Read Twist of Fate for Free Online Page B

trouble paying its light bill next month. But at least I’ve still got the company. It was a near miss, Hannah. We were lucky to survive. I think I’m going to have to pay a hell of a lot more attention to the management end of things. It may be time to leave the technical development to others. I should never have let Accelerated Design become so vulnerable.”
    â€œHe never intended to take over the firm and run it. He only wanted to make a quick kill.” She touched the nearest of the yellow roses.
    â€œHe let us assume he intended a corporate raid and that’s exactly what we did assume,” Nick said quietly.
    â€œHe warned me about assumptions,” Hannah murmured. Her fingers closed around the rose.
    â€œDid you really go down there and talk to him about changing his career path?” Nick still couldn’t believe it. There hadn’t been time to argue about the trip after Hannah got back to Seattle. She’d been too busy checking into the hospital.
    â€œYou know me. A guidance counselor to the core. I really thought I knew what I was doing, Nick. I thought I had guessed what made him tick. Parts of him I could see quite clearly. But there are other elements in him that I couldn’t quite grasp.”
    Nick shook his head. “He’s hardly a liberal arts student floundering around looking for a career.”
    â€œI knew that.” She made an impatient gesture with her hand. “But I thought I could make him see that he wouldn’t be happy for long if he continues in his current direction.”
    â€œIf you ask me, he’s perfectly content with his current direction! It’s made him rich. For Christ’s sake, Hannah, whatever made you think you could offer guidance counseling to a man who thinks like a chess player?”
    The rose started to come apart in Hannah’s palm as she made a fist. “Just a feeling I had.” She opened her hand and let the disintegrated flower fall into the wastebasket beside the bed. “The toughest part about being a counselor, Nick, is finding out that a lot of people won’t take good advice. Not everyone wants to be put on the right path.”
    For the first time since Nick had entered the room, genuine amusement flared in his green eyes. “Well, at least I know for sure that you didn’t sleep with him in an attempt to get him to stop his takeover bid.”
    â€œWhat makes you so sure?”
    â€œThis is the mood you get into whenever one of your counseled students fails to go in the direction you wanted him to go. You start fretting and worrying about his future. That’s not quite the same way a woman scorned would act.”
    â€œHow would you know? Scorning a lot of women these days?”
    Nick started for the door. “Haven’t got time for it. I’m too busy trying to save Accelerated Design. I’m barely making time for my workouts at the club. See you later, Hannah.” He halted for a second, his hand on the door jamb. “Oh, by the way, Drake Armitage called me last night. He and his wife wanted to find out how you were getting along. I also got a call from the Andersons and the Barretts and a few others. You’ve got a lot of friends. Told them you’d probably be up to taking phone calls today and visitors tomorrow. That okay?”
    â€œThat’s fine, Nick. Thanks.”
    â€œArmitage and his wife have joined my athletic club. They work out regularly. That Vicky sure does something for a leotard. If they’d made anthro instructors like that when I was in college I might have changed my major.”
    â€œForget it,” Hannah said with grave authority. “Most of the really fascinating anthropological sites are not conveniently located near fitness clubs or Alfa Romeo mechanics.”
    â€œYou’d never guess Dr. Victoria Armitage didn’t have access to a good fitness club all year long. Great pecs on that woman. See you