COUNTERPOINT: AN INTERACTIVE FAMILY SAGA

It's getting closer! Counterpoint, the romantic family saga where you, the reader, tell me where the story should go next (ala http://www.AnotherWorldToday.com) will be published later this Spring. But, for now, please continue enjoying the sneak peek below!

Part #1

Part #2

Part #3

CHAPTER TWO

Victoria couldn't understand Robin's hostility. The Elizabeth Fund, named after Douglas Cooper's late wife, Robin's mother, was a philanthropic foundation established and administered by Cooper Shipping. They built schools, hospitals, old-age homes, orphanages. She wondered what precisely about the project Robin found worthy of such chilling anger.

"I wanted to speak to you about Gabriel Scott's clinic."

Robin gulped down the screwdriver and scowled, indicating he'd been expecting as much. "I'm not changing my mind."

Although Douglas had set up the Elizabeth Fund thirteen years earlier, following his wife's death, a substantial portion of the principle came from trust-fund money she'd left her son. As a result, even though Victoria reported to Douglas when it came to the daily operational details, Robin liked to put his two cents – rather, his approximately two hundred million cents – in, on issues like allocating grants. Or terminating them.

Victoria persisted, "Dr. Scott's clinic does wonderful, necessary work. I don't see why you would want to close such a worthwhile – “

"Oh, you don't, do you?" Robin slammed down his tumbler, and approached Victoria, managing to tower menacingly over her, despite standing a good two feet away. "Well, how about the obvious? Our funding Gabriel Scott's clinic is a conflict of interest."

"How?"

"Are you serious?" He took another step closer. Close enough for Victoria to feel the moist heat radiating from his body. Close enough for her to trace the rivulets of water dripping down Robin's throat, past both collarbones, and inside the bathrobe open-V of his chest. "You don't think it's a conflict of interest that Dr. Scott also happens to be your brother?" Robin managed to make the last word sound like a synonym for the lowest form of vermin.

"No," Victoria said. "I don't. Your father called Gabriel in Houston, and asked him to relocate to San Francisco and set up the clinic. I didn't come into the picture until later. Gabriel told Douglas he couldn't relocate. I was the only family he had, and he didn't want to leave me. Douglas looked at my resume, saw that I had a background in non-profits, and offered me another position he needed to fill, manager of the Elizabeth Fund. Gabriel getting the grant had nothing to do with me. It was just a lucky coincidence."

"Real lucky," Robin mumbled under his breath. Then, clearly, he informed Victoria, "Be that as it may, the Elizabeth Fund is my money. I can give it to anyone I want. And I don't want to give it to Dr. Gabriel Scott. There. End of discussion."

***

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