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To my surprise, JJ laughed boisterously. “Not a chance. I’ll no longer be CEO, but I’ll stay on the board with Robert and our investors. So I’ll still be around. Just not running the day-to-day.”
“I see. And will you want me to stay on in this position after the new year, or do you have an idea where I would transition when you’ve determined she’s ready?” I kept my voice neutral, but this was the vitally important question.
My job in the military always had a certain amount of guarantee attached, first my enlisted contract, then my commission, followed by the tour at OTS. As long as you didn’t fuck up royally, they couldn’t kick you out. Civilian jobs came with no such guarantee. He was essentially offering me a five-month contract, perhaps eight, with a promise to extend if he was pleased with the result.
Five months was terrifying—I had no back-up plan, and no chance of getting another job that paid enough to cover the expenses of my household in this town.
“We can make that determination at the end of the year. I have a few ideas in mind but I’m not ready to settle on them yet. But don’t worry, we’ll take care of you,” he added with a wink. “If you can get my Isabelle ready to take over as CEO, that’s all the proof I need that you’ll be an excellent addition to our Aspen Ridge family.”
I swallowed down the panic. “Excellent, I look forward to it, JJ.”
Chapter4
Ellie
* * *
“No, you don’t understand, it’s an absolute nightmare,” I protested, popping a ketchup-laden fry into my mouth and washing it down with a gulp of amber ale.
After that disaster of epic proportions, I had no choice but to run away to the other side of town—where my best friend Tessa’s family owned the Aspen Ridge Brewery—for an emergency drink and comfort. I couldn’t risk being overheard by employees at the resort. It was just too humiliating.
“So your dad hired some hunky Air Force guy to work with you,closely, a guy that you’ve been swooning over all weekend, and you’reupsetabout it?” Tessa raised an eyebrow over her own pint. The bar was quiet for a Monday lunch rush, and we’d been able to chat undisturbed.
“I’m not upset he hired him, obviously. I’m upset he hired him to be my personal babysitter and tell me how to do my job. I don’t need someone following me around and looking over my shoulder. I know my job, and I’m damn good at my job,” I added vehemently, taking a giant bite of my burger so I could take a break from talking. Tessa had listened to me rant while my food cooled, and I’d now reached the point of repeating myself.
“You are good at your job,” she soothed, flicking her chestnut ponytail over her shoulder. “But from the sounds of it, he’s hoping this guy will help you transition intohisjob. That’s not a bad thing, is it? Instead of just giving you the ‘sink-or-swim’ approach, he’s trying to set you up for success?”
“It’s insulting,” I argued around my mouthful before swallowing. “Like he doesn’t think I can do it on my own. I have an MBA, for chrissakes. What more does he want from me?”
“I don’t know if you’re looking at it the right way,” Tessa disagreed. “I think all of this is just to help you be successful. He wants you to take over the biggest part of the family business—that’s a huge vote of confidence! Even your older brother handles less, running the ski resort. So I think he just wants to verify that you’re ready before he hands over the reins.”
“Maybe,” I grumbled saltily. “But I still don’t get why he had to spring this guy on me.”
“Well, maybe it will work in your favor. You can show Jake how you like to do things, and maybe he’ll agree with you over your dad. He could become an asset to you if you win him to your side.”
“Tess, he’s military. He’s come here to put me through boss boot camp or some shit. Plus, he works for my dad. He’s definitely not on my side in this scenario.”
“You never know,” she disagreed. “Maybe your little hookup is in your favor. You should try to work that angle and see if it does you any good.”
“I can’t, Tessa.” the whine in my voice was unmistakable. “Friday was an exception—I didn’t know he worked in lodging, so there was no conflict. But now I’m going to be working directly with him. 100% off limits.”
Tessa’s cheerful smile melted. “I’m sorry, Ellie. After how excited you were about him, I know this is a double bummer.”
“Exactly. I can’t tell if I’m more upset that my dad hired me a babysitter, or that the babysitter turned out to be the guy I’ve been fantasizing about for the last two days. God, Tess, it was so hot. He just has this… intensity to him, but he’s also, like, disarmingly sweet.”
A shiver ran down my spine as I recalled Jake twining his fingers in my hair, pulling firmly to drag my head back so he could pepper fiery kisses down my neck.
Tessa sighed dreamily. “That sounds amazing. There is a disturbing lack of hot, fit, single guys in this town. They’re either gay, taken, or only here for a week. Or they reek of patchouli or pot, sometimes both.” Her eyes drifted to her fellow bartender, a skinny white guy with long, dirty blonde locs and a scraggly beard.
I stifled the giggle that rose in my throat. “No prospects, huh?”
She rolled her green eyes. “Please. I’m thinking about ordering one in from Russia. Is that a thing, like the opposite of mail-order brides? Can I get a mail-order hottie for a husband?”
“Girl, you own a brewery. If you can’t find an eligible man, we’re all doomed.”
“Myfamilyowns a brewery.” She tapped the side of her nose. “You know exactly why that distinction is important. And the only guys I meet here are tourists with their families, tourists looking to hook up, or locals coming in for the $9.99 lunch special.” She glanced meaningfully at my plate.
“Hey, I came here to talk to you; food was just the bonus. I can pay full price if you want. Just because I like a cheap meal doesn’t mean I can’t buy you flowers, baby.” I leaned in suggestively and waggled my eyebrows.
