Page 101
Story: The Usual Family Mayhem
“Thank you for agreeing to see us here today.” Harlan watched Gram during his greeting.
Her noncommittal response wasn’t a surprise. “Hmmm.”
“Brock Deavers, this is Magnolia Nottingham and CeliaWindsor.” The wattage of Harlan’s smile didn’t flicker when he looked in my direction. “You know Kasey.”
I was about to see Harlan in his finest lobbying form.
“Of course. She’s been doing advance work for me on this proposal.” Brock’sdo not blow thisexpression dared me to disagree. “Assistant work.”
Calling him a jackass had been too nice.
“Magnolia, it’s a pleasure.” Brock extended his hand to Gram.
She took it but delivered a shot as well. “Call me Ms. Nottingham.”
Score one for Gram.
“Please sit.” Celia gestured toward the other side of the table. Doing so meant she avoided a formal greeting from Brock. Good choice.
They all sat down. I pulled over a chair and joined them.
“Kasey, I can handle the details and overview. You don’t need to wade through the finer points with us.” Brock opened a binder and pulled out what looked like a report. Apparently he’d been busy in between his rounds of golf. “Why don’t you—”
“My granddaughter stays.”
Second point to Gram.
Brock wore a tight smile. “Of course.”
“We’re happy to have Kasey here,” Harlan said but couldn’t possibly mean. “We’re talking about a proposal that benefits the entire family.”
“Uh-huh.” Gram wasn’t giving an inch.
“Right. Well, you know why we asked to see you today.” Harlan relaxed into his chair, coming off very much at home in the annex, where he wasn’t actually welcome.
Gram looked Harlan up and down, letting him know she was not impressed. “Not really since we’ve made it clear the business is not for sale.”
Gram reached for her glass of tea. She didn’t offer anyone else a drink. That had to be killing her. Southern hospitality and a certain level of graciousness were ingrained in her DNA. She’d been the perfect hostess for most of her life. Not greeting her guests with a smile, not putting out a spread of fresh pastries and suitable drinks, went against everything she believed in. They might not know it, but her actions telegraphed how little she thought of her unwanted guests.
“I know you’ve said your position is firm, Mags.” Harlan passed glossy-covered folders around the table. “I think once you’ve heard the offer you might change your mind.”
“Doubt it.”
Honestly, Gram didn’t need me for this. She could hold her own with almost anyone. People mistook her cute, tiny grandmother persona for weakness. The dumbasses. She had a backbone of steel and a deep dislike of Harlan, so this could devolve quickly.
“Kasey knows this is a good deal. One you should consider.” Brock stared at me. Put his whole you’re-about-to-be-firedhmpfbehind it. “Correct?”
Since I expected to lose my job within the next few days, possibly minutes, what did I have to lose by going against him? Hell, I was shocked I still had the job, so whatever punishment he thought he could levy didn’t really pack a punch.
My real concern and the reason I refused to move from my chair was Harlan and his whims. I didn’t trust him as far as I could drop-kick him... and I really wanted to drop-kick him.
What was stopping him from running me out of town and out of Jackson’s life and still waging a campaign of destruction against Mags’ Desserts? In Harlan’s mind, absolutely nothing. He wanted the business and was willing to destroy his relationships with everyone around him to get it.
“Are we interrupting?”
I spun around at the sound of Jackson’s voice. He walked in with... Micah.
I did not see that shocker coming but now I knew exactly why Jackson asked me to trust him. The man had a plan.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101 (Reading here)
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113