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Stan’s fingers tighten around his glass. “If you think I’d let you anywhere near—”
“If you don’t let me take over, the only other option is to sell.”
“I’d rather do that than hand over the company my family has built from the ground up to some no-account playboy like you. You’ll get distracted by the first floozy who bats her lashes at you, and Moore’s will have the same fate as everything else you’ve ever started and never finished.”
I could win millions in Vegas with my poker face.
Masking the sting of his words with a smile, I lean back in the ornate dining chair. “Please, old man. You’ve already started the wrecking ball with your laughable management skills.”
“You—”
“Enough.”
Everyone blinks at my mother’s voice. It hadn’t been raised, but it had been firm. Even Stan creases his forehead in surprise. I don’t think Mom has ever used that tone with him, or any of us, before.
A long sigh escapes her perfectly painted pink lips, and I swear her eyes cut to the bar cart by the door. “Let’s not be vulgar.” She straightens the multiple tennis bracelets on her slim wrist before continuing. As if petting diamonds gives her strength. Heck maybe it does because I’ve never seen her get involved in business before. “Truthfully, I am not as surprised as the rest of you that Thomas wants to sell. He never really did like the store.”
When Stan opens his mouth to speak, Liz shushes him, surprising him again. Seems like the women are running this show.
“And it also doesn’t surprise me that Chase wants to take over. He has always loved the store.” She gives me a small smile. It almost looks apologetic. “I never said anything because”—she looks forlornly at her empty glass— “well, because.” She straightens in her chair, which is hard to do as she already has perfect posture.
Silence.
When no one speaks up, and my mother doesn’t continue, Stan starts in again.
“Do neither of you understand the damage he could do?” He actually points at me, like they don’t know who “he” is. You’ve got to hand it to the guy, even with all his children against him, outnumbered both bodily and with shares, he’s still trying to find a way to not let me take over.
I bite the inside of my cheek. Am I really that bad?
Stan drops his hand to the table with a thud, the crystal glasses shaking. “If we give over control now and he fucks it up, like he undoubtedly will, the offer on the table will be lowered. Or even withdrawn. Moore’s would be forced to declare bankruptcy.”
For a second, panic freezes my chest. What if I did fail? What would happen to Mom? To Liz?
“Dad, Chase won’t let that happen. He’s smart. He graduated the top of his class. From U Penn.” A sigh dripping with exasperation escapes her. “I don’t know why you think he’s going to mess up.”
My little sister smiles at me, and the panic evaporates. She’s right. I can do this. I know it. And more importantly, I know Moore’s.
Mom gives up on getting a refill from the elusive staff and pushes back her chair to get it herself. She might have gone quiet again, but I don’t miss the slight nod of encouragement she gives me behind Stan’s back. My mother is sending mixed signals today.
Stan rolls his eyes. The juvenile move would be comical if it weren’t directed at me and his complete lack of faith in my abilities.
Ugh. Fuck Stan for getting in my head. He may not like his family’s legacy in the hands of the spare, but I don’t have an ounce of sympathy for the guy. He brought this on himself with bad business management and nonexistent fatherly support. So I lean back again, this time with my arms behind my head, and smirk. “Yeah, old man. Don’t worry, I got this.”
“Really?” He narrows his eyes. “Just how sure are you about that?”
Mental sigh. Why is nothing ever easy with this guy?
But I take the bait. “What do you mean by that?”
His eyes are intent on mine when he leans forward. “You’ve got until the end of the year to improve the bottom line. If you don’t, we sell. We’ll have to. But if it comes to that, or I should say when it comes to that, you forfeit all your shares.”
I don’t blink. I don’t move. I just stare back.
I’m not stupid. I know I don’t have to take this deal. I already have the majority shareholder votes, what with Liz and Mom having sided with me. Nothing he can do at this point can stop me from taking over. But he’s just so damn sure I’m going to fail. Just because I’m not Thomas. And if I don’t put money where my mouth is, he’ll think I agree.
Damn it.
“You got yourself a deal, Daddy-O.”
