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“Mrs. Newman?”
“We’re at the hospital, dear.”
Kelsey’s jaw went slack.
“It’s his heart.”
Before Kelsey could utter a word, Holly went on, “The doctors say he’ll be fine. But…”
Damn it.
“The company needs you.”
Over the last few years, Kelsey had talked to Mr. Newman many times, stressing the need for a succession plan. She’d encouraged him to groom senior managers to take over, or solicit from the outside. He’d been stubborn. He was going to live forever, and there was plenty of time.
Now, she blinked back a sudden burst of tears. There was no more time. Newman Inland Marine had a new owner, and the stress had devastated Samuel.
In the background, she could hear Samuel and Holly whispering, overlaying the hiss and beep of what had to be hospital machinery.
“Samuel wants me to tell you he’s counting on you. He wants Donovan to succeed.” Holly’s voice was taut with emotion, maybe frustration, perhaps anger and certainly some fear.
“May I visit him?”
Holly gave the name of one of Houston’s most renowned hospitals then added, “Not today, dear. Perhaps tomorrow. He needs some rest. But, Kelsey? He’ll get better faster if he knows he can count on you. He’s worried about the employees, as I’m sure you understand.”
She gave a tight nod, even though Holly couldn’t see her. “You can count on me.” After a few pleasantries—platitudes, mostly—she ended the call.
Kelsey put her phone down and gave a shaky exhalation, composing herself. When she looked up, she saw Nathan standing there. “How long have you been there?” And how had he moved so silently?
“Long enough.” He pulled up a chair.
The juxtaposition startled her. A few minutes ago, he’d been behind his desk, in control. Now, he sat in front of her, leaning forward, hands steepled, a concerned frown burrowed between his eyebrows. He seemed somewhat less formidable and, because of it, more dangerous.
“Heart attack?” he asked.
“Mrs. Newman didn’t exactly say.” Knowing Samuel, it could be the stress of turning over the business to someone as ruthless as Donovan. She wasn’t sure what had led to it, but she knew it had to have killed him a little bit on the inside. The knowledge angered her, made her pissed off at Donovan.
Since that wouldn’t help anything, she took a breath to steady her emotions. “The prognosis is good, apparently.”
“Glad to hear that.”
“Are you?” she challenged. Perhaps it wasn’t wise to antagonize him, but he was the only outlet for her frustration. Indeed, he appeared to be the reason for it.
Nathan sat back in his chair. The concern was replaced by a flash of annoyance, flitting through his eyes with the heat of a brushfire. “For someone who wasn’t part of the negotiations, knows nothing about me or my relationship to Newman, that’s out of line.”
“Are you calling me ignorant?”
“Uninformed,” he countered. “And I will certainly educate you as we go along.”
The resounding finality in his voice sent a shock up her spine. This man’s reputation appeared well-earned. He was controlled, relentless.
“You’re the backbone of this company, Ms. Lane,” he went on.
She shook her head. “Mr. Newman is.”
“Was. In his own words, you were his most trusted advisor. No one else but you knows who everyone is, how they fit, what their value to the company is. If the company is to survive, let alone grow and thrive, it will need your assistance.”
“That’s a lot of responsibility for an executive assistant.”
“You’re a hell of a lot more than an executive assistant, and you know it. According to your file, and what Newman said, you’re the equivalent of a senior manager or VP. You’ve got a master’s in—what is it called—Global Energy Management?”
He was informed.
“I’d hazard a guess that you know as much about the business as anyone here.” He checked his watch, an odd-looking contraption. It was more than a timepiece, she realized.
“We’ve got about forty minutes until the office workday officially starts,” he said. “Some of the managers will start to arrive soon. Rumors will start. The press will find out. We need to get ahead of this.” He raked a hand through his hair.
It was at that moment that she saw him as a fallible human. He’d counted on Samuel notifying people. He hadn’t shown up this morning planning to handle this alone.
“Are you in, Ms. Lane?” he asked, voice tight. “Will you offer me your loyalty?”
