AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, me too. Anyway, what are you doing today?” Suddenly Chelsea wanted to be out and about with people today. She didn’t want to sit around the cottage fretting about tomorrow or reminiscing about last night.
“Piper just called to see if I wanted to go over for lunch. She said she was going to call you, too. What do you think? Do you want to?”
“Lunch with her or lunch with her and Cam?”
“Both, I think. Why?”
“Nothing. I’m just being silly. I’ll go if she calls me.”
“If you’re thinking Cam’s in on whatever your dad is doing with this consultant, I think you’re wrong. I didn’t know anything about it, and usually, whatever Cam knows, I know.”
“You’re right; that’s what I figured. It’s just when you were cagey about it, I thought you might know something I don’t.”
“No! I just didn’t want to offer an opinion. I’m your friend, and I care about you, but of course, I know the company line—and the fact that you don’t exactly toe it. I’m in a difficult place because I care about you and I also care about the company. I’ve got a foot in each camp. and I don’t want to upset anyone. That’s all.”
“I know, I was just being a little touchy, but I’m over it. If anything, I’m sure Cam will be able to offer me some sage, brotherly advice. Oh, wait. I’ve got another call coming in. It’s Piper. I guess I’ll see you at their place later.”
“Okay, see you later.”
~ ~ ~
Grant took his glasses off and set them down beside his laptop. He’d been going through the books for Zosca for a couple of hours now. On the one hand, they looked good—or at least they would if they were the numbers of a new company, establishing a new brand—and if it were keeping its overhead a little lower. Zosca wasn’t a new company. It was an old company under new management—the management that Mr. Hamilton Sr. was questioning. Grant blew out a sigh. He hadn’t been brought in to assess a new company. His job was to turn the company around, to return it to profitability as quickly as possible. He’d already found a whole slew of cuts he could make that would help. It wasn’t a major overhaul job. But he already knew that streamlining this business, in terms of the pruning analogy he’d used with Antonio last night, would be like cutting new growth. It would encourage more solid growth over time, but it would be at the cost of beautiful flowers. Whoever was managing the winery at the moment was focused on encouraging beautiful blooms. It was more a case of them being at odds with Mr. Hamilton’s vision than of them running the company poorly. He was curious to meet this mystery manager. He wouldn’t have long to wait now. He had a meeting with them and Mr. Hamilton tomorrow morning at nine.
He got up and stretched his arms over his head. He was achy this morning. Perhaps he should get out for a walk. It wasn’t like he needed to put hours and hours into the books. He already had a good picture of what needed to be done. He had a feeling this whole project was going to be more about clarifying the vision for the company. If Mr. Hamilton wanted it to become profit focused, all that would be needed were a few tweaks. If the person running it could convince Mr. Hamilton that the path they were on was the right one, then there were still a few tweaks and efficiencies that could be implemented, but that was all. He was starting to doubt that there’d be enough to the project to earn him much credibility with Mr. Hamilton.
His phone rang, and he picked it up. “Hello?”
“Hey, buddy. Did you stick around and have a good time last night?”
“Antonio, good morning. I did, thanks. I’m guessing you didn’t need my call to save you?”
Antonio’s laugh was rich and deep. “No, but thanks for making it. I stayed with Alissa till lunch time. I was good. What about you? Did you take my advice and find yourself a sweet little thing?”
“I did.”
“Good! I had the feeling you were going to slink off back to the hotel and work.”
“I almost did, but that drink you sent saved me. She walked in just a few minutes later, and she’s amazing.”
“Is or was? We’ve always talked about last night’s woman in the past tense.”
Grant hadn’t even been aware that he’d used the present tense. “Was, of course.”
“Uh-oh, you’re not seeing her again, are you?”
Grant laughed. “No.” He wasn’t about to admit that he would be seeing her again if it were up to him.
“Good, you needed a distraction—a short and physical distraction—not to find an emotional involvement.”
Grant laughed. “I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that’s what she said.”
“Wow. She sounds like a smart lady.”
“She is, smart and hot and … Yeah, yeah. I know. It was one night. That’s all.”
“You be careful. You’re scaring me.”
“No need. I wouldn’t know how to find her again if I wanted to. No last names, no numbers, no nothing.”
