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“You do, too. Have you been exercising more?” I ask to change the subject.
“I have! I started taking this barre class one of my neighbors raves about…”
I listen with half an ear, watching my father, who’s studying me. Can he guess that my time in Hawaii hasn’t been all business? No. Mariah knows me better than anyone. If she hasn’t guessed—and I haven’t told her yet because admitting that I’m in a torrid, short-term affair with my two coworkers would worry her—surely my dad hasn’t pieced that together.
“Sorry.” My sister suddenly winces. “That’s more than you wanted to know, but the classes have been enjoyable. And I’ve met some amazing women.”
“I’m happy for you. And I’m jealous. We’ve been so busy here that my exercise routine has completely gone out the window.” Unless sweaty, grinding, half-the-night sex counts. We’ve been through three boxes of condoms, and we’re well into the fourth.
“Are you happy with your decision to leave home, honey?” Dad asks suddenly.
My chest tightens. The question comes out of left field. What is he fishing for? Is it why he came? “I’m taking it one day at a time.”
With a sigh, he grips my hand. “I hate to throw a wrench in that, and I was going to wait to say this until tomorrow, but…two of my foremen, Ron Guzman and Chip Barnes, have offered to buy the company from me. It’s a more-than-fair offer, especially considering the downswing in business over the last two years.”
After Derrick swindled most of our clients.
Dad’s words are a gut-punch. If retiring is what he wants, I’m happy for him. But I’m also disappointed. I thought Dad would work another five to seven years, when I hoped to buy him out and take over. It’s something I’ve dreamed about since I started helping during the summers as a teenager.
“I haven’t given them an answer.” Dad fits his hands in his pockets, then peers at me carefully. “I wanted to talk to you first.”
My heart breaks. “You know I’m not in any financial position to buy you out.”
He holds up his hands. “I know. I know. You don’t have to buy the company, honey. If you want to come back and assume the reins, I’ll give it to you outright.”
“Really?” I gasp. I don’t have to ask if he’s serious. His expression tells me he is. I tear up. “Daddy…”
The first thought that streaks through my head is what a dream come true this is. The next is that it’s a relief to have a fallback if Marcus and Josh break my heart. I shouldn’t even consider running away at the first sign of trouble. After all, I’m much stronger than I used to be. When Derrick left, I spent months soul-searching and getting myself back together. Coming to work for Force Financial was my first real act of starting over. But have I unraveled it all by falling in love with two men I’ll have to work with—potentially for years—who may never want me after this weekend?
“Kate?”
Josh’s voice fills my ears from across the room. In one hand, he holds a pizza. His stunned expression tells me he heard every word of my father’s offer. He’s well aware I haven’t said no.
Beside him, Marcus clutches a bottle of red, looking beyond pissed off.
I have no idea how to smooth this over.
Plastering on a smile, I gesture to my family. “My dad and my sister surprised me with a visit.” Quickly, I introduce everyone. “Dad, sis, this is Josh Hennessey and Marcus Hunt, my coworkers and partners on the project. They helped Chad Force grow the company almost from inception. They’re brilliant financial minds, and they’ve been assigned to help me get this new venture off the ground.”
Politely, Josh shakes their hands, but he’s looking at me like he wants to ask me a thousand questions.
Mariah, bless her, tries to smooth things over. “It’s great to finally meet you. I talk to my sister every day. I don’t think she’s ever failed to rave about your business smarts, acumen, and professionalism.”
Josh’s face turns cold. Marcus’s expression shifts from pissed off to utterly betrayed.
Despite the warm Hawaiian evening, a chill sweeps through me. Something is wrong. Very wrong. I have no idea what.
Before I can grasp the situation, Marcus gives me a final glare, turns on his heel, and slams out the side door. The loud bang as it hits the wall makes me start. A deafening silence follows as he disappears into the night.
A handful of awkward seconds later, Josh curses under his breath and drops the pizza on my desk, patently refusing to look at me.
With the bottom dropping out of my stomach, I scurry toward him. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
He looks up, and his recriminating glare freezes me. If the eyes are the window to someone’s soul, Josh’s are shuttered up tight. “Exactly what he expected. What I clearly should have expected, too. Excuse me.”
Then with a curt nod to my dad and my sister, he stomps out the same side door and lets the darkness outside swallow him up.
I have no idea what Josh means or what I’ve done to upset them.
