Page 289 of The Donovan Dynasty

That alone was incentive for Sofia to show up.

The three sat at the table and conversation turned to business.Vivian outlined upcoming events.Tyrone said he’d have a purchase order on her desk later in the morning for a wedding next month.

“I’m following up with the Donovans this morning.I hope to have the entire deal signed by Friday, but we need to get out the save-the-date.”

By the time their impromptu meeting was over, others had started to file in, some hitting the coffee pot, others popping open an energy drink.

Within ten minutes, the warehouse and offices hummed with activity.

The sugar she’d consumed buzzed through her, fueling a focus on work that was only interrupted by thoughts of Cade every thirty seconds.

At nine o’clock, her cell phone rang, and Erin Donovan’s name showed up on the screen.

Sofia closed the office door before answering.

Instead of a regular greeting, Erin said, “I heard there’s a Pain in the Ass Fee buried somewhere in your contract.”

Sofia wasn’t sure what to say, but it didn’t matter since Erin rushed on, “There should be.We haven’t gotten started yet and I’ve already had enough of my family members.Granddaddy has something like eight-hundred people on his list, none of whom can be cut.Grandma Libby wants to invite the garden club.Granddaddy doesn’t want Aunt Kathryn’s boyfriend in attendance, and she’s threatening to boycott unless he can be there.Thompson is still going through Connor’s files, and Connor’s still trying to catch up from his honeymoon and can’t take time to look at it.Cade has sent nothing.Nathan is double and triple checking all his names like he has OCD or something, and I can’t pry the list out of his hands.”She exhaled.

“And how’s your list coming?”

“Don’t get me started,” she warned, sounding very much like her older brother for a moment.“I told you to put in a Pain in the Ass Fee.”

She grinned, already liking Erin.

“Everyone has a different opinion on the logo, but fuck ’em.We’re not going to make everyone happy.So I’m making an executive decision, and I’ll take the heat for it.Go with the logo you have.Order twelve hundred.”

“I’ll have to bill you for the printing costs, even if you don’t sign the contract.”

“I’ll sign it today on behalf of Donovan Worldwide.We can work out billing between the Running Wind and the various Donovan branches.Not your concern.”

Sofia curled her hand into a fist on top of the desk.

Since she rarely closed her door, she knew it would cause interest.Sure enough, Vivian peered through the window.Sofia waved her manager in and she silently took a chair.“I wasn’t expecting this call until Friday after your family meeting.”

“Honestly?I’ve got other stuff I need to be working on.The corset shop, the foundation.I don’t have time for another project, especially one that’s going to need miracle after miracle if it’s going to happen the way we want it to.I drank most of a bottle of chardonnay last night while talking to Aunt Kathryn and Granddaddy on the phone, and I don’t have that kind of energy.They’ll bitch and moan, but it won’t be the first time.Pretty sure it won’t be the last.”

Sofia gave Vivian a thumbs up, and Vivian gripped the bottom of her chair.The woman all but buzzed with energy.Sofia had to look away so that she could maintain her professionalism instead of jumping up and down.

“Let’s go with the Denim and Dazzle theme.If you need me for anything, let me know, but most of the logistics should be worked out with Cade since he’s on the property.Promise me you won’t ask me about tents and air conditioning and parking.Promise?”

She laughed.“I’ll handle the hard goods, if you’ll help with the people side.”

“I’d rather do neither,” she admitted.

“If you’re ready to move forward,” she told Erin, “we’ll need both the signed contract and a deposit check.”

“You can have someone pick it up this afternoon, if you want.It will take me that long to go through accounting.”

“Perfect.I’ll get it countersigned and returned to you tomorrow.”

“Fax or email is fine,” Erin said.

“As for the save-the-date, I’d like to get it out by Monday, Tuesday at the latest.”She got email contact information for each person, including Thompson, so that she could loop everyone in.“I’ll have my staff upload each person’s guest list into our mailing program, that way we’ll catch duplicates and get address verification.Spreadsheets are best, but we’ll use whatever you have.”

“Even a handwritten list?”

A headache formed at the base of her skull.“Even that.”