Hitched (Imperfect Love Book 1) by Kendall Ryan Read Free Book Online

anymore. By the time he admitted defeat, the problem had reached do-or-die proportions. I’m not angry with him for that, because I know I wouldn’t have done any different. We’re cut from the same proud, stubborn cloth.
    Dad puts down his barely touched coffee with a soft clunk . “I’m not going to be around forever, sweetie.”
    I look up, startled at the topic change. He suddenly looks so haggard, it breaks my heart.
    “I . . . I know that, Dad, but—”
    “You marrying Noah isn’t just for the company’s sake. Who cares about a company if my little girl is unhappy? I trust Noah to take care of you.”
    “I don’t need taking care of,” I say automatically.
    “Everyone needs someone around. I’m not talking about money or power . . . I’m talking about love. A listening ear, a shoulder to cry on. A partner who shares life’s burdens. If I know you have that, sweetie, then I can rest a lot easier.”
    I swallow a lump in my throat, washing it down with hot coffee. I don’t want to think about Dad resting.
    “Despite everything, I still believe that you and Noah belong together,” Dad continues. “You were made for each other. And you’ll need each other’s strength for what lies ahead. Bill Tate’s will has just given things a little push in the right direction.”
    I look down into my mug, the dark liquid glinting under the fluorescent lights. “This still just feels so . . . unreal. I have no idea what to expect. What’s it like to be married?”
    I’m not even sure what kind of answer I want to hear. What cute anecdote or pearl of wisdom could possibly reassure me. Everything will be okay. Marriage won’t swallow up your whole life. You can still be yourself—a businesswoman first and a wife second.
    “Well, in my experience, it was wonderful.” Dad smiles fondly. “Your mom was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. My rock, my sunshine, my best friend. We weren’t two halves of a whole, we were each our own person, and that’s what made us so amazing when we joined together.” He shakes his head. “I’m no poet, so all I can say is . . . it was magic.”
    Magic, huh? I’ll have to take his word for it. My only long-term boyfriend turned out to be a manipulative narcissist, and I’ve never gotten close enough to any other man for the kind of deep bond that my father is trying to describe.
    Dad leans forward in the chair, elbows on his knees and fingers steepled. “I know the circumstances are far from ideal, sweetie. But try to at least give Noah a shot. I’d never put you in a situation I didn’t think you could handle. You’re my baby girl . . . I just want to see you with a good man. And that man is Noah.”
    I don’t quite share Dad’s glowing opinion of Noah. Not yet—although hopefully that will change by the end of this month. But I remember how fiercely he cares about Rosita and her family’s welfare. There’s no mistaking the strength of his conviction.
    If nothing else, I know I can count on Noah to step up to the plate and fight for T&C. I can trust him to work just as hard as I will. Which is good, because we’ll be spending the next three months in Overtime Hell together.
    At least I’ll have some eye candy to ogle during all those late nights at the office. But now that I know about that telephone pole between his legs, I don’t know how I’ll ever look at him the same way.
    Heaven help me.

Chapter Seven
    Noah
     
    You know how men are supposed to be more direct and forceful, while women are gentler and more attuned to emotions? That’s horseshit. As business partners, Olivia and I blur gender stereotypes. I’m the “face,” the charismatic people-pleaser, while she’s the get-shit-done powerhouse. Playing to our strengths lets us divide and conquer.
    Of course, it doesn’t hurt that men—especially stodgy, rich old farts—tend to listen better to other men. I can close deals over a round of golf, woo male and female clients