so I have to go back. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow night.”

What could Joan say?

Even if she asked him to stay, it wouldn’t make a difference. When it came to his parents, Landon almost always did what they wanted.

They had decided Elise was the woman he should marry, and even though he didn’t love her, he had never seriously gone against them.

Joan’s expression slowly cooled.

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If she really wanted to become Mrs. Carter, playing it safe clearly wasn’t going to be enough.

******

At Carter Manor, Ruth caught the scent of jasmine perfume the moment Landon stepped into Victor’s study.

She frowned.

“You still haven’t ended things with that woman?”

Landon shot back, “Why should I? Elise still hasn’t apologized.”

Ruth’s expression hardened.

Landon was in the wrong, but Elise had made her point at the wedding. How long was she planning to keep this up?

Did she really think Landon had no one else to marry?

Ridiculous.

She gave a cold smile and let the subject drop.

“Just don’t make it so obvious. Show some restraint, understand? And whatever you do, don’t get anyone pregnant. Your father and I will never accept a child you have with a goman like that.”

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The last time Joan had gotten pregnant, Landon had been drunk and careless.

If he had been sober, he never would have let things go that far. And afterward, Joan had ended the pregnancy, leaving him feeling even guiltier toward her.

“I know,” he said casually.

Ruth led him farther into the study.

Victor looked up from the documents on his desk when he heard them approach.

Years of being in charge had given him an authority he no longer

needed to assert.

The moment his sharp gaze landed on Landon, Landon instinctively looked away.

“Dad. You’re back.”

“Mm.”

Victor’s response was cool but not openly hostile.

He was only home for one night and had no intention of spending it tearing into his only son, so he kept the lecture brief.

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“The woman a man chooses says a lot about him. Don’t embarrass yourself by being seen everywhere with that woman.”

He paused.

“What Elise did at the wedding was out of line, but you were the one who crossed the line first.”

Landon nodded stiffly.

“Yeah. I understand.”

Satisfied that Landon wasn’t going to argue, and still irritated with Elise himself, Victor let the matter go.

Instead, he asked, “Is Elise still working at your company? She hasn’t mentioned resigning?”

“No. And she’s been doing excellent work.”

Ruth cut in. “She never really wanted to leave Landon. She probably made such a scene at the wedding because none of us stood up for her.”

Ruth knew she bore some responsibility for what had happened.

Victor had been busy at the time, so he had left it to her to deal with the college girl Landon had gotten involved with and get her out of Los Angeles.

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But Ruth had always thought Elise was sensible and composed. She had assumed Elise wouldn’t make an issue of Landon

having a little fun before marriage, so she had never followed through.

She hadn’t expected Elise to stay quiet until the wedding, then blow everything up in front of everyone.

After that, even Victor had been disappointed in her.

He never brought up sending Joan away again.

The truth was, Ruth had never been particularly eager for Landon to marry Elise in the first place.

For years, she had been thinking about introducing him to the daughter of an old classmate who lived overseas.

Lost in thought, Ruth forgot Landon was still in the room and

turned to Victor.

“Honey, you can’t just let Elise off the hook because of what happened back then.”

Victor’s brows drew together immediately.

Ruth realized what she had said and stopped short.

bandon looked between them.

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“Back then? What happened?”

Ruth’s eyes flickered. Then she forced an awkward laugh.

“Oh… I meant your engagement.”

She hurried on before he could ask anything else.

“This whole thing started because of your father. He met Leonard and Sharon at a business conference years ago. They made such an impressive couple that he joked that if they ever had a daughter around your age, the two families should have you two get married someday.”

“And then Elise was actually found and brought back. Your father took it as fate. That’s why he became so determined to have you marry her.”

That story was hardly a secret.

Landon had heard it before, so he didn’t question her.

Ruth quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

What had really happened back then was something Victor, Leonard, and Sharon had never dared talk about.

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