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“Did you hear anything about Hanson taking meetings with Forester?”
My ears perk up. Forester is our bottling company. I glance down at the emails I’d been exchanging with the owner and consider the multiple messages I’d left him. “Fuck. That explains why he’s dodging my calls.”
“I know you have a lot on your plate,” Chase starts but I hold up my hand.
“Nothing is more important to me than this company, Chase. Don’t start that shit. We knew that things were going to spiral a bit when I took over. I’d hoped Pa would have been able to smooth it over with everyone before I took the helm but with him recovering at home that’s not an option. We just have to project that everything is fine, that this was all planned, and eventually it will all shake out.”
Chase grinds his teeth as he stares me down, and I feel like I’m going to snap.
“What? Just say it?”
“You can’t be caught running around with women right now, Cash. You are at the helm. Grams is right. You need to settle down and show you’re the right one to take over.”
I slam my fist down on my desk in aggravation. “I am the right one to take over. You think you could do this better than I can? Handle the phone calls? Iron out the mess? Settle the fuck down!”
Carter storms in and slams the door shut. “Can the two of you shut the fuck up? You’re making everyone around here nervous.”
Chase grudgingly sits down. “Well, they should be nervous. We have contractors backing out left and right. I’m telling you; Hanson is behind this.”
The office door opens and my last sibling saunters in. “Hanson is behind what?”
Cat plops down on the couch, and we all look at her guiltily. We’ve never discussed what happened back then. I don’t even really know what exactly happened, I just know what Hanson said happened. What he threatened to do. What Carter did. It makes me sick. I hope Cat never finds out.
“Cat, what are you doing here? You have a job, and it isn’t in this company,” Carter says without much judgment.
Cat takes a nail file out of her Louis Vuitton bag and starts filing as she puts her legs up on the couch, making herself completely comfortable. “Well, I’m starting to think that I should be working here. What are the rumors I’m hearing about Forester?”
Fuck. If it’s making it outside the company walls, we really are fucked. “I’ve got it under control,” I mutter.
Chase glares at me. “No, he doesn’t. Until he agrees to show his face in Bristol and prove that the company is continuing in Gramp’s stead, our suppliers and contractors are going to fear that we’re going under.”
Cat pauses her filing and looks to Carter and me. “You’re thinking of going back to Bristol?”
My eyes soften. “You don’t have to come. But yes, we are going to spend some time there. Landry likes to do business with local companies and while we used to be one, we haven’t made our presence known there in quite some time.”
All of us look at her. As much as we can be tough on one another, we rally around Cat. I know it’s hard to be a son without a mother, but I’d imagine it’s impossible to be a daughter without one. And going back there is a reminder of all that.
Cat sticks out her chin. “If you guys can do it, so can I.”
I stand up from my desk and walk to her, lifting her legs and putting them over me as I move closer to her on the couch. “But you don’t have to, Kit Cat. This isn’t your problem.”
She glares at me. “I’m a James too, ya know. Just because I’m not a man doesn’t mean I can’t be of use in this company.”
“Cat, you’ve never expressed interest in the company. If you want a seat at the table, I’ll grab you a chair. Hell, I’ll build you a bigger table. Whatever you want, it’s yours.” I hold out my hands to show her it’s all available to her. “You tell us what you want, and we’ll go along with it.” I speak for my brothers knowing that I have their blessing.
Cat looks around the room at each of us, and we all nod. She breathes out a sigh. “When?”
Carter pipes up with the details. “The party is in a month. But we should start showing up around there before then. I’ll start next week. Cash, you handle the party since you are who needs to be the face of all of this. Chase can handle another one of the weeks, and, Cat, you just tell us who you want to join.”
She smiles at me, and I know she wants to go when I’m there. I feel lucky that we are as close as we are. “Thanks. I’ll try for the event. Don’t you have a date?” Cat says, looking at her watch. “That’s why I’m here. I wanted to make sure you were dressed appropriately.”
Chase laughs, and Carter hides behind his hand as he holds back his own laughter.
I glare at them all. “I’ve dated women before, Cat. I’m pretty sure I can handle this.”
She smirks. “Yes, it’s not so much women that concern me. It’s the woman that is arranging the date. I want to make sure she isn’t the one showing up. Ya know, another setup.”
I roll my eyes. “You act like Grace is this conniving person. She’s not like that.” I run my teeth over my lips trying to figure out why I’m still standing up for her.
