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“I am sorry about that.” He could tell by the stony look in her eyes that his apology didn’t sway her. “Yes, this is me except for the hair. I used to wear it longer, much longer. But I’m liking this shorter style. It’s a lot easier to deal with. What do you think?”
She shrugged and moved past him toward the freshly brewed coffee. She poured herself a cupful. He noticed that she didn’t offer to get him any. It was to be expected.
He wondered what it’d take to get them past this awkward spot. There had to be a way because the future of the magazine was at stake. But more than that, he wouldn’t let Sage lose and Elsa win.
Now, he had to prove to Sage that they made a great team and together they could fend off Elsa. “We’re going to have to work together if we’re going to defeat Elsa.”
“This is my fight.” Her voice was firm.
“It’s our fight. Yours and mine.”
She gave him a strange look. “Why would you take on my stepmother?”
“You mean besides the fact that I hate the way she treats you?”
Sage nodded.
It was time he laid out the truth—a truth that even he found surprising. “Because of you, I have found an appreciation for QTR.” Her eyes widened but she remained quiet and so he continued. “You’ve shown me what it could be. I like the idea of using it to show the good parts of life. The news these days is so full of depressing topics that I’d like to be a part of showing the world the positive side of life. And I’m thinking my ancestors would have liked the idea of their magazine being an instrument for good.”
“You mean there’s something good that has come from all of this?”
“If you’re referring to my attitude toward keeping the magazine, then yes.”
“And then you can hand it down to your son—”
“No, that isn’t going to happen. I’m not going to put a child through what I experienced growing up.”
“You don’t need to. I’ve known both you and your father. Yes, there are some similarities but you are very different people. I could see you being a loving, involved father—”
“Sage, stop. It isn’t going to happen. I want to see the magazine survive. Nothing more.”
A frown settled on her face.
“Stop looking at me like I just ran over your teddy bear.”
“It’s not you. It’s just that the future of the magazine isn’t up to me or you. There’s the board to contend with and I have a meeting with them at the end of the month to determine whether the magazine continues or is closed do
wn. And right now, I do not have a compelling calendar to show them. If I don’t get some big names to grace the covers, they’ll be sure to close us.”
“You forget that I’m the CEO. I have sway over that board. We’ll compile a winning calendar of interviews. And as for Elsa, we’ll beat her at her own game.”
“How? I thought about it all night and haven’t come up with anything except locking her in her hotel room. Or better yet, stuffing her in a suitcase and putting her in the cargo hold of the first plane bound for the States.”
Trey laughed. “I didn’t know you had such a devious mind.”
Sage still didn’t smile when she said, “Oh, trust me. I have my moments.”
“Anything you care to share?”
“Not yet.”
Well, he had to admit that he was intrigued now. There was so much more to Sage than her sunny smile and friendly personality. Beneath her beauty was a strong businesswoman that wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted. He was looking forward to this battle with Sage by his side.
But the most important thing to him was putting the smile back on Sage’s face. He had stolen it away and that acknowledgment dug at him. If it was the last thing he did, he would make Sage happy again—even if it meant exiting her life after QTR was secure.
* * *
He was going to step up his game.
