by Reese Ryan
“She is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’m incredibly grateful to have her in my life,” Parker admitted. “But I had no idea things would end up this way. I did something extremely uncomfortable for the greater good of the family and the future of this company.”
“This is all a bunch of nonsense, Parker.” Their father’s face and cheeks were flushed, and his voice was strained. “I’m sorry that you somehow feel wronged because you weren’t the firstborn, but that’s just the way it is.”
“That’s not exactly true, either, son.” Their grandfather chuckled, rubbing a hand over his thinning gray hair.
“What do you mean, Dad?” Duke asked.
“You were an only child.” Joseph shrugged. “Not much competition there. You always knew that I was going to hand the company off to you. But what if you hadn’t been an only child? What if you’d been second or third in line? Maybe you’d see Parker’s argument differently.”
The room grew quiet as they considered his grandfather’s words.
They’d simply accepted that as firstborn, Blake was the one who’d be named CEO. Max had no doubt his brother would make a good CEO. But was he the best choice? It was a question he’d never considered. None of them had, except Parker, apparently.
“All right, Parker. Maybe you’re right.” Blake tapped the table, drawing everyone’s attention. “This isn’t some royal dynasty where birth order determines destiny. Nor do I want there to be any question about whether or not I deserved the position of CEO. I put a hell of a lot of thought into every hire I’ve ever made for this company. And I’ve never hired anyone—including Savannah—who I didn’t feel was the absolute best candidate for the job. I care enough about Grandad’s legacy to insist that the same care and effort be given to deciding who will one day replace Dad at the helm of this organization. So I agree that the decision should be merit based. And whatever choice Dad and Grandad make, I’ll stand behind it.”
The entire room fell silent. But no one seemed more surprised by Blake’s concession than Parker.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, this marshmallow of a man has work to do.” Blake stood, pushing his chair beneath the table and leaving the room.
They all sat in stunned silence, staring after him.
Did that mean Parker would be appointed the new company CEO? Max never had any qualms about working for Blake. But working for Parker? He wasn’t sure who’d want to strangle his brother first—him or Zora.
Parker’s mouth curved in a faint smile, as if he’d already achieved victory.
Zora folded her arms and stared Parker down. “If this is going to be a merit-based decision, that means the CEO–ship is open to any of us. That includes Max and me.”
“Max lacks the killer instinct, same as Blake,” Parker said flatly. “You have it in spades.” He shook a finger in her direction, and she smiled proudly. “But while I struggle to figure emotion into the equation, it’s nearly impossible for you to leave emotion out of any decision. With you, everything is personal.”
“You’re playing the emotion card because I’m a girl. How original,” she said mockingly.
“No, I’m stating a fact because you’re a hothead. The moment someone upsets you, you’re ready to key their car.” Parker stared at her.
He isn’t wrong.
“I might think it, say it, dream about it. Maybe even threaten it. But I haven’t keyed anyone’s car to date,” Zora argued.
They all stared at her and Duke raised an eyebrow.
“Okay, there was that one time. But that mofo totally deserved it.”
The room erupted into laughter before it settled into an eerie quietness again.
“This is something your grandfather and I hadn’t considered.” Duke glanced over at their grandfather. “So we’ll need to discuss the matter ad nauseam.” He stood, picking up the document Parker had prepared. “Don’t expect a decision on this anytime soon.” He pointed at Parker, then glanced around the room. “And no matter what, we’re a family first. I hope all of you will keep that in mind. Greed and ambition have been the downfall of entire societies. They can easily destroy a family and a company like ours.”
“Yes, sir,” Max said. “We won’t forget that. But if we are making the choice based on merit, Zora and I should be a part of the discussion, too. Regardless of what Parker thinks.” He narrowed his gaze at his brother.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way, son.”
“I do have one question,” Zora said to Parker. “This idea that you should be the CEO instead of Blake... Is Kayleigh behind it?”
They all regarded Parker carefully. He and Kayleigh were engaged now, but before then Kayleigh had hated their father, mistakenly believing he’d swindled her mother out of property once owned by her maternal grandfather.
She now knew the truth. Duke had been an anonymous benefactor to Kayleigh and her sister at the request of her now deceased mother. They’d embraced Kayleigh as part of their family. But maybe some residual animosity had prompted her to push Parker into making this power grab.
“No,” Parker said adamantly. “This is something I’ve been thinking about for at least a year. I wanted to do my research first. Then I was looking for the right time to bring it up. Seemed like after the anniversary party would be wise.”
Max stood. He’d heard all he needed to hear. He said goodbye to everyone and made his way back to his office.
“Ah...there you are, boss. The meeting didn’t go too well, huh?” Molly’s observation was more of a statement than a question. “Anyway, Quinn dropped by. She wants to know when you two can meet to go over some marketing ideas she has for your first event in two weeks.”
Max grunted. Before, he’d been irritated that he had to relinquish control of his pet project to someone else. And now that he had just as much of a shot at becoming CEO as any of his siblings, he resented having to share the spotlight on a project that could sway the decision his way.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Tell her I’m busy today. Maybe we can meet tomorrow afternoon.”
Molly frowned. She knew his schedule better than he did, so she was well aware that he could spare Quinn an hour or two. But she didn’t challenge him on it. She nodded, instead. “Will do. Can I get you anything?”
“No, thanks.” He forced a smile and closed the door behind him.
His father had been clear that working with Quinn wasn’t an option. But maybe he could change his mind.
Twelve
Quinn drove into town for lunch. Frustrated with Max’s sudden lack of communication, she needed fresh air and a change of scenery.
She’d been working on the project furiously and had lots of exciting ideas to pitch to Max. But he’d been nearly impossible to reach all week.
Something is definitely going on with him.
Every time she’d tried to phone him her call rolled over to voice mail. When he was in the office, his door was closed. And Molly, who’d previously known her boss’s schedule to the nanosecond, seemed utterly confused about when or if the man would ever have time to meet with her again.
Max was clearly avoiding her, and she intended to find out why.
As she entered the Magnolia Lake Bakery, Quinn inhaled the aroma of the delicious peach tartlets they served. She’d definitely be having one or two of those.
“Quinn!” Savannah grinned. “Kayleigh and I were just leaving. I’m sorry we missed you.”
“Me, too.” Quinn said. “I would’ve enjoyed the company.”
Quinn studied Savannah’s warm smile, her brain churning. She needed help tackling the situation with Max, and she wasn’t comfortable going to Duke, Grandpa Joe or her grandfather. It felt too much like tattling. But this deal was important to her family, and she wouldn’t allow Max to sabotage it.
“Savannah, if you have a few minutes, I’
d love to pick your brain about something,” Quinn said.
“Of course.” Savannah didn’t hesitate. “Let’s grab a seat. My back is killing me.”
“And that’s my cue to leave.” Kayleigh smiled. “Besides, I have orders to fill and lots of packing to do.”
Kayleigh hugged Savannah and bade them both goodbye before heading to her shop on the other side of Main Street.
“What’s going on?” Savannah asked as soon as they’d settled into a booth near the window. “Have you run into a problem planning the marketing materials?”
Quinn explained her dilemma with Max.
“It’s like he’s become a totally different person in the past few days,” Quinn said, wrapping up her concerns. “I’m not sure what I’ve done to tick the guy off.”
“It isn’t you, Quinn, so don’t take it personally.” Savannah’s hazel eyes suddenly seemed sad. “There’s a lot going on at KFD right now, and everyone is kind of on edge.”
That tracked with what she’d noticed over the past few days. It wasn’t just Max who seemed distracted. Zora and Blake seemed stressed. Duke and Grandpa Joe hadn’t been around that much. Only Parker seemed unaffected by whatever was bothering the rest of the family.
“Max probably just needs time to sort through what’s going on. You might actually miss the silence once things are back to normal,” Savannah joked.
“Everything is okay with Duke and Grandpa Joe, I hope.”
Savannah wasn’t going into detail, and she respected that. After all, she had secrets of her own.
Everythang ain’t for everybody to know.
Her grandmother’s words rang out clear in her head.
“Yes, they’re both fine,” Savannah assured her.
“Good.” Quinn was relieved. She genuinely liked both men. “And I get what you’re saying about Max needing time. The problem is we haven’t got much of it. Our first trade show is coming up soon.”
Savannah frowned. “That is a problem.”
She checked her watch, then climbed to her feet. “I have a meeting with a bride and her family at the barn, so I have to run. But I’d give Max until the end of the week. If he hasn’t come around by then, do whatever it takes to snap him out of it. If you need reinforcements, I’m prepared to ride shotgun.” Her warm smile returned.
Quinn thanked Savannah, hugging her as they parted ways. Then she ordered lunch, including a double order of peach tartlets.
She realized that Savannah’s allegiance was to the Abbotts. But Quinn liked her, and trusted that Savannah would keep her word.
So she’d take her advice and give Max a few more days to sort out whatever the hell was going on with his family. Then she’d put her foot down and do what she had to do to get this project back on track.
Because she needed to protect the interest of her family. And she wouldn’t allow Max Abbott to get in the way of that.
* * *
Max was searching the file cabinet beside his desk for a document he needed when his cell phone rang.
Quinn.
He sighed, letting the call roll over to voice mail.
The three voice mails she’d left in the previous days made it clear she was beyond pissed.
Max wasn’t exactly avoiding Quinn. He just didn’t have anything new to report. Or rather, he didn’t have anything he was ready to report to her since their last conversation. And since he’d been considering campaigns that went in a completely different direction from her idea, he needed to have everything in order before they spoke again.
It was after 5:00 p.m. on a Monday and it was turning out to be another long week.
There was a light tap on his closed office door.
“Come in, Molly,” he called without looking up from the file cabinet.
The heavenly floral and citrus scent that wafted into his office indicated it wasn’t Molly who’d entered.
Max turned around to see Quinn standing by his desk with one hand propped on a cocked hip and one eyebrow raised.
“Hello, Max.” She folded her arms. “I realize that you’re busy, but we need to talk.”
“Hey, Quinn.” Max cleared his throat and smoothed down his tie. “We do. I realize that. But now isn’t the best time.”
“Now is never the right time with you, Max.” Quinn inched closer. “It’s been over a week since we’ve had any traction on this project. Our first event is coming up soon, and there’s a lot we still need to work out.”
“Your concerns are valid, Quinn, and I promise to address them. But right now just isn’t the best time.”
“Look, Max, blowing me off in our personal lives, that’s your prerogative. I accepted it and moved on. Blowing me off on this project is reckless and unprofessional.” Her words came flying at him with increased speed and indignation. “This isn’t about what happened between us. Or you being mad that Cole and I are friends. Our family legacies are at stake here, and I—”
“Good evening, Quinn.” Zora stood up from the little table where she’d been sitting, blocked from Quinn’s view.
“Oh, my God.” Quinn’s eyes widened. She pressed her fingertips to her mouth. “I didn’t realize you two were in a meeting. I would never have... I’m sorry.” She returned her attention to him. “Max, we can continue this discussion some other time.”
“No, stay.” Zora’s tone was warm and understanding. She placed a gentle hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “We were just chatting. Nothing urgent. It sounds like the two of you need to talk. It’s been a long day, and I’m ready to head home. Good night, Quinn. Good night, Max.”
Zora gave Max a knowing glance, one that urged him to talk to Quinn. Something she’d been vocal about the past few days.
Don’t shut her out, Max. Just tell her the truth. She’ll understand.
Max clenched his hands in his lap as the door closed behind his sister.
There was a moment of heavy, awkward silence between them. Clearly, Quinn still hadn’t recovered from the embarrassment of Zora having heard her entire rant. And he wasn’t ready to say what he needed to say. But time was their enemy. He couldn’t put off this conversation any longer.
Max shot to his feet and shoved one hand in his pocket. He gestured with the other for Quinn to take Zora’s vacated seat and joined her at the table.
“I’m sorry.” They both spoke at once, each seemingly surprised by the other’s apology.
“I’m sorry I barged in on your meeting with Zora,” Quinn said. “I would never have done that intentionally, and I certainly wouldn’t have said the things I did about our past and about you and me and Cole. I assume she didn’t know about any of it.” Quinn tucked her hair behind her ear.
“Zora’s part-time job is minding the business of everyone else in the family,” Max said, only half-joking. “No, she didn’t know, but she did suspect there was something between us.”
“Which I just confirmed.” Quinn groaned. “God, that was idiotic of me.” She shook her head, then suddenly narrowed her gaze at him. “But I wouldn’t have felt compelled to take such drastic action if you hadn’t been acting like such a—”
“Ass?” He chuckled at her surprised reaction.
“I was going to say child.” She folded her arms. “But I’ll defer to your word choice because it’s also accurate.”
“I deserve that,” Max admitted, dragging a hand down his face. “Which brings me to the fact that I’m sorry, too. I know it seems I’ve been avoiding you for the past few days...”
“And you’re going to tell me you haven’t been avoiding me?” She arched her eyebrow and crossed one leg over the other.
His attention was drawn to the smooth brown skin of her toned legs revealed below the fitted, knee-length black skirt. Max was sure his heart was suddenly beating faster.
“Okay, so I have been avoiding you,” he admitte
d. “Mostly because my mood hasn’t been conducive to conversation. Nothing against you personally.”
“Mostly,” she repeated the word. “So tell me about the part that does have to do with me personally.”
He walked to the window overlooking King’s Lake—the sole source of water for their world-renowned bourbon.
Quinn followed him to the window. “Everything seemed fine between us and then suddenly it wasn’t.”
He turned toward her. “Everything is fine between us. I’ve been contemplating whether it’s the best use of resources for both of us to be working on the project.”
Quinn’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open. She clutched at her stomach, as if his words had caused her physical pain.
He hated being the cause of more pain for Quinn. But he hadn’t created this situation; Parker had. He was simply trying his best to play the hand he’d been dealt.
“We’ve been through all of this,” she reminded him. “My being here isn’t a commentary on how competent you are at you job, and this isn’t a competition.”
He folded his arms over his chest as he studied her.
Damn, she’s beautiful.
His breathing became shallow as he tried to ignore her delicious scent and the electricity that rolled up his spine being this close to her.
He couldn’t help remembering how good it had felt to hold her in his arms again on the dance floor at his parents’ party.
“Maybe it isn’t a competition for you, Quinn. But it is for me.”
“I don’t understand.” She stepped closer, tipping her chin so their eyes met. “Who is it that you feel you’re competing with? Certainly not me.”
“No.” He kneaded the knot at the back of his neck. Zora’s words echoed in his ears. Tell her the truth. She’ll understand. “I find myself in competition with my siblings.”
“For?”
“Cone of silence?” he asked.