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Deacon set the picture down and ignored Jason’s statement. “If Olivia is such a perfect boss, why is French Kiss going bankrupt?”
Jason looked surprised. “Ms. Harrington told you?”
“We talked about it, and her plan to save the company.” He picked up a football. “It’s a bad plan.”
“How would you know? You don’t know anything about the business.”
Deacon put the football back in its stand. “You’re right. So fill me in.” He took the chair in front of the desk. “Starting with Ms. Bradley.”
Jason’s chair squeaked as he leaned forward. “What’s with all the questions? What difference does it make who is in charge if you’re planning on selling your shares?” He paused. “Unless you’re not planning on selling your shares. Unless you’re toying with Ms. Harrington.” His eyes narrowed. “Well, I’m not having it, Mr. Beaumont. She’s a good person who only wants what’s best for this company and the employees who work here. That’s why she’s using every penny she inherited and selling her home so she can keep French Kiss. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let some Southern, slick-talking con artist ruin that for her.”
The loyal speech and protective tone made up Deacon’s mind, and he smiled and leaned back in the chair. “Number one rule when dealing with sexual women is don’t play their game. Next time Kelly asks you what you want, tell her. No blushing, no sparring, no egos involved. Look her straight in the eyes and tell her.”
“Tell her I want to have sex with her?”
“Is that all you want?”
“No. I’d like to take her to dinner.”
“So start with that and see where it goes.” He leaned in. “And you’re right. I’ve been playing with Olivia, seeing just how much crap she’d be willing to take to get me to sign the contract.”
“You asshole,” Jason said.
Deacon pictured Olivia kneeling in front of him and had to agree. She hadn’t even blinked. To her a little lost pride was no big deal when compared to getting what she wanted. While to Deacon pride came first. Followed closely by honor. And no honorable man could leave Olivia in a pit of scorpions.
“Asshole or not, I own the company,” he said. “Or will after it clears probate.”
“It already has.”
Deacon wasn’t surprised by the news as much as the feeling that accompanied it. He suddenly felt overwhelmed by the enormity of owning a huge company and being responsible for it and every employee in it. And he had to wonder if Olivia hadn’t felt the same way when Michael had his stroke.
He nodded. “Then I guess that means I’m your boss. And right now, I want to get a look at your accounts.”
“Why?”
“Because I think there’s another asshole who is skimming money off the top and trying to lower the stock so they can buy out the company.” He briefly ran through what he’d overheard Ms. Bradley saying. When he finished, Jason flopped down in his chair in disbelief.
“I knew she was mean, but I didn’t think she would do something like that. Who do you think she was talking with?”
“I was hoping you could shed some light on that.”
Jason shook his head. “I don’t have a clue. She doesn’t hang out with anyone that I know of—except Parker Calloway from accounting. They occasionally have lunch together. But he would never do anything to hurt Olivia. They’re dating.”
So Olivia hadn’t been lying when she told Nash she was in a relationship. Deacon didn’t know why he felt annoyed by the information, but he did.
“Let’s start with the accounts and see what we can find,” he said.
Jason studied him for only a moment before he leaned in and grabbed his computer mouse. “I don’t have the passcode to get into all the accounts. Only Olivia and Ms. Bradley have those. But I can get you into a few.”
“Let’s start with the ones you have access to, then once I have the passcode, we’ll look at the others.”
Jason stopped moving the mouse and looked at Deacon. “So you’re on Olivia’s team?”
Deacon took his time answering. “It would seem that way. At least until I sign the contract.”
