What the hell was happening to him? Grayson was becoming just like the guy Alana was running away from. “I don’t need you to judge me, Jaxon. I need you to help me.”
Jaxon observed him carefully before he said, “From what I can tell, Alana values her privacy. She wants to prove she doesn’t need anyone’s help. I think she’d resent you trying to save her or protect her. She wants a man who’ll treat her like an equal, not a child who needs to be taken care of.”
Everything in Grayson told him that Alana needed his help, and he’d never turned his back on a friend or family member in need. She may be too proud to admit she needed him, but he saw the vulnerability every time he looked at her. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let go. A knock on the door caught both men’s attention.
Grayson called, “Come in.”
Bob poked his head in the door. “Oh good, you’re both here. I was wondering if I might steal a moment of your time?”
“Sure,” Jaxon said. “Come on in, Bob. What can we do for you?”
Grayson was in no state to discuss business, but Jaxon hadn’t given him a choice. Grayson struggled to get his head back in the game. In spite of his personal problems, they still had a business to run. “Is there a problem with Alana?” God help him, it always came back to her.
“No, no problem.” Bob sat next to Jaxon. “She’s working out great. In fact, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
Grayson and Jaxon exchanged a look before Grayson asked, “So this is about Alana?”
“It’s really about me,” Bob said, looking uncomfortable. “But Alana does figure into my decision.”
“What decision?” Jaxon asked.
“My plan was always to retire at fifty-five so the wife and I could travel.” He looked down at his hands. “My father worked hard all his life and died before he ever had a chance to do all of the things he talked about doing. I don’t want that to happen to me.”
“What are you saying?” Grayson asked, fearing his head might explode. Bob was a key player in their organization. They couldn’t afford to lose him. “You want to retire?”
“Yes.” He sighed before looking both men in the eye. “I’ve loved working here, and if Alana hadn’t come on board, I probably wouldn’t be bringing this up, since there was no one else on our team who’s management material. But Alana’s more than capable of taking over for me. Trust me, that one’s smart as hell. You’re lucky to have found her.”
You’re lucky to have found her. The words played like a chant in Grayson’s head. “When do you plan to leave, Bob?”
“I’d be happy to spend another month working alongside Alana to make sure she’s comfortable with the operation.”
“You know we wish you the best,” Jaxon said, offering Bob his hand. “You’ve been a valuable employee, and we hate like hell to lose you, but we respect your decision to move on to the next phase of your life.” When Grayson didn’t concur, Jaxon looked at him. “Don’t we, Gray?”
Next phase of life… Grayson was stuck on those words and the idea of the next phase of his life—a serious, committed relationship with Alana. “Yeah, of course we wish you well, Bob.” He stood to shake the man’s hand. “Thank you for everything. You were a godsend when we were trying to figure things out in the beginning. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
Bob chuckled. “I don’t know about that, but I sure do appreciate the praise. And I appreciate your understanding. I couldn’t have made this move without your blessing.” He looked from Jaxon to Grayson. “Would you like me to tell Alana about my plans—?”
“No,” Grayson said quickly. “I’m going to call a meeting with the other partners today. We’ll discuss our options, and if we decide to offer Alana the position, I’ll tell her myself.”
Bob nodded. “I honestly feel she’s the best person for the job. Frankly, she’s the only viable candidate on our payroll at the moment.”
“I understand,” Grayson said, walking Bob to the door. “Thanks for your input, Bob. Continue to train Alana as you have been until we tell you otherwise.”
“You got it, boss,” Bob said, before closing the door behind him.
“What was that about?” Jaxon asked. “Of course we’re going to offer Alana the job. Like Bob said, no one else is qualified.”
Grayson walked to the beverage cart to pour himself a glass of juice. He held up the crystal decanter, asking Jaxon if he’d like some. “I don’t want Alana to think we’re offering her the position because of how I feel about her.”
“So let me be the one to tell her,” Jaxon suggested.
“No, I want to talk to her about it.” Grayson wondered whether the added pressure and responsibility would be good for her. She struggled with anxiety and was trying to simplify her life, and he didn’t want the promotion to cause a tailspin. “You get the guys together. Obviously they need to be a part of this decision.”
“You got it,” Jaxon said, getting to his feet and buttoning his black blazer. “We’ll try for around noon in the boardroom. I’ll have lunch brought in.”
“Sounds good,” Grayson said. As if things weren’t complicated enough.
***
As promised, Jaxon had all of the partners gathered around the boardroom table by noon. Grayson had rehearsed what he wanted to say, but the words seemed stuck in his throat. He’d given hundreds of presentations, held hundreds of meetings, but that one was different. It felt personal, knowing they were discussing Alana’s future.
“You want me to start?” Jaxon whispered to Grayson when all eyes turned to him.
“Uh no,” Grayson said, clearing his throat. “I’ve got this.” He smiled at his friends. “So listen, guys, here’s the deal. Bob came to us today and announced that he’s retiring.”
“No way,” Brett Easton, their vice president, said. “Bob’s got another ten years, at least.”
“He doesn’t see it that way,” Grayson said. He’d expected his partners to be surprised. Now he just had to convince them Alana was the right person to take his place. “He said he and his wife have discussed it, and they’re anxious to move on to the next phase of their lives while they’re still young enough to travel and enjoy it.”
Grayson couldn’t say that he blamed Bob. An image of Grayson and Alana sailing around the world popped into his head. He could imagine her standing at the railing, her hair whipping in the breeze as the sun warmed her face. He could see her smile, hear her laughter as she snuggled into his arms.
“Grayson, did you hear me?” Brett asked, frowning. “I asked how long Bob’s giving us. When is he leaving?”
“He’s offered to stay long enough to train Alana,” Grayson said, clearing his throat. “He doesn’t think it’ll take more than a month to bring her up to speed, but he won’t leave us in the lurch. He was pretty clear about that.”
“Alana? That was the hot little blonde at Zach’s house yesterday, wasn’t it?” Brett nudged Dylan, grinning. “She’s a hard one to forget.”
“You’re tellin’ me.” Dylan chuckled. “Did you see her in that bathing suit? She was—”
“Can we get back to business?” Grayson curled his hands into fists on the table top. He didn’t miss his friends’ amused looks. Surely they knew she was more than just an employee to him. “Alana is qualified to take Bob’s place. In fact, she’s the reason he’s decided to retire now. He feels Alana is the perfect person to take his place.”
“Just what’s goin’ on between you and Alana, Gray?” Dylan asked. “Y’all sleepin’ together or what?”
“No,” Grayson said, trying to hold his temper in check.
“You sure about that? You looked pretty friendly to me.” Brett looked around the table, smiling at their partners. “You guys know what I’m talking about.”
None of them were stupid enough to agree with him, but they didn’t have to. They all turned expectant eyes to Grayson.
“I don’t see how that is any of your business,”
he said, staring each of them down.
“Come on now, Gray,” Dylan said. “You’re the one who’s always preachin’ to us about keeping it in our pants with the employees. Why should you get to break your own rules?”
Grayson knew he couldn’t expect them to look the other way while he started something with Alana that could put their company in jeopardy. Grayson felt his anger subside as he took a deep breath. “Honestly? I don’t know. I just know that she’s special.”
Dylan gave him a serious look. “You know I was just givin’ you a hard time, Gray. If you think this girl is…” He stopped just short of saying the one, but they all knew that’s what he was thinking. “We’ve all been playing the field a long time now, but we knew it wouldn’t last forever. We all wanna get married and settle down.”
“Speak for yourself,” Jaxon muttered. “I’m perfectly happy being single.”
“That’s ‘cause you’re a workaholic,” Dylan said, rolling his eyes. “You’re here before the rest of us and go home after the cleaning crew most nights, if you go home at all. Hell, I think there’s an imprint on the couch in your office from all the nights you’ve slept here.”
Grayson looked at Jaxon, waiting for him to come back with a sharp retort, but he just reached for his water glass. That’s when Grayson realized he didn’t want to be like Jaxon, with only his career to fulfill him. He wanted more.
“Back to this thing with Alana,” Zach said. “I think she’s a great girl. Me and Ren got a chance to talk to her yesterday, and she really seems to have it together. But it wouldn’t hurt for you to talk to legal. You know, just make sure you understand the ramifications if this thing doesn’t work out and she cries harassment.”
Grayson knew Alana would never do that, but if it put his partners’ minds at ease, he would walk down to their legal department later for some advice. “I’ll take care of it. About Alana taking over for Bob…”
“What’s her background?” Dylan asked.
“She was an accounting manager for Holmes Inc. in Sacramento for years. She knows what she’s doing.”
“Well, if you and Bob both think she’s the right person for the job, who are we to argue?” Dylan asked. “But do us all a favor and talk to legal about this now. Tell them y’all are seeing each other—assuming that’s what you’d call it?”
“Yeah,” Grayson said, clenching his teeth. He didn’t appreciate his friend’s implication, but he wasn’t going to argue the point in the middle of a business meeting. “I guess that’s what I’d call it.”
“Fine, tell them that and let them know we’re planning to promote her. See how they suggest handling it.”
As far as Grayson was concerned, there was nothing to handle. How far he and Alana chose to take their relationship was up to them. As long as none of their employees saw them flaunting it, he didn’t see a problem. “I said I’ll go see them as soon as this meeting is over. I’ll need to discuss her contract with them anyhow.”
“You haven’t talked to her about the position yet, have you?” Ryan asked.
“Of course not,” Grayson said, scowling. “Last time I checked, this business was run as a democracy, not a dictatorship. We all had to be on board with this decision before I talked to Alana about it.”
“I think it’s safe to say we’re all on board,” Zach said, rapping his knuckles against the table. “And if that’s all, I’ve got to get to practice. I’ll see y’all later.” He made his way to the door. “Anybody gonna be at the game tonight?”
A few of the guys said they’d be there, but Grayson had other plans. He wanted to invite Alana to his place for dinner so they could talk about the future.
Chapter Thirteen
Grayson stared at their lawyer, trying to hide his shock as he struggled to make sense of his suggestion. “Cal, you know I respect you, and I’ve always taken your advice, but this is crazy. I can’t ask Alana to sign a document stating that she’s entering an intimate relationship with me of her own free will and that I’m not offering any incentives relating to High Rollers.” He cringed just thinking about how she would react.
“I’m not just thinking of the company here, Grayson. I’m thinking of you too. You know me and your daddy go way back. I’d never forgive myself if I let some little opportunist take advantage of you.”
“Do you take me for an idiot?” Grayson asked. “Do you think I’ve gotten this far by being gullible? I had this girl checked out. I didn’t get this information from her.”
Cal raised his hands. “I meant no disrespect, son. I was just—”
“Being a condescending ass. I get it.” Grayson had never put Cal in his place before, so he expected the look of shock that crossed his face.
“I’m just trying to look out for you and High Rollers,” Cal said, straightening his silk tie. “I won’t apologize for that. Not only is it my job, but you boys are like my own sons. I don’t want to see any one of you get screwed.”
Grayson’s tone softened, but his words still held a hint of warning. “I appreciate that, but I’m not asking for your permission to be with Alana, and I won’t tolerate you disrespecting her. We clear on that?”
“Crystal.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll draft something and email it to you by tomorrow. If your girl isn’t looking to gain anything from this association, she’ll have no problem signing it.”
Grayson groaned. “Cal, that’s like asking the woman you love to sign a pre-nup on the eve of your wedding.”
He laughed, the crinkles around his eyes deepening. “You know I’d have those signed long before that.”
Grayson didn’t even want to contemplate those papers. He had enough problems. “I’ve got to get back to work.” He offered his hand. “I appreciate your time. I’ll think about what you said.”
Before Grayson reached the door, Cal said, “Gray, it’s not just you who’ll lose if this blows up in your face. Your partners are as heavily invested in this company as you are. Are you really willing to put their stake in this company on the line for a woman who may or may not be as sweet and honest as you think she is?” When Grayson turned to face him, Cal added, “I really hope you’re right about her, but don’t you owe it to your partners to make sure you’re all protected? If she’s not after anything, she won’t have a problem signing it, will she?”
Grayson knew better than anyone how much his friends had risked and sacrificed for their company. He wouldn’t have been able to live with himself if he put their business or friendships in jeopardy. “Fine. Email it to me ASAP, and I’ll ask her to sign it.”
“You’re making the right decision.”
Grayson hoped Cal was right. With all of the bad decisions he’d been making lately, he needed to make the right one.
***
“I’ve got what you asked for, Grayson,” Bernie said, waving a manila folder.
Grayson’s receptionist hadn’t been at her desk when he’d walked past it on his way back from Cal’s. Bernie must have thought he could make himself at home in Grayson’s office while he waited.
“There’s a lobby,” Grayson snarled. “You could have used it instead of storming into my office uninvited.”
“Sorry,” Bernie said, swiping a hand over his shiny bald head. “I got the impression you wanted this as soon as possible. If you’re busy with something else, I’d be happy to wait.”
“Just give me the damn offer.” Grayson scanned the document. “He stole it under power of sale. Why am I not surprised?” He walked around his desk and sank into his leather swivel chair as he reviewed the comparatives Bernie had compiled. “You think this is a fair offer? Have you seen the place? It needs a hell of a lot of work.”
“I got the impression you weren’t messing around. If you want to modify the offer, we certainly can. Whatever you’re comfortable with—you’re the one calling the shots.”
Grayson thought of Alana’s soiled carpets, stained walls, broken locks, and the cracked window he’d spotted. The place
wasn’t habitable, and that slumlord clearly didn’t feel an ounce of responsibility for the poor people in his building. He reached for a pen. “No, it’s fine. But I want the property management company to take care of this for me. No one, and I repeat no one, is to know I’m the new owner.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Bernie said. “I made the offer in your personal corporation’s name. No one could trace it back to you unless they’re digging pretty deep.”
Grayson scribbled his name on the appropriate lines. “Tell this guy I want an answer tonight, and if he drags his heels thinking he can get more money out of me, the offer’s off the table. We both know this is way more than that place is worth.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out,” Bernie said, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’ve been known to buy fixer-uppers in upscale neighborhoods, but this one seems way out of your wheelhouse.”
“A friend of mine just moved into this building,” he said, passing the offer back to Bernie. “She told me a lot of single parents and seniors live there. They’ve tried to get this guy to do the necessary repairs, and he won’t. That’s not right.”
“Sounds pretty altruistic. I’ve never known you to take on charity cases.”
Grayson didn’t know if he was referring to Alana or the building. Either way, he didn’t like the implication. “Why do you care? As long as the deal closes and you get your commission, you should be happy.”
“Yes, well…” Bernie was clearly at a loss for words. “I was just looking out for you. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad investment; it just doesn’t fit your profile. I always keep my eyes open for a very specific type of property, just like you told me to. I don’t understand how this one fits into the plan.”
“It doesn’t. Fortunately, I’ve made enough money to deviate from the plan when I want to.” Grayson stood, buttoning his gray suit jacket. “If you’ll excuse me, there’s someone I have to see.”
“Of course,” Bernie said, shaking his hand. “I’ll be in touch soon.”
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