Husband in Time For the Holidays

By Kara Abbington

When the opportunity to work with Stephen Boone full-time came along, Kate eagerly accepted it.  He was smart, funny, and completely dedicated to the project.  He was also the sexiest man she’d met since her husband had died a decade earlier.  Working alongside Stephen stirred emotions she’d thought were dormant and Kate decided that maybe her new life in a new city could include a hot new romance.
Kate Roberts incited racy thoughts in Stephen’s mind, the sort of thoughts he hadn’t really had about a woman in several years.  As a widower with three young children, romance had been the last thought in his mind…until Kate walked in to his office and he was smitten.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kara Abbington
• Release date: Sep 27, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386523765

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

I can do this.  I can totally do this.

Kate Roberts moved from the baggage area towards where Stephen Boone’s assistant was supposed to be waiting to whisk her off to first her new apartment, then the office where she’d be working.  Her three bags weren’t heavy, just rather cumbersome to maneuver.  She pushed her way through the crowds and towards the lobby area.  The crowd thinned sharply the closer she got to the lobby and Kate slowed her pace, feeling the need to draw out these first moments here.  Maybe it was silly, but she felt like she was embarking on an adventure into the great unknown.  Her legs were even shaking a little, which made walking in her high-heeled boots a risky endeavor.  Perhaps the boots had been a bad idea.  Cute, but bad.

She’d dressed with care for her early flight and first day, in a suit and her favorite high-heeled boots.  Her hair had more product in it than it usually did and was behaving somewhat.  Normally, she had to just add product to her curls and hope for the best.  Today, those curls were behaving.  An omen perhaps?  It’d be nice if this first day went well.

Nervousness made her feel a bit sick to her stomach and she swallowed hard.

This is ridiculous, Kate thought.  I’m thirty-nine.  Okay, forty.  Just.  A few months back.  Why am I so nervous?

She had some experience.  She’d done some time on a few short-lived series over the years.  Never as high up as this position put her, however.  Her schedule hadn’t been as crazy as she knew it probably would be.  And it wasn’t like she hadn’t been acting as Stephen’s Chicago office liaison when the man she was replacing, Devon Winterborne, had had a nervous breakdown.  She’d been talking to Stephen for long months now, assisting him in cleaning up the mess Devon’s sudden breakdown had caused.  It wasn’t like she was starting a new job because, technically, she’d taken over some of Devon’s position months ago.

Except she really was starting a new job.  That’s what this came to really.  Moving to the east coast was a complete upheaval of her life.  When the opportunity to officially work on this show had come up, Kate had jumped at the chance.  She’d loved the idea for the show and still did.  She could see the many different plot opportunities Stephen had available in the threads that were there.  Moving here was merely putting her right where the actual action was instead of stuck behind a computer screen in Chicago where the Mathers’ offices were.

She was going to be busy.  Stephen had warned her.  Everyone had warned her.  This job wasn’t for the faint of heart.  It required dedication and mental and emotional stamina.

Kate took a deep breath.  The air even smelled different in this airport than in O’Hare, but she couldn’t quite pinpoint the difference.

Busy she could do.  Kate was good at being busy.  She’d always been good at the busy end of life.  When Ian, her husband, had died, she’d had to get a handle on being super busy fast.  She’d had a child to raise and a career to continue and Kate had tried to give Emmy, her daughter, the best life possible.

With her thoughts momentarily on Emmy, she paused and took out her phone, checking for messages.  She’d gone low-tech on her flight, catching up on some casual reading in an effort to keep herself calm and distracted.  Normally, Kate didn’t have too much time to read for pleasure and she’d enjoyed the chance to read one of the light chick-lit books Emmy, her daughter, had given her.  She’d been trying to read it for months and finally made a dent.  In another year, she might actually be able to finish it.  She suspected it’d be a year, too.  Stephen had already warned her several times that she’d have little time to catch her breath at first because they moved at a fast clip to get things done in the day to day. 

There was one message waiting.  From Emmy.

‘Have a great first day, mom!  I know you’ll totally rock this job because you’re a rock STAR!  Love you!  Guess what?  I’m not gassy today!’

She smiled, some of the tension in her shoulders easing as she tried to hold back a snort of laughter.  Emmy had some...issues communicating sometimes.  She tended to be overly concerned with her gastrointestinal system.  The preoccupation had started right after Ian died and was showing no signs of going away.  Kate had done what she could to calm Emmy’s anxieties, but that was simply where any stress hit her: straight in the gut.  She actually did have some minor problems, but once her anxiety took over, Emmy’s mild problems became bigger ones.  Emmy tended to keep a careful watch on her diet, checking her fiber intake through an app on her phone and iPad, and making sure she got enough water and exercise to keep things moving properly.

Still, Kate wished that Emmy wouldn’t update everyone around her on it all the time.  She would cheerfully tell total strangers about her gastrointestinal troubles, rather like a few little old ladies Kate had once known.  When she’d said as much to Emmy, Emmy had grinned and said, ‘I’m practicing for when I get old then!  I should be a pro by that time!’

Kate tried to decide if she should answer, then decided against it, sliding the phone back into her bag, and starting forward again.  Wearing these boots on the flight had been a terrible idea.  They were starting to pinch a little.  Should she stop and change into a different pair?  All she had in the one suitcase was a pair of flats that didn’t go with this suit.

Ms. Roberts!

She looked up, searching for the owner of that voice.  It belonged to a young woman, her arm raised and waving at Kate.  She was tall, slim, and blond, dressed in business casual, a lanyard with her identification card on it around her neck.  Her pants and jacket were on-trend and the glasses she was wearing were an exact match to the ones Emmy wore.  That cat’s eye shape seemed to have been popular among younger women the past months.  Her features were sharp, her brows a fine arch.  She was grinning and looked far too wide awake for the early morning hour.  Kate had needed to be at the airport early for her flight, not to mention she’d lost an hour going east. 

Yes?

Hi, I’m Samantha.  I’m Stephen’s second assistant.  I’ll be filling in as your assistant until you hire someone.  She held out one hand for Kate to shake, the other lifting the lanyard so Kate could study it.

Nice to meet you.  Stephen has two assistants?  He hadn’t mentioned that.

Likewise.  He does.  We’re insanely busy.  Jack is his first assistant.  You’ll meet him later.  He’s out right now as his wife is currently giving birth.  Twins.  So amazing!

The birth, twins, or Jack?  Kate didn’t ask.

There’s a car waiting if you’ll follow me.  Do you need help with your bags?  Are there more?  I already made sure everything you shipped ahead is at the apartment ready to be put away.  I checked the master list you emailed and they all did come in.  It looks like they remained sealed properly during shipment, too.  I checked.

Thanks.  Stephen had told her to ship to his office and he’d have someone take the boxes to the apartment for her.  Apparently, that someone had been Sam.  I just have these for now.

I can take one if you like?

Kate handed her the lightest of the three and they walked out of the airport and over to a car.  How long have you worked for Stephen?

I’m new this year, but I love it!  It’s all so fascinating.  I’m learning so much!  And it’s a bonus that I’m a morning person and don’t need much sleep!

Good.  Kate could hear the exclamation points after every other sentence or so.  Samantha was exceptionally enthusiastic and bubbly, so much so that Kate cynically suspected chemical assistance.  That is a bonus.  Kate herself was a morning person.

Samantha chatted the entire way to the apartment building, pointing outside on occasion to restaurants and buildings.

Kate was glad to let her talk.  It gave her a chance to relax a bit and prepare herself for what she assumed was going to be a long day.  How could it not be a long day?  They were starting filming this week so she was jumping right into that end of the frying pan.

The traffic was as horrendous as Chicago, she noticed, the cars inching along in some places and lurching forward in others.

Eventually, the car slowed and pulled over.

This is us, Samantha stated and climbed out, stepping back to the trunk.

Kate followed. 

Their driver, Gerry, opened the trunk and handed out Kate’s luggage.  He was a large man, whose uniform strained a bit when he moved.  Here you go, Ma’am.

Ma’am.  Kate cringed a bit inside, but she was getting used to being called that.  It had started happening more and more back when she’d hit thirty-five.  Thank you.

You’re very welcome.  I’ll wait here.

Samantha led her into the building and across a polished tile floor towards the elevators.  The lobby had a touch of old world glamour in the tile and the paint choices, but a closer look revealed that it was a bit worn.  The glamour was fading, yet still rather pretty.

Nice building.

Popular building, Samantha corrected once they were in the elevator.  We’re not far from the office and studio.  We could actually walk, but I thought you’d much prefer to drive your first day.

Driving is fine.

The elevator stopped several floors up, Samantha taking her down on long hall and turning right.  Around the corner, she fitted a key into a lock and opened the door.  It’s fully furnished and I made up the bed for you so you don’t have to worry about that before you go to bed tonight.  The towels are all in the bathroom, too.  I used the box that was marked as sheets and towels in the master list you sent.  The young woman suddenly seemed distressed, her eyes opening wide.  Oh my gosh, I forgot to ask first!  I hope that was okay?

It’s fine, Sam.  I’d likely be sleeping on a bare mattress with a blanket pulled over me if you hadn’t.

Oh, good.  I’m so sorry.  I just got to thinking that you might not have time —

No, really.  It’s okay.  Don’t think of it again.

You’re sure?

I am.  Relax.

She blew out a relieved breath.  Thanks!  I can show you where the nearest grocery is and the laundry facilities if you like, or you can explore on your own.

Do you live here, too?  The apartment wasn’t large and Kate hadn’t expected it to be.  She took a fast, quick tour.  The door led into a short hallway.  On the left was a closet.  Immediately to the right was a galley kitchen, that had a small table at the far end.  On the other side of the kitchen was the living room, also accessed from that eating area.  Her boxes were stacked along the wall.  The bathroom was at the end of the short hallway and the last door, on the left, led into the bedroom. 

At least it wasn’t decorated in shades of gray.  Gray would be depressing.  Instead, the walls were a creamy white.  There were plain blinds on the windows.  She set her bags on the bed.  The furnishings were sparse, but far more than she’d expected.  She’d be comfortable enough until she could do something a bit more permanent. 

Oh, no.  I live blocks and blocks away.  I share my apartment with two other girls.  But I know the area.  I grew up not far from here.  It’s a fairly nice area.  Older, but nice.

If you could show me where the basics are that’d be great.  Grocery, good coffee shop, laundry facilities....

Not a problem.  Love to.  Would you like to stop and have lunch or go straight to the office?

While lunch was tempting, Kate wasn’t really hungry.  She checked her Fitbit for the time, then remembered she hadn’t changed the timezone yet and added an hour.  Should she go ahead and eat or wait?  After a minute of assessing, she decided she could wait.  If it turned out she didn’t have time for a proper lunch, she had a protein bar in her purse.  I’m not quite ready for lunch.  Maybe head to the office?

Sam handed her the keys and led the way back down to the car.

The office was not on one of the main streets, but on a side street that wasn’t quite as busy.  Kate’s nervousness began to dissipate, an anticipation setting in.  This was going to be a good decision, she could feel it.  Walking into the lobby felt, oddly, like coming home. 

CHAPTER TWO

Today was the day.

Stephen Boone tidied his desk, putting away all non-essentials and straightening the pictures of his kids.  He glanced at the door, then over at the other desk that he’d had brought in.  It made the room seem a lot smaller, but he didn’t really care.  It wasn’t like he spent much time in here anyway.  He preferred to be out in the building monitoring as much as he could and most of his daily meetings were in other areas of the building.  Only occasionally did he hold meetings in here. 

He’d had some essentials brought in, such as a computer, basic office supplies, and an extra waste paper basket.  That area looked rather impersonal now, but he was sure Kate would personalize it.  Women usually did.

He cast a glance back at his own desk and the area around it.

His own space was fairly bare of personal items.  He had pictures of his kids, a couple small gifts they’d given him, and an inspirational poster his mother had thought would brighten the wall behind his desk.  There’d been a plant on his desk at one point, but it had died when he’d forgotten to water it.  A gardener he definitely wasn’t.  He’d managed so far to pawn off the other plants his mother dropped off onto other people in the offices.  It was better that way.  He always claimed that he’d placed them around the office so everyone could enjoy them.  His mother continued to bring greenery whenever she came to visit, blissful in her ignorance of his failing as a gardener.  She was an avid one and assumed he’d inherited her leanings. 

He glanced down at his watch.  Sam would be picking up Kate from the airport about now, so he had some time before she arrived at the office.

There was a knock on the door, Jolene Gentry peeking in.

Stephen waved her in.  Hey.  What’s up?  Jolene was one of the actresses on the show and a family friend, so close she was like a second sister to him.  She was his sister Alexa’s best friend and regularly babysat his three kids.  She was dressed in skinny jeans and a