“Sweetheart, your heart is important. Love feeds the heart, not stress and constantly meeting someone else’s expectations.” She ruffled Dana’s hair. “You used to want to be a ballerina.”
“I was...like, six.” Dana hated the dreamy speeches her mother frequently delivered. There was a time to be practical and grown up. Somehow, her mother and boyfriend fed off each other and ignored that same belief.
“You were so graceful. I know there are pictures somewhere,” her mother continued, as if Dana hadn’t spoken. “Wonder what would have happened if your grandmother didn’t take you under her wing.”
“You left me, Mom.” Dana didn’t want to have this conversation. They’d never broached how she’d felt when her parents left her—first her father and then her mother. Her grandmother also refused to discuss it out of concern for Dana’s feelings. “She had no choice but to take me under her wing.”
“Well, she did a fantastic job, don’t you think? For the most part. If I had my way, I’d much rather you be in the coffee shop than running that massive company. Let one of your other cousins deal with it. They lack imagination, so let them toil at the job.”
“Mom!” Dana slipped off the couch. “Where’s Ronald, by the way?” She hoped they both weren’t crashing at her home.
“He’s trying to line up judges for the talent contest. He sends his love.”
“Where did he go to find these judges?” Dana was not used to seeing her mother separate from her constant companion.
“He’s in Florida, but he’s coming in tomorrow and then I’ll be out of your place.”
Dana nodded. Good news on both fronts. “I’ll head up to bed.”
“Good night, sweetheart. Remember what I said. When in doubt, choose love.”
On that disagreeable note, Dana headed up to her room. If she lived her mother’s philosophy on life, she’d be broke and unhappy. She didn’t have to live the mega-rich lifestyle, but having a little money in her pocket did relieve some worries. Her mother relied too heavily on emotions, although she did manage to return home with remarkable timing for a cash infusion.
“Choose love, indeed.” Dana muttered all the way to her room.
After preparing herself for bed, she slipped under the covers. Her cell phone rang. Who would be calling at this hour? She grabbed the phone and read the display. Her grandmother?
“Yes, Grandma.”
“It’s me. Kent.”
She knew it was him from the minute he said that first word.
“I’m using the house phone.”
“It’s late.” She pressed the phone to her ear.
“Don’t hang up. Hear me out.”
She didn’t respond. Instead, she hugged her pillow and waited for him to continue.
“A month ago, my life seemed pretty ordinary, going according to plan. Even when I had the contract for Meadows Media, I expected to come in and do my job as usual. Maybe a few unexpected things would pop in on the business side, but nothing that I couldn’t handle.”
Dana snuggled closer to the pillow. His voice—warm caramel syrup.
“Except that I didn’t expect to meet you.”
“You knew I was the head of the company.”
“Yes, but I didn’t expect to be drawn to you beyond a working relationship. You’re a beautiful woman, but having the chance to see you working and thinking, evolving as a leader, well, I found that sexy as the dickens. I wanted to know more about you, the person under the no-nonsense business demeanor. The more that I learned, the more my respect grew for what you are undertaking and how you are handling it all.”
“All of that sounds good if what you think you know is the truth.”
“You doubt that you’re a leader?”
“I’m not Grace. Grace knows that I’m not her. I’m afraid that I’m here until she can devise a better role for me. I know she wants me involved, which is some comfort.”
“If it helps, I believe in you.”
Dana closed her eyes. The message was softly spoken, touching all the right spots. Why couldn’t he have said this before disappearing to London?
“See you in the morning.”
“Yeah.” She hung up and stared at the wall. All her defenses had crumbled into tiny pieces. With every point that Kent made, a brand-new landscape emerged. Did she have the courage to take the next step?
She understood the turmoil of emotions and rules. Maybe if he hadn’t been the one to go into self-exile, she might have done it. She sighed. At least he’d returned and sought her out to explain.
Dana drifted to sleep with a contented smile.
* * *
“I’m glad that you made it on time.” Grace signaled to the maid to serve the coffee.
“Good morning, Grandma.” Dana didn’t mind the mild jab at her tardiness last night.
“Good morning, Grace...Dana.” It was Kent. Dana nodded at him. His wink brought a warm blush to her cheeks.
“Let’s get started.” Grace was all business.
“I have the analysis of the report.” Kent distributed copies. “I’ll give you a few minutes to review the information.”
Dana pushed aside her plate. She’d been enduring sleepless nights wondering what her employees thought of her. After reading it, she found that page after page of information confirmed some of her suspicions. That felt good. On the other hand, critical comments were frank, some a bit personal, and all were piercing in their indictments.
“Share your thoughts, Kent.”
“The good news is that the company’s employees have transferred their loyalty to Dana. They see the transition as seamless and have confidence in Dana’s leadership.”
“Senior management isn’t necessarily unanimous.” Grace read through each page, sometimes going back to a previous page to reread.
“I’m sure that I can guess who had a say with some vitriol.” Dana was ready to pummel O’Brien.
“It’s all anonymous.”
“Sure it is.” Dana didn’t figure that Kent would share the dirty details on who said what, anyway. “I’m not sure that the current team is one that I will stick with.”
“What do you mean?” Grace lowered the report. Her demeanor turned frosty.
Kent intervened. “Well, before we get to that, there are some other details in the report worth noting.”
Dana was done tiptoeing around an obvious solution. “I mean that I want to pick my own team.”
“Those people have been loyal for years.”
“Loyal to you.”
“There’s no need to jump ahead. I’m sure that reorganization isn’t automatically necessary.” Kent distributed more analyses.
“I do not want anyone kicked out of the company.” Grace rapped her knuckles on the table.
“I need people that I can trust.”
“You need to elicit that trust.”
“Why? Because that’s the way you’d do things?”
Grace glared at her granddaughter, who wasn’t backing down. “Yes.”
Dana turned to Kent. “Have you written up your recommendations for how I can improve my team’s efficiency? I’m sure there is something in there about having the best employees in place to move the company forward.”
Kent looked uncomfortable. “Ladies, employees are one component. I think we need to pull back and refocus on the complete picture.”
Grace took a deep breath and motioned with her hand for him to continue.
It took a bit longer for Dana to get her emotions in check. Pressure had mounted until she popped and spouted a verbal and emotional flood of words that she was sure she’d pay for later. Grace didn’t care for meltdowns.
“I’m sorry.” Grace reached over and squeezed Dana’s hand. “Continue, Kent.�
�
Dana had to bite her cheek to keep from smiling. His look of surprise was too priceless.
They managed to get through the remainder of the report without too much dissension. Clearly, the different divisions under Meadows Media had various needs and the market conditions weren’t especially kind right now. Dana knew that would be the next hurdle as she examined what would soon be hers.
“Well, Kent, I must say that you’ve done an excellent job with identifying Dana’s attributes, the company’s perception of her and a broad overview of Meadows Media. What do we need to focus on in the immediate future?” Grace turned her gaze toward Dana. It was apparent Grace expected him to address her shortcomings.
“One thing that is noticeably uneven is the media’s and competitors’ image of Dana. Yes, she has to fight against the idea of nepotism, but she must also come across a bit more—”
“Aggressive,” Grace provided, with a stern nod.
“Assertive,” Kent countered.
Dana didn’t mind either word. She’d already come to terms with the fact that she might have to wield her strength with organizational management to get her way, which Grace did with sheer guts and panache.
“I suggest that she goes to media training.”
“Wait a second. First, I have to go to your leadership summit and now this? I don’t have time.” Dana wanted to bang her head against the table. When would the grooming end?
“This is more than a nine-to-five job, Dana.”
“I’m not worried about rolling up my sleeves and working long hours. But there’s got to be some breathing time.”
“You know the saying that you can sleep when you die. Think of that as your breathing time.”
Dana’s mother’s words came back to her. But she dared not contemplate anything that Elaine said with regard to the business.
“The key is not for you to transform into Grace. Your strength comes with a quiet power. You can make someone completely at ease. You quickly win them over with your intelligence and confidence in knowing your information.” Kent pointed out all the attributes on his fingers.
“So then, what’s wrong?” Grace looked at her as though she was a test case that had gone haywire.
“When challenged, she gets defensive,” Kent remarked in a flat voice.
“I do not,” Dana declared.
“She reacts impulsively.”
Dana balled her fists and forced herself not to respond to his criticisms.
“I see what you mean.” Grace nodded her understanding. “How do we tame her?”
“Grandma—”
Grace raised her hand. “No need to contradict everything that Kent is saying or anything I suggest. Kent, I’ll put her in your hands to work on that.” She pushed back her chair. “Come. There is something else we must all discuss. Maybe it will help matters.”
Dana looked at Kent for a hint. His curious frown showed that he didn’t have a clue what Grace meant. The three walked in a staggered line to Grace’s office. Dana knew the room well, since Grace’s lectures about Dana’s various transgressions were held in there. When Dana needed a retreat, she headed to her grandfather’s study, which was like an oasis to relax and bounce back. Dealing with her grandmother’s disapproval was tough and its effects long-lasting. Like when she had snuck out with friends to get a tattoo on her ankle. That almost brought on more than a lecture, but she was saved by the fact that the tattoo depicted praying hands with the word Grace under them. Her cousins wondered why she’d waste a tat on their grandmother’s name.
Dana took a seat in front of her grandmother. Despite all that they’d gone through and the many times that they’d butted heads, she loved Grace very much. Although earning her displeasure didn’t have a limit, on the rare occasions that Dana won her approval, she could float on the power of her grandmother’s smile.
“Have a seat, Kent.” Grace indicated the chair next to Dana’s. Her mouth was tight.
Dana sat up in her chair, nerves on edge. Her grandmother was clearly perturbed.
“All this talk about perception is on point.” Grace pulled out a file and placed it in the center of the desk. She swiveled it around and opened it so that they could look at it.
There, in crisp color, were photos of their kiss in New York City, permanently rendered. Dana closely meshed in Kent’s arms. Her eyes closed. Her arms wound around his neck. And all the other feelings that the camera couldn’t capture. The warm longing that had coursed through her body. His rigid contours pressed against her. His arousal, sprung strong and provocative against her pelvis. His mouth had been a sweet harbor of scintillating devices, including an expert tongue and exacting lips. An intimate moment now turned common and reckless.
“Oh, my.” Dana’s face was heated to a scalding temperature.
Kent made a sound that might have been distress or indignation.
“I don’t quite know what to say. Mild flirtation, this is not.” Grace looked down at the contents and then up at them.
Kent began, “The only thing that I have to say is that I would have wished that I’d been able to tell you about this before you received these photos.”
“I see nothing to apologize for.” Dana folded her arms. A wave of defiance rippled through her.
Grace pursed her lips. She remained quiet, looking at each of them as if trying to delve into their minds. “I do not want this blowing up in the press. I paid a lot to get these when one of my news contacts gave me a heads-up that an eager freelance photographer was looking for a buyer.”
Dana didn’t care about the opinions of the press, especially when it came to her romantic life. She couldn’t, and wouldn’t commit, to anything. Having her mother around reminded her not to extend her heart recklessly.
“Mrs. Meadows, the only thing that I’m most concerned about is your feelings on the matter.” Kent had managed to remove any casual feeling from the conversation. As he had predicted, Dana was more inclined to go in defense mode in such a situation.
As Grace shifted her scrutiny from one to the other, giving each equal consideration, Dana knew that, at any moment, her grandmother would blow. Yet her expression didn’t go beyond irritation, but Dana didn’t want to trust that there wouldn’t be more fallout from the photo.
Grace closed the file. “Like I said, I don’t want to see this in the news. You’re adults and I have no misgivings on the matter. I suspect that’s what you wanted to hear, Mr. Fraser.”
“Thank you.”
Dana didn’t know if now was the time to adjust her grandmother’s belief that this was not an ongoing relationship, which it might turn out to be. By now, she had moved beyond her anger over the situation with Kent. But, Dana admitted to herself, there was no guarantee that anything more would happen.
“I hope you haven’t bitten off more than you can chew, Kent. My company is a vital part of my being. My granddaughter is a part of my heart. It goes without saying, although I’m telling you, that I don’t expect to have to pick up any pieces after you’re through with either one.”
“Grandma, it takes two. I don’t want to put all the burden on Kent.”
“Not to worry. I was once young and I remember the beginning rush of romance.”
Dana was always tickled to see her grandmother revert to a warmer, softer image. It didn’t happen often, but she liked having Grace act human.
“This afternoon, I want to talk about the employees.” Her grandmother held up her hand. “I know we have different viewpoints. Let’s talk.”
After this latest revelation, Dana didn’t have a problem chatting over their differences. Grace’s accepting reaction still puzzled her.
A knock on the door interrupted them. Grace bade entry.
“Grace, it’s Jen,” said Leona.
“Is my sister in the ho
use?”
“She is outside inspecting the garden, but will be in shortly.”
“Let Henry deal with her. I’ll be out soon.” After her assistant left, Grace addressed them. “Dana, I wouldn’t be putting this much energy into your transition if I didn’t think you were the perfect fit. With your additional training and the leadership summit conference coming up, we should be able to wrap up everything before the annual meeting.”
Dana nodded. Again, that knot of worry and pressure formed in the middle of her chest. Maybe if she went with the flow, kept her ideas to herself until after she got the job, she’d be less stressed.
She watched Grace exit the room. Who was she kidding? Creating new ideas was how she did her job. Such innovations had pushed Meadows Media, a private company that played against the big dogs and won, into the forefront of the corporate world.
“So, we’ve been outed,” Kent said.
“I don’t think it counts when the occurrence is in the past. That was a temporary detour. You’re sorry for how you left things. Apology accepted. I’m fine with moving on in our separate lanes. We can get back on track and finish up our business together.” She jutted her chin toward the file. Dana turned away from the photos. Those reminders were painful twists to her heart.
“A detour—yes. Temporary—hope not.” He gently took her hand and clasped it between his.
“I’ll let Grace know that it’s over.”
“Do you want it to be over?” Kent traced her forehead, trailing his finger down the middle line of her face, past her nose, and down her lips.
Many nights, she’d asked herself that question and answered it as she waited to hear from him. She’d pulled flower petals to decide whether or not to be with Kent. On two out of three wildflowers, the verdict came in: she should choose Kent.
She’d even made the situation a hypothetical case to Sasha, looking for her impartial input. As a hopeless romantic, her assistant had unknowingly rooted for Kent.
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