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“You—” Her brain couldn’t parse the data flooding it. “You don’t have anything to do with Murdoch Financial.”
“Honey, just because I don’t have anything to do with operations doesn’t mean I’m not a shareholder.”
“You—you still own shares?”
“As do you.”
“Me?” Rowan was about as confused as she could get.
“Rowan, listen to me. Murdoch Financial used to be McCarthy Financial. Didn’t you know that?”
“I—” She’d heard something long ago, but it just wouldn’t surface. “It’s not Dad’s company?”
“No,” her mother said with a laugh. “It’s mine.”
Shock shut Rowan’s brain down. She stared at her mother, mouth open, eyes wide, trying to fathom what she’d just said. “Yours?”
“Will you stop repeating me. Yes, it’s mine. When I divorced your father, we had an agreement. I would stay out of company dealings for as long as he was in charge, but I held onto the majority shares. I split those shares between you and myself. Between the two of us, we own sixty percent of Murdoch Financial. Your father and Finn own the other forty.”
“Holy shit.”
“Well, that’s better than a question. Oh, here we are.”
Rowan looked up as they pulled into the same small airport she’d been at with Gerard. Had that only been a month ago? In fact, they pulled up to the same plane. “Why are we here?”
“Because you’re getting on that plane, and you’re not to ask any questions.” Rose got out of the car before Rowan had a chance to say anything and came around and opened her door.
She preened with pride at whatever deception she was part of. “I packed you a bag.”
As Rowan’s brain slipped back into gear, she figured it out. “I don’t want to see Gerard. He didn’t believe me, thought me guilty without giving me a chance to explain. He’ll never trust me again, and honestly, I’m not sure I can ever trust him.” Though a part of her wanted to. And hadn’t she done all of this, talked to the FBI, with some small glimmer of a hope that she and Gerard could find their footing again?
“I did not raise my daughter to be a quitter. And right now, you’re as bad as he is with your judgmental attitude. You’ll go and listen to him. And he’ll listen to you. After that, whatever choice you two make is yours.”
At the steps of the plane, she watched the driver hand the attendant her bag. “I—”
“Shh, dear. Believe me that you need to clear the air if you’re ever going to be happy again.”
This would be the hardest thing Rowan had ever done, but her mother was right. She and Gerard needed to talk. “All right. I’ll go.” She hugged her mother and went up the steps into the plane.
“One more thing, dear,” her mother said.
Rowan turned around.
“I’m offering you the CEO position at Murdoch Financial. If, down the road, you’d like to merge with another financial organization, I’d be more than happy to discuss it. Now, close your mouth, and go get your man.” Her mother turned and walked back to the limousine, a very satisfied sway in her hips.
She closed her mouth and glanced inside the plane. No Gerard. Letting out a huge sigh of relief, she sat down and belted in. In moments, they were hurtling down the runway and into the air.
To what, she had no idea. But she knew where.
Chapter Twenty
Rowan couldn’t hide her disappointment when David picked her up at the small airport in Colorado, not Gerard.
“Mr. Barrett said he’d see you at the cabin.”
Had she been relegated to nothing more than a guest? Rowan felt her ire rising even as her breathing struggled. Welcome back to high altitude Colorado. She settled into the back seat, and they were quickly on their way.
Why hadn’t Gerard met her? Her mother said they were here to talk, and he was the best at setting the scene for the right kind of outcome. He didn’t want to talk in the car; that was apparent. But what outcome did he foresee?
