Risking the Vine (Romancing the Vine Book 1)

by Gemma Brocato

  While the average was five percent, Brian’s reduction came in the highest at fifteen percent. Luke was pretty sure the personal pay cut was motivating his boss’ aggression.

  Luke jammed his hands into his pockets to keep from reaching for Brian’s throat. Of course the dickhead would be concerned about his own pay. “We polled the staff before we ever began the talks with the union and every one of them agreed to the pay cut. We’d stand to lose better than forty percent of our revenue if the medical staff went out on strike. The way I see it, I didn’t fry up your bacon. I saved it.”

  “The board agreed to hire you because of your reputation as a negotiator.”

  “A reputation I lived up to during these contract talks.” Luke narrowed his eyes and stared Brian down. “We managed to avert the strike, a feat you went out of your way to make damned hard. What, you thought I’d negotiate in favor of management’s side? The only thing I was interested in achieving with these talks was the ongoing success of St. Simeon’s. I believe I accomplished that particular goal.”

  “I disagree. And I’m sure the board will also. As soon as I speak to them, I predict your services will no longer be required. Our attorney is drawing up a separation agreement.” Brian pivoted to stare out the window.

  The damn jackass couldn’t even make eye contact while telling a valuable employee he was going to be fired.

  “I have a contract.” Luke squashed the anger rising in his gut. He’d expected this, but it was still a shock. He’d gone above and beyond in the time he’d been here. The staff liked him, and he was fucking great at his job. “Breaking that will cost you even more money.”

  Brian pushed off the wall, but didn’t move away from the door, as if afraid to approach Luke at the table. “Your contract will be taken into consideration when we draw up the papers. Seriously, Rossi. What did you think would happen? That the board would just roll over when they find out you jacked around with executive compensation? And what about the doctors? Your bonus cuts affect them, too.”

  That was bullshit. Luke had an email message trail where the doctors’ ombudsman suggested the cuts as a way to contribute to the bottom line. Luke had shared the proposed offer with the board and the professional staff. Not a single one of them had said no. And the percentage cut was tiered so the docs would hardly notice their bonuses were a bit less.

  Luke crossed his arms over his chest. “Wouldn’t the board rather see the nurses compensated justly? I thought that was the directive they sent three weeks ago. We’d have started in a better negotiating position if the arrogant doctors had behaved like professionals around the medical staff. That’s what brought this to a head.”

  Brows lowered over glaring eyes, Brian raised his voice. “Don’t bring the doctors into this discussion. In fact, don’t say anything else. I’m convening an emergency meeting of the board on Monday morning. I’d do it this afternoon if all the members were in town. You’ll be informed of our decision.”

  He raised his left arm and made a show of checking his watch. “You should consider clearing out your office. I don’t believe you’ll occupy it for much longer. Oh, and I need your proposed budget for the accounting staff’s compensation package. We’ll be examining it very closely. I believe there were some irregularities.”

  No fucking way. The jackass thought Luke was cooking the damn books? Frustration reared its ugly head in the form of a curse Luke couldn’t keep from blurting out. Which earned him one final scowl before Brian jerked opened the door and scurried out without another word.

  Luke dropped his chin to his chest and expelled a harsh laugh. This entire week was all jacked up. He’d worked like a dog, not just at the bargaining table, but helping out on the wards. He hadn’t had more than three hours of sleep during the negotiation phase. And he’d finished a new budget to present to the board for a vote in record time. Getting that ready had cost him and his staff twelve-hour days.

  Four extra hours for three days of his life that he could have spent with Jac. All because Brian Evert decided playing hardball was not a dick move.

  I’ve sacrificed enough, goddammit. It ends now.

  He shoved his laptop into the case; crammed his spreadsheets into a side pocket. He focused on the table littered with pens, crumpled papers, dirty water glasses, and coffee cups. “Fuck it. Housekeeping will clean it up.”

  At least he did stop by the coffee maker in the corner. As he flipped off the power switch, the grow-hair-on-your-chest aroma from the already burned brew slapped him in the face. The smell alone was enough to make him quit drinking coffee forever. As he snatched his briefcase from the table, the conference room door eased open.

  The Director of Nursing, Roberta Fleming, stood in the door. “Got a second, Luke?”

  Christ, now what? A vein in Luke’s forehead throbbed angrily to life. If she wanted to bitch about the agreement, he thought his head might just explode. She’d probably lurked in the hall, waiting for Evert to leave so she could take her swing at haranguing him.

  Huffing out a breath, he said, “I was just on my way out.”

  She didn’t take the hint. A quiet snick filled the air as Roberta pushed the door closed. The heels of her shoes scuffed on the tiled floor as she sashayed across the room. “I wanted to thank you for everything you did for my staff during these negotiations.”

  Luke blinked hard and dropped his briefcase onto the nearest chair. It wasn’t even close to what he’d expected her to say. “You’re welcome. At least you appreciate the effort.” He slanted his gaze away from her earnest expression.

  “Uh-oh. Evert threatened your job, didn’t he? I could tell he wasn’t happy with what was unilaterally a fair agreement.”

  “I’ll deal. They hired me for my negotiating skills. I’ll work it out.” Luke despised the note of forced confidence he heard in his own voice.

  She stepped forward to rest her hands on the back of the chair across from him. “You know, I’ve watched the events of this past week unfolding. I’ve seen everything you’ve done to help out. You’ve pitched in on the wards, and I’ve heard through the grapevine that after you finished your fill-in shifts, you retreated to your office to work some more on the bargaining agreement.”

  “I’ve only done as much as any other management employee.”

  Her laughter was derisive. “Not all of them. I didn’t see Evert on the line or in the office, slaving through late hours with you. He shot a ten over par on the golf course Saturday evening, and ordered filet and a bottle of white for dinner, according to my sources.”

  Of course he’d gone out to play while there was work to be done. The snort that had built for the better part of the past five minutes finally escaped. “Really? White? Everyone knows you order red with steak.”

  Roberta laughed and waved a hand as if dismissing his boss as inconsequential and inconvenient. Maybe incompetent would be another ‘I’ word to describe him. “Brian’s leisure pastimes are not what I wanted to speak to you about. As part of the process for hiring you, I’ve read your résumé. I was impressed.”

  “No idea where you’re going with this, Roberta.”

  “Ever think about being a Duck?”

  Luke laughed. “Only when it rains.” He was still unsure what she was trying to say.

  “A friend of mine is the administrator at the University Health Center. They serve students at the University of Oregon. The Ducks, you know?” At his blank expression, she shrugged and continued. “Anyway, the health center is hiring a new CFO. There will also be some teaching opportunities associated with the job. You came to mind.”

  “In Eugene?” This could be the answer to his dilemma. If St. Simeon’s broke his contract, he’d be a free agent. He could go anywhere he wanted. And with the kind of severance settlement he planned to negotiate, he’d have time to make up his mind.


  If he took a job in Eugene, he’d be with Jac. At the moment, being with Jac topped his list of priorities. Certainly the prospect of being able to teach again just sweetened the appeal of a job as a Duck.

  “Yep. I kind of figured once our agreement was ironed out, you might be in a position to have to find a new job.” Roberta’s observation stopped Luke’s wandering thoughts dead in their tracks.

  “How’d you figure?” he asked.

  “History repeats itself around here with entirely too much frequency. Brian fired the last CFO to negotiate a union contract. Too bad you accounting types aren’t union. Your jobs might be a bit more secure.”

  “Well, shit. I’d have expected this outcome if I’d known that. Probably not the kind of info Evert would share with prospective candidates.” Would the knowledge have changed Luke’s decision to relocate here? Maybe. But he’d never have met Jac if he’d known. And meeting her might be the luckiest thing to have happened to him.

  Rebecca shifted her weight to one leg and jutted her chin. “My take, after years of working with him, is that Brian Evert is selfish. And a selfish man would never share anything capable of making him seem less than . . . well, attractive, for want of a better word.”

  Damn straight the bastard was selfish. He’d more than amply displayed the trait during the negotiations, with all his digs about the bonus structure modification. It wouldn’t do Luke any good to mention that now. “No comment.”

  “There’s another thing I like about you. You’re discreet.” A smile stretched across Roberta’s face, lighting her pale blue eyes and creasing deep lines into the skin around them. “What I wanted to ask is whether you’d mind if I forwarded your qualifications to Dan, my friend at the health center.”

  “Actually, I believe I’d like that. I’m wondering why I haven’t heard anything about this on my association’s loops. Normally, this kind of plum opening would be all over the place.”

  “Job isn’t listed yet. They’ve held off.” She drummed her fingers on the chair and studied her feet before meeting his gaze again. “The truth is, I’ve already sent the résumé I had. They’re holding off listing it until they knew the outcome of our talks.”

  “What?”

  “I like you, Luke. I like your work ethic, the way you interact with staff. The way you’ve handled yourself in this situation. I figured Evert would stay true to form and cut you loose once everything was over and done. He is such a d-bag,” she snorted, then covered her mouth and continued with a sheepish tilt to her lips. “I want to see you land on your feet. Especially since I’ll be joining the OU health center next month as their new Director of Nursing. I’d kind of like to keep you in my corner.”

  He couldn’t help it. Luke’s chest puffed up like a helium balloon. “Really, you’re leaving too?” There, he’d admitted he was out of here. Even if the board opted not to fire him, he’d break the contract himself for an opportunity to live in Eugene with Jac.

  “Yeah. I haven’t handed in my resignation letter yet, but my last day will be in mid-October. I wanted to stay through the contract negotiations to make sure my nurses got the best deal. They did. Now I’m outta here.”

  Her dedication to seeing her staff get a livable deal made Roberta a freaking great D.O.N. in Luke’s opinion. “And the University Health Center has my résumé?”

  Roberta nodded. “Yes. I’m driving up next week, if you want to go with me. Dan told me he’d clear his calendar if you’re interested enough to make time for him.” She dug in the pocket of her white lab coat and pulled out a business card, offering it to him. “Give him a call, then let me know.”

  Luke studied the bold green and gold lettering on the card. He lifted his eyes to find Roberta with a triumphant expression on her face. He smiled. “Thanks. I’ll call him. If you speak to him before I have a chance, please let him know I’m interested. Very interested.”

  “I will. Now, I’ll let you go, because I know you’re dying to get to work. Highly motivated to make Brian resemble the jackass he is by taking the high road.” She paused. “Hey, Luke?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thanks again for everything you’ve done for the nurses of St. Simeon. I’ve enjoyed working with you here, and I’m eager to continue working with you.”

  A cheery whistle eased from Luke as he grabbed his briefcase. He strode across the room and followed Roberta from the conference room.

  For the first time in two days, Luke found he had a positive outlook on his future prospects. Personal and professional.

  Chapter 24

  Jac nudged the moving box with her toe and sent it under the kitchen table. Good thing it was lightweight, holding just linens and plastic containers. She straightened for the first time in the past hour and arched her back, easing the kinks that had developed as she’d boxed up the contents of her kitchen. It was Tuesday evening, and with Luke out of town, she’d hit the grocery store and cleaned out their supply of cardboard to start packing up her life in Medford.

  There seemed to be a war going on inside her. Part happy to start her new career, part unhappy to face the separation from Luke necessary to move on. She still marveled at how quickly her love for the man had grown. They’d spent the whole weekend together, and tears had built behind Jac’s eyes after he’d left Sunday night. She even missed the mysterious, secretive smile she’d come to expect whenever he thought she wasn’t looking.

  She’d asked him what was up, only to have him distract her with a kiss each time. Kisses that led to much more. In spite of the stiffness in her back, thinking of their lovemaking sessions melted her bones as heat rushed through her body.

  From the next room, Bella hollered, “Are we done yet?”

  Her friend had come under protest. Or so she’d declared. When Jac had broken the news of her impending move, Bella cried as she hugged Jac. And loudly cursed Ted Fleury for being an idiot. Quick to forgive, Bella had dragged Jac to the neighborhood pub and ordered dirty martinis to celebrate.

  Jac was going to miss her friend dearly. “Are the books all boxed up?” she hollered back. Fists propped on her hips, she glanced at the mountain of boxes crammed with plates, pans, glasses, and everything else she’d emptied from her cabinets.

  “Yes they are, you slave driver.” A thud echoed over the hardwood of her living room floor. Bella must have dropped an overstuffed box.

  “Then we’re done.” Jac walked to the fridge. Waiting inside was a bottle of white wine from the case Jules had shipped to her, and a plate of fruit and cheese. She grabbed both items and deposited them on the counter, then collected the opener she’d left there and shoved it into her back pocket. Tipping a couple of plastic drinking glasses over the bottle, she picked everything up and left the kitchen.

  Bella lay sprawled on the area rug amid the boxes. She lifted her head when Jac approached. “Oh, my God. You have wine!”

  Jac sent her friend a grin. “Of course I do. And snacks. We can order curry later, if you’re still hungry.”

  “My hero.” Bella’s laughter tinkled gaily.

  Jac set the wine and cheese on the coffee table before sinking to the floor next to her friend. She grasped the neck of the bottle and quickly opened the wine. After sniffing the cork and passing it to Bella, Jac separated the two cups she’d brought and poured a liberal amount for both of them.

  Bella’s eyes drifted shut as she inhaled the bouquet lingering on the cork. “Smells delicious. This came from Jules’ vineyard? If all of her wine is this good, we need a road trip soon.” She struggled to sit up to accept the glass Jac offered.

  “She said we’re welcome anytime. I think she wants us to spend as much time there as we can. You’ll adore her. She told me she has a break in her schedule in late October and she’s planning a trip to Eugene to check on her investment. You should come too. We’ll have so
much fun.” Anticipation of her friend’s visit already approached Kid-at-Christmas level for Jac.

  “I can’t believe it. You’re leaving. Luke’s leaving. Roberta’s going, too. Everybody’s deserting Medford like zombies are about to invade.” Bella frowned and took a noisy slurp of her wine.

  “Whoa! What do you mean, Luke’s leaving?” Jac gaped, confused. He hadn’t said anything to her about going somewhere else.

  Bella’s eyes widened. She set her cup aside and plastered her fingers over her mouth. “Aw, heck! He didn’t tell you yet?”

  Jac shook her head mutely.

  Bella sighed. “The board released him from his contract yesterday.”

  Yesterday? God, being fired was a big damn deal and Luke hadn’t mentioned it to her. “What the hell?”

  “Oh, damn. I thought you knew. Although, I should have guessed not when the subject didn’t come up.”

  Jac gestured impatiently, hoping to speed up Bella’s story.

  “That douchy CEO convinced the board it was time to cut ties with Luscious Luke,” Bella began. “Apparently he cost St. Simeon’s too much as a result of the contract talks. I’m in HR and I can tell you, Luke negotiated a fair and square deal. Everyone but his boss is happy with the new agreement.”

  “When did this happen?” Jac’s voice sounded hollow even to herself. Why hadn’t he told her? Was the distance between them already widening?

  “I guess it happened late yesterday afternoon. The official email just went out this morning.” Bella’s thick blond hair bounced on her shoulders as she shook her head. “I stopped by his office to wish him good luck, but it was already vacant. Even the cork picture he brought back from the team building thing last week was gone.”