by Kris Jayne
Rick Calabro, the investigator Nick contacted, suggested that the apartment could be random since UPS requires that you fill in an accurate return address to create a shipment, but the store location could be a place to start.
Rick promised to check out both the store and the apartment complex and check back. Nick liked the work the PI had done for his law firm, and he hoped Rick could be as helpful with Vivienne's case.
A knock on Nick's door drew his attention. Bob asked to stop by to discuss the Moran business and now slipped into the office and sat down. As far as Nick knew, their work on the acquisition continued unchanged. Vivienne told her parents that the she and Nick decided to work on their differences. They thought the wedding was on track—for now. Nick hoped his boss only wanted an update.
"How are things going on the Moran deal?"
"Fine. We're progressing with our examination of Azur's financials and their intellectual property. We're getting background on their operations. My research tells me that we need to buckle down this week and outline some offers before Azur decides to go in another direction." Nick steadied his voice. He knew from experience if he sounded confident, Bob would be confident in him.
"Already?"
"Yes. They may have a competing offer already."
"From where."
"Not sure. I'm looking into it."
"Great. Great," Bob repeated. "I don't need to tell you how important this piece of business is for the firm."
"Of course not." Nick kept his eyes steadily trained on Bob.
"Things are good relationship-wise, then?"
"Yes." Nick smiled with certitude.
"I know it can be awkward when personal interests intersect with business interests. All I expect is that you keep me abreast of any potential conflicts or changes that might impact the business," Bob said. The man's left eye twitched.
"Of course. Has something come up?"
"Not exactly. I spoke with Tom over the weekend. He seemed to intimate that you and his daughter are having some difficulty. I need to know that you can manage this deal regardless of your personal standing with Tom. When you brought us this opportunity, we were naturally thrilled. That's the kind of initiative that earns you a partnership. You've done good work here. I would hate to see that derailed. None of us cares about your personal choices, of course. We just want to ensure that, business-wise, we stay on track."
Nick squeezed the arm of the chair to exorcise his tension. Tom could apply pressure in the sneakiest ways.
"You don't need to worry about Vivienne and me, or her father and me. I've assured him and his staff of the value we have to offer. Tom is a businessman. He understands that. I didn't mention anything to you because I honestly don't expect anything between Vivienne and me to be a problem." The effort to keep his face impassive triggered a headache.
Bob brightened. "Good. Then we're all on the same page."
"Absolutely." Nick forced a grin.
Bob clasped his hands together and stood up. "Very well. I'll let you get back to it."
After Bob walked out, Nick dropped his head to his desk. Jesus. He was walking a tightrope. They couldn't ask him to marry someone for business. They couldn't hold it against him that he called off an engagement, but he certainly couldn't afford to lose Tom Moran's business.
Would the man be vindictive if Nick and Vivienne didn't go through with the wedding? Even Tom couldn't expect Nick to hold a gun to Vivienne's head and make her get married. The man wasn't unreasonable. Nick repeated that to himself over and over again until it sounded true.
"I hate to ask, but your lawyer, what kind of law does he practice?" Taryn asked.
Micky and Taryn were having lunch at the deli around the corner from their office.
"I don't have a lawyer," Micky said, feigning ignorance. She took a big bite of her turkey sandwich and hoped she could out-chew having to answer Taryn's question.
"You know who I'm talking about," Taryn said. "The only reason I ask is that Jeff and his business partners are looking for someone to advise them on selling their company. I thought you said he did something with mergers and acquisitions."
"If you're talking about Nick, then, yes. That's what he said he did."
"Of course, I'm talking about Nick. I thought you had a good conversation the other day, and he told you his engagement is over?" Taryn asked.
"He did."
"Do you think you could hook Jeff up with Nick to get them legal advice on their deal? They're starting to get inquiries to buy their business. Some nice-sized offers, but they're in over their heads on the legal stuff."
"How nicely sized are these offers?"
Taryn grinned. "Tens of millions. Who knew when I was convincing Jeff not to buy all his clothes at Wal-Mart that I was in line to marry money?"
Micky laughed. Money was the last thing on Taryn's mind. What mattered to her was her fiancé's kindness and how much he loved his daughter.
"When you're rich and living the high life, don't forget all us little people," Micky joked.
"I'll take you to the top with me. After all, I'll need to have people."
"Perfect. I'll stand beside you in dark sunglasses with an earpiece and walkie talkie making sure everything you encounter meets your diva demands."
"Deal. We just need Nick's contact information."
Micky grabbed a sticky note and wrote down Nick's number for Taryn.
"I'll give him a call and let him know that Jeff will be reaching out to him," Micky said.
"You don't have to do that if you don't want to."
"It's not a problem," Micky replied.
"Huh," Taryn said, giving Micky a sly look. "Seems like we're killing two birds with one stone. Jeff gets a possible attorney, and you get an excuse to talk to Nick again."
"I don't need to dream up excuses. If I wanted to talk to him, then I would. I am an adult," Micky said and snickered. "Most of the time."
"Please. We're all basically junior high kids in bigger bodies. Except for me. I haven't grown since I was twelve." Taryn could bemoan her petite frame all she wanted. Taryn was adorable, and she knew it.
"You're probably right. Every time I see Nick, I regress. He makes me nervous," Micky admitted.
"That's either a really good sign or a really bad sign."
"I think he has straightforward answers to any questions. He's interested," Micky said.
"I've been suspicious because you've been suspicious, and I want you to listen to your intuition. But I'm also a big fan of getting you hooked up. I want to see you in love."
"That might be nice," Micky acknowledged. She plucked a potato chip from her plate and crunched. "Everyone's getting married. You. Pete is about to get engaged. I guarantee it."
"Clarissa's wonderful."
"She is. I'm meeting him tonight all the way up in Plano because he has something important to discuss."
"That's sounds terrifically serious."
"I think it is."
"Well, then you're next. Clearly."
Micky shook her head and ate another chip. She wasn't even sure she wanted to be next, but she vowed to call him as soon as she got back to her office.
Chapter Sixteen
Nick did a double-take when he saw who was calling his cell phone.
He answered. "This is a surprise."
"I suppose it is, but I'm calling about business. Legal business," Micky clarified. Nick's stomach tightened. She couldn't possibly know about the Morans' interest in acquiring Azur. Could she? His breath caught in his throat. He didn't know what he would say if she asked him questions about the deal. Or he did. Nothing. Nothing is all he could say.
"Hello?"
"Yes. I'm still here. What kind of business would that be?" Nick asked, formality creeping into his tone.
"Acquisition business. That's the kind of law you practice, right?"
"Yes. Did you have a question about your company or someone else's?" Nick's voice broke a little.
"Someone else's. It's my friend Taryn's fiancé. He has a company, and they've received some offers. They're looking for an attorney to help."
Nick exhaled and lifted his eyes to the heavens in gratitude.
"I could talk with them and refer them to some firms that could help. To be honest, my firm only looks at deals in the hundred million dollar plus range. Big mergers. Big business."
"I don't know if the deal would be that big. All she told me was some of the offers are for tens of millions."
"Really?" She'd surprised him again. "In that case, it might not hurt to have a meeting. What's the name of their company?"
"I think his main company is called Code Zoo. But they're selling a technology they've developed. That has another name. I don't remember."
"So, the acquiring company would be buying a technology, not the company?"
"That's a question for Jeff, but I have his information. And I kind of already gave Taryn yours, so you may be getting a call from him. I didn't realize they might be too small."
"Maybe not. We're looking to get more tech business, and if they think they might be developing lots of technologies to sell off, the overall size of their business could be interesting. I'll take it to my partner and see."
Bringing more personal business to the firm worried Nick, but he figured this was at least a couple of degrees removed from Micky herself. The size of the business could be substantial. Who knows? If Tom got pissed off and ran elsewhere, at least Nick would have something to replace it. Maybe.
He relaxed. Even suggesting he had more business would keep his stock high.
"Thanks. I'd appreciate it. Jeff's a great guy, and this whole thing is tremendously important to Taryn."
"I'll do what I can," Nick said. "What else is going on with you?"
"Not much, as per usual. Still working on our Paris event. Planning Taryn's wedding."
"No more rumors to give you heartburn?" he asked and palmed his forehead, hoping at this point Micky continued to reveal very little to him.
"No. All clear."
"Good. I'm glad you called. Do you like basketball?"
"Uh. I go to the occasional game. I'm not the biggest sports fan."
"But the games are fun, right? And I have very impressive suite tickets for a game in a couple of weeks. Even if you don't like basketball, there's the food, cocktails, the illuminati of Dallas wandering the halls of the American Airlines Center."
The trill of Micky's laughter delighted him.
"You'll get to see my niece again and meet my other niece. I'm going to the game with my sister and her family. I promise you'll have a blast."
"You press your case like an expert. You should be a lawyer," Micky quipped.
"I'm passionate about my case."
"Let me check my schedule and get back to you. Which night is it?"
"A week from Saturday. I can pick you up, and we can grab something to eat before meeting my family at the arena."
"We'll see," she said.
"Okay. Okay. I'll let you think it over."
"Let me?"
"I'll wait patiently and with respect while you think it over," Nick corrected.
"Better. I'll call you by next week."
After he hung up, Nick turned back to the briefs in front of him. He owed Bob his corrections by the end of the day. As he clicked through the pages of the document on his computer, he found himself whistling.
"You're in a good mood. I heard you all the way down the hall."
Nick popped his head up and saw Sean Roth, one of the other associates, standing in his doorway.
"Things are good," Nick said.
"Lucky you."
Micky wound her way up the Tollway in rush hour traffic, getting antsier with every mile. Pete asked to meet her at a sports bar on the north side of town. He didn't say why, but Micky could guess.
He and his girlfriend were close to getting engaged. Clarissa had turned her brother into a romantic. Micky smiled. Strange that the men in the family seemed to embrace the romance in life so readily while the women alternated between practical and cynical. Pete would likely dream up something elaborate to pop the question. Whatever he needed from Micky, she was onboard.
Once she arrived, she walked in and immediately spotted her brother in a booth in the bar area. He smiled and waved, beckoning her over.
"Hey, little sis."
"Hey. What possible reason do you have for making me drive all the way out here to southern Oklahoma?" Micky asked.
Pete rolled his eyes. She liked to tease him about living in the far north Dallas suburbs.
"I need your help with something, but first, do you want a drink?" he asked.
"Are we getting something to eat?"
"Sure."
"Then, I'll have a vodka martini," she said.
The waiter arrived, and they ordered drinks and a couple of appetizers.
"What do you need my help with?"
Pete took a deep breath. "You know I've been thinking about proposing to Clarissa."
"Yeah," Micky said, smiling.
"Well, I bought a ring, and I'm ready to pop the question."
Micky grinned and kicked her brother playfully under the table. "That's great! I'm so happy for you!"
"Thanks. It's been a long road with quite a few crazies along the way, but I've finally found the right woman. I want this to be kind of special."
"More than 'kind of' I'm guessing."
"Her parents are coming in from Arkansas in a couple of weeks, and I'm inviting my mother back in town, and Dad. I'd like you to be there, and I need your help to set things up at the restaurant," Pete explained.
He then went into detail about how he planned to propose. He wanted the entire family there to meet and witness the engagement. Family, he told her, was very important to Clarissa, and even though his was fractured, he hoped everyone could show up and get along for one night. He'd found a pastry chef at a local Italian restaurant who could create elaborate desserts to present gifts—especially engagement rings.
"It'll be chocolate, of course. Clarissa loves chocolate. And since she's a chef too, I think she'll appreciate the artistry of the whole thing," Pete said, beaming. Who would have thought her brother, the financial analyst, could plan something so creative?
"Have you talked to Dad?" Micky asked. She hated to be a wet blanket, but rounding up the whole family often proved more difficult than it should be.
"Well," Pete sighed. "I broached the subject with him a few days ago. He said he and his girlfriend should be able to make it."
"A new woman?"
"Apparently. Anyway, he has the dates and the details, and he said he wouldn't miss it," Pete said, his voice woven with the doubts that Micky shared. Their father often promised to show up at your important events—recitals, graduations—but emergencies and overwhelming obstacles found a way of interfering at the last minute.
"I hope he can make it, but you know I'll be there. If your mom said she'd be there, you know you can count on her. I'll do whatever you need me to do," Micky assured him. "Are you nervous?"
"A little. Not about Clarissa, but all the other details. I want it to go perfectly."
The waiter appeared with their drinks and the platter of hummus, pita, and vegetables they'd ordered. Micky took the small plate in front of her and loaded it with a scoop of dip and pieces of pita bread.
"Clarissa will be thrilled with whatever you do. She loves you, you know."
Pete nodded and sipped his rum and cola. "You're going to make your brother get all mushy," he laughed.
"Good. I like seeing you mushy. It gives me hope for the male of the species. That's been flagging lately."
"Uh oh. What happened?"
"I met Hermes tie for drinks, and it turns out he was engaged, but that's over. We've seen each other a few times."
"That's good, right?"
"Yeah."
"You still don't believe him?" Pete asked.
"I do, but
I feel stupid for believing him. I feel like I haven't learned my lesson."
"He's not married, right?"
"No."
"Has he lied to you? It sounds like he told you what's going on," Pete said.
"He has," Micky admitted.
"Then go slow. You obviously like him."
"I'm not sure." Micky twisted her mouth with trepidation.
"I am sure. It's obvious. Why not give him a chance?"
"I know," Micky sighed. "He invited me to a Mavs game with his family."
Pete raised his eyebrows. "His family already?"
"I think he's trying to make a point that he's on the up and up."
"Well, that should do it. Go," Pete pushed.
"I told him I'd check my schedule."
"Clear it and go. It's a date, not a wedding. You're under no obligations. You women overthink everything."
Her brother laughed.
"We have to worry about getting attached."
"Men do too. Don't forget that. Right now, this guy is somewhere getting attached to you."
"Uh huh, right."
"You underestimate your appeal. You're a great catch. And if this guy doesn't treat you like the princess you are, let me know. I'll kill him."
"Princess? More like queen," Micky snickered. "I need to go to the bathroom. And I need a drink. Order me a martini, peasant."
Pete bowed his head. "Yes, ma'am."
Micky mulled over Pete's advice and decided to get her relationship hypochondria under control.
Chapter Seventeen
With planning for their Paris event reaching crunch time, Micky and Taryn found themselves putting in crazy hours—from sun up to well past sundown each day. The next week flew by in a blur, and by the following Thursday, Micky had seen enough of the frosted glass walls of her office.
She decided to call an "off-site" meeting—their term for getting the hell out of the office and finding a more atmospheric place to finish their work and then ease into cocktail hour. They packed up their laptops and papers and headed for a new bistro a few blocks from their office.