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“Your office?” In a move so casual it almost looked like chance, James plopped himself down in the vacant chair at the head of the table. “I was under the impression that you were just keeping it warm.”
Robert’s skin took on a greenish hue, and he found himself temporarily unable to speak.
A second later, another man leaned forward to help. “That’s actually what we’re discussing now.”
“I can see that.” Then, in a move so fast it defied logic, James snatched a document out of the hand of the man seated next to him, the only piece of paper that was floating around the table. He scanned the agenda briefly, his eyes skimming from line to line, then looked slowly up at his brother. “Unopposed? It says you’re running unopposed for Dad’s chair.”
Twice, Robert opened his mouth to speak, and twice, he failed.
“That makes it easier for you, doesn’t it?” James continued softly, his fingers playing with the edges of the paper as he stared his brother right in the eyes. “Running unopposed?” For a second, time seemed to stop, but then James leaned back in his chair and grinned. “Surely you remember what Dad always said. Nothing good in life comes easy.”
Robert blinked, released from his speechless trance as James dropped the final piece upon the board. “What does that—”
“I’m opposing you.”
Oh my gosh!
My mouth fell open in sheer amazement as he turned to face the board, suddenly looking every bit the man his late father was.
“Consider this my official submission of my candidacy for CEO and president of Cross Enterprises. I think there are plenty of witnesses here.”
“I MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE, didn’t I?”
The reflection of the city lights flashed on James’s face as he pressed his forehead against the cab window, staring unblinkingly into the night. We had darted out into the street and left the office just a few minutes earlier, and those were the only words he had conjured up since.
“It’s okay, honey. Just breathe.” I rubbed gentle circles on his back and flashed a look of panic up at the driver. “Are we almost there? How much farther?”
The cabbie glanced back at us, apparently highly upset that he’d accidentally picked up two such volatile customers. “Not far, just up past this next traffic light.” His eyes narrowed as they fixed on James’s ashen face. “He’s not going to throw up in my cab, is he?”
It’s a distinct possibility.
“Just drive,” I commanded, then returned my attention to James. “Everything’s going to be all right, babe. We’ll figure this out together. I promise.”
“Too late. I made a terrible mistake,” he repeated, still not pulling his head away from the window.
Three minutes later, we were rushing through the crowd of paparazzi, into the lobby of James’s building. I’d had the sense of mind to text Nick and Abby to let them know we were coming, so they mindfully alerted security. We raced between the metal barriers, with a stranger’s jacket held protectively above our heads, and finally found the relative calm and safety of the main floor.
In an instant, Ferdie appeared out of nowhere to guide us toward the back elevators. He needed only a second to assess James’s stricken expression before the wrinkles on his own face deepened in alarm. “What the blazes happened?!” he demanded, turning a disappointed look on me, as if he’d loaned out his prize possession and I’d returned it broken. “What did you do to him?”
“I didn’t do anything,” I replied quickly, struggling to keep pace as he swept James briskly into the lift and pressed the button for the top floor. “But James, on the other hand... Well, he kind of stormed into the boardroom and demanded to take over his father’s company,” I explained, and it sounded worse every time I said it aloud.
Ferdie’s mouth was instantly agape in undignified shock.
Meanwhile, James bent over at the waist and put his hands on his knees. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
It was thrilling to hear him conjure up a few new words, but no matter how thrilled I was, it paled in comparison to the delight that ignited Ferdie’s face as I stepped out of the way to project my shoes from any potential digestive projectiles.
With his entire face aglow, a happiness that filled in every line, softening every dignified crease, Ferdie knelt down to lift James slowly to his feet. “James Lysander Cross, your father would be very proud of you this day.”
The two locked eyes for a suspended moment as a profound emotion passed between them, one I was sure I would never understand. For a split second, the storm cloud barreling toward us came to a momentary pause, and a flicker of hope stirred in the troubled depths of James’s eyes.
“Thanks, Ferdie,” he said, but as soon as the doors dinged, his face paled all over again. “But I’ve made a terrible mistake.”
“JAMES!”
The minute the doors open, all three of us were accosted by Nick Hunter. By then, Ferdie was experienced enough to step briskly out of the way, but I was caught off guard by the full force of it and slammed backward into the wall as Nick seized James in a suffocating embrace.
“Where the hell did you go?!” Nick exclaimed. “I checked everywhere...the symphony, The Dorchester, hell, even that sex shop where we hid after that incident with... Oh. Hi, Della.”
