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One of the sheets of paper fluttered to the floor. “Oh wait. I’m sorry.” I heard him exhale while I crawled under the table collecting my notes and pushed back into my seat.
“Are you prepared or not?”
“I am.” I flattened out the sheet. My notes seemed frivolous now that I was about to read them to my father. “Okay, shipping.” It sounded as if I was about to perform a book report in front of the class. Something I barely remembered, but the feeling was familiar. There was a knot in my stomach and the inescapable pressure to perform perfectly. On command.
My father’s attention was sharp and focused. The words I chose mattered. Each one represented my analysis of the last quarter’s shipping efforts since he had redistributed half the company to New Orleans. It was going to take another year to make the full shift, but that was part of my recommendation for the fourth quarter.
“I think it would be a good idea to keep a quarter of the shipping in the northeast. I know you intended to be a hundred percent invested here, but I think the last quarter shows that the northeast is still strong, and you can keep diversifying. It’s safer and the profits are too dependable to shut that down and move it.”
He folded his hands together in his lap. “What about the hotels? The boutique one. Vieux Carre. I’m sure you know by now the Corbans don’t want me to buy it. They don’t think I’ve paid my dues here.”
I knew more about the boutique hotel now than I had when Knight first mentioned it.
“Dad, I think you should go for it.” I smiled. “That hotel will symbolize your position in this city. You can’t let the Corbans push you aside because you’re new blood. There’s nothing wrong with new blood. I think New Orleans could use a little bit of it.”
His eyes widened. “Those are my thoughts exactly, but I was wondering what you would say.” He grinned. It wasn’t often I witnessed my father look genuinely happy. I saw his fingertips twitch, as if he was considering reaching out to pat me in some way. Congratulate me for arriving at the conclusion he saw from the beginning. Only, he didn’t know I was capable of sharing his business strategies.
I didn’t either.
12
Knight
I surveyed the room. It was the usual collection of investors along with a few new faces. The bank opened a second room to allow space for everyone to gather around two sets of oblong tables. I knew it would be crowded. I knew the auction would attract a high level of clients. But I also knew I had spent the last few weeks making sure the word was out that Raphael Corban was going to be the owner of the Vieux Carre. There shouldn’t be any threats of real competition. This show of force was for the bank clients who didn’t realize who they were up against. The bank expected us. I assumed we would be out of here in thirty minutes.
Then she walked in.
I spotted Kimble first. He was easily a head taller than everyone else. He cleared the area before Kennedy walked in with who I presumed was her father’s attorney.
What was she doing here? I had made it clear Lucien didn’t have a chance in hell of getting this hotel. He sent her? What kind of plan was this?
The powder blue dress made Kennedy look innocent. Almost angelic. Her hair was pulled back in a low bun. Her lips and cheeks were a light pink. Fuck. She looked beautiful. I knew she saw me sitting at the end of the table, but our eyes never made contact. Could I blame her?
I had tossed her out of my apartment after bringing her to the pinnacle of vulnerability. I still wasn’t proud of what I did, but it had to be done. For her sake. It had tortured me every night since. She was the last thing I thought of when I fought sleep.
Lucien’s attorney held a seat for her while she positioned herself at the table far from me. I couldn’t see her face from the new angle. Kimble stood outside the room. She wasn’t the only woman present, but there were only a few others. She stood out. She was young.
Graceful. Fucking sexy. Every man getting ready for the auction noticed her. It was impossible not to. If it had been possible, I would have shuttled her into the hallway and tell her this wasn’t a good idea. She shouldn’t be here. Lucien shouldn’t have sent her.
I had to pry my eyes off her when the bank’s president stepped up to the podium.
“Good morning.” He didn’t bother to smile. He shuffled a tablet on the podium until the screen behind him was illuminated with the name of the bank and the property number. It was a stark contrast to the brightness of the room when the lights were turned off.
“You are here because of property 6-4-3-2-1-1.”
I just wanted him to start the bidding. Get the charade over with. Paul sat next to me. He had instructions from my father to annihilate anyone who came close to the hotel. I was there to represent the Corban name. To demonstrate the family solidarity. Paul had been my father’s legal counsel since I was a kid. A deal never floated across the desk that didn’t have his eyes on it.
The president continued to list the features of the hotel along with the tax codes and the registration numbers for the auction. Formalities bored me. From the corner of my eye I saw Kennedy scribbling notes as quickly as the president spoke. She didn’t need to put herself through this. It was unnecessary.
I stared at the podium. The president opened the bidding. I sat back, letting Paul handle our first bid.
The Martin attorney made a motion. I leaned near Paul.
“Hold off until he’s finished,” I instructed.
Paul nodded. “You know him?”
“I know the family,” I whispered.
