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Was this the moment she had been waiting for? Was this when he told her that he wanted her to take over the company? Only a few days had passed since the wedding. It was too soon, surely, yet she couldn’t help but hope.
Standing, she straightened her skirt, as if she was going in for an interview and needed to look her best. She left her office and walked down the hall toward her father’s office. Nervous flutters filled her belly, but she offered friendly smiles to staff she passed along the way.
At the door, she gently knocked and then let herself inside. Clifton faced the window, hands crossed behind his back. When she entered, he turned, and his bearded face broke into a smile.
“Come in and have a seat.”
Annabelle did as he asked, lowering into one of the guest chairs.
He moved to stand behind the desk. “How are the renovations on the Pine Forest property?” he asked.
“Nothing out of the ordinary so far. The contractors should have phase one of the renovations complete in a few weeks.”
“What about the Angel Head condominium conversion?”
“We hit a snag with the water department, but Julie’s going down there in the morning to get the situation cleared up. I told her she was not allowed to leave without an approval, so we could begin installing the meters for each unit.”
“Good, good,” her father said, nodding his head. Eyes trained on the desk below him, he frowned, as if thinking about what to say next.
Annabelle waited patiently for him to speak.
Finally, he lifted his gaze. “I called you in here because the past couple of months I’ve struggled with a decision. My retirement is coming up, and I’ve been thinking about the company and what I want for Buchanan & Buchanan after I leave.”
Annabelle remained silent, holding her breath, nails digging into the clenched palms resting on either side of her thighs.
“When Cliffy passed, I wasn’t sure what would become of Buchanan & Buchanan because I had always envisioned him taking over one day, the way the men in my family have since the founding of the company. All this…” He spread his arms to encompass the room. “Was supposed to be his domain.”
Heart heavy, Annabelle didn’t move, anxiously awaiting his next words.
“Some years ago, I decided merging the company with Strong Technology, Inc. was the right decision. I know what you think of Albert, but he and I go way back, and he’s in a complementary business. I strongly believe having him take charge of B&B could lead the company into a new era.”
Oh no. Was he going to break her heart?
“Daddy—”
Clifton lifted his hand. “Let me finish. Real estate is a cutthroat business, as you know, and runningthiscompany is not easy. For a very long time, I believed the role of CEO was not the right one for a woman—certainly not my daughter. The demands of heading a company is not what I wanted for you, but watching you the past few years has made me rethink my stance. You’re fair and intelligent and don’t make rash decisions. You’re a good leader and respected by the staff. Therefore, I’ve had a change of heart.”
Annabelle breathed easier, the heaviness in her chest lifting.
He continued. “Although I believe Albert would make a great CEO of the merged companies, I also believe you would do a great job if given the chance to take the reins of B&B. So I called you in here to tell you my decision. If you’re interested, I would like you to become the new CEO of Buchanan & Buchanan.”
Inside, Annabelle screamedHallelujah!, but she remained calm on the outside. “Yes, I’m very interested.”
For the first time, a smile touched the corners of her father’s mouth. “Marrying Dante should prove beneficial to you. I feel better knowing if problems arise you have a man beside you who could help you sort through issues. He has a great mind, and with him consulting, you could build B&B into the company I didn’t. You could surpass my expectations.”
Annabelle blew out a shocked breath. This was the moment she had been waiting for, and now that it had arrived, she was overwhelmed. Elated, but overwhelmed.
“Thank you. I promise I won’t let you down.”
His face softened. “I know you won’t, honey. I’m confident you’ll do well. The board has its next quarterly meeting next month, and I’ll make my recommendation then.”
Annabelle jumped up from her seat and rushed around to the other side of the desk. She flung her arms around her father’s neck, and he chuckled, wrapping his arms around her too.
“Thank you,” she said again, voice muffled against his chest. “I have lots of ideas, and I’m going to work so hard.” He’d only given her a shot because he believed if she ran into problems, Dante could guide her out of them, but at least he’d given her a shot.
Clifton patted her back. “I can’t wait to see what you do.”
17
