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But my secretary doesn’t look convinced. Suddenly, something sounds on her phone and she looks down.
“They’re ready for you, Mr. Crane,” she says while nodding to the door. “Maybe apologize,” she adds under her breath. “It could do you good.”
I merely roll my eyes and stride inside. I didn’t get to where I am by pandering to a bunch of hypocrites. There wasn’t one person in this room who hadn’t stepped on dozens of toes on their way up.
Yet, walking into the boardroom I got a distinct feeling that the atmosphere was chilly. Weird, because usually they’re pandering to me. Fuck. Not a good sign.
“Rowan, thank you for coming. As you can imagine, we have some questions for you,” Curtis Andrews, our chairman, stated as I sat.
I nod.
“Sure thing. I can get a copy of the projected profit numbers for this quarter if you’d like. I think it was something like eighty-eight million dollars. That was net profit after all expenses actually, even with marketing unamortized. Or maybe I could grab for you the New York Times article they just ran about our company culture? It was very flattering actually. So tell me: what can I help you with?” I sat back cockily in my chair at the head of the table.
Not one person cracks a smile.
“Last Friday, Cecily Mandy, board member, walked in on you engaged in lascivious activities with a woman in one of the conference rooms. Is that true?” Curtis asks.
I stare at him.
“I’m not sure that my choice of sexual partners has anything to do with this board.”
“Rowan, she’s a child,” Cecily burst out, her wrinkled hands trembling. “She couldn’t have been more than twenty! I have grandchildren that age!”
I stare at her wizened visage.
“Cecily, she’s not a child. She’s a grown woman who’s in college. Last I checked, that qualifies as an adult.
But Cecily shook her head in disgust at me, her lips pursed. Several other members of my board were also looking at me apologetically, and suddenly, I knew. I wasn’t being called in to discuss my actions or a potential plan of rehabilitation. The decision had already been made. Yet, the inquisition continued.
“Rowan, Natalie Miller is an intern at this company, is that right?” Curtis asked while glancing at a piece of paper that I was sure already told him the answer to his question.
“Yes, she was an intern at this company but she’s finished her work with us,” I grouse.
Another old lady, Emily Seville, chimes in.
“Are you aware of how this looks to the outside world? The forty-five year old CEO of a multi-billion organization taking advantage of a young woman working as an intern at your company?”
Shit. The way it was being worded sounded bad. In fact, these businesspeople weren’t worried about Natalie or about the relationship because they aren’t exactly caring human beings. No, the board was worried about the company’s image and the potential hit to our earnings. I had to respect them for that. Yet, I tried.
“It wasn’t like that. Natalie and I have been dating and are in love,” I said with a new sense of urgency. There’s silence for a moment that hangs over the room like an uncomfortable blanket. Then Curtis clear his throat, his wizened Adam’s apple bobbing.
“Do you know who Liam Borden is?” he asks.
I turn to stare at him.
“We know each other, yes. He runs a management consulting firm here in New York.”
Curtis nods.
“Crane used Mr. Borden on several occasions to fill in for executive positions when we needed help, is that correct?” Oh shit, things were really going down the drain because Liam is the guy that companies use to fill in as interim CEO after someone’s ousted. Shit shit shit.
“Yes, Liam is a trusted person that has worked with us many times, but I’m not sure what he has to do with this situation. I’m sure Natalie would be happy to come in and talk with you about our relationship. Would you like me to call her?” I pulled out my phone and began to dial her number.
“That isn’t necessary, Rowan,” Curtis stated in a firm tone.
“We would just like to ask you a few more questions before we vote,” another board member chimed in.
Vote? They were really going to vote? Shit. Shit. Shit! I went numb before answering their questions, and then was escorted outside as the board convened to discuss next steps. I called Liam right away.
“Liam, tell me you haven’t…”
“I have,” he replied, not letting me finish my sentence. “I thought it was better that I take the position than for them to farm it out to some shmuck who doesn’t care about your company. It’s shitty and you can fight it. But know that I’ll take good care of Crane Technologies in the meantime. It’s the best of a bad situation, Rowan. You get some much needed time off and I’ll keep you in the loop.”
