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“What?” Her eyes refocused and she brought her brows down into a frown. “Six months for what?”
I laughed. “Six months to go through the Gold Moon records and accounts. Then you can come back to me with your best offer for sale, and all of your justifications why.” I shrugged. “Or you can just say you’re going to run it yourself.” I behaved like it didn’t matter to me, and maybe it didn’t matter as much now the ownership had changed, but no matter what Jo decided, Gold Moon wouldn’t drop off the Apex radar just yet.
She blew out a sigh that sounded like relief. “I thought you were telling me you’d give me six months before we’d spend another night together.” She frowned again and seemed to wrestle with whatever she was about to say. “And I really don’t want to wait that long.”
Her words were like the most wonderful treasure. She wanted me again.
I didn’t even allow myself a smile of celebration, though. “In that case, I’ll be in Clover’s again after work tonight and you’re very welcome to join me there. I’ll have some guests who will also be unwinding after a long day, and you’re very welcome to bring…” I racked my brain for their names. “Charmaine and Wesley, too.”
A small smile played at the corners of her mouth as she nodded slowly. “Thank you. I’ll definitely think about it.”
I turned to leave, my own smile now full on my lips. She was playing the game perfectly.
9
JOSEPHINE
Charmaine and Wesley must have barely waited for Patrick to fully close the office door after he left before they both stampeded back into the room.
“What happened?” Wesley blurted out, rushing toward me like he wanted to check me for physical damage. “I didn’t want to leave you, but he said…and I just didn’t want to disobey him, either.” He looked confused as he finished speaking.
“He’s an alpha,” Charmaine said, like that was the answer to everything. “I think some degree of compulsion must be in their DNA.”
I laughed. “I don’t think it’s that exactly. I think you either respond to his power or you don’t.”
“And did you?” Charmaine turned a curious gaze toward me.
“Did I what?” I wasn’t about to bare my soul right now — how I’d pretty much propositioned the man for the second time in two days, and he’d responded. It didn’t seem wise to confess that I couldn’t get our sex out of my head, either, and that I was more than willing to jump into bed with him again. Hell, I’d been sizing up the comfort of the files in the corner.
So much more than willing, really. Iwanted. I wanted it in a way that heated my insides and made me wet with just the thought of what the man could do to me.
“Did you agree to his offer of ten million dollars for Gold Moon?” Charmaine wrapped one of her curls around her finger, then let it spring loose again. “It’s more than enough to retire on, you know. A lot of people would think you’d be dumb not to at least consider it. And Apex has a reputation for getting what they want.”
Wes rolled his eyes. “I should think theyalwaysget what they want.” He looked at me. “You might be the exception.” Then he grinned, but there was something knowing about it. “Or very possibly not.”
I laughed and shook my head, ignoring Wes and focusing on Charmaine. That was all she’d been asking? Of course that was what she’s been asking. Everyone here must have been worried for their jobs when they saw Patrick in the building again. He probably didn’t have a reputation for safeguarding employee futures.
“I haven’t taken the offer. And no way would ten million be enough for me to retire on.” I stopped and rephrased. “Okay soIcould probably retire on it well enough, but what about everyone else? There are loyal employees here at Gold Moon and I’d want them all to be taken care of. So ten million might cover them.” I frowned as I did quick math in my head. “But what about my mother?” I glanced at Wes as he shrugged. “She’s been by Dad’s side since he started Gold Moon, and she’s never collected a penny directly from it. I kind of feel like if anyone is to inherit anything from the company, and if it isn’t to continue as a going concern, then she might need to be first in line. Otherwise, I’d feel like I was just stealing from her. She’s been so loyal all these years. They were only just planning a trip away now because he was always too involved in work before. This was their time, and it's gone.”
The more I spoke, the more I knew it was true. I could never just turn around and give Gold Moon away for ten million dollars. I’d let too many people down. It wasn’t just a case of underselling it. There were people depending on me to see them through this storm.
The trip. So much had gone on today that I’d completely forgotten about my mother leaving. It hadn’t even entered my head until I’d mentioned it to Charmaine and Wes just now.
“Don’t let me forget,” I said, pointing my finger right at him so Wes knew exactly who I was talking to. “Don’t you dare let me forget that we have to drop her at the port in a couple of days. To go on her world cruise. Neither of us would ever forgive me and I’d never live it down. Ever. She can’t miss this. She and Dad arranged it and she’s determined to go.”
Wes nodded. “Got it. We need to drop your mom off at the port so she can go on her world cruise. With your father in a glass dildo urn.”
At the memory of my mother clutching that damn thing in her hand at Agatha’s, I giggled. Then I laughed. Then I glanced at Charmaine’s shocked face and laughed some more.
Maybe she didn’t have a clue what Wes and I were talking about, or perhaps she wasn’t expecting me to laugh so soon after Dad’s funeral. But whatever the reason, Wes had reminded me that Mom was succeeding in finding joy in these times, and she was hanging on to whatever moment of it she could.
There was no harm in me also finding fun and things to laugh about. In fact, I could probably even relax a little if I wanted to.
“It’s okay to hang out with Patrick again, right? I mean, he invitedus.” I asked the question and pointed to Wes and Charmaine as I spoke, unsure of the reception it might receive.
Patrick was, after all, the man apparently trying to buy out Gold Moon for far less than it was worth.
Wes nodded. “Doesn’t sound like such a bad thing to do. Keep your friends close, and all that. When are we doing the hangout?”
