Page 34 of On the Fly
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Emma took a deep breath and stepped back, putting distance between them. She had to get her mind out of the gutter. His words, whispered on a breath of air over her skin, had ignited her lust for him once again. She was ready to take him up against the home’s exterior stone wall. She shook her head to clear those thoughts.
“I thought you wanted tosavethe company. It was your dad’s legacy. I didn’t realize you’d want to let that go.” She couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen his desire to sell the company.
Ander’s lips pinched tight and tension radiated from him in a way she’d not seen since they’d been together outside the office. That tailored suit jacket that had drawn her eye the moment he’d sat beside her at the ceremony even appeared more fitted as he drew in a deep breath. “Yeah, my pop and I had an interesting relationship. He was only too happy when I set out on my own ten years ago, practically pushed me out the door. I can’t imagine he’d want me taking over now since he refused to let me to work for him before.”
Emma shook her head, remembering Ander’s father in a completely different light. “I never saw that side of Alex. He practically glowed when he talked about his children, so proud of what you’d accomplished, how you’d all made your own way in the world. I didn’t get to talk to him much, but whenever we did have video conferences for business, you guys always came up. Not six months ago, he told me about how he planned for you all to take over the reins of the company one day. That he had it all planned out, and it was about time some of you came home. I didn’t really understand what he meant, but he seemed genuine.” The crease in Emma’s brow grew as she scrambled to understand what could have happened between them.
Ander snorted and stepped back even more. “That doesn’t sound like anything he ever said.” Ander ran a hand through his hair, clearly agitated with the conversation. “None of that matters. I’ve spent hours going over the airline’s financials. My father was no businessman. The airline’s success seems lucky at best. What I’m seeing just isn’t adding up.”
Emma wasn’t sure where to go with the conversation, but Ander saved her that choice when he heaved in a breath and let it out, then said, “But nevertheless, we’ve undertaken an intense mission, one that could end in disaster. This morning, my family informed me that there’s only one choice. We’re going to try to save the company. So, whether he trusted us to be in charge or not, or whether the company is viable or not, it is what it is. We’ll do our best.”
Emma glanced over his shoulder. Her eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of Patty powerwalking across the grass, headed straight for them, a scowl on her face. Emma panicked as she glanced at Ander. They were in for it if her stepmother caught up to them. But those heels slowed her march across the grassy lawn.
“Oh, shoot and sugar, Patty’s coming. Let’s go.” Emma grabbed the sleeve of his suit jacket and dragged him around the corner to the reception, not daring to look behind her to see if Patty had caught up to them. If they could lose themselves in the guests, they might avoid her wrath this time.
Chapter 17
“I just graduated summa cum laude from the Rosecrest University. I’d sure appreciate any help in getting your finance department to look at my resume,” Mike, one of the groomsmen, said eagerly to Ander. Clearly, the guy didn’t know how to read a room or, better yet, a man, because the harsh scowl left Ander’s handsome face etched in hard stone. Ander had given the exact same look to Emma when she’d first encountered him on the flight to California. Though, she’d also had a different response to that look than he’d probably intended, so he might want to up his game.
“Sorry, Mike. Today isn’t about business.” She couldn’t take the awkward silence Ander left hanging with the intrusion. Then when it looked like Mike might object, she placed a hand on Ander’s chest and said, “Walk with me.” In one natural movement, Ander put a hand on her waist, turning them both away from the reception festivities toward a side walkway leading toward a more secluded part of the property.
She looked up at him and carefully poked his cheek with the tip of her index finger. “How do you get it to do that?”
He lowered his steely gaze, giving her a hard stare. “You’re messing with me.”
“It’s just you’re so expressive then you turn to stone.” They slowed to a meander less than ten feet from the wedding party as she edged her finger around the corner of his mouth, trying to make a smile.
“Your people are annoying,” he said, swiveling around in front of her, causing them to stop their slow pace, one hand still in place on her hip.
“Hello, that’s what I’ve been saying the whole time.” That had his smile forming because she one hundred percent agreed. “So, tell me more about this potential sell-off that would rip the rug out from under a whole staff that’s somehow gone bad.”
The formidable scowl came back, causing her to laugh again. This time, he turned back around and started them walking at a brisk clip. Aggravation rolled off him in waves, lending to a pace she had to work at keeping up with.
“First rule of business: nothing’s ever personal. Something my entire family, from my father to my baby sister, can’t seem to learn.”
“So, this last week wasn’t about pleasing the board?” she asked, struggling to keep up in the high heels and the ruffles swishing around her legs.
“No. And I need this to be confidential.” His stop was as sudden as his about-face as he laid down that dictate with another stern scowl.
“Of course,” she said, tugging on the hold she had at the crook of his arm. “I signed a non-disclosure agreement when I started, but I’d not break your confidence regardless.”
Ander took a deep breath. “I needed to understand what we were working with. Going into last week, I knew part of us were leaning toward keeping the company, but I felt like my brothers would see the dire financials and agree to sell,” he confessed, looking over at her, maybe gauging her reaction. Though she wasn’t sure when he would have decided to care what she thought.
“They didn’t agree?” she said, lost for a minute in the idea that the company had a dire financial anything after the hundreds of thousands of dollars she’d seen spent over the previous few days. There had to be a misunderstanding at some level.
“No.” The one-word sentence spoke volumes about his distaste for their response.
“Well, my vote is to keep it too,” she said, thinking of the unity this company had. Sure, they operated as if they were doing business in the Eighties, but the foundation seemed solid. It was hard to create a work family in today’s business environment, and Rora Airlines had done that very thing, from the top down.
“You don’t get a vote,” he said irritably, dragging a hand through his hair. “There’s more. The entire executive team is retiring in a joint mass exodus. My siblings are signing on to fill those voids, which will create its own problems.” He acted as if he wanted her to agree, but she just couldn’t do that.
“Look, I am not a corporate-driven person, but I do have an undergraduate degree in finance. I also have a law degree. Granted, I’m on the outside for the most part, but in hearing what you believe to be the company’s issues and what I’ve seen from my position, there has to be something you’re missing. I’ll help however I can,” she offered again, tugging his arm as she came to a stop so he’d understand she meant her offer.
Ander’s astonishment had her trying to figure out what she’d said to cause such a look as he stopped dead in his tracks. “You’re an attorney?” His shock almost pulled a laugh from her, but the tension in his body had her holding back her amusement at his disbelief.
“Why’re you looking at me that way? Don’t think I have what it takes to be an attorney?” she asked, weirdly offended even though this was literally the same look she always got when she let that little tidbit out. Why Ander’s response would impact her differently, she had no idea.
