Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Atlanta—Present Day
Surprisingly, despite the numerous angry messages Olivia received from Jessica over the weekend, and her nerves over meeting with Declan on Monday, Olivia slept better over the weekend than she had in months.
The disastrous meeting with Jessica before Christmas, and her parents’ unpleasantness when she’d cancelled plans the night of her headache, followed by the conversation with Declan in the park had flipped a switch in her. Olivia was done worrying about how other people felt about what she did. She had a job to do, and that was what she would focus on.
“How could you do this to us, Olivia?” Jessica’s voice had vibrated with hurt when Olivia answered the phone Friday, after leaving her meeting with Declan and Cecile.
“I didn’t do anything. I was blindsided, along with everyone else.”
“Kyle says you knew, and that you had him fired because you are still upset about the divorce.”
Olivia held on to her temper. “For the last time, I left Kyle because he is a horrible person. Full stop. He got himself fired because it took Declan two minutes to see Kyle is incompetent.”
Jessica huffed an angry breath. “Right. It has nothing to do with your ex-boyfriend stealing the company from my family.”
Olivia swallowed the bitter words that surged to the tip of her tongue. There was no point in arguing. “What is it you want me to say, Jessica?”
“He bought out Uncle Richard, but he won’t buy Kyle’s shares. What is he planning to do about mine and my mother’s shares?”
“I honestly don’t know. We have our first real meeting on Monday. I suspect, like most private equity firms, he’s going to position Armstrong for sale.”
“How can you be so cold? Don’t you even care about what’s happening?”
Olivia’s tone was sharp. “Of course I care, Jessica. My entire life is this company. However, my most immediate concern is for the employees who depend on their paycheck every week, not someone who thought they held the golden ticket for something they never worked for. Find an outside buyer for your stock, Jessica. It’s all you can do.”
“You won’t ask him to?—”
“I have to go. Goodbye, Jessica.”
Olivia wasn’t sure if Jessica had reported their conversation back to Kyle, or if he was simply being vengeful, but he had clearly called her parents as part of his smear campaign. It was no surprise they took his side.
Waking up late after a good night’s sleep, Olivia was making herself pancakes when her caller ID lit up with her parents’ number. They called her so rarely, Olivia picked up instantly.
It was a mistake.
They must have clutched the phone between them to share because they both interjected their opinions, often speaking over each other.
“Is it true you slept with your new boss?” Her mother whispered the word.
“No.”
“Kyle said?—”
“Kyle is my ex-husband, and I’m your daughter. Why are you still talking to him?”
“You threw away your vows. That doesn’t mean we have to kick him out of our lives. He was a part of our family.”
Olivia snapped. “ I’m a part of your family. I’m your child, but you always side with him.”
“Don’t speak to your mother like that,” her father boomed.
“Olivia.” Her mother was using her you’re-having-a-temper-tantrum voice. “You’ve always been stubborn, and you like to get your own way. Have you considered how your actions have hurt the people around you? I’m not sure you ever gave your marriage a chance. A husband needs?—”
She’d heard it too many times before. “I don’t have a husband.”
“Who’s fault is that?” her father snapped.
Olivia bit her tongue. “Fun chat. Let’s do it again in a few months, like usual.”
She didn’t feel an iota of guilt when she hung up on her parents and powered her phone off for the rest of the weekend.
Olivia was surprised to find Declan alone on Monday when she joined him in his office. Part of her hoped Cecile or another member of his team would be there to serve as a buffer. Olivia rolled her shoulders back. Not a problem. She could take whatever Declan threw at her.
“Olivia.” Declan greeted her with an extended arm, inviting her to sit in one of the chairs facing the desk. Her stomach flipped as her eyes skated over his face.
God he is beautiful.
“I got the reports you sent. They are…” His eyes scanned down the papers in front of him. “Detailed.”
“If we are going to find things to cut, you need the complete picture. There are a lot of expenditures that are unnecessary.”
Olivia’s plan was to cut as much non-personnel overhead as she could, wherever she could, in order to protect jobs.
A long finger rubbed his lower lip, and Olivia caught herself following the motion while he read. Biting the inside of her cheek was a quick, painful reminder to ignore how he made her body feel. Olivia opened her portfolio and extended the file she’d brought with her. “I have a list of suggestions for what would be easiest to eliminate.”
Declan’s gaze rose from the file he was reading to the file in her hand. His eyebrows lifted, and Olivia swore he was trying not to smile as he took it from her hand. She recognized the expression. It was the way his eyes lit up right before he laughed.
Olivia hardened her heart.
“You came prepared.”
“Always.” She kept her voice flat.
A mischievous expression stole across his face. “I shouldn’t be surprised since you’re such an overachiever.”
Olivia willed herself not to respond, and after a moment, his expression grew resigned. If Declan thought he could use her feelings to gain an advantage over her by evoking that memory, he was mistaken. She wasn’t a twenty-two-year-old anymore, and he wasn’t the man she’d shared that confidence with.
His teeth caught the corner of his lower lip and sucked it in as his eyes ran down the page, lines appearing between his brows. Olivia dug her nails into her palms to keep her face impassive as her pulse picked up speed.
Stop staring at his mouth.
“I have questions.” The furrows between his brows deepened.
She bet he did. In the paperwork provided to their potential buyers, Olivia had done her best to bury various accounts the Armstrong family used to write off personal expenses. Instead of breaking them out into itemized accounts, she’d put most of them under general operating expenses.
Declan used his pen to point at one of the lines and then frowned and tapped another one.
“On the summary report given to the buyers were the umbrella terms we flowed various expenses through. Expenses Kyle and his father deemed important for business. I’ve broken down the categories on today’s report,” she explained.
Declan read the list aloud, shaking his head in disbelief. When he got to the end, his eyes met hers, and Olivia grit her teeth. He didn’t understand the pressure she’d been under. Declan lifted the paper in the air, his expression making it clear he thought she’d lost her mind.
“Are you telling me you’ve written off his various social and club memberships, as well as season tickets to all the Atlanta teams, dinners, trips…” An astonished laugh escaped.
“Yes.” Olivia gave him a curt nod.
Declan drew an X over the entire section. “Well, this is easier than I thought it was going to be. Any more of your ex-husband’s personal bills I should know about? Another family and kids somewhere? A mistress or two?”
Olivia sucked in a harsh breath, and Declan’s eyes widened.
“I didn’t mean…”
“This list is comprehensive of the easy expenses we can safely dispense with.” Her voice could have frozen a volcano, and Olivia intentionally kept her language formal.
“Olivia—”
“If you will sign this…” She interrupted him, extending another piece of paper. “I will stop payments on these memberships today.”
Declan stared at her for a minute, his eyes troubled. Olivia pinched the paper harder, making sure her hand didn’t tremble. Heaving a sigh, Declan took the paper, and after a quick perusal, scrawled his signature across the bottom.
“Hopefully, these savings will safeguard at least a few positions.”
Declan inclined his head. “It’s definitely a start.”
“People are worried,” Olivia pressed. “If we offer them some assurance…”
“There won’t be any layoffs for at least thirty days.”
Hope flared in her chest, but Declan’s next words snuffed it out. “However, they will come. Those on the XEROS team, in fabrication, design, and support, should start circulating their resumes. They will most likely be the first to go.”
Olivia’s eyes narrowed. “That’s almost fifty people. You need them.”
Declan twirled his pen between his fingers. “XEROS will be manufactured at a company I own in Ireland. The tax benefits make it a more attractive option.”
Olivia’s lips parted in shock. She knew he would try to lean the company down to make it attractive to a buyer, but to hear the dismantlement would start so soon was disheartening.
“Declan, there must be?—”
“A companywide memorandum will go out today. Those who choose to leave now will be offered a more generous package than those who wait until it becomes necessary to eliminate their position. Though everyone will be offered something.” Declan’s expression softened the tiniest amount. “I’m not trying to ruin people's lives. This is business.”
Frustration and anger had her shaking as Olivia pushed to her feet. “You said I have thirty days to change your mind.”
Declan let out a long exhale through his nose. “That’s not what I said.”
“It’s what I heard.” With that parting shot, Olivia turned on her heel and stalked to the door.
“Olivia.” Declan’s voice stopped her at the door. “Thanks for…” He held up the paper files she had delivered to him, and despite herself, her cheeks heated.
“What’s this?” A worn, thin paperback dropped on her stomach. Olivia set her e-reader on the bed next to her and picked up the thin volume. “This is the book you just finished?” Her eyes lifted to his.
“You said you hadn’t read it.” Declan shrugged.
“I’m not sure I took you for a physical book kind of guy.” Declan lifted his eyebrows. “You strike me as more of a techie.” Olivia lifted her device and wiggled it in the air.
Declan dropped onto the bed next to her. “Nah. I’ll always prefer the analog route when it comes to reading.”
“Really? Why?”
He shrugged. “I pay more attention if I’m touching it.” He gave her a sly smile as he ran a finger down her bare arm, drawing goosebumps.
Olivia wanted to snap that she hadn’t given him paper copies on purpose… but she had. Now, she was furious with herself.
A young man appeared in the doorway, his eyes going from Olivia to Declan.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but you have a phone call.”
Olivia watched irritation wash over Declan’s expression. “Not now, Todd.”
“I’m sorry. She is insistent.”
Declan’s lips turned down. “My sister?”
“It’s Fiona Carrol.”
Olivia’s stomach twisted unpleasantly.
Declan is marrying another woman.
I’m just someone from his past who temporarily works for him.
She needed to remember that. And, she told herself, the pressure in her chest had nothing to do with jealousy.
Liar.