AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He blush deepens and she thanks me, then reddens further and stammers a few seconds before I laugh and tell her that she should make the first move.
She nods, red as a tomato, and I move on. I reach the library, and when I do, I retrieve the book, which waits for me at the desk. I make a mental note to send a thank you email to the library’s custodian. It’s part of her job description to ensure that any reading material I need is found and provided to me immediately, but I make it a point to thank everyone who works for me as often as possible. A little appreciation goes a long way.
I head to my private office and open the book, but before I start to read, my private cell phone rings.
I frown. Very few people have this number, and if someone’s calling me at that number, then it’s important. I answer, and my father’s voice replies.
“Aiden,” he says.
“Your Majesty,” I reply.
Typically, this will be when he tells me to dispense with the formality and that father is just fine. Instead, he gets right to business, another indication that this is serious.
“Aiden, the lawyer handling the EU agreement has died suddenly.”
My eyes widen. “Hercule? I’m sorry to hear that. What happened?”
What I’m really asking is if there was foul play, and that’s the question that my father answers. “He passed in his sleep. A heart condition that wasn’t known before now.”
“I see. I’ll send a grievance package to the family.”
“I’ve already taken care of that,” he says. “I need you to send someone to take over for him right away.”
“Of course,” I reply, “Is everything all right?”
“It seems that way,” my father replies, “but there’s a lot of urgency over this agreement.”
“Very well,” I reply, “I’ll handle it.”
“Thank you, son,” he says. “I know you will.”
He hangs up, and I put the book away. I’ll have to get to this Chosen One business later. I email the relevant documents to Brooke, then call her.
She answers right away, which pleases me. “Hello, Aiden.”
“Brooke, I apologize for the short notice, but I need you to fly to Bern tomorrow.”
“Is this related to the documents you just emailed me?”
Now I’m really impressed.
“Yes,” I reply. “Review the documents today and make sure you’re familiar with them. You’ll be overseeing negotiations.”
There’s a brief pause. I’m sure she’s a little overwhelmed to have this dumped on her at once, but this is the kind of work I’ll expect her to do, and she needs to be prepared for it.
“All right,” she says. “I mean, yes, sir.”
I smile. “There’s no need for formality between us, Brooke. You’ll be meeting with another one of our attorneys, Romeo Giordani. He will assist you, but you have the final call whether to accept, modify or reject the agreement. I trust your judgment.”
There’s another brief pause. Then she truly impresses me when she says, “You can count on me.”
ChapterSix
Negotiation
Brooke
“No,” I say.
