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As a result, Carro Vineyards was as widely known for producing fantastic wine as it was for seeing to the needs of the less fortunate. Besides, and Vectra could admit it being selfish reasoning on her part, it was a chance to do something Qasim wouldn’t like. The fact that he’d let their personal differences interfere with doing what needed to be done for charity’s sake set her teeth on edge.
The waiter returned with their drinks.
“So how’d the meeting end?” Vectra asked, sipping her wine. It wasn’t a Carro blend, but it was delicious just the same.
“Well, Sim gave the go-ahead to run the idea by you, so...”
“That’s terrific since I’m interested in hearing more. I’m sure this is an event Carro could host successfully.”
Will nursed his drink, looking progressively uncertain. “The idea was really Minka’s. She’s the one who was supposed to discuss this with you, and since I’m the new kid on the block, I don’t want to get on anyone’s bad side. Especially hers.”
Vectra laughed. “I don’t see that being a problem. Especially with Minka. You said the job was yours now, so we’ll keep everyone in the loop. Maybe a dinner meeting with you, Minka and whomever else needs to be in on it.”
“Sounds good.” Will nodded, the satisfaction returning to his gaze.
Vectra took another quick sip of her wine, glimpsed her watch and winced. “I should be going, Will. Listen, if you guys can work out a time and place to meet, call me with the details and it should be fine.”
“Thanks, Vectra. I can see why Sim likes you.”
“Thanks.” She tried to mask a deep inhale over the observation. “You and Qasim go back pretty far, huh?”
“Pretty far, yeah...” Will’s expression betrayed faint signs of something haunted. “I wish it’d been a friendship born out of want instead of necessity.”
“That sounds ominous.”
His smile was somber. “You can’t get more ominous than the thick of battle.”
“Right.” Her eyes widened.
Will toyed with the rim of his glass. “Things got pretty hairy over there, but I got a good friend out of the hell of it.”
“Your hell turned into the blessing of a good friend.”
“That’s truer than you know.” Will’s smile brightened. “My life was always hell. I thought going into the service couldn’t make it any worse.”
“Sounds like Qasim made it better. He’s a great guy to know.”
“You’re right. Nothing much changed after the army. I was more down on my luck than ever. I reached out to Sim on a whim and the guy gave me a job I was nowhere near qualified for.”
Vectra squeezed Will’s arm beneath his suit coat and smiled. “We’re gonna make sure he knows what a great choice he made.” She stood. “I’ll be waiting on that call.”
“Thanks, Vectra.” Will saluted her with his glass before she left the table.
* * *
Qasim noticed Minka waving to him the moment he stepped from the elevator into his personal lobby. He acknowledged her wave with a subtle nod and then returned his attention to the man he’d left the elevator with.
“I’ll want to see the company’s projections for the last five years at least. I also want to know how close they’ve come to those goals or how far they under or overshot,” Qasim said. “I won’t have our employees making ill-informed decisions about how to invest any of their retirement dollars.”
“I agree.” Donald Bertson nodded. “You’ll have that data before noon tomorrow.”
“Don.” Qasim smiled, extending his hand for a shake. Don Bertson headed off to the executive offices housed on the other side of the private lobby while Qasim took the opposite route to his office wing and Minka. “Nice to know I’ve been missed,” he said when he reached her.
Minka smiled, but the effort was shaky. “I wanted to catch you before you got caught up in something else.”
“Sounds serious.” Qasim loosened his tie.
“I don’t think so.” She shrugged, sending barely a ripple through the shimmering peach fabric of a cap-sleeve blouse. “Probably making something out of nothing anyway.”
“Mmm-hmm, it’s what I depend on you for, you know?” Qasim inclined his head, slightly arching a heavy brow. “Nothings have a nasty way of turning into somethings.”
“Okay.” Minka’s tone was resolved.
“Hey! Just the two people I wanted to see.”
Minka had just rounded her desk when Will Lloyd’s greeting rang out.
“Spill it.” Qasim settled to a corner of Minka’s desk.
