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“You have my personal cell number, Margaret.” He put his briefcase on top of a cardboard box. “I’m going to need to hire employees soon, so if you’re ever in the mood to move to a small town on the Pacific Coast, give me a call.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “You’re serious?”
He frowned. “How long have you been my assistant?”
“Six years.”
“Have you ever heard me crack a joke?”
“No.” A smile twitched her mouth.
Hunter lifted the box into his arms. He walked to where a security guard stood waiting to escort him from the building.
“Bliss Cove is a great town,” he told Margaret. “I’ll be working at a place that rescues cats, if that helpspurr-suadeyou to relocate.”
He was almost to the elevator when he heard her laugh.
As he descended to the ground floor and crossed the lobby, Juliette entered the glass doors of the building, blade-like in a red sheath dress and matching coat. Her heels clicked sharply on the marble floor.
“Glad I caught you.” She stopped in front of him, her lips pursing. “I wanted to tell you I convinced my father to call off his attack dogs. It took some work, but when I explained that taking you down wouldn’t make us look good with our clients, who think you walk on water, he agreed to leave you alone.”
“I’ll consider that a favor, then.”
“You should.” She straightened her shoulders. “I intend to call in the favor when I’m CEO, which will be before the end of year. You know as well as I do that Mariposa Street needs more than a donation jar and a petition. Play your cards right, and Imperial Properties, under my command, could help you out.”
“There will never be anything close to a luxury hotel in Bliss Cove,” Hunter said.
“Of course not.” She brushed a lock of hair away from her forehead. “That was a ridiculous and over-the-top plan, and frankly, my father is a bastard for thinking he could force us to compete. I’ve already proven my worth, and even if you hadn’t done what you did at the meeting, I wouldn’t have lowered myself to a competition.”
“So what do you want?”
“I still think that town could be more than it is,” Juliette said. “When your friend Aria went pit-bull on us, I did some research about both Mariposa and historic properties in general. There aren’t a lot of development companies that have a staff dedicated to historic preservation. Not that Imperial is going to start crusading on behalf of Great-Aunt Mildred’s father’s horse stable, but there are a number of cases in which the modernization of historic buildings has helped change a city’s landscape. So I can see the value of Bliss Cove wanting to bring Mariposa Street to life again.”
“In return, Imperial Properties still gets a foothold in the town.” Hunter narrowed his eyes. “You will never get approval to build a new development anywhere in Bliss Cove.”
“Did you not hear what I just said?” Juliette retorted. “I’m not talking about new construction. Restoring old buildings might be a sound investment for Imperial Properties. Mariposa Street could help us build a reputation in the area of historic preservation. Look.”
She held up a hand. “You and I have worked together for years. Yes, I’ve played my father’s game, but I’ve also disagreed with him countless times and stopped him from doing things I considered unethical. Do you know why I want to be CEO? Because I want to run this company exactly the way it should be run. I want to make changes and try new things and create opportunities. If you won’t give me the chance to prove that, then fine. I can go elsewhere. But I’m good at what I do. I keep my word. You know that.”
She smirked. “And don’t tell me you didn’t consider my offer before that cat girl swept you off your feet.”
Hunter almost smiled. Juliette was right. He knew how she worked and what her strengths were. They’d collaborated on several successful projects. Bringing her in to help with Mariposa Street wasn’t a bad idea.
It might not be a great idea either, but he was learning to keep all options open.
“I’ll give you a call before the end of summer,” he said. “We can talk.”
Juliette smiled. The effect was almost surprising, brightening her eyes and face. Hunter was all too familiar with her tight smiles and wicked-witch lip curves, but he’d rarely seen her smile with pleasure.
“Good luck, Juliette.” He stepped toward the glass doors.
“You too. Stay in touch.” With a toss of her hair, she strode toward the elevators.
Hunter walked outside into the glaring sunshine of Manhattan. Time to start his new lifelong plan.
